Victims of 1888 Hawes murder finally receive grave marker at Oak Hill cemetery

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - In 1888, Richard Hawes killed his wife, Emma, and two daughters Irene and May so he could marry another woman. All these years later, the infamous tale is still told.

Richard bludgeoned his wife and daughters before dumping their bodies in East and Highland lakes.

“A few days later, there were some boys fishing on East Lake, and up came one of the bodies and nobody knew who they were,” said the director of Oak Hill Cemetery, Stuart Oates.

The body was identified as May after it was put on display at a funeral home. A search then began for other members of the Hayes family.

“So they ended up dredging East Lake where they found another body and then they went up to Highland Lake where the golf course is today and they found the third body,” said Oates.

Richard was arrested when he arrived in Birmingham on his way to his honeymoon. The case caused such an uproar that a riot started outside the courthouse. Ten people died as a result of the riot.

“Little by little, people started showing up to the courthouse until there were 1,100 standing outside the courthouse, demanding his release so that they could lynch him on the spot,” said Oates.

Emma, Irene, and May were buried at Oak Hill Cemetery in an unmarked grave, until now. Recently, enough money was raised for a grave marker thanks to William Nolen and Exploring History.

“The thing is when you walk through cemeteries and you hear these stories, they always touch on our own humanness and this is one of those stories that always should be remembered and told.”

An official unveiling of the grave marker will be held Saturday, April 6 at 10 a.m. and a tour will be held afterward. Tickets are $25. Oak Hill hosts tours the first Saturday of each month, weather permitting.

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