St. Mary’s, Auglaize County, Ohio
Photo by Matthew Cousino
The Miami and Erie Canal
Without the Miami and Erie Canal, which runs through Auglaize County, the Bloody Bridge wouldn’t exist. After all, it plays a central role in the tale.
Between the years of 1825 and 1845 workers constructed the canal, as well as the nearby Grand Lake St. Marys, which connected to it to provide and control the flow of water. Once the canal was completed, canal boats ran through the area, attracting people who set up businesses to cater to the canal boat captains and their assistants.
Two of these employees, Jack Billings and Bill Jones, both worked on the canal, driving the mules that pulled the boats along. According to the story, they were once best friends, but things changed when Minnie Warren entered the picture.
Photo by Matthew Cousino
A Rivalry is Formed
As the story goes, in the 1850s, Jack Billings worked for a canal boat named Daisy, while Bill Jones was employed by the captain of the Minnie Warren. The latter boat was named after the captain’s lovely daughter, who both Billings and Jones admired.
Unfortunately for everyone involved, the human Minnie Warren chose Billings over Jones, setting the horrible event in motion.
Photo by Matthew Cousino
The Violent Events that Followed
One night in 1854, shortly after Warren choose Billings over Jones, the pair were walking to her home after a date. They crossed the bridge, probably holding hands or with their arms around each other as people who are in love tend to do, and were met in the middle by Jones, who wielded an ax.
It’s said that Jones decapitated Billings with one swing, killing him instantly. Warren was so frightened and shocked by what she witnessed that she fainted and fell into the canal. She drowned immediately, and they recovered her body later on that night.
As for Jones, he couldn’t believe that he’d done, so he walked to a nearby well, dropped the ax, and dove in, killing himself in the process. His skeleton was dug up in years later.
Photo by Matthew Cousino
A Haunting in St. Mary’s
After the grisly murder and traumatic deaths, the bridge was regularly haunted by ghosts. This makes sense, as the original bridge (which was since been replaced) reportedly had Billing’s bloodstains on it.
People mention seeing a headless apparition floating on the bridge near where the violence took place. Sometimes a woman’s screams can be heard filling the night. Even after the bridge was dismantled for a new, updated model, the ghosts remained.
The Truth?
Is the story true? Even the director of the local historical society says that the tale can’t be proven, despite the historical marker that notes the sordid tale. In fact, a quick search of death records or censuses from the area turns up nothing in the names of Minnie Warren, Jack Billings, or Bill Jones. Does this mean that it didn’t happen? No. Does it make visiting the bridge any less creepy? Definitely not.
Do You Want to Visit the Bloody Bridge?
The Bloody Bridge of Auglaize County is located on Ohio 66, at the intersection with County Highway 182. It’s now a trailhead for the Heritage Trails Park District.
Found in Ohio 