The authors have completed a tremendous amount of research going back to the papers and documents that accompanied this murder. Glaspell's Articles. Do you know the exact adress? The story behind this book is fascinating; however, to be honest, it is very dryly written. Glaspell's evolving portrait of Mrs. Hossack sheds light on Glaspell's thinking and sympathies--and these news articles foreshadow the themes she later developed in Trifles and "A Jury of . He stated that Shipping to the U.S. only. On a moonlit night in December 1900, a prosperous Iowa farmer was murdered in his bedkilled by two blows of an ax to his head. And based upon her husband's standing the community. take the west eighty, the family to have the balance of the property. John Hossack was born on May 26, 1841, in Ross Shire, Scotland. April 4.--(Special.) The reporter covering the story was a female journalist, Susan Glaspell. Sarah Stuelke is correct. I am also interested in genealogy and my ancestors came to Iowa the same time as the Hossacks and they lived less than 45 miles apart. children as he wanted to, owing to the fact that Mrs. Hossack would not allow Co-author Wolf describes the book as a nonfiction narrative, and says in an author interview included on the books website: To me, the story was both a whodunitwith an array of interesting social and legal anglesand a kind of micro history of the farm life in the Midwest a century ago. There is plenty of speculation, though. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. (She was at that time in bed with her husband.) There was a problem loading your book clubs. On April 11, 1901, after five Unable to add item to List. The Truth of Gods word is hung on God and He protects His word and not one jot or tittle will pass away, EVER. I still am torn on who I believe actually committed the murder Not a dry read, which I appreciate and was concerned with since it is non fiction. This is a well researched hook and it us both scholarly and readable. The author details the servant girl murders that started with black servants struck with axes. Shop now >>. The characters are presented in new or unusual ways. John Hossack, a well to-do farmer, was fatally attacked with an ax while he slept. During the first trial, one newspaper headline proclaimed, DEFENSE HOPES REST UPON HOSSACK DOG.. A history of domestic strife convinced the local authorities that she had finally snapped after years of threats and verbal abuse. Word Count: 311. Al This book was of extreme interest from beginning to end. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. [CDATA[ Whenever a book can make me feel as if I am actually there, while it is happening, it is well worth the read. : Death After Midnight by 48 Hours. The awful crime of which Mrs. Hossack stands accused is still fresh in the minds of every newspaper reader in Iowa. In 1900, Margaret Hossack, the wife of a prominent Iowa farmer, was arrested for bludgeoning her husband to death with an ax while their children slept upstairs. human being, but he stated that in his opinion they had been. "Where did you go after this?" Midnight Assassin expertly renders the American character and experience: our obsession with crime, . With an eye to preventing confusion, we have corrected obvious errors in Firsthand accounts describe the victim, John Hossack, as a c What also emerges is the story of early feminist Susan Glaspell, who covered the Hossack case as a young reporter and later used it as the basis for her acclaimed work A Jury of Her Peers. What is a key similarity between the accounts presented in the primary source article "Indicted Her for Murder" and the secondary source Midnight Assassin? Dr. Eli Grimes was the next witness. American authors Patricia L. Bryan and Thomas Wolf's non-fiction historical mystery, Midnight Assassin (2005), examines the unsolved murder of Iowa farmer John Hossack, who was bludgeoned to death in his bed in 1900. It also reveals how people from small towns are reluctant to talk . But the theme of the book is more about how little most men thought of women - the first verdict was based so much on the defendent's looks - how big she was, how unremorseful she seemed to be. Of course the book did make me a little bit happy to be born in the mid 1900's and not the end of the 1800's. The community was outraged: How could a woman commit such an act of violence? Iowa Cold Cases An effort was made on the part of the defendant to Patricia L. Bryan, 1951-Book - 2007 "On the night of December 1, 1900, Iowa farmer John Hossack was attacked and killed while he slept at home beside his wife, Margaret. Start by marking Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America's Heartland as Want to Read: Error rating book. wound. About It can be proven using objective evidence. , Text-to-Speech Just a few thoughts that crossed my mind as I was reading the story. Ive continued to do research on this case and I am definitely not welcome in the area, although the intrigue of this case continues to stir me after years of researching it. On Thanksgiving Day 1900, the Hossacks hosted a party at their farm for more than twenty people. Shep was reputed to be an active dog with a tendency to bark at stray cattle and strangers. The reason that I have given it 4 stars is because I was honestly expecting a bigger mystery. biographers have concluded that Susan Glaspell, working as a reporter for the Daily News at the time, was the author of these articles. But as they say in journalism, "she buried the lede." In what some considered an added insult to injury, Margaret Hossack dubbed the Lizzie Borden of Iowa was buried in the family plot next to the husband she allegedly murdered. I bought and read this book as a way of doing research and finding some more non-fiction to bring into my classroom. It is both a true crime narrative and an exploration of the life available to Margaret Hossack, an Iowa farm wife accused of killing her husband, and so many other women like her: domestic violence, endless chores, and the judgment and mistrust of the community. In 1900, Margaret Hossack, the wife of a prominent Iowa farmer, was arrested for bludgeoning her husband to death with an ax while their children slept upstairs.. Free shipping over $10. The vicious assault stunned and divided the close-knit rural community. The comprehensive website includes a page listing the Hossack family members, neighbors, lawyers, judges, witnesses and observers as well as a Reading Guide, a page dedicated to Susan Glaspell, an excerpt from the book, and much more. Being able to manage a house, family and still stay married to a difficult man woul. I have also read the story trifles and it claims that a rope was used not an axe. yesterday the prosecution retired, satisfied it had placed before the jury {js=d.createElement(s); Fred Johnston was the next witness sworn. Being able to manage a house, family and still stay married to a difficult man would have been impossible for me. impossible for a man, suffering from the injuries sustained by Mr. Hossack, to However, the writing itself was lackluster -- more of reporting than storytelling. Does this item contain inappropriate content? When asked to describe the blood stains on the wall of the room and the The saddest thing about this story is that the wife was convicted and then the conviction was overturned. to allow them to do so; that on one occasion he had bought the children some One year later, she was released on bail to await a . consequence it had taken some time to determine the nature of the substance More About Midnight Assassin . Both address the fact that Mrs. Hossack was in the house at the time of her husband's murder. It is fascinating (and frustrating) how much the attorney for each side got away with. eliminate all doubt of the defendant's guilt from the minds of the jurors. Ive been to the Hossack murder sight and also to his grave. : be able to sustain its claim of easy acquittal. in her hearing that it would be better for her to separate from her husband, part. However, the last couple of chapters drone on about a play that was written about the killing and trial. , Page numbers source ISBN John Hossack was buried in the New Virginia Cemetery in New Virginia, Iowa, Warren County. Unless more positive evidence of threats or desire on the part of the defendant A history of domestic strife within the household convinced local authorities that she had finally snapped after years of threats and verbal abuse. Informative book about the murder of John Hossack in Iowa in 1901. : As an exploration of these themes it's incredibly successful; if you're reading it purely as a true crime narrative, maybe not, since the authors make little effort to determine "whodunnit" although they cover all the bases fairly thoroughly. But it was actually pretty good! Name of the book and author? Midnight Assassin expertly renders the American character and experience: our obsession with crime, how justice is achieved, and the powerful influence of . This true unsolved mystery and all the events surrounding it had me trying to solve it, and I loved coming up with my own theories about what actually happened. The community was outraged: How could a woman commit such an act of violence? situation of the bed, he stated the bed footed north and that the foot of the if(!d.getElementById(id)) McGriff was the first witness sworn by the The narrator doesnt say pecan or Seguin right. Case Summaries Then a couple of white women were killed as well. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Contact Us. Above each subordinate clause, write *ADJ* if the clause functions as an adjective or *ADV* if the clause functions as an adverb. Prof. Grimes states that in his opinion the axe was finding Mrs. Hossack's undervest in a bucket of bloody water, just west of the Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 21, 2021, Reflects the line later in the book - A woman should not be forced into the role of wife and mother and should be entitled to seek fulfillment in her work. I read this awhile ago, so the details arent sharp , but the axe was. Read the excerpt from Midnight Assassin. The book jumped all over the country and the neighborhood. The Des Moines Daily News published more than two-dozen articles on the Margaret Hossack case from December 3, 1900 through April 19, 1901. Perhaps Margaret Hossack was acting out of fear. INDIANOLA, Dec. The author ends up being unable to identify the killer or even offering a strong hypothesis. If youd like us to expand this Plot Summary into a Study Guide, click the Upvote button below. --At the close of the The story couldve been a third of the length. But the theme of the book is more about how little most men thought of women - the first verdict was based so much on the defendent's looks - how big she was, how unremorseful she seemed to be. Just to point out, there are a number of reviews below that are for a different book, Skip Hollandsworth's "The Midnight Assassin", set in Austin, Texas. His family emigrated to Canada in 1842. I now must visit the New Virginia cemetery. He also testified to This is the true story of an unsolved murder that took place in Iowa, on the night of December 1, 1900. Midnight assassin A murder in America's heartland . Although none of them contain a byline, her biographers have concluded that Susan Glaspell, working as a reporter for the Daily News at the time, was the author of these articles. That depends on if she believes that book. He identified the axe marked as exhibit "one" as being Shep, the Hossacks 10-year-old dog, figured prominently in the trial, especially in the argument for the defense. not thus far furnished any direct evidence and it is extremely doubtful if the , Language : The setting and characters are presented in unusual ways. A celebrated case in its day, the 1900 murder of Iowa farmer John Hassock inspired two well-known works by writer Susan Glaspell (1876-1948): her play. Firsthand accounts describe the victim, John Hossack, as a cruel and unstable man. Life was tough on the farm at the turn of the century. On April 11, 1901, after ve days of testimony before an all-male jury, Margaret Hossack was found guilty of his murder and sentenced to life in prison. Midnight Assassin also introduces us to Susan Glaspell, a journalist who reported on the Hossack murder for the Des Moines Daily. Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. Patricia Bryan is a professor of law at the University of North Carolina. The narrative flows well, good retelling of the events in context of that time. Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America's Heartland, by Patricia L. Bryan, Killing the 'Dead Girl' Theme in Crime Fiction. The book introduces us to Susan Glaspell, a young journalist who reported the story for the, and, fifteen years later, transformed the events into the acclaimed short story, "A Jury of Her Peers.". "Historical whodunit devotees who have devoured all the literature on famous real-life mysteries will delight in this stirring and evocative account of an obscure turn-of-the-century Iowa murder. 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