Sarah Weinman - The Real Lolita - The Kidnapping of Sally Horner and the Novel That Scandalized the World

“quantity of sugar and cream”: Camden Courier-Post , March 22, 1950, p. 9.

“Of the nineteen fictions”: Martin Amis, “Divine Levity,” Times Literary Supplement , December 23, 2011.

suggested a more likely culprit: Roper , Nabokov in America , p. 150.

“an ape in the Jardin des Plantes”: Nabokov, “On a Book Entitled Lolita,” Anchor Review , 1957 (subsequently reprinted in the Putnam edition of Lolita and every edition since).

Nabokov supplementing his writing income: Beam , The Feud , p. 16.

The short story includes: “A Nursery Tale,” reprinted in The Stories of Vladimir Nabokov , pp. 161–172.

features the so-called demonic effect: “Lilith,” Poems and Problems (McGraw-Hill, 1969), reprinted in Selected Poems (Knopf, 2012), p. 84.

A paragraph in Dar : Nabokov , The Gift , pp. 176–177.

When Germany declared war: VNAY , p. 13.

“laid up with a severe attack”: Nabokov, “On a Book Entitled Lolita.”

“How can I come to terms”: Nabokov , The Enchanter , p. I.

“comparable to the one afforded”: Simon Karlinsky, “Nabokov’s Life and Lolita’s Death,” Washington Post , December 14, 1986.

As he later explained: Interview with Nabokov by Alfred Appel , Wisconsin Studies in Contemporary Literature 8 (1967).

Henry Lanz was a Stanford professor: VNAY , p. 33; Roper , Nabokov in America , p. 140.

Nabokov, however, denied it: Field , Nabokov: His Life in Part , p. 235.

A likely birth date: La Salle’s age was reported variably between fifty-two and fifty-six in 1950; his death certificate lists his birth date as May 27, 1896, and his Social Security application in 1944 lists May 27, 1895.

Frank Patterson and Nora LaPlante: Names listed on 1943 prison intake form, NJSA. Different parental names, as well as hometowns, appeared on La Salle’s Social Security application.

He said he served… prison has no record: Prison intake form, 1943; conversations with Greg Bognich, archivist, National Archives, Kansas City, KS.

every time he changed aliases: “Police Record of Girl’s Abductor,” Camden Courier-Post , March 22, 1950, p. I.

It is as Fogg that a sharper picture: News Journal (Wilmington, Delaware), August 3, 1937, p. 24.

He met her at a carnival: Philadelphia Inquirer , August 3, 1937, p. 3.

Which they did: Cecil County marriage license of Dorothy May Dare and Frank La Salle, July 31, 1937, obtained from the Maryland State Archives.

Dorothy’s father… was livid: Philadelphia Inquirer , August 4, 1937, p. 2.

“He told me the truth”: Philadelphia Inquirer , August 3, 1937.

The next morning, La Salle appeared: Philadelphia Inquirer , August 4, 1937.

La Salle was fined fifty dollars: Philadelphia Inquirer , August 12, 1937, p. 2.

arrested La Salle on bigamy charges: Camden Courier-Post , March 22,1950, p. I.

Dorothy sued Frank for desertion: Ibid.

Three Camden police officers: Camden Courier-Post , March 25, 1950, p. 6.

The five girls: Names taken from Dorothy Dare’s divorce petition against Frank La Salle , La Salle v. La Salle , Superior Court of New Jersey, 151-246-W127-796 (1944).

Sergeant Wilkie swore out a warrant: Camden Courier-Post , March 25,1950, p. 6.

La Salle pleaded not guilty: Court docket, NJSA.

Dorothy and Madeline had moved: Interview with “Madeline La Salle,” August 2014; La Salle v. La Salle , Superior Court of New Jersey.

La Salle was paroled: Camden Courier-Post , March 22, 1950, p. I; prison intake form, 1950, NJSA; draft registration card, June 29, 1944; Social Security application, June 28,1944.

a forged $110 check: Camden Courier-Post , March 22, 1950.

La Salle returned to Trenton State Prison: Ibid.; prison intake form, 1946, NJSA.

She’d found work as a seamstress: Philadelphia Inquirer , December 10, 1948, p. I.

The case had taken on added urgency: March 17, 1949, indictment date mentioned in subsequent reports by the Philadelphia Inquirer and Camden Courier-Post , March 22, 1950.

Dorothy Forstein’s disappearance: “Kidnapping Story Spurs Search for Wife of Forstein,” Philadelphia Inquirer , October 23, 1949, p. I.

The Friday night after Dorothy vanished: “Reward Offered for Clue to Wife,” Camden Courier-Post , November 17, 1949, p. 24.

Dorothy was declared legally dead: “Lost Wife Ruled Dead,” Philadelphia Inquirer , October 15, 1957, p. 23.

Ella had difficulty sleeping: “A Tree Grows, a Lonely Mother Waits,” Philadelphia Inquirer , December 10, 1948, p. 1.

Mitchell Cohen was appointed: Obituary of Mitchell Cohen , NewYork Times , January 10, 1991.

did not have enough major crime: Gillette , Camden After the Fall, p. 25.

state party’s de facto leader: Camden Courier-Post , November 7, 1950, p. 3.

many jobs he held in law enforcement: Obituary of Mitchell Cohen , Philadelphia Inquirer , January 10, 1991.

In his bespoke suits: Interview with Fredric Cohen, November 2017.

He’d met Herman Levin: Camden Courier-Post , June 1, 1956, p. 2.

Cohen also became a theatrical producer: Ibid.; also “Music Fair Opens to 1500,” Camden Courier-Post , June 4, 1957, p. 1.

early in his tenure: “Make Up in Court,” Philadelphia Inquirer , June 24, 1938, p. 19.

the murder of Wanda Dworecki: Account draws from coverage in the Camden Courier-Post and the Philadelphia Inquirer , as well as State of New Jersey v. Dworecki , January II, 1940, and Daniel Allen Hearn , Legal Executions in New Jersey: A Comprehensive Registry (Mc-Farland, 2005), pp. 376–377.

Shewchuk was paroled in 1959: “Pastor Put to Death in 1940,” Camden Courier-Post , July 11, 2000, p. 6.

the death of twenty-three-year-old Margaret McDade: Account draws from coverage in the Camden Courier-Post and wire reports from the Associated Press, United Press, International News Service, and more.

Howard Auld did not die: “Auld Dies Tonight as Final Pleas of Mercy Are Denied,” Camden Courier-Post , March 27, 1951, p. 1.

six-year-old June Robles: Obituary of June Robles , New York Times , October 31, 2017, supplied the bulk of details for this section.

Stan visited her parents: See Christine McGuire and Carla Norton , Perfect Victim (Arbor House/Morrow, 1988), for a complete account of the Colleen Stan case.

Dugard’s eighteen-year bond: See Jaycee Dugard , A Stolen Life (2011); Elizabeth Smart, My Story (2013); and Amanda Berry and Gina Dejesus , Hope (2015), for further information on these cases.

had taken a taxicab: Mitchell Cohen statement, as reported by the Camden Courier-Post , April 3,1950.

Sally later said: Camden Courier-Post , March 22, 1950, p. 1.

around West Franklin Street: Several addresses on this street were listed in an affidavit included with State of New Jersey v. Frank La Salle , A-7-54 (1954).

rape became a regular occurrence: Camden Courier-Post , March 22, 1950, p. 1.

To enroll Sally at Saint Ann’s: Affidavit included with State of New Jersey v. Frank La Salle , A-7-54 (1954).