The Westland Case (1937) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Richard Bolston, Westland's business partner, was the actual murderer. He killed Westland's wife to prevent her from discovering his counterfeiting scheme, which he had been running to save his failing business. Westland was wrongfully convicted and sentenced to death.

• richard bolston
• murderer
• business partner
• counterfeit bonds

Westland was convicted because the evidence pointed to him, he owned the Webley pistol that was used as the murder weapon, and circumstances appeared damning. However, the real killer, Richard Bolston, had stolen Westland's pistol and used it in the murder, framing him for the crime.

• wrongful conviction
• frame job
• evidence

Bolston was counterfeiting bonds to prop up his failing business. He feared that an upcoming audit by Westland's accountant would expose his financial crimes. Killing Westland's wife was meant to keep her silent about his counterfeiting operation.

• motive
• counterfeiting
• bonds
• business fraud

The accountant was killed because he was about to reveal evidence that could prove Westland's innocence. After the informant was killed, the conspirators eliminated the accountant via a hit-and-run to prevent him from exposing the truth about the counterfeiting scheme.

• accountant
• hit-and-run
• cover-up

Crane recovered a Webley pistol from the river and traced it through a Joliet, Illinois firearm firm. Records showed the pistol was purchased and test-fired at their range. Ballistics expert Major Lee confirmed the unique slugs matched the murder weapon, linking it to Richard Bolston.

• webley pistol
• ballistics
• weapon evidence
• joliet

The anonymous note was sent by an informant who knew about the conspiracy to frame Westland. This person was later murdered in a crowded restaurant to silence them and prevent them from providing evidence to the investigators.

• anonymous note
• informant
• restaurant murder

Bentine was Robert Westland's secretary, but she was secretly his wife and confederate in the cover-up. She was involved in the conspiracy to keep Westland convicted, though she was not the primary murderer.

• bentine
• secret wife
• secretary
• conspirator

The apartment was hastily rented out to Agatha Hogan, a blonde party girl, which contaminated the crime scene. The detectives became immediately interested in her, though her role seemed primarily to distract from the investigation rather than being directly involved in the conspiracy.

• agatha hogan
• apartment
• crime scene

Frazee, a seasoned defense attorney, took the case after receiving the anonymous note suggesting Westland might be innocent. He took the note seriously and hired private detectives Bill Crane and Doc Williams to investigate, despite the dangerous stakes with only six days before execution.

• charlie frazee
• attorney
• investigation
• six days

The key evidence was the recovered Webley pistol traced to Richard Bolston through the Joliet firearm firm's records, combined with proof of Bolston's counterfeiting motive. Ballistics matching the unique slugs to the murder weapon, along with the financial evidence, proved Westland's innocence.

• exoneration
• evidence
• ballistics
• westland freed

The informant was killed in broad daylight in a bustling restaurant to send a message and silence anyone else who might try to reveal the conspiracy. The public killing demonstrated the reach and ruthlessness of those protecting the real killer.

• informant murder
• restaurant
• conspiracy
• public killing