A Peek Under the Hood

by M.P. Pellicer | Stranger Than Fiction Stories
A life-size hooded statue walks with a bent head, towards an unknown destination. Some call it a guardian, others the Grim Reaper, however there is a cautionary tale about looking at the shadowed face.

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Dating to 1927, statue "Mother" designed by Albin Polasek

The Bohemian National Cemetery was established in 1877 on 40 acres of land in Chicago's north side. In 1927, to celebrates its 50th anniversary, the cemetery commissioned Czech sculptor, Albin Polasek (1879–1965) to design two statues. 

The first one, named Mother was erected by the crematorium. In 1929, he created the second one titled The Pilgrim, which depicts a gaunt, barefoot form holding a walking stick as it approaches the door of the classical revival Stejskal-Buchal mausoleum. Some have mistaken it as a representation of the Grim Reaper or the Hag of Death. It marks no specific grave.

It's not surprising that a bronze statue that immediately reminds one of Charon waiting to carry you across the River Styx, has developed a local legend. It warns of a curse brought upon those who peer under the hood to look at the incurious features — it's that you will die within a year. 

Another legend is that if she ever reaches her destination and enters the. mausoleum doors, Doomsday has arrived.

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Scheiner's Road House was adjacent to Bohemian National Cemetery

​However there was a time, when those visiting this cemetery did not see portends of doom at every turn. Over a hundred years ago cemeteries were seen as a place to gather for a picnic or take a stroll.

By then the traditional graveyard near a church had gone by the wayside, as victims of disease and plagues numbered too many, and beautiful, park-like acres were set aside for the burial of the dearly departed, especially in highly populated cities.

The Bohemian Cemetery had three different picnic areas: Scheiner's, Atlas and Nagi's Grove. They held their own liquor license to cater to those who came for a walk, or who attended a burial ceremony. Adjacent to the cemetery greenhouse was Scheiner's Beer Hall and Road House.

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Wanda Stopa when she graduated from Lawson Law School

Present day, the cemetery located on  Pulaski Road and Foster Avenue encompasses 124 acres, and has more than 120,000 burials, some more famous than others.

One of them is Wanda Elaine Stopa. Her father was one of the best modelers in the sculpture studios, and her mother was of a titled Polish family. She was one of two women to graduate from Lawson School of Law in 1921. After graduation her family returned to Poland for a visit, and she moved to a studio in Palos Park, where many Chicagoans kept summer and weekend homes. It just so happened that Y. Kenley Smith, a wealthy advertising executive and his pianist wife also spent time there.

Previous to this Wanda Stopa had made the newspapers, when she was made one of the youngest, assistant district attorneys for the city of Chicago. The Polish community was very proud of a young woman born in Poland, who had risen to such prominence in her short life.

During this time unbeknownst to the public at large, Wanda who was only 22 years old, met Vladimir Glaskoff, who went by the Americanized name of Theodore Glasgow. He was a self-described Russian count, and for some unknown reason they married, even though Glasgow later described where he knew Wanda was attracted to Yeremya Kenly Smith, the married advertising exec. Wanda soon separated from her husband to start a torrid affair with Smith. 

She moved to an apartment in New York, which Smith paid for. On April 1, 1924, four months after she moved there, her lover announced he would stop paying the rent on it. This seemed to be the catalyst for a deep, simmering problem in Wanda's brilliant but twisted mind to burst forth.

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Vieve Smith being qustioned by police, (below) Y. Kenley Smith c.1924

A few days later, Wanda Stopa made the newspapers, but for a scandalous reason. She broke into the home of Y.K. Smith with the intention of killing him and his wife. Henry Manning, a caretaker for the location was killed after Wanda shot at Smith's wife, and hit him instead. She then fired off two more shots at Mrs. Smith who jumped through a window to escape her.

Police raced to Smith's office, since it seemed Wanda was headed there to finish the job, however she never turned up. When police questioned Smith, he said denied any romantic involvement with her, claiming that for some unknown reason she had become obsessed with him, and had threatened to kill him once before.

The reason for Wanda's murderous rage was Y. Kenley Smith's refusal to divorce his wife.  Later, letters were found that confirmed Smith had kept her as his mistress.

It was later erroneously reported that her companion was her estranged husband Ted Glasgow, who during his separation from Wanda had become involved in his own hijinks. He committed bigamy, and married another woman named Edna Swanson, a 19-year-old stenographer on January 2, 1924.

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Smiths' home in Palos Park where Wanda Stopa went to shoot the Smiths c.1924

After killing Henry Manning, Stopa fled to Detroit. A manhunt was issued to find her, and they tracked her down four days later. She checked into the Hotel Statler using the name of Mrs. Glasgow, and poisoned herself by taking cyanide in sugared water. She left various notes, including where she said she was sorry she had not killed her lover and his wife.

A crowd of 10,000 crowded Chicago's Little Poland, and thousands others waited hours at the Bohemian Cemetery to catch a glimpse of Wanda's coffin.

In a strange twist, on May 11, 1924, a few days after Wanda Stopa died, Constance McDermott also tried to commit suicide by swallowing poison. She was 18 years old, and it was said she was Wanda Stopa's constant companion, who exerted a powerful influence over her. Supposedly an unhappy love affair prompted the girl to imitate her friend, while posing nude before a group of Art Institute students. Other said she was distraught over Stopa's death. Constance survived the attempt.

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Vladimir Glaskoff aka Theodor Glasgow c.1924

In September, 1924 Edna Swanson was granted an annulment from her marriage with Theodore Glasgow.

Ernest T. Wood the taxicab driver who picked up Stopa at the Illinois Central station, and drove her to Smith's home testified at the inquest. She told him to stop a block from the home. Fifteen minutes passed, and she returned and asked to be driven back to Chicago. He had not heard any shooting. This explanation absolved Ted Glasgow from any connection with the crime. It had first been reported that he had accompanied her to Palos Park.

The Smiths survived, and both lived into old age. Y. Kenley Smith died in 1969, at the age of 81. His wife Blanche Genevieve "Vieva" Smith died in 1971, also at the age of 81.

This is one of countless, dramatic stories belonging to those who were laid to rest at Bohemian Cemetery.

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