Buried Bones: "Turn Back the Page – The Three Emmas"
Podcast: Buried Bones
Hosts: Kate Winkler Dawson (journalist), Paul Holes (retired cold case investigator)
Release Date: December 31, 2025
Episode Theme:
This compelling episode delves into a scandalous 1914 San Antonio murder case involving a wealthy German brewer, Otto Koehler, his invalid wife Emma, and two young German nurses—both also named Emma (nicknamed Emmy and Hedda). Through an engaging mix of historical color and forensic curiosity, Kate and Paul unpack the tangled relationships, the sensational murder, and the women who survived—and possibly orchestrated—Otto's demise.
Main Theme & Purpose
The episode explores early 20th-century gender, power, and scandal in Texas, dissecting how a love triangle (or quadrangle) among wealthy brewer Otto Koehler, his bedridden wife, and two nurses (all three women named Emma) culminated in a notorious murder. Kate presents the story through a lens of victimology, while Paul weighs in with modern forensic perspectives, pondering the veracity of self-defense claims and the challenges of reconstructing “he said/she said” crimes with scant evidence.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Evolution of Forensics – A Modern Lens
[04:10–07:43]
- Forensic Advancements: Paul discusses the progression of forensic disciplines: DNA analysis, the role of genealogy (notably post-Golden State Killer), and the increasing role of AI in automating evidence assessment and reducing bias.
- Evidence Preservation: Kate asks if there’s a movement to preserve old biological evidence. Paul notes some progress, especially in California post-1983, but clarifies the logistic and bureaucratic obstacles to widespread proper storage of bulky or aged items.
"The advancement over the last six years has been with the technology to be able to detect very, very minute amounts of DNA, even if it's highly, highly degraded."
— Paul Holes (05:45)
2. Setting the Scene: San Antonio in the 1910s
[14:36–16:26]
- Colorful Context: San Antonio circa 1914 was Texas’ largest, a true melting pot post-Mexican Revolution, with significant German and diverse immigrant communities—and plenty of tension.
- Koehler Family Profile: Otto Koehler, German immigrant and “multi-millionaire” brewer of Pearl Beer, and his wife Emma are introduced as the case’s central figures.
“San Antonio is the biggest city in the state in this time period … wonderfully diverse … It almost feels like Gilded Age Manhattan.”
— Kate Winkler Dawson (14:46)
3. The Three Emmas: Love, Transaction, Betrayal
[18:32–29:35]
- Emma (wife): Involved in a serious, possibly car-related, accident around 1910 and becomes bedridden.
- Emmy (first nurse): Hired to care for Emma; the relationship with Otto turns romantic and transactional. He buys her a house nearby and engages in an affair.
- Hedda (second nurse): Hired as Emmy’s roommate; also becomes Otto’s lover, with the affair understood and agreed upon by all.
- Transactional Triangle: Emmy and Hedda share a home deeded by Otto and receive stipends in exchange for companionship and care. Both women are young, attractive German nurses, creating a complex web of loyalty and potential for jealousy.
“He deeds the small house to both of these women … and in return ... Otto is able to drop by once a week or so for two or three hours for whatever he wants to do.”
— Kate Winkler Dawson (21:01)
4. Relationship Dynamics: Jealousy, Insecurity, and Desperation
[29:35–34:38]
- Emmy leaves: Emmy gets married and moves to St. Louis, prompting Otto to propose marriage (unsuccessfully) to Hedda to stabilize his arrangement.
- Otto’s Motivations: The hosts speculate on aging male anxieties, desire for stability, and unwillingness to lose control over his unusual domestic life.
“Otto ... may be feeling rejected ... It’s not necessarily like a, you know, I love you ... attachment to Emmy, but ... he could be a little bit upset.”
— Paul Holes (30:12)
5. The Murder: November 12, 1914
[35:02–39:51]
- The Setup: With Emmy visiting, Otto arrives at the house shared by Hedda and Emmy. Shortly after, three gunshots ring out.
- Victim Revealed: Otto is found shot three times (neck, under eye, chest) with Hedda kneeling beside him, her wrist slashed in an apparent suicide attempt.
- Immediate Aftermath: Hedda tells police, “I'm sorry, but I had to kill him.” Emmy corroborates the sequence. Two handguns are present (one Otto’s, one Hedda’s).
- Motive?: Was it self-defense, premeditated murder, or something else? The story is shaped only by the two surviving women’s testimony.
6. Self-Defense or Collusion? Forensic and Legal Analysis
[41:50–47:52]
- Competing Accounts: Both women claim Otto was the aggressor, choked Emmy, and threatened them with a gun, prompting Hedda to shoot in self-defense.
- Forensic Possibilities: Paul notes the case hinges on bullet trajectories, gunshot residue, and wound analysis—hardly robust in 1914, but vital questions all the same.
“Now we have to take a look at what Hedda is saying and what Emmy's saying ... But also take a look at the trajectories of the bullets ... do these trajectories ... line up with the statements that Hedda and Emmy are saying?”
— Paul Holes (42:40)
- Jury Concerns: The crucial legal question: Did Hedda shoot Otto again after he was down? Was her response excessive, or defensive?
7. Flight, Return, and Trial
[45:41–54:14]
- Hedda Flees, Then Returns: Before trial, Hedda flees to Germany, serving as a wartime nurse. Astonishingly, after two years she returns to face charges, resolute in her self-defense claim.
“She decides ... to go back to Texas because she wants to have a criminal trial ... and declare that this was self defense ... That seems like an awful idea. Why not stay in Germany?”
— Kate Winkler Dawson (45:44)
- Courtroom Drama: Hedda’s testimony commands sympathy; courtroom spectators reportedly weep, and applause breaks out during recess. Emmy's story matches Hedda’s. Paul notes this emotional impact and lack of alternative motive (e.g., insurance).
8. Resolution & Aftermath
[54:14–57:58]
- Verdict: Hedda is acquitted—found to have acted in self-defense.
- Postscript:
- Hedda sues Otto’s family for $20,000, claiming a promised payment.
- Notably, Hedda marries one of the jurors after her acquittal.
- Emma (the wife) recovers, takes over and saves the brewery through Prohibition and Depression, later selling it to Pabst.
- The site is now San Antonio’s Pearl District, with the upscale Hotel Emma commemorating the story—including a signature cocktail: “The Three Emmas.”
“There is a world class hotel called the Hotel Emma ... and the saying goes that one [cocktail] is great, but three will kill you.”
— Kate Winkler Dawson (58:11)
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “I need you to think like a man. I don't want you to think like Mr. Investigator. Think like a guy.”
— Kate (29:35) - “Even though you indicated that this isn't a forensics case, the reality is ... physical evidence needs to at least be assessed ... is somebody lying.”
— Paul (56:09) - “I agree with you ... the feeling is if you're going off instinct, the feeling was self defense. I don't know what was going through Otto's mind.”
— Kate (58:47) - “One is great, but three will kill you.” (about the signature drink)
— Kate (58:41)
Important Segment Timestamps
- 04:10–07:43 Forensic evolution and evidence preservation in old cases
- 14:36–16:26 San Antonio’s context and the Koehler family
- 18:32–29:35 The love triangle unfolds, transactional dynamics
- 35:02–39:51 The murder - Otto’s death and initial statements
- 41:50–44:41 Legal and forensic breakdown of self-defense claims
- 45:41–47:52 Fleeing the country, surprising return for trial
- 54:14–58:47 Acquittal, civil suit, and post-murder legacy
Tone & Style
Conversational, witty, and thought-provoking—with Paul’s measured forensic logic balancing Kate’s narrative storytelling and sly asides about human nature (“I don’t know if they had love shacks in 1910, but ...”). The story is given both historic color and modern-day context, focusing on the ambiguity and emotional undercurrents at play.
Final Thoughts
This episode stands out for its rich characters, remarkable twists, and a nuanced look at women’s agency—and vulnerability—in a period drama ripe for both scandal and sympathy. Paul and Kate’s forensic-vs.-human-nature banter offers fresh perspective on the challenges of truth-finding in old crimes, while the tale’s legacy—immortalized in a hotel and cocktail—is a reminder of history’s enduring allure.