Joseph Taborsky

Case record: Joseph Taborsky

Background

Joseph “Mad Dog” Taborsky (March 23, 1924 – May 17, 1960) was a murderer who was sentenced to death after a string of brutal robberies and murders in Connecticut during the 1950s. The killings became known as the “Mad Dog Killings,” and six people were killed during a string of armed robberies and murders in Connecticut during the 1950s. A number of others were shot, beaten, or pistol-whipped but survived.

Taborsky earned his nickname due to the savagery of the killings that condemned him to death. He was executed by electric chair at the age of 36. His execution in 1960 was described as the last in Connecticut (and in New England) until that of Michael Bruce Ross in 2005.

Taborsky donated his body to Yale School of Medicine, and his ashes were later buried in the garden of Christ Church Cathedral. First time on death row: Taborsky was described as an anomaly in Connecticut death penalty lore, being the only convict sent to death row not once, but twice, for different crimes.

Second time on death row: After his release from prison, Taborsky met Arthur “Meatball” Culombe, who became his accomplice during the “Mad Dog Killings.” Taborsky received the death penalty and was executed on May 17, 1960. Before his execution, he confessed to the 1950 murder of Wolfson.

The offence

Taborsky’s killing spree included a 1950 liquor store robbery-murder and later “Mad Dog Killings” robberies and murders.

First murder: Louis Wolfson

Louis Wolfson was killed on March 23, 1950, on Taborsky’s 26th birthday. The cause of death was a gunshot wound to the face.

Taborsky and his younger brother Albert were described as part of a five-man gang terrorizing local businesses, and their efforts were characterized as looking for a “mark.” Albert stayed in the car while Taborsky leaped out during the robbery of a West Hartford liquor store owned by Wolfson.

After the shooting, it was said that Wolfson told police that his assailant was young, white, baby-faced, was wearing a trench coat, and that his light hair could use a haircut. Wolfson died three days after the shooting.

“Mad Dog Killings”

The “Mad Dog Killings” included victims killed in multiple robberies and murders.

On December 15, 1956, Edward Kurpewski and Daniel Janowski were killed. They were both shot in the back of the head. It was said that the killers spared Janowski’s 14-month-old daughter, who was running around the store, and she was found by a bus driver the next morning.

On December 26, 1956, Samuel Cohn was killed. He was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest.

On January 5, 1957, Bernard “Buster” Speyer and Ruth Speyer were killed. Both were shot in the head.

On January 26, 1957, John M. Rosenthal was killed. He was shot in the chest.

A quote attributed to Taborsky was included about confessing actions during the spree: during the later description of Culombe’s confession, Taborsky was described as confessing to being behind the recent killing spree and also as being the person who shot Louis Wolfson back in 1950.

Investigation

Investigators focused on a clue described as the assailant’s size-12 feet. Police started by checking the shoe sizes of every Connecticut ex-con. It was described as not surprising that Taborsky was one of the bigfoots.

Taborsky was brought in along with Arthur Culombe, whose photo had been picked out by the shoe-store owner as his assailant’s accomplice. It was said that Culombe could not make a positive identification when shown Taborsky’s mug shot.

Arrest

Culombe quickly confessed to eight holdups involving six murders and insisted he had only been along for the ride and that Taborsky did the killing, cackling as he fired the fatal shots, usually into his victim’s faces or heads.

It was said that Taborsky stayed tight-lipped for days, then cracked and confessed to being behind the recent killing spree. He also confessed to the 1950 murder of Louis Wolfson.

Taborsky was arrested on February 23 along with Culombe.

Trial

First case: Louis Wolfson

Taborsky and Albert were tried and convicted on June 7, 1951, based largely on Albert’s confession. Albert pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and got a life sentence. It was described that Taborsky was condemned to die in the electric chair, with the sentence to be carried out on Nov. 7.

A complication arose shortly before the scheduled execution: Albert was described as having a breakdown, started babbling that he was Christ, and ended up in the “bug ward,” as Taborsky’s brother put it. Joseph’s lawyers argued that because the key witness was incurably insane, the confession could not be relied upon.

After 52 months on death row, Taborsky was granted a new trial. Because the only witness was incurably insane, Taborsky was freed. It was said that, because there were no other witnesses to the robbery and murder of Wolfson, Taborsky could not be tried again and was freed from death row in early October 1955.

It was also said that Taborsky appeared humble after release and stated: “You can't beat the law. From now on, I'm not even going to get a parking ticket.”

Second case: “Mad Dog Killings”

After his release in October 1955, Taborsky met Arthur “Meatball” Culombe.

After a nine-week trial, with five weeks described as being consumed in trying to pick an impartial jury, Taborsky and Culombe were found guilty and sentenced to die in the chair. Culombe’s sentence was commuted to life.

Taborsky was sentenced to death on June 27, 1957.

Sentencing

Taborsky was condemned to die in the electric chair in the Wolfson case, with the sentence described as scheduled for Nov. 7, but later new trial relief occurred due to Albert’s incurable insanity.

In the later case, Taborsky was sentenced to death on June 27, 1957, and he was executed in 1960.

It was also said that Culombe was given a life sentence based on the circumstances around an incident involving a 3-year-old girl during a grocery-store robbery where Taborsky ordered Culombe to shoot the girl and Culombe hid her beneath a deli case and fired a shot into the floor, with Taborsky leaving believing she was dead.

Appeals

In 1955, the Connecticut Supreme Court reversed Taborsky’s conviction (and death sentence) because the sole witness against him—Albert—was incurably insane. Because there were no other witnesses to the robbery and murder of Wolfson, Taborsky could not be tried again.

It was also said that the state supreme court overturned Joseph’s conviction and ordering a new trial after Albert had been ruled insane.

Outcome

On May 17, 1960, Taborsky, age 36, was executed by electric chair for the “Mad Dog Killings.”

Taborsky willed his body to science and his eyes to the eye bank.

Aftermath

Last meal and farewell

On the day of his execution, May 17, 1960, Taborsky asked for a big banana split and a cherry soda as his last meal, and bid farewell to his fellow doomed men.

He told one inmate, Ben Reid (20), that he was going to come back as a “big fly.” Taborsky also told Reid: “Don't worry about it. I'll be back as a fly right after it's over.”

As Taborsky was being strapped into the chair, his eyes locked on Gerald Demeusy. He lifted his one free hand and said, “Hi.” It was also described that he seemed to say something else that Demeusy could not make out.

A description of the execution included that Taborsky’s hair burst into flame, a guard tore open his shirt for a stethoscope, and it was said that Taborsky’s skin was blue. At 10:36 p.m. Joseph Taborsky was dead.

Reports of subsequent events

After the execution, Ben Reid let out a scream, and it was said there was a fly on his ceiling. It was said that Reid went berserk and was hospitalized for three months for psychiatric care.

Widow’s remarks

Wolfson’s widow, Ethel, was reached at her sister’s home in Brooklyn and was described as distraught. She was quoted: “God help those poor families for what they've got to go through,” and “By the time Taborsky got out the whole Wolfson family felt like criminals. I loved Hartford, but the people talking about us left a bad taste in my mouth. ... I wonder how these people feel now.”

Albert’s mental illness and trial testimony

It was said that Albert testified against Taborsky at the first trial in exchange for a life sentence. In prison, Albert was described as exhibiting signs of mental illness and was institutionalized, and later was described as incurably insane. After Albert’s breakdown, his “bug ward” condition was described.

Victims

First murder

• Louis Wolfson — killed on March 23, 1950; cause of death described as a gunshot wound to the face.

“Mad Dog Killings”

• Edward Kurpewski — killed December 15, 1956; shot in the back of the head.
• Daniel Janowski — killed December 15, 1956; shot in the back of the head. Janowski’s 14-month-old daughter survived.
• Samuel Cohn — killed December 26, 1956; killed by a gunshot wound to the chest.
• Bernard “Buster” Speyer — killed January 5, 1957; shot in the head.
• Ruth Speyer — killed January 5, 1957; shot in the head.
• John M. Rosenthal — killed January 26, 1957; shot in the chest.

Additional violence during robberies

It was described that a number of others were shot, beaten, or pistol-whipped but survived.

During the winter 1957 series, it was described that the killers left five men and one woman dead and another dozen beaten unconscious.

Other details

Partners and co-defendants

• Joseph Taborsky was described as partnering with Arthur “Meatball” Culombe during the “Mad Dog Killings.”
• Albert (Taborsky’s younger brother) was described as the chief witness against Joseph and co-conspirator in the Louis Wolfson case.

Evidence and confessions

Culombe quickly confessed to eight holdups involving six murders. Taborsky later confessed to being behind the killing spree and to the 1950 murder of Louis Wolfson.

Prison and conduct

After his release in October 1955, Taborsky was described as vowing to go straight and feeling like a man back from the dead, with plans to get married, get a job, and move to Brooklyn.

Character identifiers and nicknames

• Taborsky was described as known as “Mad Dog,” and he was also referred to as “Chin,” and as “The Mad Dog Killer” in the narrative.
• Culombe was described as being called “Meatball.”

Institutional and burial details

Taborsky’s eyes were donated to the eye bank and his body was donated to Yale School of Medicine. His ashes were later buried in the garden of Christ Church Cathedral.