The Disturbing Truth Of What Was Found In Albert Fish’s X-ray
By BRIAN MYERS and LESLIE VELIZ
HISTORY - CRIME
Content Warning
This story contains discussions of kidnapping, murder, dismemberment, cannibalism, and self-mutilation.
Albert Fish, known as "The Gray Man" and the "Werewolf of Wisteria," was a serial killer arrested for the murder and cannibalism of 10-year-old Grace Budd on December 13, 1934.
Though her body was never found, Fish sent Budd’s mother a detailed letter about how he lured her into a house and beat, strangled, dismembered, and ate her.
During his interrogation, Fish admitted to torturing victims with methods like shoving pins and needles into their bodies. He even admitted to doing this to himself.
Fish claimed that he inserted dozens of needles and pins into his body — between his rectum and scrotum — and left them there. He took pleasure in inserting and removing them.
Dr. Fredric Wertham wasn’t sure if that was the truth, so he took X-rays and found nearly 30 pins and sewing needles in his pelvic region. The killer claimed he liked the pain.
Besides the pins and needles, he would self-mutilate by using a nail-studded paddle and by inserting a cloth drenched in lighter fluid into his anus before setting it on fire.