Before the Marvel Universe had one, Colorado did: the Denver Spider-Man!
A drifter named Theodore Edward Coneys, he lived in the home of Phillip and Helen Peters without their knowing. In 1941, Coneys broke in, planted himself in the attic, and periodically snuck out to steal from the couple – until Phillip caught him in the act, and Coneys beat him to death. Detectives were puzzled. No sign of forced entry.
So Helen stayed in the house near Sloans Lake, until she was finally scared away by sounds, disappearing food and a smell so bad neighbors complained. The following year, on a routine check of the now-vacant house, police found a gaunt Theodore Coneys, living in a year’s accumulation of waste. One detective declared only a spider could thrive in those conditions. “The Denver Spider Man” died at the State Penitentiary in Cañon City in 1967.
About Colorado Postcards
Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado.
