Albert Fish
by Marilyn Bardsley
Gracie
Edward Budd was an enterprising eighteen-year-old. He was
determined to make something of himself and escape the desperate
poverty of his parents. On May 25, 1928, he put a
classified ad in the Sunday edition of the New York
World: "Young man, 18, wishes position in
country. Edward Budd, 406 West 15th Street." He was a
strapping young fellow who was eager to work and contribute to the
well-being of his family. Trapped in the dirty, stinking,
crowded city in a miserable tenement with his father, mother and
four younger siblings, he longed to work in the country where the
air was fresh and clean.
On the following Monday, May 28, Edward's mother Delia, a huge
mountain of a woman, answered the door to an elderly man. He
introduced himself as Frank Howard, a farmer from Farmingdale,
Long Island, who wanted to interview Edward about a job.
Delia told her five-year-old Beatrice to get her brother at his
friend's apartment. The old man beamed at her and gave her
a nickel.
While they waited for Edward, Delia had a chance to get a
better look at the old man. He had a very kindly face,
framed by gray hair and accented by a large droopy gray
moustache. He explained to Mrs. Budd that he had earned his
living for decades as an interior decorator in the city and then
retired to a farm he had bought with his savings. He had six
children that he raised by himself since his wife had abandoned
them all over a decade ago.
With the help of his children, five farmhands and a Swedish
cook, he had made the farm into a successful one with several
hundred chickens and a half-dozen dairy cows. Now, one of
his farmhands was moving on and he needed someone to replace
him.
At that moment, Edward came in and met Mr. Howard, who remarked
at the boy's size and strength. Edward assured the old man
he was a hard worker. Mr. Howard offered him fifteen dollars
a week, which Edward accepted joyfully. Howard even agreed
to hire Willie, Edward's closest friend.
Mr. Howard had to leave for an appointment and promised to come
back on Saturday to pick them up. The boys were thrilled and
the Budds were happy that a good position with the kindly old
gentleman had come so quickly from Edward's modest ad.
____________________
Saturday, June 2, was the supposed to be the big
day, but Mr. Howard didn't show up. Instead they got a
hand-written note from Mr. Howard saying that he had been delayed
and would call in the morning.
The next morning around eleven, Frank Howard came to
the Budd's apartment bringing gifts of strawberries and fresh
creamy pot cheese. " These products come direct from my farm," he
explained.
Delia persuaded the old man to stay for lunch.
For the first time, Albert Budd, Sr., had an opportunity to talk
with his son's new employer. It was the kind of talk that
makes a father very happy. Here was this kindly, polite old
gentleman rapturously describing his twenty acres of farmland, his
friendly crew of farmhands and a simple, hearty country
life. He knew it was what his son wanted.
Albert, Sr., was a porter for the Equitable Life
Assurance Company and had the air of a man perpetually
submissive. He was not very impressed with the way this
Frank Howard looked in his rumpled blue suit, but the old man was
credible and genteel.
Once they sat down to lunch, the door opened and
a
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Grace Budd
(Corbis©) |
lovely ten-year-old girl appeared. Gracie was
humming a song. Her huge brown eyes and dark brown hair
contrasted with her very pale skin and pink lips. She would
be a real heart breaker someday.
Coming right from church, she still wore her Sunday
clothes: white silk confirmation dress, white
silk stockings, and string of creamy pearls made her look older
than her 10 years.
Frank Howard, like most men who came face to face
with the radiant Gracie, couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful
girl. "Let's see how good a counter you are," he said as he
handed her a huge wad of bills to count. The impoverished
Budds were flabbergasted by the money the old man was carrying
around with him.
"Ninety-two dollars and fifty cents," Gracie told
him in short order.
"What a bright little girl," Mr. Howard said, giving
her fifty cents to buy candy for herself and her little sister
Beatrice.
Howard said that he would come back later in the
evening to pick up Edward and Willie, but first he had to go to a
birthday party that his sister was throwing for one of her
children. He gave the boys two dollars to go to the
movies.
Just as he was about to leave, he invited Gracie to
go with him to his niece's birthday party. He would take
good care of her and make sure that Gracie was home before nine
o'clock that evening.
Delia asked where Mr. Howard's sister lived and he
replied that she lived in an apartment house at Columbus and 137th
Street.
Delia wasn't sure that she should let her go, but
Albert, Sr. convinced her that it would be good for Gracie.
"Let the poor kid go. She don't see much good times."
So Delia helped Gracie on with her good coat and her
gray hat with the streamers. She followed Gracie and Mr.
Howard outside and watched them disappear down the street.
That evening there was no word from Mr. Howard and
no sign of Gracie. A terrible sleepless night with no
message from their beautiful daughter. The next morning,
young Edward was sent down to the police station to report his
sister's disappearance.
