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Teacher’s unsolved murder has long fascinated former official Christensen
BY KRIS OLSON
The exchange between former Marblehead Select Board member Harry Christensen and the lawyer-turned-author began cordially enough.
The author had already written one book about a Massachusetts murder and told Christensen that he was toying with the idea with making the killing of Marblehead elementary school teacher Beryl Atherton his next subject.
“Don’t bother,” Christensen told him. “My book is already well underway.”
Technically, that was not untrue. After giving countless lectures about the shocking crime over years, Christensen had essentially written the book about the still-unsolved crime that shook the serenity of his hometown in 1950. The only problem was that it lived mainly in Christensen’s brain.
Enter Richard Santeusanio.
The former Danvers school superintendent, Santeusanio was Christensen’s “boss” in Christensen’s prior professional life as a special education teacher, and nearly 50 years later, Christensen now refers to Santeusanio as “my best friend.”
Santeusanio, who retired in 2015 after serving as the coordinator of the reading certificate program at MGH Institute of Health Professions, had done some publishing in the education field, and the
The cover of ‘Murder in Marblehead: Who Killed Beryl Atherton?’ by Harry Christensen and Richard Santeusanio
two friends had kicked around the idea of collaborating on an Atherton book over the years.
But they got a needed jolt from the thought that someone else might tell the story that had held Christensen’s fascination for decades – to the point where he made an annual ritual of surveilling the scene each year on the crime’s anniversary, hoping the killer might show up, too.
“That got us motivated,” Santeusanio says. “From then, we really started researching in earnest and moving ahead with it all.”
Their book seeks to do more than merely recount Atherton’s demise. Rather, if Santeusanio and Christensen have their way, the book is just the first step in
Christensen
creating a crowd-sourced cold case unit.
All of the clues are laid before the reader – the autopsy report, the minute details of the murder scene, the victim’s background, and the collective wisdom of the townspeople who might have known something or seen something.
The main thing that has always stumped investigators is the motive for Atherton’s murder, though the brutality of the crime suggests a crime of passion, rather than something like a botched robbery.
There is also one big clue that points to someone known to Atherton being the murderer: the apparent murder weapon, a bone-handled bread knife, was returned to its rightful place in a chest of drawers in the kitchen.
Santeusanio and Christensen do conclude by offering three of their own theories of who committed the crime. But they are open to – and even excited about – the possibility that some set of fresh eyes might take the
Santeusanio
investigation off in a whole new direction.
In fact, it has already happened.
“My next door neighbor just stopped me to tell his theory, which has nothing to do with any of ours,” Santeusanio says.
Even Christensen has revised his view of the likeliest suspect over the years. In his talks, Christensen tended to allude coyly to the idea that he had a main suspect whose name he would keep confidential until the person was no longer alive.
Now, after reviewing all of the research he had done since 1972, including notes that he had taken during interviews at coffee shops and gas stations with “anyone who was willing to talk with me about it,” he has changed his tune.
The easiest way readers can share their theories is by clicking the “Contact Us” link on murderinmarblehead.com, Santeusanio adds.
Atherton, a fifth-grade teacher at Glover School, was 47 years old and weighed only about 100 pounds when she was murdered.
“Everyone thought she was very shy and very provincial,” Christensen says.
But there was another side to Atherton, who never married but did date – even some married men – hoping for a proposal that never came.
As is recounted in the book, these were the days when you needed an operator’s help to complete phone calls. Known as the “Hello Girls,” the operators were intrigued enough to periodically listen in on her phone calls, Santeusanio says.
“But the Hello Girls unfortunately did not help the police at all,” he says.
Christensen, who in addition to the Select Board held a seat on the town’s Retirement Board until health issues made getting up to Abbot Hall difficult, says he misses being a town official, having long viewed it as an extension of the service he provided his country.
“But old age and my Vietnam wounds have just curtailed that for me,” Christensen says. “So it was the perfect time for me to be able to meet with Richard, my best man, and my best friend, to get this done – finally!”
Christensen and Santeusanio will be signing copies “Murder in Marblehead” at Arnould Gallery, 111 Washington St., during the Christmas Walk from 1 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3 and Sunday, Dec. 4.
LIbrArY HAPPeNINGS December schedule at Abbot Public Library
All events and programs take place at the library unless specified otherwise in the briefs below.
New digs
The Abbot Public Library has temporarily moved into the Eveleth School, 3 Brook Road, as their Pleasant Street building undergoes a multimillion renovation. Library hours are the following: » Monday: 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. » Tuesday: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. » Wednesday*: 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m. » Thursday: 12 p.m.-6 p.m. » Friday: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. » Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. » Sunday: Closed *Please note: the Children’s Room will close at 6 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Returns are accepted inside the library in the blue Library Return bin near the main desk or, if the library is closed, outside our main entrance in the black Library Return bin. Book donations are only accepted on Book Donation Days.
For updates on the Renovations, please visit abbotlibrary.org/news/ renovation-news.
Sign up for the library’s newsletter at tinyurl.com/Abbot-News.
Fines no more
Abbot Public Library is now fine free. Visit https://abbotlibrary.org/about/ general-info/ to find out more about borrowing materials and getting a library card.
Tech and misc. things
The library offers Book Club Kits, Chromebooks, Hotspots, and more in our Library of Things. Visit https:// abbotlibrary.org/what-we-offer/library-ofthings/ to learn more.
Need to use a copier?
Abbot Public Library doesn’t charge a fee per page, but it does ask that patrons contribute what they wish at the time of copying. Funds will be donated to The Friends of Abbot Public Library. » Harvard Art Museums (coming soon) » The House of the Seven Gables* » The Institute of Contemporary Art
Boston* » Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum* (new!) » Museum of Fine Arts » Museum of Science » New England Aquarium (now a digital promo code) » Peabody Essex Museum » Trustees Go Pass* (new) » Zoo New England*
Patrons without access to the internet may reserve a pass/promo code right at the main desk or by calling (781) 631-1481, though some passes may require an email address in order to be used. Passes with an asterisk must be picked up at the library.
Courageous aging
Fridays, Dec. 2, 9, and 16, 3 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.
“Are you getting older and need a place to process what really matters to you, who matters to you, what has given you purpose and meaning in life, what you feel good about having accomplished, what you feel grateful for, what you regret, what you feel passionate about, and what you would you like to be doing going forward?” writes library staff. “If so, please join us for this 5-week program facilitated by Dr. Mark Nickolas, a licensed mental health counselor, and Carol O’Brien, MSW.”
Open Lab
On Mondays, Dec. 5, 12, and 19, Drop-in 2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m., the library will have open lab hours.
“Do you have a question about your computer, smartphone, or tech gadget? Do you want time to practice where someone can help if you get stuck? Every Monday, join a staff member for one-onone help with your device. For attendees who are unable to transport their device, there will be Windows laptops available. Drop by the Program Room anytime between 2:30 p.m. - 4 p.m.,” writes the library. Registration is not required. opportunities for adults at Abbot. Attendees will get an overview of potential positions, expectations, and how to begin the application process. Stop by the Program Room at Abbot Public Library at Eveleth School, 3 Brook Road, Marblehead on Tuesday, Dec. 13 at 3 p.m. to learn about the Volunteer Program. No registration is required.
Friends of Abbot Public Library winter book sale
» Friday, Dec. 10, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. » Saturday, Dec. 11, 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Sail Away Book Shoppe, Abbot Public Library at Eveleth School
Stop by the Sail Away Book Shoppe at the Abbot Public Library at Eveleth School, 3 Brook Road on Friday, Dec. 10 and Saturday, Dec. 11 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. for the Friends of Abbot Public Library’s Winter Book Sale. Find good deals on books and other items for all ages. All proceeds go toward Abbot Public Library’s programs and services.
Nutcrackers: A Colorful History
On Thursday, Dec. 1 at 11 a.m., the Abbot Public Library will partner with the Tewksbury Public Library for a virtual presentation led by art historian Mary Woodward on the colorful history of Nutcrackers spanning from the political changes of Communist-era Germany to a Russian ballet and American G.I.s which helped inspire the charming and colorful creations we enjoy today. To attend via Zoom, please register in advance for this meeting here: tinyurl. com/APL-Nutcrackers. After registering, patrons will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. This event is sponsored by the Friends of Abbot Public Library.
The Nature of Winter with the Mass Audubon
Steinman, the Education Coordinator for Mass Audubon’s Connecticut River Valley Sanctuaries, on how to discover the seasonal mysteries and dyna.m.ics of nature during wintertime. She will provide ideas and resources for observing, appreciating, and supporting wildlife near home this winter. To attend via Zoom, please register in advance: tinyurl.com/ APL-Nature-of-Winter. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. This event is sponsored by the Friends of Abbot Public Library.
The Fascinating Stories Behind Our Favorite Christmas
On Monday, Dec. 19 at 7 p.m., the Abbot Public Library will partner with the Tewksbury Public Library for a virtual presentation led by Brial Early, the author and podcaster of “Christmas Past,” on the evolution of ancient and modern Christmas traditions and their origins from happy accidents, cultural histories, criminal capers (including tomb raiders and con artists), and their generationsold narratives. To attend via Zoom, please register in advance for this meeting here: tinyurl.com/APL-ChristmasTraditions. After registering, patrons will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting. This event is sponsored by the Friends of Abbot Public Library.
Apply to become a library volunteer
Abbot Public Library application period: Tuesday, Nov. 15 - Thursday, Dec. 15
wwMake-It, Take-It Craft
On Thursdays, Dec. 1, 8, 15, 22, and 29, children can come to the Children’s Room anytime between 3:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. and make a craft to take home.
