Patrick Gallagher has been a “jack of all trades, master of one,” the “one” being a U.S. Customs Broker and logistics specialist. But over a course of a lifetime Patrick has worked as a farm laborer, forest fire fighter, process server, retail store manager, preacher, warehouseman and dishwasher. However, founding and managing a business in international logistics was the career he loved.
Now retired, Patrick and his wife enjoy their four children and twelve grandchildren, and their home at the foot of the Rocky Mountains in Denver, Colorado.
After retiring in 2016, Partick’s new goal became writing the story of an infamous murder that occurred in Oregon in 1946. This is Patrick’s initial foray into the world of writing.
The author believes the story of the murder of Dr. Willis D. Broadhurst carries itself in its intensity and the sheer amazement that any person, let alone a woman in the 1940’s, would move from husband-to-husband in cold, calculated steps.
Patrick’s grandfather, P.J. Gallagher was the lead defense attorney for the widow accused of first-degree murder in the death of her new husband. This became one of the most sensational murder trials ever conducted in Oregon, and it garnered nationwide attention in the news media.
Years ago, Patrick inherited from his grandfather a box full of ardent love letters from the Doctor to his wife. Knowing these letters were the basis for a story that must be told, Patrick committed to learning the story of this woman and her crime. Over the course of four years, Patrick researched the story through the trial transcripts, newspaper articles and over the internet. The result is a compelling story of one woman careening from husband to husband in search of something. What that “something” is becomes a central theme in the book ‘TIL DEATH DO US…’.
Dear Mr Gallagher,
I’ve just heard an interview you did about your book and will order it – anxious to read it.
I began working on this story, personal research, about 10-12 years ago. My grandfather was a fairly close friend of Doc Broadhurst – they had known each other since the mid-1930s, perhaps even soon after Broadhurst moved to Caldwell. Actually, they spent a summer together going through much of what is now the Frank Church River of No Return wilderness area in 1937. They used to hunt and fish together fairly frequently. My grandfather was shocked when the murder occurred and started a scrap book of newspaper clippings. Anyway, I got to looking at all of that and wondered who the heck that woman was.
I’d live to compare some notes if you’re interested. My hat is off to you as I contacted the Vale, OR clerk of the court about the proceedings and at Salem and got the same run around you got – but you finally got the goods.
Cleve Groome was another Caldwell lawyer for Gladys. That part of Caldwell where he lived, near the interstate today is rapidly changing. The old farmhouse where Broadhurst and Gladys lived near Caldwell and where all the evidence in the letters was found and where Lola Adams saw what was going on is still there, at least as of a couple years ago – real estate development is rapidly changing the area. I was in contact with her daughter Trina – she had some interesting comments. The place where Broadhurst had his office I believe eventually became a Dunkin Donut shop and may now be demolished. I wish I’d been old enough to understand and ask my grandfather about all of this, but he passed in 1980. I didn’t know anything about it till many years later.
I did figure out on my own about Gladys marrying Leo O’Shea. They are buried in separate cemeteries, though his intent was to be buried with her. I only figured it out by thinking where the heck is she going to go upon parole for this murder charge. I have the papers of her parole. I thought she had no money and c would have to stay c around Salem and be monitored by a parole officer. I then somehow came across the marriage records that shows she and Leo were married in Salem. Eventually they went to Reno (her family was in that area) then in to familiar haunts in Sacramento. Only later did I then figure out she got half of his estate. I think one or both sisters were in poor health and basically did not want to go in dealing with this wicked woman, so they caved on the Oregon property (I think they retained at least half the cattle).
I think the Mormon upbringing of both Doc B and Gladys have something to do with this story, and perhaps that she was an only daughter with 4 brothers. I know the oldest firefighter brother attended her funeral. Anyway. I hope to hear from you. There’s still a lot of meat to go on these bones.