Drakusz House

A striking gothic Victorian mansion formerly located on a large lot at the corner of Hope and Glory on Bunker Hill. Locals say the mansion was haunted or cursed, that everyone who lives there went mad or died a tragic death.

History of the House

Built in 1873 by Nikolaus Leonardo Drakusz (b. 1850), the house is well-known throughout the neighborhood as a place of mystery and misfortune. Drakusz built the house for his new bride, who died of pneumonia six months after moving into the home in 1874. He left Los Angeles in a fit of grief, embarking on a sea journey which lasted nearly three years.

Drakusz returned in 1877 to find the house in disrepair. He hired a man named Hoskins to act as caretaker and make repairs to the dilapidated home. Drakusz himself was seldom seen by his neighbors. Hoskins never spoke to others about his employer. Inevitably rumors began to arise that Drakusz was mad with grief, locked away in seclusion or practicing the dark arts behind closed doors. When he passed away in 1918, the 68-year old Drakusz left no natural heirs and bequeathed the home to the caretaker Hoskins.

Hoskins Family

The caretaker and his family moved into the home later that year. Eight months later Mrs. Hoskins took her children and fled, claiming the house was haunted by evil spirits. Hoskins himself mocked her hysteria and remained. A year later his wife filed for divorce. Hoskins granted it without incident. As the neighborhood grew around the house, Hoskins became known as an eccentric and somewhat erratic personality. Neighbors claimed to hear him conversing loudly with someone, though no other persons were ever seen entering or leaving the house.

In December 1921, neighbors realized no one had seen Hoskins in weeks. The police were summoned to investigate. Entering the home, they found the emaciated body of the former caretaker lying naked in the bathtub. Hoskins appeared to have starved to death, though police found the kitchen pantry stocked with food. He was found to have no assets other than the home and was buried in a pauper’s grave. Ownership of the house passed to the widow Hoskins, who wanted nothing to do with the mansion, insisting it was cursed. The house was sold at bank auction to Elmore Dalrymple, a real estate investor and developer.

The Rheingolds

Viktor Rheingold had studied psychology in Vienna under Sigmund Freud. A man of many interests, Viktor inherited land and monies from his father. He and his wife traveled extensively throughout Europe and America, deciding in late 1923 to take residence in Los Angeles. Viktor had ambitions of becoming a film producer or writer, while Julia indulged in her love of gardening. She grew prize roses in the gardens around their homes, experimenting with hybrids and attempting to develop her own unique flower. The couple was undaunted by Dalrymple’s disclosure of the house history, and paid him a full year of rent in advance.

Los Angeles police were summoned to the home late on February 14, 1924. Neighbors had heard the sound of gunshots and, knowing the history of the home, feared the worst. When police arrived they found Julia standing over the body of Viktor, a revolver in her hand. She claimed he was trying to kill her and she was merely defending herself. However, further statements she made convinced the police she was not altogether sane. A court-ordered psychiatric examination found Julia was unable to distinguish fantasy from reality, and was thus unfit to stand trial. She was committed to Bard Hospital in Ventura, where she remains under the care of Doctor Lyndon Atwater.

Destruction of the House

Police and firefighters were summoned to the house in the early hours of February 20, 1924. The house was in flames, nearly burned to the ground. Firefighters were unable to save the structure, which burned completely to the ground in a matter of minutes. Neighbors and other witnesses reported several individuals had been seen around the house that day and for several days prior. The realty agent representing the house said several inquiries had been recently made. Police began a search for individuals fitting the descriptions provided by neighbors and other witnesses. A Negro laborer named Abram Browning, who had been staying in the house while doing work, was later arrested for arson.