The Runaway

Algie did not remain in his father's home long, however. He removed to Cabarrus County, and probably began his lifelong career in the textile industry working in the Cannon mills or similar ones located throughout Concord and nearby Kannapolis. There he met his wife and future victim, Cora Murphy.

Cora Murphy North Carolina, Marriages, 1759-1979

marriage: 25 November 1903 Cabarrus County, North Carolina

father: James Murphey mother: Maggie Murphey spouse: A. F. Aldridge other: C. H. Aldridge, Bettie Aldridge

And I did not mean "victim" in any sense but literally.

Algie and Cora, his Irish bride, show up in the City Directory of Columbia, South Carolina in 1909. He is a Mill Operator.

Algie Foy's Draft Papers describe him  as being of Medium height and build with blue eyes and gray hair.

Algie's wife Cora was the daughter of James A. and Margaret A. Porter Murphy. Her father was born in Ireland and her mother in North Carolina. Her father, James Alexander Murphy was one of those grand old patriarchs of the 19th century who outlived several wives and was fathering children well into his sunset years. Born in 1816, he died in 1906 in Columbia, Richland County, South Carolina. In the 1910 census, Algie and Cora are shown living in the household of her widowed mother and a number of her siblings, including youngest brother, Emmett.

Name:	Cora Aldrich
Age in 1910:	28
Birth Year:	abt 1882
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1910:	Columbia Ward 5, Richland, South Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Daughter
Marital Status:	Married
Spouse's Name:	Algie Aldrich
Father's Birthplace:	Ireland
Mother's name:	Margaret Murphy
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Margaret Murphy 58 Mary Murphy 23 Maggie Murphy 21 Algie Aldrich 28 Cora Aldrich 28 Emil Murphy 14

The Columbia City Directory traces their movements and Algie's career changes through the next decade. Algie's name is seen variously as "Alpha", "Alva", "Alfie", "Ollie", and "Algie". It may have been a derivative of the proper name "Alva", which was used randomly in and around Stanly County where he was born.

In 1909, they had been living at 901 9th Street, which was her parents address.
By 1911, the couple had moved to 209 Assembly Street and Algie was a Motorman for the Railway.
1912 - "Alger F." and Cora Aldridge had moved to 890 Lower Street and he was still employed at the same occupation.
1913 - They had moved to 222 Sumter Street and Algie was back to being a Mill Operator.

Old Columbia Library at the corner of Washington and Sumter Streets.

1915 -  Another move to 638 6th Street and Algie still a Mill Operator.
1916 - This time they were living at 1313 Berkeley Avenue, Mill Operator
1918 - Back to Lower Street, but this time at 819 Lower Street and Algie was now an employee of "Swift and Co."
1920 - They were still at 819 Lower Street, after at least 6 moves in a decade, but Algie had changed jobs again and this time was working for the Union News Company.

A street scene in old Columbia

The 1920 census enumerates the couples two children: Leo and Vermelle. Leo Anthony Aldridge should have been in the 1910 census, being born on Feb. 6, 1908. He was either missed, or living in another household.

Name:	Cara E Aldridge
Age:	37
Birth Year:	abt 1883
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Home in 1920:	School District 4, Richland, South Carolina
Race:	White
Gender:	Female
Relation to Head of House:	Wife
Marital Status:	Married
Spouse's Name:	Algie F Aldridge
Father's Birthplace:	Ireland
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Able to Read:	Yes
Able to Write:	Yes
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Algie F Aldridge 37 Cara E Aldridge 37 Leo A Aldridge 11 Vermell Aldridge 7

The next decade would also show the train of instability.

By 1922, the family had moved to 308 Bull Street and Algie was a News Agent.
On 1923, Algie had again became Mill fodder and moved his family to 709 Green Street, which is now only an Oak tree guarding the end of a dead end road.
709 Greene Street.

Five years later, Algie was now employed as a Jitney Driver and had moved to an apartment building on Park Street, a few blocks over and one block off of the former home on Assembly Street.
Park Street Apartments



By 1930, son Leo has moved out and a teenaged Vermelle is only at home.

Name:	Algie F Aldridge
Gender:	Male
Birth Year:	abt 1882
Birthplace:	North Carolina
Race:	White
Home in 1930:	Columbia, Richland, South Carolina
Map of Home:	View Map
Marital Status:	Married
Relation to Head of House:	Head
Spouse's Name:	Cara Aldridge
Father's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Mother's Birthplace:	North Carolina
Occupation: Education: Military service: Rent/home value: Age at first marriage: Parents' birthplace:	View image
Neighbors:	View others on page
Household Members:	Name Age Algie F Aldridge 48 Cara Aldridge 48 Vernelle Aldridge 17

In 1934, Algie and Cora are still at the same location on Park Avenue and Algie is still a driver.

Name:	Algie F Aldridge
Gender:	Male
Residence Year:	1934
Street address:	424 Park
Residence Place:	Columbia, South Carolina
Occupation:	Driver
Spouse:	Cora E Aldridge
Publication Title:	Columbia, South Carolina, City Directory, 1934

The above article is from the May 19, 1938 edition of The Greensboro Record.  The story was reprinted in newspapers far and wide, giving pretty much the same information. North Carolina, South Carolina and even New York newspapers reported the story of the textile worker who openly admitted the murder of his wife after finding a photo of another man in her possession. The readers were shocked. He didn't deny it. He even blamed it on this unnamed other man whom he assumed his wife was interested in. He had been thinking about the murder for three weeks. It was premeditated. The bad Murray blood was running hot in Algie Foy Aldridge.

Thursday, May 19 1938 edition of  the State Times Advocate of  Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

So what happened next?

Cora did not die immediately, but passed soon after arriving to the hospital.




Her death certificate explains her horrific cause of death with the words "Hacked", "Axe" and "Homocide". In the end she bled to death?

But what of Algie? Did he get his day in court? Did the papers print anything of that?

The amazing answer is "No".



On December 6, 1939,  a year and a half after he murdered his wife Cora on May 18, 1938, Algie Foy Aldridge died of a cerebral hemorrhage. He was treated at the South Carolina State Hospital and the doctor notated that he had been under his care since June 8, 1938. Algie had spent about 2 weeks in jail before being declared insane and mentally incapable of standing trial. He spent the remaining year and a half of his life in psychiatric care. Was the cerebral hemorrhage a sign of a brain disorder that may have attributed to his lack of judgement and irrational behavior in the murder of his wife? Possibly. This cause of death shows up in many of the descendants of the Aldridge and Murray families. Is it hereditary? Probably.

There were many stories that began and/or ended in the rolling hills of the Tyson community of Stanly County. Algie Foy Aldridge's story was just one of them.

Name:	Aldridge, Algie Fay
Source:	The State
Date:	12/6/1939
Place:	Columbia