Joe Ball
Joseph D. Ball, born on January 7, 1896, in southern Texas, is a figure known for his controversial and criminal legacy. Raised in a stable household and serving in World War I, Ball later turned to a life of crime, initially as a bootlegger during Prohibition. After opening the Sociable Inn, a tavern near Elmendorf, he attracted patrons with unusual attractions, including a concrete pond stocked with alligators where he fed live animals. Ball had a history of romantic entanglements with his female employees, many of whom mysteriously disappeared over time, raising suspicions about his involvement in their fates.
His criminal activities came to a tragic climax when authorities discovered remains linked to some of the missing women. After being confronted by deputies investigating the matter, Ball took his own life. His handyman later revealed details of Ball's involvement in the deaths of two women, leading to broader speculation about the potential number of his victims. Despite the gruesome nature of his actions, details about Ball's crimes remained largely obscure until more recent explorations of his life and impact, which have cemented his place in Texas folklore and popular culture.
Subject Terms
Joe Ball
American serial killer
- Born: January 7, 1896
- Birthplace: Elmendorf, Texas
- Died: September 24, 1938
- Place of death: Elmendorf, Texas
Cause of notoriety: A bootlegger-turned-tavern owner, Ball murdered several of his girlfriends as well as barmaids, then shot himself when confronted by authorities.
Active: Summer, 1937-September, 1938
Locale: Elmendorf, Texas
Early Life
Joseph D. Ball (bahl) was born on January 7, 1896, and was raised in the largely unsettled frontier of southern Texas by his parents, Frank Ball and Elizabeth Ball. Ball was the second of eight children and grew up in a very comfortable and stable household. His father was a successful businessman who owned a general store in the small town of Elmendorf. Ball spent much of his childhood involved in outdoor activities such as fishing and target shooting. In 1917, he enlisted in the U.S. Army, serving on the front lines in Europe during World War I. In 1919, he received an honorable discharge and returned to Elmendorf.
Criminal Career
After a brief stint working for his father’s business, Ball began selling illegal whiskey to local customers. Ball’s career as a bootlegger ended in 1933, when Prohibition ended after the Eighteenth Amendment. Shortly thereafter, he opened his own tavern, the Sociable Inn, just outside Elmendorf. Behind his tavern, Ball built a concrete pond, surrounded by a large wire fence and stocked with five alligators. As an attraction, Ball would entertain his intoxicated customers by feeding the reptiles live dogs, cats, and other animals. As another draw to his tavern, Ball would hire young, attractive barmaids and waitresses to work there.
Ball initiated romantic relationships with his women employees, often several at a time. In 1934 Ball met Minnie Gotthardt, and eventually she operated the tavern with him. Their relationship lasted three years, until Ball began courting a young waitress named Dolores Goodwin in 1937. That summer, Gotthardt disappeared. Ball began another relationship with a young barmaid named Hazel Brown. In September, 1937, Ball married Goodwin, but she disappeared the following April.
While local law enforcement was increasingly suspicious of Ball after the disappearances of several barmaids, his two girlfriends, and his wife, there was no real evidence to refute Ball’s claims that the women “just moved on.” In addition, Ball’s intimidating personality and unusual business practices made local residents reluctant to challenge or cross him.
Legal Action and Outcome
On September 23, 1938, Bexar County Deputy Sheriff John Gray was approached by a man who reported seeing a barrel covered in flies and smelling of human decomposition behind Ball’s sister’s barn. The next day, Deputy Sheriffs Gray and Klevenhagen went to the barn, but the barrel was gone. They questioned Ball, but he denied any wrongdoing. When they returned to the barn, Ball’s sister confirmed the presence of the foul-smelling barrel. Deputies Gray and Klevenhagen returned to the Sociable Inn to transport Ball to San Antonio for interrogation. When confronted by the deputies, Ball opened the register and removed a .45-caliber revolver from the drawer. Ball turned the gun to his heart and shot himself dead.
With the magnitude of the crimes becoming clearer, Deputies Gray and Klevenhagen questioned Ball’s handyman, Clifford Wheeler. Initially denying involvement, Wheeler then admitted to assisting Ball dispose of the bodies of two women. Minnie Gotthardt’s body was found buried in sand near Corpus Christi, and Hazel Brown’s dismembered body was found buried in a shallow grave near the San Antonio River. Wheeler claimed Ball had killed Gotthardt because she was pregnant and that Ball had killed Brown because she wanted to end their relationship. Wheeler was incarcerated for two years after pleading guilty. When investigators searched Ball’s property, they found a scrapbook with dozens of pictures of women. Many speculated that Ball might have killed at least twenty women, and the alligators disposed of the physical evidence. No human remains were found near the alligator pond to support that assertion.
Impact
Joe Ball’s criminal career was familiar in Texas folklore, but factual details of his life and crimes remained obscure until the twenty-first century. In 2002, newspaper editor Michael Hall published a detailed article in the July issue of Texas Monthly magazine. Ball’s reputation also drew attention in Tobe Hooper’s 1977 film Eaten Alive, inspired by Ball’s crimes.
Bibliography
Hall, Michael. “Two Barmaids, Five Alligators, and the Butcher of Elmendorf.” Texas Monthly (July, 2002): 114-126. A comprehensive account of Ball’s life in words, interviews, and photos. Also examines the legends and folklore surrounding Ball’s serial murders.
Lohr, David. Joe Ball: The Butcher of Elmendorf. Court TV, Crime Library. www.crimelibrary.com. A clear, detailed biography of Ball’s upbringing, saloon, personal relationships, criminal career, and suicide.
Newton, Michael. The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers. New York: Checkmark Books, 2000. A brief, factual account of Ball’s life and crimes.