Diana of the Dunes, page 15
102. Chicago Herald, “Boys Bathe in Fountain as U. of C. Co-Eds Shriek,” July 25, 1916.
103. Gary Daily Tribune, “Is This a Scheme to Attract People to Dune Region?” July 22, 1916.
104. Lake County Times, “Suggests a Park at Dunes with Diana in Charge,” July 26, 1916.
105. Ibid.
106. Lake County Times, “Nymph O’ Dunes Visits Chicago,” July 26, 1916.
107. Chicago Daily Tribune, “Back to Dunes, Says Alice Gray After City Tour; ‘Nymph’ of Indiana Shore Finds Movies and Pier Sights Tedious,” July 26, 1916. The full text of this article is appended.
108. Ibid.
109. Gary Evening Post, “Diana Dunes May Go Back to Life,” July 26, 1916.
110. Porter County Vidette, “‘Diana of the Dunes’ Flees Her Habitation,” July 26, 1916.
111. Chicago Herald and Examiner, “Diana of the Dunes Says ‘L’ Brought Her Sunshine,” June 4, 1918.
FULLERTON HALL
112. Alice Gray, “Chicago’s Kinland” (essay, Fullerton Hall, Chicago, IL, April 6, 1917). This essay, courtesy of Westchester Township History Museum, is appended.
113. “American Memory,” Library of Congress, http://memory.loc.gov. Both photographs are available for viewing online by doing a search for “Alice Gray” on the website.
114. Chesterton Tribune, “‘Diana of the Dunes’ to Appear on Platform,” April 5, 1917.
115. “The Dunes Under Four Flags,” Dunes Pageant Association, 1917.
116. Lake County Times, “Nymph of Dunes Is Heard from Again,” April 6, 1917.
117. This essay, courtesy of Westchester Township History Museum, is appended.
PAUL WILSON: CAVEMAN
118. Joseph Thomas, ed., A History of Ogden Dunes (n.p.: 1976).
119. Evening Messenger, “Picturesque Characters Have Left the Duneland,” December 5, 1923.
120. Michigan City News, “Dunes Rover Is Identified as Former Resident,” June 16, 1922.
121. Michigan City News, “Denial by Eisenblatters,” June 17, 1922.
122. Times (Hammond, IN), “Caveman Husband of Diana Reveals His Life Story,” June 23, 1922.
123. Chicago Herald and Examiner, “6 Foot 2 Inch Caveman Wins Dunes’ Diana,” June 27, 1920.
124. Their historic house still stands today.
125. Chicago Herald and Examiner, “The Diary of Diana of the Dunes,” June 2, 1918.
126. Chicago Herald and Examiner, “Diana of the Dunes Dissects Soul in Diary: Tells of Preparing New Book,” June 3, 1918.
127. Times (Hammond, IN), “Caveman Husband of Diana Reveals His Life Story,” June 23, 1922.
128. Chesterton Tribune, “Diana’s Caveman Tells How He Met the Nymph of the Dunes,” June 29, 1922.
129. Evening Messenger, “Picturesque Characters Have Left the Duneland,” December 5, 1923.
130. Samuel Reck, developer of Ogden Dunes, recalled making the same suggestion to Paul as a means of income.
131. Ibid.
132. Thomas, ed., A History of Ogden Dunes.
MURDER IN THE DUNES
133. Evening Messenger, “Diana Suffers a Fracture of Skull,” June 14, 1922.
134. Evening Messenger, “Found Dead and Cremated at Waverly,” June 9, 1922.
135. Gary Evening Post and Daily Tribune, “‘Diana’ Knows Nothing of Dunes Death Mystery,” June 10, 1922.
136. Evening Messenger, “Sand Dune Stranger Is Identified,” June 10, 1922.
137. Chicago Herald and Examiner, “Dunes Victim Is Believed Identified,” June 11, 1922.
138. Chicago Herald and Examiner, “Dunes Slaying ‘Victim’ Sees ‘His’ Death Pyre,” June 12, 1922.
139. Gary Evening Post, “Hurried Visit of Beautiful Girl to Sand Dunes Where Charred Body of Unknown Man Was Found May Solve Latest Death Mystery,” June 13, 1922.
140. Complaint for Damages, filed in the District Court of the United States for the District of Indiana, June 9, 1924: Paul George Wilson and Alice Gray Wilson, Plaintiffs v. The Evening American Publishing Company, and the Tribe of K., defendants.
141. Times (Hammond, IN), “Dunes’ Diana in Hospital Badly Hurt; Woman’s Protector Shot in Foot and Her Skull Is Fractured in Battle on Sands,” June 14, 1922.
142. Ibid.
143. Gary Evening Post, “Diana’s Cottage Broken Into by Curiosity Seekers, Claim—Her Cave-Man Mate Gives His Version of Fight in Which Diana Was Injured,” June 17, 1922.
144. Ibid.
145. Gary Evening Post, “Husband of Diana Gives First Clue,” June 14, 1922.
146. Daily Herald (La Porte, IN), “Caveman Mate Bares Attack,” June 15, 1922.
147. Gary Post-Tribune, “First Pictures of Sand Dunes Cottage of Diana and Her Mate,” June 19, 1922.
148. Gary Evening Post, “Diana’s Cottage Broken Into by Curiosity Seekers, Claim—Her Cave-Man Mate Gives His Version of Fight in Which Diana Was Injured,” June 17, 1922.
149. Gary Post-Tribune, “Original ‘Diana of the Dunes’ and Mate Flee as Civilization Intrudes,” November 23, 1923.
150. Lake County Times, “Has Diana Left the Dunes? Never!” April 23, 1923.
A CASE OF LIBEL
151. Evening Messenger, “Picturesque Characters Have Left the Duneland,” December 5, 1923.
152. Gary Post-Tribune, “Dunes Route Formally Opened,” November 16, 1923.
153. Chesterton Tribune, “Dunes Hiway Dedication a Great Success,” November 22, 1923.
154. Gary Post-Tribune, “20,000 Autos Use New Dunes Route Sunday,” November 20, 1923.
155. Gary Post-Tribune, “Will Unload Machinery at Dune Station,” November 14, 1923.
156. Lake County Times, “Giant of Duneland Is Fined,” June 25, 1923.
157. Gary Post-Tribune, “Original ‘Diana of the Dunes’ and Mate Flee as Civilization Intrudes,” November 23, 1923.
158. Ibid.
159. Ibid.
160. Ibid.
161. Thomas, ed., A History of Ogden Dunes.
162. Ibid.
163. Legal documents obtained courtesy of the National Archives, Great Lakes Region, Chicago, Illinois.
164. Gary Evening Post, “Diana of the Dunes Starts $100,000 Suit: Charges Newspaper with Libel,” June 10, 1924.
165. Legal documents obtained courtesy of the National Archives, Great Lakes Region, Chicago, Illinois.
166. Complaint for Damages, filed in the District Court of the United States for the District of Indiana, June 9, 1924: Paul George Wilson and Alice Gray Wilson, Plaintiffs v. The Evening American Publishing Company, and the Tibe of K. defendants.
167. Times (Hammond, IN), “Diana of Dunes Reported Dead in Her Lonely Shack,” February 9, 1925.
IN THE END
168. Evening Messenger, “Mystery Woman of Dunes Dies,” February 10, 1925.
169. Thomas, ed., A History of Ogden Dunes.
170. Gettysburg Times, “Diana Dead,” February 19, 1925.
171. Helena Independent, “Diana of Dunes Is Dead, Dancing in Moonlight on Sands of Shore at End,” February 10, 1925.
172. New York Times, “‘Diana of the Dunes’ Dies of Privations,” February 10, 1925.
173. Syracuse Herald, February 9, 1925. The subheadline of the story added more flavor: “Diana of the Dunes, Daughter of Wealthy Family Dwelt Nine Years Amid Privations—Wore Only Nature’s Garbs.”
174. Thomas, ed., A History of Ogden Dunes.
175. La Porte Herald Argus, “‘Respectable’ Funeral for Diana of the Dunes,” February 11, 1925.
176. Gary Post-Tribune, “Diana, ‘Dunes Nymph,’ Is Laid to Rest in Oak Hill; Friends Donate Flowers,” February 11, 1925.
177. Thomas, ed., A History of Ogden Dunes.
178. Times (Hammond, IN), “Paul Packs His Gun at Diana’s Bier,” February 12, 1925.
179. Thomas, ed., A History of Ogden Dunes.
180. Ibid.
181. Times (Hammond, IN), “Diana of Dunes Reported Dead in Her Lonely Shack,” February 9, 1925.
182. Times (Hammond, IN), “Paul Packs His Gun at Diana’s Bier,” February 12, 1925.
183. Chester Dunn inadvertently provided an incorrect birth date on Alice Gray’s death certificate. He stated she was born on November 25, 1881, when in fact it was March 25, 1881.
184. Gary Evening Post, “Diana Laid to Rest; Mate Not at Grave,” February 12, 1925.
185. Thomas, ed., A History of Ogden Dunes.
186. Vidette Messenger, “Porter Township History,” Porter County Centennial Edition, August 16–21, 1936.
APPENDIX B: PAUL WILSON, AFTER ALICE
187. Fresno Bee (Fresno, CA), “Haunted by the Spirit of ‘Diana of the Dunes,’” April 26, 1925.
188. Ibid.
189. Gary Post-Tribune, “Seek Husband of ‘Diana’ on Plea of Wife,” March 14, 1927.
190. La Porte Herald Argus, “Wilson Accused of Shooting Gun,” April 29, 1926.
191. Gary Post-Tribune, “‘Diana’s’ Mate, After Period of Obscurity, Again Behind Bars,” April 28, 1926.
192. Introduction, Henrietta Martindale Hyessa Wilson (1888–1962) and Family Papers, 1896–1977, Murphy Library, University of Wisconsin–La Cross. http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi/f/findaid/findaid-idx?c=wiarchives;view=reslist;subview=standard;didno=uw-whs-lx00bd;focusrgn=C01;cc=wiarchives;byte=68908068
193. Gary Post-Tribune, “Seek Husband of ‘Diana’ on Plea of Wife,” March 14, 1927.
194. Ibid.
195. Charles Eastman (1858–1939) was a Native American physician. He is well known for his work in promoting American Indian rights. Eastman cared for Indians after the Wounded Knee massacre and helped to found the Boy Scouts of America.
196. Gary Post-Tribune, “Echo of ‘Diana of the Dune’ Is Heard Again,” March 17, 1927.
197. La Porte Herald Argus, “Giant of Dunes Is Jailed Here,” March 17, 1927.
198. La Porte Herald Argus, “Eats Matches in Suicide Attempt,” March 16, 1927.
199. Vidette-Messenger, “Paul Wilson Is Freed on Bond,” December 2, 1930.
200. Ibid.
201. Chesterton Tribune, “Wilson Home on Dunes Highway Burns Monday,” January 1, 1931.
202. Vidette-Messenger, “Paul Wilson in Jail Again,” January 5, 1931.
203. Vidette-Messenger, “Dunes Giant, Man of Woes, Made Convict,” February 6, 1931.
204. Document on file with the Indiana State Archives, Indiana Commission on Public Records.
205. Bakersfield Californian, “Unidentified Man Discovered Dead,” October 27, 1941.
206. Bakersfield Californian, “Dead Man Found in Cabin Is Identified,” October 28, 1941.
About the Author
Photograph by Craig Berg
Although this marks her first book-length work, Janet Zenke Edwards has long written about fascinating, unusual and otherwise remarkable people whose stories have appeared under her byline in newspapers, magazines and essays. She lives with her husband and three children in St. Louis, Missouri. Every summer she is grateful for time spent at the family’s third -generation cottage along Lake Michigan’s shoreline—within walking distance of where Alice Gray first settled in the Indiana dunes.
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Janet Zenke Edwards, Diana of the Dunes
