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Extra Sketches: Design & Murder
00:13:32
(**Trigger Warning: This episode discusses an explicit Murder) A brutal massacre at Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin estate, where love, scandal, racism, paranoia, and murder intersect in a story that few have heard, involving the murder of his mistress, Martha Borthwick Cheney, at his beloved home he designed for their love.
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Before we dive in, a quick heads up. Today's episode covers some intense and graphic subject matter, including details of a violent crime. Listener discretion is advised. Welcome to a special bonus episode in what better way to kick off spooky season than with a true crime story? Today, I'm diving into a dark and twisted chapter of architectural history, a story of passion, scandal and murder. That might surprise you if, like me, you've admired Frank Lloyd Wright for years without knowing about this horrific event. Now, I know what you're thinking. What does a murder story have to do with our usual content? But as I was researching Frank Lloyd Wright for my last bonus episode, Men who Amplify, I stumbled upon this tale. Then, oddly enough, as I was watching Gilmore Girls as one does, it came up again in one of their episodes. So I had to look into it more. And the more I uncovered, the more I realized I have to cover this lesser known story on the podcast, which is what this podcast is all about. Untold stories and helping to clarify real history. Not only is this story eerie and gripping, ideal for spooky season, but also because it highlights a bigger issue I've noticed when it comes to public figures, especially men, we often see how their personal scandals, whether controversial love affairs or even tragic murders, don't seem to haunt their legacy in the same way they do for women. Frank Lloyd's right story is no exception. Despite this horrific event, he remains a celebrated figure, his legacy largely untouched. It made me think about how different the narrative might have been if the roles were reversed. That said, I want to make it clear that this episode is not about tearing men down or boosting women. By comparison, that version of feminism, where we build one side up by dragging the other down, has been heavily criticized. And it's not what I'm here for. This is about telling the full story, even the parts that often get overlooked. So let's dive into it. The love, the scandal, the racism, the mentally disturbed, and the massacre that took place at Taliesin. Just to note, I of course did not do all this research and have several sources. I pulled this from linked in the show notes as well. One article coming from history.com called the Massacre at Frank Lloyd Wright's Love Cottage. And another article on all that's interesting. And then a PBS article about Frank Lloyd Wright and his letter to his neighbors. And then the Solved Mysteries podcast episode that was released in 2021. So, just to set the scene, on a warm August afternoon in 1914, an unimaginable horror unfolded in the idyllic Hills of Spring Green, Wisconsin. Frank Lloyd Wright, known today as one of America's most iconic architects, was about to see his carefully constructed world collapse into tragedy. Taliesin, the home he built as a refuge for love, creativity and defiance of societal norms, became the scene of a massacre that would stain his life forever. While most stories about Wright focus on his architectural genius, this one delves into the dark side of ambition, scandal and violent retribution. On August 15, 1914, on that fateful afternoon, Taliesin was tranquil. Martha Borthwick, also known as Mamah, her children and Frank Lloyd Wright's workers sat down for lunch. While Wright is away in Chicago, Julian Carlton, the seemingly loyal butler handyman, moves quietly through the house, preparing for his deadly plan. There was sort of this eerie calm before the storm that no one could have expected the horrors that would soon unfold. Carlton's quiet request for gasoline to clean a rug seemed routine to those around him. Carlton's calculated method begins. He locks the doors and pours gasoline. When the fire erupts, the workers inside the dining room panic. And as they try to flee, Carlton waits outside, armed with a hatchet. One survivor described the moment he jumped through a window, only to be met by Carlton swinging the hatchet at his co workers. Martha and her two children were found dead, and in total, seven lives were lost, including Emile Braudel, an architectural draftsman, Thomas Brunker, a workman for the horses, and David Lindblom, the gardener at Taliesin. And then Julian Carlton, who was discovered hiding in the basement furnace after swallowing hydrochloric acid in a suicide attempt, never explained his motives before dying weeks later. Theories ranged from racial tension to paranoia, leaving a cloud of mystery over the massacre. So let's flash back to 1903. Martha or Ma Borthwick, an educated feminist and librarian, meets Frank Lloyd Wright when her husband, Edwin Cheney, hires him to design their Oak park home. What begins as a professional relationship quickly evolves into a passionate affair. The relationship between Ma and Wright wasn't just about love, but also intellectual and emotional companionship. Mamah, an educated feminist, was inspired by feminist writer Ellen Key, whose ideas on free love influenced her views and her relationship with Wright. Their affairs scandalized the conservative community. They abandoned their families and fled to Europe in 1909, making headlines across the Midwest. Wright's wife, Catherine, refused to grant a divorce, which added even more to the public drama. Their affair was explosive news at the time, not just because they left their spouses, but because of Wright's open defiance of societal norms. Wright's unconventional Views on love shocked society. He famously declared once that, quote, two women are necessary for a man of artistic mind. One to be the mother of his children and the other to be his mental companion, his inspiration and soulmate. The local press used this scandal to frame right as immoral, with townspeople reacting by calling for their removal from the community. Upon returning from Europe, the couple faced even more hostility. Locals in Spring Green dubbed Taliesin the Love Castle and threatened violence against them. Despite this, Wright was determined to live according to his principles, building Taliesin as both a retreat and a statement against societal judgment. And that takes us to 1911. Frank Lloyd Wright finishes construction on his mansion in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Calling it Taliesin, he envisioned it as a retreat not only for love, but as an architectural statement that blended with the landscape. A shining brow on the hill, which is what Taliesin means in Welsh. But Taliesin, while beautiful, became a fortress of growing tension. Julian Carleton was a 30 year old black man from Barbados who worked as a butler and handyman at Frank Lloyd Wright writes Taliesin estate. He and his wife Gertrude were hired in the summer of 1914, just weeks before the massacre. He was initially described as quiet and efficient, and his behavior became increasingly paranoid, even keeping a hatchet by his bed in the days leading up to the murders. His wife Gertrude later revealed that he had become isolated and fearful, which provided a deeper understanding of his deteriorating mental state at the time. On top of that, this became fueled by a mix of racial tensions in the house. And there was a rumor he heard that he was about to be fired, which may have been the final trigger for him returning to the day of the massacre. More unfolded during the aftermath as survivors like William Weston recounted their harrowing escapes and the brutal injuries they sustained. Weston was struck twice by Carlton, but managed to flee and alert neighbors. The community was shocked and horrified. And there was an almost morbid fascination with the scandal. Despite the carnage that happened, newspapers still fixated on Wright's and Mei Ma's affair, branding the tragedy as divine punishment for their sins. In fact, Frank Lloyd Wright later wrote an anguished response in the form of a letter to his neighbors. He fiercely defended me character, condemning the press for reducing her to a wife who left her children. And Wright's letter reflects both his grief and his defiance of societal norms, insisting that their love was based on a higher ideal of truth and freedom. And days after, the burial of Mamaw was symbolic because it was an unmarked grave in Wright's family plot, a testament to the enduring stigma surrounding their relationship, even in death. When Julian Carlton was found in the furnace that day, he refused to speak about the motive, leaving a void that's only been filled with speculation. Was it paranoia, resentment, or something more sinister? This silence added to the enduring mystery around his true motive. But we do know it was Emile Braudel, the architectural draftsman, who had been particularly hostile and racist toward Julian Carlton in the days leading up to the massacre. This racial animosity may have contributed significantly to Carlton's growing paranoia and eventual violent outburst. After the massacre, Julian Carlton was found hiding in Taliesin's furnace, barely alive because he swallowed muriatic acid or hydrochloric acid, in an apparent suicide attempt. Though he was taken into custody, the acid had destroyed his throat and his digestive tract, preventing him from eating or drinking properly. Carlton never offered a clear explanation or motive for his actions. During his trial, Carlton was so malnourished that he had to be carried into the courtroom, where he pleaded not guilty. Because of his state, they rescheduled the trial. And to put things into perspective, he was about 5, 8, 145 pounds before all of this. But after not being able to eat because of the hydrochloric acid, he was only 90 pounds. Carlton ultimately died of starvation about seven weeks after the massacre, before the trial could proceed to any conclusive outcome. After this tragic story, Wright still chose to rebuild Taliesin despite his immense grief, and he built it within the same year. After this tragedy, Frank Lloyd Wright's architectural approach evolved, reflecting both his grief and resilience. The massacre deeply affected him emotionally, yet he chose to rebuild Taliesin twice. First after the fire caused by the murders in 1914, and again after a second fire in 1925. This act of rebuilding became symbolic of Wright's determination to move forward and regain control of his personal and professional life. In the years following the tragedy, Wright's designs became more introspective and focused on organic architecture, structures that harmonize with their natural surroundings. His design started to show more fluidity and integration with nature, as seen in the famous Falling water House in 1935, which blends seamlessly into the landscape. His work post Taliesin also showed greater attention to creating spaces that were both protective and serene, perhaps influenced by his desire to create environments of safety and peace, in contrast to the chaos and destruction he had experienced. His grief likely fueled his desire to craft architectural spaces that were not only innovative, but also personal sanctuaries. Reflecting his deep emotional response to the loss at Taliesin, this period reinforced his philosophy that architecture should provide a refuge, a shining brow, as he called Taliesin, and a sense of harmony with the world around it. It's hard to imagine how such a horrific chapter could be part of the life of someone so celebrated for his creative brilliance, but I think that's what makes Frank Lloyd Wright's story so fascinating, the way his personal tragedies were woven into his legacy. Though not always publicly known, today Taliesin stands as both a masterpiece and a memorial to a love that defied convention. This was a tale of love, ambition and unimaginable loss, but also one of resilience as Wright continued to create some of the world's most iconic architectural works after this event. Thank you for joining me for this special spooky season episode. I hope you found the story as compelling as I did when I first stumbled upon it. If you've enjoyed this episode, please leave a review or share it with someone you think would be intrigued by the darker side of design history. And as always, you can check the show notes for more sources and information on today's topic. Stay tuned for our next episode, where we'll be shifting the mood with something a bit lighter because, after all, balance is key. Until next time. Thanks for listening. And as always, let's redesign history by celebrating women.