QUIET DELL, W.Va. — The life and crimes of Harry Powers, one of the first men in modern history to be labeled a serial killer, have inspired books, movies, and podcasts. Powers, born Herman Drenth in the Netherlands in 1892, immigrated to the United States in 1910 and eventually settled in Quiet Dell, near Clarksburg, West Virginia, under the name Harry Powers. He was executed on March 18, 1932, after being convicted of the violent murders he committed.
Powers’s barbarity has left a lasting impact, with the 1953 novel “Night of the Hunter” and its 1955 film adaptation, as well as Jayne Anne Phillips’ 2013 novel “Quiet Dell,” examining the case. Powers’s actions involved assuming the character of an Oklahoma oil-stock promoter and taking out personal advertisements to attract vulnerable, wealthy women.
Using various aliases, Powers corresponded with and ultimately murdered several women, including Asta Eicher, a widowed mother of three from Park Ridge, Illinois, and Dorothy Lemke of Northboro, Massachusetts. The horrors of his crimes came to light when police discovered secret chambers beneath his garage, containing the bodies of his victims.
Powers’s trial drew significant public attention, with thousands of spectators demanding his release to enact their own form of justice. Despite being convicted of five murders, some scholars believe Powers may have been responsible for more deaths. The case serves as a chilling reminder of the capacity for evil in the world and the importance of seeking justice for the victims of heinous crimes.
In conclusion, Harry Powers, also known as Herman Drenth, was a serial killer executed in 1932 for the murders of multiple women. His notorious crimes have left a lasting impact on literature and the public’s perception of serial killers, emphasizing the need for justice and awareness of such atrocities.