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

Because Frank La Salle pleaded guilty: Camden Courier-Post , April 4, 1950, p. 1.

Vladimir Nabokov spent the morning: VNAY , pp. 146–147.

“I have followed your example”: Letter from Nabokov to Katharine White, March 24, 1950, reprinted from Selected Letters: 1940–1977, p. 98.

But as Nabokov told James Laughlin: Letter from Nabokov to James Laughlin, April 27, 1950, ibid., p. 99.

described in their diary: Diary entry, November 17, 1958.

Robert Roper… was certainly convinced: Email to the author, August 25, 2016.

“will be given a choice”: Lolita , p. 151.

“Only the other day we read”: Ibid., p. 150.

Nabokov scholar Alexander Dolinin: “Whatever Happened to Sally Horner?,” Times Literary Supplement , September 9, 2005.

“the stealthy thought”: Lolita , p. 204.

“When she went away she was a little girl”: Camden Courier-Post , April 1, 1950, p. 2.

a family outing to the Philadelphia Zoo: Film clip provided by Diana Chiemingo, with permission.

“She has a definite ambition”: Philadelphia Inquirer , March 29, 1950, p. 3.

Ella opted for a compromise: Interview with Al Panaro, August 2014.

“they looked at her as a total whore”: Interview with Carol Taylor, August 2017.

“She had a little bit of a rough time”: Interview with Emma DiRenzo, November 2017.

Sally found refuge in the outdoors: Interview with Al Panaro, August 2014.

Vladimir and Véra left Ithaca: This chapter is largely drawn from VNAY , pp. 200–206; see also “Nabokov’s Summer Trips to the West” at http://www.d-e-zimmer.de/LolitaUSA/LoUSNab.htm.

“Silly situation… to be smitten”: Page-a-Day Diary, 1951, Berg.

The Nabokovs changed their itinerary: VNAY , pp. 217–221.

Carol Taylor no longer remembers: Interviews with Carol Taylor, December 2016 and August 2017.

Edward John Baker drove down: Vineland Daily Journal , August 20, 1952, p. 1.

He died in 2014: Obituary of Edward Baker , Vineland Daily Journal , July 28, 2014.

“She impressed me as a darn nice girl”: Vineland Daily Journal , August 20,1952, p. 1.

Ed Baker pulled onto the highway: “Crash at Shore Kills Girl Kidnap Victim,” Camden Courier-Post , August 18,1952, p. 1; “Victim of 1948 Kidnaping Killed,” Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware), August 19,1952, p. 1.

The trip from Wildwood to Vineland: Vineland Daily Journal , August 20,1952, p. 1.

Just after midnight on Monday: Wildwood Leader , August 21, 1952, p. 4; ‘W’bine Crews at 4-Vehicle Crash Scene,” Cape May County Gazette , August 21,1952, p. 1.

The death certificate: Unredacted copy of Sally Horner’s death certificate obtained from NJSA.

The damage to her face: Interview with Al Panaro, August 2014.

Carol Starts was woken up: Interview with Carol Taylor, December 2016.

Vladimir Nabokov opened up a newspaper: Geographic location from VNAY , pp. 217–219.

The handwritten card reads as follows: Reproduced from LOC.

As Alexander Dolinin explained: Dolinin, “Whatever Happened to Sally Horner?”

“a golden-skinned, brown-haired nymphet”: Lolita , p. 288.

Rather, he writes: Dolinin, “Whatever Happened to Sally Horner?”

how much damage he has caused: Lolita , p. 285.

Véra’s diary note: Page-a-Day Diary, 1958, Berg.

“charming brat lifted from an ordinary existence”: Letter to Nabokov from Stella Estes, quoted in VNAY , p. 236.

why Nabokov himself ranked Lolita: Page-a-Day Diary, September 17,1958.

a front-page interview with Edward Baker: “Vineland Youth, Bewildered by Publicity, Describes Sally Horner as ‘Darn Nice Girl,’” Vineland Daily Journal , August 21, 1952, p. 1.

After he was treated: Camden Courier-Post , August 18, 1952, p. 1; “Driver Held at Shore in Horner Girl’s Death,” Camden Courier-Post, August 20,1952, p. 11.

not Baker’s first car accident: Vineland Daily Journal , July 24, 1951, p. 2.

Sally Horner’s funeral: “Private Burial Held for Sally Horner,” Camden Courier-Post , August 22, 1952, p. 4.

Emleys Hill Cemetery in Cream Ridge: See https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/11035529.

For Carol Starts, the funeral was awful: Interviews with Carol Taylor, December 2016 and August 2017.

Frank La Salle made his presence known: Interview with Al Panaro, August 2014.

The first court hearing: “Vineland Youth Freed in $1000 Bond Following Fatal Crash Near Shore,” Vineland Daily Journal , August 19, 1952, p. 1; “One Fined in Fatal Crash,” Cape May County Gazette , August 28, 1952, p. 4; September session, Cape May County Court (Criminal), September 3, 1952, pp. 19–21.

The most serious charge: The State v. Edward J. Baker , Indictment No. 283, New Jersey Superior Court, Cape May County, September 3, 1952.

The following week: September session, Cape May County Court (Criminal), September 10, 1952, pp. 25–26; “2 Plead Not Guilty in Girl’s Death,” Camden Courier-Post , September 12, 1952, p. 10; “Motorist Held in Death of Two,” Morning News (Wilmington, Delaware), September 15,1952, p. 12.

Carol was called to testify: Interview with Carol Taylor, August 2017.

Judge Tenenbaum threw out the charge: January session, Cape May County Court (Criminal), January 15, 1953, p. 63.

He faced a cluster of civil actions: “Civil Trials Set to Begin Before Jury,” Cape May County Gazette , May 14, 1953, p. 1; “$115,800 Damage Suits Settled Out of Court,” Camden Courier-Post , May 22, 1953, p. 15.

The byzantine nature of the lawsuits: “Fatal Accident Suits Resume After Mistrial,” Cape May County Gazette , May 21, 1953, p. 1.

A new hearing lasted two days: Camden Courier-Post , May 22, 1953, p. 15; “Consolidated Trial Suits Settled,” Cape May County Gazette , May 28, 1953, p. 2.

Written beside his name: Minutes, Cape May County Court (Criminal), June 30, 1954, p. 213.

a writ of habeas corpus: United States District Court for the State of New Jersey, C 679-50, “In the Matter of the Application of Frank La Salle for a Writ of Habeas Corpus,” December 14, 1950.

Hughes was so incensed by La Salle’s lies: “Kidnaper Seeking His Release from N.J. State Prison,” Camden Courier-Post , September 21, 1951, p. 1.

He kept on, in a lengthy series: State of New Jersey v. La Salle , Superior Court of New Jersey, A-7-54 (1955).

Tom Pfeil denied she’d ever said: Interview with Tom Pfeil, June 2017.

his mother’s supposed statement: State of New Jersey v. La Salle , Superior Court of New Jersey, A-7-54 (1955).

Frank La Salle also wrote letters: Interview with “Vanessa Janisch,” May 2017.

Her mother, Dorothy: Obituary, Camden Courier-Post , August 2011.

Madeline did not learn any details: Interview with “Madeline,” August 2014.

He appealed his sentence: State of New Jersey v. Frank La Salle , Superior Court of New Jersey, A-343-51 (1961).

He died of arteriosclerosis: Death certificate, State of New Jersey Department of Public Health.