Ep. 33: The Furnace Girl

Get ready to sizzle with our spookiest yet sassiest episode so far! Brynn is joined by true crime fan Spooky Kim to unravel the case of Elfrieda Knaak – a 1928 mystery that’s equal parts gruesome and bizarre. We’ll dig into how this Sunday-school teacher ended up burned beyond recognition in a village hall furnace, while spouting wild “spirit love” theories that had reporters and police raising eyebrows. Toss in a 1920s love triangle, her married instructor-cum-police officer and his jealous admirer—and it’s a recipe for suspicion (and maybe a few ghost sightings). Prepare for laughter and goosebumps as we blur the line between murder, suicide, and supernatural mischief in this totally unpredictable tale.

 

Sources

• Flowers, Ashley, and Brit Prawat. “Mysterious Death of: Elfrieda Knaak.” Crime Junkie, 21 Oct. 2024.
• Potash, Larry. “Death of Elfrieda Knaak still haunts Lake Bluff residents, 90 years later.” WGN-TV, 7 Feb. 2019.
• Potash, Larry. “Death of the ‘Furnace Girl’ Elfrieda Knaak.” Backstory with Larry Potash, 7 Feb. 2019.
• Moreland, Kraig W., and Toby Jones. The Furnace Girl: The Mysterious Case of Elfrieda Knaak. Across the Lake Publishing Company, 2018.
• Franklin, Shaffer. “The Girl in the Furnace.” The Forest Scout, 29 Oct. 2018.
• Grossman, Ron. “Who really killed Elfrieda Knaak?” Chicago Tribune, 27 Nov. 2016.
• Radin, Edward. “Mystery of the flaming beauty.” Tampa Bay Times, 13 Mar. 1949.
• Lake Bluff History Museum. “Suicide or murder: The death of Elfrieda Knaak.” YouTube, 2018.
• Associated Press. “Woman near death from self-inflicted burns to prove faith in spirit love.” Taylorville Daily Breeze-Courier, 31 Oct. 1928.
• Associated Press. “Self torture by fire, woman’s idea of faith.” Sterling Standard, 31 Oct. 1928.
• Associated Press. “Woman near death in fire ritual case.” Rock Island Argus, 1 Nov. 1928.
• Associated Press. “Secret of girl’s self inflicted torture mystery.” Alton Evening Telegraph, 2 Nov. 1928.
• International News Service. “Hitchcock tells of power over burning victim.” Waukegan News-Sun, 31 Oct. 1928.
• International News Service. “Army deserter confesses to furnace death.” Belleville News-Democrat, 29 Nov. 1928.
• International News Service. “No faith in man’s story.” Belleville News-Democrat, 30 Nov. 1928.
• International News Service. “Murderer of teacher tried to end lie.” Belleville News-Democrat, 7 Dec. 1928.
• United Press. “Girl burns in furnace.” Daily Chronicle (DeKalb, Ill.), 31 Oct. 1928.
• United Press. “Case still is puzzle.” Daily Chronicle (DeKalb, Ill.), 1 Nov. 1928.
• United Press. “Knaak girl fails to shed light on furnace case.” Daily Chronicle (DeKalb, Ill.), 2 Nov. 1928.
• United Press. “Will examine brain of dead tortured girl.” Daily Chronicle (DeKalb, Ill.), 6 Nov. 1928.
• United Press. “Girl’s story told today.” Daily Chronicle (DeKalb, Ill.), 10 Nov. 1928.
• United Press. “Suicide says jury verdict in Knaak case.” Daily Chronicle (DeKalb, Ill.), 12 Nov. 1928.
• United Press. “Think case was murder.” Daily Chronicle (DeKalb, Ill.), 5 Nov. 1928.
• United Press. “Police chief at Lake Bluff is discharged.” Daily Chronicle (DeKalb, Ill.), 28 Nov. 1928.
• United Press. “Girl attempts to kill herself by jumping in fire.” Belleville News-Democrat, 16 Feb. 1929.
• United Press. “Hitchcock of ‘furnace’ fame is arrested.” Belleville News-Democrat, 14 Aug. 1929.
• United Press. “Knaak case is reopened for investigation.” Belleville News-Democrat, 15 Aug. 1929.
• “Ex-coed is near death; quiz film actor cop.” Chicago Tribune, 31 Oct. 1928.
• “Girl burned in Lake Bluff furnace dies.” Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 1928.
• “Burned girl held victim of self hypnosis.” Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 1928.
• “Family refuses to believe Miss Knaak tortured self.” Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 1928.
• “Mystery clings to furnace case after girl dies.” Chicago Tribune, 3 Nov. 1928.
• “Relatives start own inquiry of furnace death.” Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 1928.
• “Crowds fail to get glimpse of death furnace.” Chicago Tribune, 5 Nov. 1928.
• “Put burned girl in death trance, mystic asserts.” Chicago Tribune, 7 Nov. 1928.
• “Details of affairs are shrouded in mystery.” Waukegan News-Sun, 30 Oct. 1928.
• “Girl, dying, takes all blame.” Waukegan News-Sun, 31 Oct. 1928.
• “Steadfast in a dying refusal to name mate.” Waukegan News-Sun, 1 Nov. 1928.
• “Suicide is held to be illogical solution.” Waukegan News-Sun, 2 Nov. 1928.
• “Physicians think girl inflicted own burns.” Waukegan News-Sun, 3 Nov. 1928.
• “Knaak case solution is sought by state.” Waukegan News-Sun, 5 Nov. 1928.
• “Probe new clue in Knaak case at Lake Bluff.” Waukegan News-Sun, 6 Nov. 1928.
• “Thirty called to testi