In line with the U.S. child identify knowledge, the identify Rheta noticed a formidable spike in utilization within the Nineteen Thirties:
- 1936: 37 child ladies named Rheta
- 1935: 61 child ladies named Rheta
- 1934: 151 child ladies named Rheta (peak utilization)
- 1933: 81 child ladies named Rheta
- 1932: 20 child ladies named Rheta
Right here’s a graph exhibiting the sharp rise of Rheta in 1933 and 1934:
(The spelling Rheata was additionally a one-hit marvel in 1934.)
So what brought about this sudden curiosity within the identify Rheta?
A homicide in Chicago!
On November 21, 1933, the physique of a 23-year-old lady named Rheta G. Wynekoop was discovered — chloroformed, partially undressed, and shot to demise — on an working desk contained in the workplace of revered feminine doctor Alice Wynekoop, who additionally occurred to be Rheta’s mother-in-law.
The workplace was situated within the basement of Alice’s sizeable Chicago residence, which Alice shared with Rheta and her husband Earle (in addition to with varied boarders).
Rheta, a violinist initially from Indianapolis, had been married to Earle Wynekoop for 4 years.
On November 23, each Alice and Earle had been arrested.
Earle — who didn’t have a job, however did have a number of paramours (a number of of whom had been named within the newspapers) — confessed to committing the crime. Quickly after, although, it was decided that he had an alibi. (He’d been on a visit to Kansas Metropolis with a pal on the time of the homicide.)
His false confession was an try to guard his 62-year-old mom, who (he knew) had taken out a double indemnity life insurance coverage coverage on Rheta two weeks earlier.
Alice — regardless of having an annual revenue, and proudly owning a big residence — was sinking into debt.
Not solely that, however a minimum of 4 different members of the family and pals had died below Alice’s care, in her “gloomy mansion,” in recent times. Alice’s in any other case wholesome husband Frank, for example, died immediately in 1929. (His property was price $75,000.) And Alice’s shut pal Catherine Porter died in 1932. (Alice claimed all the cash of their joint checking account, and likewise inherited Porter’s 100-acre farm.)
On November 25, Rheta Wynekoop’s funeral came about in Indianapolis.
Big bronze and yellow chrysanthemums, which could have graced the great thing about Rheta Gardner Wynekoop on the live performance stage, bowed their heads as if in sorrow this morning whereas greater than 1,000 individuals filed slowly previous her casket.
On November 30, Dr. Alice Wynekoop was indicted.
Her first trial started on January 15, 1934. It was declared a mistrial 4 days later because of Alice’s poor well being.
Her second trial started on February 19 and lasted greater than two weeks.
In early March, the jury returned a responsible verdict. Alice was sentenced to 25 years in jail for the homicide of her daughter-in-law.
Quickly after, the story of Rheta Wynekoop’s homicide was recounted in varied true crime magazines, equivalent to Actual Detective (in April) and Bernarr Macfadden‘s True Detective Mysteries (in Could).
What are your ideas on the identify Rheta?
P.S. I’ve a hunch that this incident additionally impressed the cartoonist behind Mandrake the Magician to call one among his sketch characters Rheeta in early 1935…
Sources:
Picture: Clipping from the Brownsville Herald (26 Nov. 1933)
