the-lady-killer:

Delphine LaLaurie’s House of Horrors

Delphine LaLaurie was a wealthy socialite living in New Orleans, Louisiana in the early 19th century.

On April 10, 1834, a fire broke out at her mansion. Rescuers and bystanders helped to put out the raging fire. Eventually, a slave was discovered chained in the kitchen, who had apparently set the fire on purpose. The party investigated further, and came to the attic. Once inside, they stumbled upon a surprising, sickening, and disturbing sight.

Roughly a dozen or so tortured and mutilated slaves were found in the attic room. Many had starved to death, however, there were some that were alive and begging to be killed.

Some slaves had their mouths sewn shout, and had subsequently starved. A woman was found in a cage with her limbs broken and rearranged in order to resemble a crab. One woman had her skin peeled off. There was a man that had apparently been in the middle of a bizarre sex change. There were also containers of body parts found in the room.

Delphine LaLaurie had made an escape during the confusion. It is likely that she fled to Paris, where she is also believed to have died.