Cool True Crime Ephemera
A kind Clews reader sent along an interesting ebay link. Up for auction is the "Statement of Innocence" of a female gangster written on her way to prison, a handwritten letter found in a Missouri estate sale, along with some rare old books about her career. From the description --
Mattie Howard was notorious for hanging around with Gangsters, being involved with robberies, holdups, driving get away cars etc. She was convicted of 2nd degree murder, for the murder of a Jewelry Dealer in what Newspapers called THE DIAMOND KING MURDER CASE. She was listed on her Wanted Poster as “…leader and planner of the most dangerous type. Would not hesitate to commit murder at any time.” It stated that she would disguise herself as a man on some jobs. She was noted in the Newspapers including the Kansas City Star and media as being a Very Attractive Blonde, nicknaming her the “GOLDEN GIRL”, or the GIRL with the AGATE EYES, as well as the QUEEN OF THE UNDERWORLD. She won $500 at a beauty contest at the age of 16. Apparently she was able to pull off many crimes, as well as “get out of trouble” in many cases because of her “good looks.”
That sounds like a story waiting to be retold.
UPDATE:
After carefully reviewing the photos, it appears that this woman was represented by attorney Jesse James, Jr. -- only son of the famous bandit and one of my favorite subjects.
From the Kent State True Crime Press
A history professor in New England has a book forthcoming about Mary Bean, a factory girl who was murdered in 1850. This one ought to be interesting, even if it is about another poor New England factory girl, an unfortunately common character in crime annals.
"A genre enjoying pronounced popularity"
That quote appeared in an American Library Association book review of A Voice for the Dead: A Forensic Investigator's Pursuit of the Truth in the Grave. James Starrs has dug up, among others, Jesse James and the victims of cannibal Alferd Packer. Publisher's Weekly predicted the book's success and attributes it to TV: "With the CSI craze showing no sign of abating there will doubtless be an eager audience for Starrs's intriguing but quirky accounts of the noteworthy and notorious exhumations he has participated in." Oh, I don't know -- maybe both the program on TV and the books originate in the same phenomenon, namely our culture's 300-year-old interest in blood and guts.
New blogroll
My latest collection of interesting links is a gathering of true crime fanatics called On The True Crime Genre, which you should find in the left-hand column. There are all sorts of true crime fan and book review sites, and the best should all be on the list.
- In Cold Blog: Historic true crime book reviews
- Bonnie’s Blog of Crime
- Reviews from True Crime Bookshelf
- Murray Moffatt's True Crime Reviews
- Classic Crimes Book Reviews
- Fiona: True Crime Is Ugly (but fun to read about)
- Linda's True Crime book reviews
- Reader's Club: True Crime Book Reviews
- Crime Log: True Crime News & Reviews
- Smooth Reading True Crime Book Reviews
- Book Lovers Reviews
- True Crime Fanatic's Forum
- Crime Culture - reviews, interviews
- Cincinnati Library's recommended Historical Crime list
More about that Coward, Mr. Ford
Ted Yeatman, acclaimed author of Frank and Jesse James, the definitive book about Jesse James, has authored an article for the December issue of Wild West magazine about the Ford Brothers that includes new research. That magazine, http://www.historynet.com/magazines/wild_west, has a lot of Deadwood stories too. Speaking of which --
Deadwood, please don't die 
I love this show so much I wish they would play it in slow motion. I like to watch it with the subtitles on. I might even have to buy a fucking poster.
Meanwhile I'll just contemplate the best lines from various episodes.
DORITY: That'd knock the buzzard off a shit wagon.
HEARST: When I say fuck yourself, Sheriff, will you put that down to drunkenness or a high estimate of your athleticism?
LANGRISHE: Shall I accompany as your second? My obvious unsuitability might confuse him.
Nuttall: I got an idea. Instead of running for office and tending bar, why don't you just tend bar and let people punch you in the face?
SWEARENGEN: "On our way" means they're getting drunk and blown in some Cheyenne saloon and running their mouths about their big fucking filibustering expedition they're commissioned for under command of the famous Hawkeye, the laziest, most shit-faced, whore-mongering cocksucker ever to piss my money away.
JANE: I'm, for the day, off the bottle and about to bathe. MOSE: Camp get up a petition?
SWEARENGEN: Not throwing my hands up, or my dress above my ears, don't mean I ain't awestruck.
I saw your note on Mattie Howard and thought I would mention that after she served her prison term for killing the jewelry merchant, she became a born again Christian. She was close to 70 when she lived with my family as a housekeeper when I was growing up in Los Angeles, and never went anywhere without her Bible. She also wrote and sang Christian songs.
She did indeed have a fascinating story.
Posted by: Lisa | October 01, 2010 at 03:43 AM