Dover historian Anthony McManus brings you “Infamous Dover: Crimes Along the Cochecho,” a compelling exploration of the Garrison City’s darker past. While Dover is celebrated as New Hampshire’s oldest settlement, known for its vibrant downtown, historic mill buildings, and its picturesque location along the Cochecho River, McManus delves into the shadowy chapters rarely explored in conventional histories: murders, robberies, scandals, and mysteries that once shocked the community and made headlines across New England.

May 13, 2025

Death at the Doctor's House:
The Stackpole Affair (Part 5)

The stunning conclusion to Dover’s most sensational medical scandal arrives as Elmer Ryan’s fate is decided. In this final installment of Anthony McManus’ meticulously researched series, the jury returns after deliberating the evidence against Ryan—the mysterious letters connecting him to Katherine Ryan, the medical testimony about the cause of her death at Dr. Stackpole’s residence, and the complex web of relationships that brought her to Dover in August 1907. After following the investigation from its beginnings with an unidentified body, through the arrest of both Ryan and the respected physician from one of Dover’s prominent families, through dramatic courtroom collapses and revealing testimony, we now witness the ultimate resolution of this extraordinary case. But what of Dr. Stackpole himself? And what became of Emily Heyer, the housekeeper who discovered Katherine’s body? McManus ties up loose ends and reveals a surprising postscript about the courthouse records that adds one final layer of mystery to this remarkable story from Dover’s criminal past.

Previous "Crimes Along The Cochecho" columns:

Death at the Doctor's House: The Stackpole Affair (Part 4)

The courthouse doors open for Elmer Ryan’s dramatic trial in this riveting fourth installment of the Stackpole case. After months of preliminary hearings, collapsed witnesses, and mysterious letters, the full trial begins in December 1907 under the watchful eye of Chief Justice Robert Wallace. Anthony McManus captures the intensity of the packed courtroom as elite Dover citizens are selected for jury duty—including Washington Anderton, superintendent of Cocheco Mill #5, and the Honorable Joseph D. Roberts, a prominent Rollinsford farmer with impressive political connections. With Dr. Stackpole’s case severed from Ryan’s, the prosecution lays out its argument connecting Ryan to Katherine Ryan’s tragic death at the Stackpole residence. As medical testimony from Doctors Tolman and Sullivan unfolds, and the damning contents of intercepted letters are finally revealed to the jury, the trial builds to its conclusion. Don’t miss this penultimate chapter that brings us to the brink of a verdict in one of Dover’s most sensational and controversial cases, with one final twist awaiting in the series conclusion.

Death at the Doctor's House: The Stackpole Affair (Part 3)

The drama intensifies as Dr. Harry Stackpole and Elmer Ryan face preliminary hearings in Dover’s packed courtroom. In the third installment, Anthony McManus details the dramatic courtroom scenes where medical evidence is presented, witnesses are cross-examined, and housekeeper Emily Heyer collapses in a moment of high theater and must be escorted from the proceedings. Following the shocking revelations about Katherine Ryan’s death and the contrast between Harry Stackpole and his esteemed father, P.A. Stackpole, the legal machinery now moves forward with detailed testimony from medical experts, family members, and friends of the deceased. Handwriting experts analyze mysterious letters, Sheriff Smith defends his controversial interception of jail mail, and both defendants’ attorneys fight vigorously to dismiss the charges. Don’t miss this crucial chapter that brings us deeper into the web of evidence surrounding one of Dover’s most sensational cases, with the community watching every development and the final verdict still hanging in the balance.

Death at the Doctor's House: The Stackpole Affair (Part 2)

As Dover grappled with the mysterious death of Katherine Ryan at Dr. Harry Stackpole’s residence, attention turned to the doctor’s distinguished family legacy. In this second of five parts, Anthony McManus reveals the stark contrast between Harry Stackpole and his father, the renowned P.A. Stackpole, a Harvard-educated physician, community leader, and beloved Dover figure who once served as President of the New Hampshire Medical Society. Meanwhile, the investigation takes a dramatic turn with the appearance of Elmer Ryan at a Fitchburg, Mass., police station, claiming ignorance about Katherine’s death even as authorities work to establish his connection to the deceased. With the town buzzing over the scandal, crowds gather to witness Ryan’s transfer to jail, leading to an unexpected altercation involving a Rochester woman who “sailed into” some young onlookers. As the Stackpole case unfolds, don’t miss this fascinating chapter that explores both the respectable facade and shadowy underbelly of turn-of-the-century Dover.

Death at the Doctor's House: The Stackpole Affair (Part 1)

August 1907: A young woman’s body is discovered in the home of Dover physician Harry Stackpole, launching a sensational investigation that would captivate the entire community. “Hundreds of people” visited the local funeral parlor in hopes of identifying the mysterious deceased. When she was finally identified, authorities quickly charged Dr. Stackpole with causing her death, a grave accusation against a doctor from one of Dover’s most prominent families. In this first installment of a riveting five-part series, Anthony McManus traces the early days of the investigation, the involvement of County Solicitor Dwight Hall, and the surprising emergence of a second suspect, Elmer Ryan. Don’t miss this meticulously researched account of a case that dominated Dover’s headlines and exposed the shadowy underworld of illicit medical services in the early 20th century.

Officer Down on Portland Avenue: Walter Sterling's Final Call (Part 2)

After Officer Walter Sterling’s shocking death at the hands of his son-in-law, the community awaited justice. In this riveting conclusion, the courtroom drama unfolds as John Edward Dame stands trial for murder in January 1909. With the defendant freely admitting he fired the fatal shot, what possible defense could save him from conviction? Attorney John Kivel introduces a shocking theory about Sterling’s mental state and alleged threats, while witness testimony reveals mysterious family tensions, including opposition to Sterling’s plans to remarry. But the most startling moment comes when Sterling’s own physician takes the stand with testimony “unfit for publication” in the newspapers of 1909. Anthony McManus reveals the surprising verdict and the unexpected medical evidence that may have swayed the jury in one of Dover’s most sensational trials of the early 20th century.

Officer Down on Portland Avenue: Walter Sterling's Final Call (Part 1)

Remember Officer Walter Sterling from our first column? The friendly policeman who handled the bearskin theft has a much darker chapter in his story. In August 1908, this respected Dover officer met a violent end after being shot to death in his own home by his son-in-law, John Edward Dame. What led to this shocking domestic tragedy? In this first installment, Anthony McManus traces Sterling’s career from his gold badge presentation in 1891 to his final confrontation on Portland Avenue. Dame claimed self-defense against a threatening Sterling, but neighbors heard breaking glass and gunshots at 4:15 a.m. When the first officer arrived, Dame calmly handed over his revolver with the chilling statement: “Walter tried to do me up and I got the best of him.” Don’t miss this tale of family tension turned deadly, with part two revealing the sensational trial and its unexpected outcome later this week.

Murder on Kirkland Street: The Glass Family Tragedy (Part 2)

What becomes of a man who kills his brother and brutally attacks his mother? In this concluding installment of the shocking Glass family tragedy, Anthony McManus reveals the legal and medical aftermath of Martin Glass’s violent outburst. Follow the case as medical experts examine Glass’s mental state, uncovering a history of “organic brain degeneration” dating back to a childhood head injury. Witness the fascinating intersection of early 20th-century criminal justice and mental health treatment as authorities grapple with questions of sanity and culpability. McManus ties up the loose ends of this Dover tragedy with poignant details about the final resting places of the Glass family members—and one telling absence. Don’t miss this conclusion to one of Dover’s most disturbing family tragedies from 1902.

Murder on Kirkland Street: The Glass Family Tragedy (Part 1)

In June 1902, Albert “Martin” Glass made a bizarre visit to the Dover police station, asking if he was wanted for any crime. Days later, his mother staggered, bleeding, into a neighbor’s apartment while Martin announced, “I have fixed them both this time.” What followed was a citywide manhunt using horse-drawn carriages and a grim discovery in the Glass family apartment. In this first installment of a two-part story, Anthony McManus recounts the shocking murder of Harvard Medical School student George Glass by his troubled brother, and offers a fascinating glimpse into turn-of-the-century Dover, when emergency transport meant rushing to nearby livery stables and doctors doubled as church tenors. Don’t miss the conclusion in Saturday’s edition, when the legal system confronts the complex questions of Martin’s sanity and culpability.

Six Years on the Run: Dover's Notorious Horse Thief

Not all criminals in Dover’s past were murderers or violent outlaws. Meet Thomas Coleman, a man with a peculiar specialty: stealing horses. When Coleman snatched a mare from James Frank Seavey in 1901, he had no idea he’d targeted one of Dover’s most prominent businessmen. Follow the trail of this hapless thief as he flees to Maine, serves time there, then faces another horse theft charge in Rockingham County before finally answering for his Dover crime — nearly six years later. Anthony McManus reveals the fascinating journey of this persistent equine bandit and offers a glimpse into early 20th-century justice and the long arm of the law that would patiently wait years to bring a criminal to justice.

The Curious Case of the Stolen Bear Skin

Step into Dover’s criminal past as historian Anthony McManus kicks off his new series “Crimes Along the Cochecho” with a peculiar theft from 1905. When Peter Gurgeon (or was it Turgeon?) snatched a bear skin from the American Fur Company, he thought pawning it nearby was a brilliant plan.

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Death at the Doctor's House: The Stackpole Affair (Part 5)