Edward Rulloff's brain remains on display at Cornell University

Edward Rulloff, a man executed in 1871 for the murder of a Binghamton store clerk, remains a subject of historical interest as his brain is still preserved in Cornell University’s Wilder Brain Collection.

In August 1870, Rulloff and two accomplices broke into the Halbert Brothers dry goods store in Binghamton. During the heist, clerk Frederick Merrick was shot and killed. Rulloff was apprehended after investigators linked him to the crime via a shoe left at the scene, which matched his distinctive left foot that was missing a big toe.

Prior to the Binghamton murder, Rulloff had been involved in legal controversies regarding the disappearance of his wife and daughter near Ithaca. Despite his criminal history, Rulloff was known for his intense interest in linguistics and his own theories on language formation.