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Belva Eleanora Gaertner (née Boosinger; September 14, 1884 – May 14, 1965) was an American woman who was acquitted of murder in a 1924 trial. She inspired the character of Velma in the 1926 play Chicago created by Maurine Dallas Watkins; Watkins reported on the trial for the Chicago Tribune.
Mar 17, 2003 · Belva Gaertner, twice a divorcée of page one notoriety, was placed in the county jail last night, charged by a coroner’s jury with slaying Walter Law, a young automobile salesman. Law’s body was found in her car early yesterday morning.
Jul 11, 2017 · Belva Gaertner was a cabaret singer and society divorcee who was acquitted for murder in 1924. She inspired the character of Velma Kelly in the musical Chicago, based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, who covered the trial for The Chicago Tribune.
Mar 9, 2023 · Belva Gaertner was one of the women accused of killing their lovers in a notorious series of murders in Chicago in 1924. See photos of her and other notorious women on trial for murder in this historical article.
Nov 29, 2019 · Belva Gaertner was one of the four women on "Murderess Row" in 1920s Chicago who inspired the characters of the hit play and film "Chicago." Learn about her story and the research behind the Tribune book "He Had It Coming."
Apr 2, 2024 · Belva Gaertner was one of the women who inspired the character of Velma Kelly in the musical Chicago, based on a true crime story from the 1920s. Learn more about her case, her trial, and her connection to the Broadway hit.
Sep 11, 2018 · Belva Gaertner was one of the two women accused of killing a man in 1924 and acquitted after a sensational trial. She inspired the character of Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago, based on a play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, a former crime reporter.
