Anarchy & Amnesia in Small Town America

In 1930, three joy‐riding black youths robbed a young white couple parked on Lovers’ Lane. One of the youths shot the white man four times while his girlfriend claimed that one of the three raped her.

Local law enforcement quickly located the three, interrogated them and locked them up in the county jail. The next day, the white man succumbed to his wounds. That night a mob of angry white‐folks stormed the jail and removed all three suspects. They lynched two of the teens and inexplicably returned the third suspect to the jail.

County and state prosecutors began a crusade to locate, prosecute and convict the mob members who hung the two. However, they discovered the whole town had difficulty remembering details. This story also tracks the trial and subsequent life of the surviving sixteen‐year old.

About The Author

James Ferrell – Entrepreneur, Executive & Author

Jim’s interest in the history of his hometown Marion, Indiana began when he was a teenager. Late in his career he began returning to Marion to research the events in this book.

He discovered that this seemingly idyllic small town that he loved had a history of bigotry, violence and racial prejudice. This knowledge inspired Jim to write this history.

Key People in the book


Mary Ball
Engaged to Claude Deeter

Abe Smith
Convicted Thief

Harley Hardin
Grant County Prosecutor

Claude Deeter
Factory Worker

Tom Shipp
Owner of car used in robberies

Drysdale Brannon
Newspaper Reporter

James Cameron
Shoe‐shiner

Jake Campbell
Grant County Sheriff

James Ogden
Indiana Attorney General

Author Interview

Reviews

Amazon.com

WDIJ
A dark time in any towns history

Reviewed in the United States on October 15, 2020
Verified Purchase

The book was well researched and written in an easy to read style, unlike most nonfiction books. The research was was unbiased and occasionally presented conflicting information, which the author identified. The subject matter is controversial at any time, but approached with openness and candor.

Amazon Customer
History of a Dark Event

Reviewed in the United States on November 7, 2020
Verified Purchase

Very well‐written and researched. A very dark event in the history of Marion, Indiana — my hometown — and due to the racial strife it caused hampered the city’s growth for decades. Nevertheless, it’s always hard to try and apply social values of today to past generations of nearly 100 years ago.

Dick Crichton
Best Read In A Long Time

Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2020
Verified Purchase

I am excited to recommend this picture of a rough time in our American story. A solid presentation of the facts of the crime. Well researched and an engaging read worth your time!

OnlineBookClub.org

On the evening of August 6, 1930, a young couple went for a drive around the streets of Marion, Indiana. While parked at the Lover’s Lane, three African‐American teenagers stealthily approached their car. Armed with a revolver, they took what little cash the couple had, shot the white man, and raped his female companion. This incident elicited a virulent reaction among the local people. The following night, a vengeful mob of white men and women stormed the Grant County Jail in which the perpetrators were held and took it upon themselves to exact justice.

Rape, Revolvers, and Ropes by James Ferrell is a historical account of the brutal lynching of two black teenagers in 1930 after their involvement in the murder and rape of two white individuals. Motivated by curiosity and will to uncover the truth, the author spent seventeen years studying and compiling newspaper articles, old photographs, and court records to make accurate documentation of these events.

I liked that the author didn’t shy away from the details. There are vivid descriptions of violence, obsolete derogatory terms, and sensitive photographs that evoke feelings of pain, rage, and horror. Another favorable aspect of this book is the arrangement. In the prologue, the author prepares the reader on what to expect and how they may react in response to the sensitive contents. He also reassures that unfiltered contents are necessary to present the past as it was, raw and honest. I loved the tone of the author in this prologue. There are also a few pages narrating his experience while researching and acquiring resources that interestingly felt like I was following a protagonist in a movie. Each chapter has a proper title, and there are photographs of the places from which the events took place to better aid one’s imagination. Moreover, the book has a reference section, which is a great thing in case anyone might need further clarification or research.

The author also did an amazing job of examining race relations in this small town in the 1930s. Symbols of racism in newspaper ads and direct quotes from people in this era will give you a sense of how blatant and prevalent racism is at the time. The sheer reality of it all is appalling.

The subject matter is a very controversial one. Without carefully reading the material, one may see things in black and white and miss the gray areas in the narrative. Only upon thorough reading and much contemplation did I find these gray areas. With that, I appreciated the author’s impartiality by presenting conflicting testimonies, challenging readers to develop their own opinions.

Since there is nothing I dislike about this book, my rating would be 4 out of 4 stars. I did not award it a lower rating because it is well‐executed and well‐researched. It also appeared to be professionally edited because I found no errors in it. The author writes in a clear, engaging tone. In the height of all the tension, I was so engrossed it almost felt like I was reading a novel rather than a non‐fiction book.

All in all, this has been a compelling, thought‐provoking read. I recommend this to anyone interested in history, as this would make a good reference material. Readers sensitive to graphic violence should proceed with caution. There is a photograph of two young men hanging from a tree that isn’t for the faint of heart. Naturally, I would not advise kids to read this book. 4 out of 4 stars

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