People usually think of the "lover in the attic" as some kind of gothic trope or a cheap horror movie plot. It isn’t. Well, it's both, but it actually happened in a way that makes fiction look boring. Most of us struggle to keep a secret for a week. Imagine keeping a human being hidden in a crawlspace for over a decade while your husband eats dinner just a few feet below.
That’s the reality of Dolly Oesterreich.
It’s one of those stories that feels like it belongs in a tabloid from 2026, yet it unfolded in the 1910s and 20s. This wasn't just a quick fling. It was a calculated, long-term, and honestly claustrophobic arrangement that ended in a fatal shooting and one of the strangest court cases in American history. When we talk about a lover in the attic, we are talking about Otto Sanhuber and the absolute grip Dolly had over his life.
The Milwaukee Beginnings of a Secret Life
Dolly Oesterreich was married to Fred Oesterreich, a wealthy apron manufacturer. By all accounts, Fred was a bit of a drunk and not exactly the "husband of the year." In 1913, Dolly met Otto Sanhuber. He was seventeen. She was in her early thirties. It started with Otto coming over to fix a sewing machine, and things escalated quickly.
They didn't just have an affair. They created a lifestyle.
Dolly didn't want to keep meeting him at hotels where people might gossip. Milwaukee was small-town in its vibe back then. So, she convinced Otto to quit his job and move into her attic. Think about that for a second. No internet. No phone. Just a tiny, cramped space with a cot and some books. Otto became her "ghost." He lived there for years, only coming out when Fred was at work to clean the house, read, and spend time with Dolly.
Why Otto Actually Agreed to This
It sounds like a hostage situation, doesn't it? To a modern ear, it’s easy to assume Otto was a victim, and in many ways, the power dynamic was definitely skewed. But Otto reportedly loved her. He referred to himself as her "slave," which is a heavy word, but he seemed content to live in the shadows as long as he had her attention.
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He wrote stories. He read. He lived a life of total isolation by choice.
When Fred decided the family should move to Los Angeles in 1918, Dolly made sure their new house had a specific feature: a hidden room. She wouldn't move without it. She even went as far as to scout locations to ensure Otto could be transported across the country and tucked away again.
The Night the Attic Secret Turned Deadly
For years, this worked. Fred occasionally heard noises. He’d ask Dolly about thumps or creaks, and she’d gaslight him—basically telling him he was imagining things or that it was just the house settling. It’s wild to think about the level of psychological manipulation required to keep that going for ten years.
Then came August 22, 1922.
Fred and Dolly were arguing. It got physical. Fred was reportedly beating Dolly in the bedroom when Otto, listening from his perch in the ceiling, couldn't take it anymore. He grabbed two .25-caliber pistols, burst out of the hidden door, and confronted Fred. In the struggle, Otto shot Fred Oesterreich three times, killing him.
The Cover-Up That Almost Worked
They didn't call the police to report an intruder. Instead, they leaned into the "lover in the attic" secrecy. Otto locked Dolly in a closet from the outside, took Fred’s expensive watch, and retreated back into his hole. Dolly screamed until neighbors arrived.
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She told the police a robber had killed her husband and locked her away.
The police were suspicious. They couldn't figure out how a robber locked her in from the outside without leaving a trace of entry. But there was no evidence of another person in the house. Dolly eventually moved to a new home, and guess what? She brought Otto with her. He lived in that new attic too. She even started seeing other men, including her lawyer, Herman Shapiro.
How the Truth Finally Spilled Out
The undoing of the lover in the attic didn't happen because of a brilliant detective. It happened because of a watch.
Dolly gave her dead husband’s watch to her lawyer, Shapiro. Later, after she and Shapiro had a falling out, she also told another lover about Otto. People talk. Eventually, the weight of the secret became too much for the various men in Dolly's life to hold. In 1930, after nearly twenty years of living as a "Bat Man" (as the press later called him), Otto’s existence was revealed to the world.
The trial was a circus. Otto was convicted of manslaughter, but here’s the kicker: the statute of limitations had already run out. He walked free. Dolly also managed to escape serious punishment, with her charges eventually being dropped in the late 1930s.
The Psychological Reality of Attic Living
Why does this story stick with us? It’s the sheer endurance of it.
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- Isolation: Otto spent the prime years of his life in a space most of us would find uncomfortable for twenty minutes.
- Manipulation: Dolly managed to juggle a husband, a secret live-in lover, and later, additional boyfriends, all while maintaining a social standing.
- The "Bat Man" Persona: The media at the time couldn't wrap their heads around a man who would willingly stay in the dark for a woman.
Honestly, the story of the lover in the attic challenges what we think about freedom and devotion. Otto wasn't chained up. He could have left at any time. But the psychological bond—or perhaps the fear of the outside world—kept him in a 1920s crawlspace.
Actionable Insights for History Buffs and True Crime Fans
If you're fascinated by the Oesterreich case, there are a few ways to dig deeper into the actual records and the psychology of the "hidden person" phenomenon.
Review the Court Transcripts
The Los Angeles trial records from the 1930s offer a glimpse into how the public perceived "crimes of passion" versus "premeditated secrets." You'll find that the defense leaned heavily on the idea that Otto was a servant of Dolly’s whims, which helped him gain sympathy.
Visit the Los Angeles Sites
While the original Milwaukee house has its own history, the Los Angeles homes where the shooting occurred and where Otto later hid are part of local "true crime" lore. Just remember these are private residences now; don't be that person creeping in the bushes.
Explore the "Gaslighting" Precedent
This case is a textbook historical example of gaslighting. If you're interested in psychology, look at how Dolly used Fred's alcoholism to discredit his sensory experiences of Otto's presence. It’s a masterclass in domestic manipulation.
Look into the Bat-Man Media Coverage
Search digital archives for the 1930s headlines. The sensationalism of that era shaped how we view true crime today. The term "Bat Man" wasn't a superhero reference back then; it was a derogatory way to describe a man who lived in the dark.
The story of the lover in the attic isn't just a weird footnote. It's a reminder that human behavior is often more extreme than any scriptwriter could dream up. Otto Sanhuber eventually changed his name and moved to Canada, finally living a life in the sunlight, but he remains the definitive example of how far someone will go for a twisted version of love.