AMERICAN BLUEBEARD

Lies and Dead Wives

This is the story of James P. Watson-a man whose trail of lies stretched across North America, and whose charm masked a pattern of cruelty that destroyed the lives of many women. Living in California at the time of his arrest, Watson lured victims from Canada to Mexico, leaving heartbreak, confusion, and unanswered questions in his wake. One of those women was my great-aunt, Beatrice Maud Roscorla Andrewartha, a beautiful and elegant Cornish woman.

For four generations, my family wondered what had become of Aunt Beatrice after she married the “gentleman on the train” in 1919. We knew only the barest outline: that after traveling from Cornwall to New York, she met a man calling himself Harry M. Lewis-one of Watson’s many aliases-as she journeyed west to visit relatives. Within three short weeks, he had courted her, captivated her, and convinced her to marry him.

How did this despicable little man persuade such an intelligent, self-possessed woman to abandon the safety of her family? What charm did he wield? What adventures did he promise that made her take such a risk?

As my research deepened, an almost unbelievable story began to unfold. I soon realized this was not only the mystery of what happened to my great-aunt-it was the story of a predator whose deceit entangled countless women and devastated their families. And when one of his final wives began questioning his behavior, the fragile, carefully guarded house of cards he had built at last began to collapse.

                                                                  Beatrice Maud Roscorla Andrewartha