These glasses, which are preserved and stored by the Chicago History Museum at a secret offsite location, are the last remaining witness to America’s first thrill-kill. Two brilliant and wealthy young men, Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb, murdered 14-year-old Bobby Franks in May of 1924 just to see if they could get away with the gruesome act.
As smart as Nathan Leopold may have been, he wasn’t smart enough to realize that he dropped his glasses at Wolf Lake, the site near the border of Indiana and Illinois, where the two murderers attempted to hide the body of young Bobby Franks. Investigative authorities were able to quickly trace the glasses back to Nathan Leopold, resulting in an admission. The glasses had a rare feature, which made them easier to connect with the owner.
Although they were guilty, they were spared the death penalty after a brilliant closing statement by Clarence Darrow, one of the most famous attorneys in the country. Clarence Darrow was made famous by winning the “Monkey Scopes” trial in 1925, which argued for the right to teach the theory of evolution in schools. While Darrow did not believe that Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb were innocent, he agreed to represent them because he did not believe in the death penalty. Darrow delivered a stellar and successful argument in favor of this position.
Richard Loeb and Nathan Leopold are examples of murderers you will learn more about on the Chicago Crime Tour or Night Crimes Tour. Many of these historic cases, which included serial killers, cop killers, gangsters and more, were tried at the historic Cook County Criminal Courthouse. Book your tour and get the inside scoop on Chicago’s true-crime history.
Originally published April 10, 2015. Updated on June 30, 2025.
