Son Ivan, the Hossacks last child, was born when Margaret was almost 40 years old. 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. But what is isn't necessarily right, though there are a lot of people who go on believing so. Learn more. On Thanksgiving Day 1900, the Hossacks hosted a party at their farm for more than twenty people. It is the story of a woman who suffered through years of an abusive relationship, brutally hard labor, social isolation, and a complete lack of womens rights as we know them now. The prosecution was never more The lifestyle of the women was beyond difficult. Thanks! from microscopical and chemical examination of the spots on the handle of the Midnight Assassin: But reports soon surfaced that Hossack had abused and threatened his family, and for years his wife had gone to the neighbors to complain of his behavior."She Prepares to Fight": Though past 50 years of age, she is tall and powerful and looks like she would be dangerous if aroused to a point of hatred.Which excerpt is biased and why? testified to having examined the blood found on the handle of the axe, but Grant Kimer, deputy sheriff, was the next witness This admission produced a startling effect upon the The community was outraged: How could a woman commit such an act of violence? Does anyone know exactly where it is? : On the night of December 1, 1900, Iowa farmer John Hossack was attacked and killed while he slept at home beside his wife, Margaret. One witness testified that he had seen Mrs. Hossack the only thing I didn't like was that after I read it, (in 2 hours,) i was thinking about the axe and the killing. Although none of them contain a byline, her punctuation errors. This is an account of a sensational 1900 murder of a farmer, the investigation and the court case(s) that followed, as well as an examination of the role of women in law and life. The reporter covering the story was a female journalist, Susan Glaspell. 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. An interesting book about a serial killer in Austin, Texas in 1884 & 1885, about a year before the Whitechapel Murders. agony or by the bursting of an artery. modify his statement. Discuss your answers with your group. Newspapers across the country carried the story, and community sentiment was divided over her guilt. This story takes us through. However, the writing itself was lackluster -- more of reporting than storytelling. It is a fact because it can be proven using objective evidence. I stole this from someone else's review but I loved this short description. window was opened at the time of the murder and that the murderer came through confident of securing a conviction. Hossack and his wife, Margaret, had nine children, including five, ranging in age from thirteen to twenty-six, who were in the house at the time of the assault. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Read the excerpt from William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group. washed for the purpose of removing the bloodstains. Read the excerpt from the article "Mrs. Hossack's Parting Plea.". With an eye to preventing confusion, we have corrected obvious errors in not by any means exhausted its efforts and it is claimed by the prosecuting was the strongest yet introduced. I honestly read Trifles before i read the article. As Glaspell struggled to understand and describe Margaret Hossack, her accounts alternated between those that portrayed Margaret Hossack as maternal and frailanxious to see her family; tired and worn by the course of eventsand those that depicted her as lacking in the typical emotional and feminine traitsnot hysterical, but emotionless and dry . I witnessed things that can not be explained other than there being ghosts present in the area (more than 1). Please try your request again later. On April 11, 1901, after five days of testimony before an all-male jury, Margaret Hossack was found guilty of his murder and . published more than two-dozen articles on the Margaret Hossack case from Being able to manage a house, family and still stay married to a difficult man would have been impossible for me. Skip Hollandsworth is a very good, well respected journalist. In December 1900, an Iowa farmer died in his bed, where he'd been bludgeoned twice with an axe while his wife supposedly slept by his side. Still, an engrossing read that I will pass along to some Iowa relatives. 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. This hair was placed in vial number two and given to Prof. Tilton, the The book introduces us to Susan Glaspell, a young journalist who reported the story for the Des Moines Daily News and fifteen years later transformed the events into the classic one-act play, Trifles, and the acclaimed short story, A Jury of Her Peers., The book is described as a vivid portrait of life in rural America at the turn-of-the century and a chilling step-by-step account of the crime and its aftermath.. transcribed the most significant ones. The community was outraged: How could a woman commit such an act of violence? I decided recently to try out non fiction and this was my first go at itI liked the book. I love true crime stories, so the legal and moral aspects were the reason I purchased this book, but I found a secondary reason as soon as I started reading it. about in the middle of the handle, were made by blood which had struck the Based on almost a decade of research, Midnight Assassin is a riveting story of loneliness, fear, and suffering in the rural Midwest. Or perhaps the story she told was truethat an intruder broke into the house, killed her husband while she slept soundly beside him, and was still on the loose. During the examination of this I don't typically read "true crime", I prefer mystery novels, but I was pleasantly surprised by this book. MIDNIGHT ASSASSIN takes us back to the murder, the investigation, and the trials of Margaret Hossack. this is very helpful to a project im doing in school for the book trifles, 2005 2023 attorney that the best evidence is yet to come. several large blood stains; that on the north end of the wall there was a Based on almost a decade of research, Midnight Assassin is a riveting story of loneliness, fear . Does this item contain inappropriate content? ascertain from the witness what secret organization the "grip" indicated Mr. Additional gift options are available when buying one eBook at a time. The audience itself is involved in the play in some way. 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. While I will never know what really happened, like who the real murderer was, I still really enjoyed this book. When you consider this actually happened, it's a good story. asked Attorney Firsthand accounts describe the victim, John Hossack, as a cruel and unstable man. closed. Hossack was asked. Dr. Eli Grimes was the next witness. To be honest, I only finished reading this book because I wanted to take part in an in-person book discussion. I read this book several times. . Ana, its about 12 miles south of Indianola. Bryan and Wolf showcase the main characters Margaret and John Hossack in the book Midnight Assassin. Several family members and neighbors who saw the dog after the murder thought he was quiet and uncharacteristically listless, fueling speculation that the assailant had drugged the dog with chloroform. 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. Death After Midnight by 48 Hours. The story behind this book is fascinating; however, to be honest, it is very dryly written. I live in medora and I would like to visit some time. Or perhaps the story she told was truethat an intruder broke into the house, killed her husband while she slept soundly beside him, and was still on the loose. It was a compelling true drama: an unsolved murder that forced a whole community to deal with issues ranging from domestic abuse to the social roles played by men and women. Hi Judy!" children as he wanted to, owing to the fact that Mrs. Hossack would not allow finding Mrs. Hossack's undervest in a bucket of bloody water, just west of the A farmer is murdered in his bed--did his wife do it or someone else? accept the division of the property proposed by Mr. Hossack, by which he was to if(!d.getElementById(id)) Ultimately, neither her innocence nor her guilt was ever proved. The author details the servant girl murders that started with black servants struck with axes. It is about a woman tried for a crime but punished for her character. Dear fellows, today I am focusing on women's rights and girls' education because they are suffering the most. Purchased based on this, other reviews, and the reasonable price. It should be noted that an inference simply means the conclusion that can be deduced from the evidence given.. He said he had discovered 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. I thought it would be the classic, over-dramatized murder mystery book before I started it. John Hossacks elderly parents joined them and lived there until they both died a few years later. raising objections, which were constantly overruled by the court. handle with a great deal of force; that it was either thrown by an animal in 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. : Glaspell's Articles. It contains the opinion of a person who saw A Man's World. The author laid out all the facts for the readers to make their own judgments, and didn't force her own interpretations on me, which I appreciated. Clammer. This book was of extreme interest from beginning to end. With the facts at hand, I have a good idea who the murderer was. I'm still not sure which side I would have taken if on a jury. The premise and historical documentation in this book are very well researched. Do you know the exact adress? A few months later, John and Margaret Hossack moved to the land John had purchased in Warren County, Iowa, and they settled in a small house on the farm. I agree that it was definitely the ax that killed him. Firsthand accounts describe the victim, John Hossack, as a c Ultimately, neither her innocence nor her guilt was ever proved. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. Not sure if that helps, but thought Id put it out there. line of examination. calling them about 2 o'clock in the morning. Mrs. E. E. Henry testified that Mrs. Hossack had said Shows how far women have come in the past 100 years with. 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." Midnight Assassin expertly renders the American character and experience: our obsession with crime, how justice is achieved, and the powerful . In midnight assassin, patricia bryan and thomas wolf write, "hossack and his wife, margaret, had nine children, including five, ranging in age from thirteen to twenty-six, who were in the house at the time of the assault." . She immediately jumped out of bed and ran into an adjoining room, saw a flash of light and heard the front door shut. the murdered man was sleeping, was open. Patricia L. Bryan, Thomas Wolf. and others who had testified that they had been awakened by Mrs. Hossack Thomas Wolf received his MFA in creative writing from the Iowa Writers' Workshop; he is now a writing consultant for the Association of American Medical Colleges. It is a fact because it cannot . Printer Friendly. The second trial in adjacent Madison County ended with a hung jury verdict; nine jurors voted to find her guilty, while three held out and voted not guilty.. Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. 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. In 1900, Margaret Hossack, the wife of a prominent Iowa farmer, was arrested for bludgeoning her . Mark the adverbial clause in each sentence, identify the subordinating conjunction, and describe the clause's function in the sentence. conscious at that time, as, when he shook hands with him, the latter gave him Witness said that during the past year he knew of no difficulties of it on the west wall there were blood stains. Midnight Assassin: A Murder in Americas Heartland. I had never heard of this unsolved murder that took place in Warren County Iowa. Reviewed in the United States on January 1, 2013. But it was actually pretty good! medical experts, Dr. Grimes of Des Moines and Professor Tilton of Indianola, In the meantime Bill James published The Man From the Train which makes every bit as much sense as Rev. Interesting insights into the lives of women, the judicial system, and mental health issues in the late 1800's-early 1900's in America. Doesnt matter if you agree with that or not, Bob Platt. Both suggest that Mrs. Hossack may have had a possible motive for killing her husband. room, and on the undervest of the garment worn by Mrs. Hossack; that he noticed I guess I was expecting a similar story to what we get through watching TV but this is real life. Perhaps Margaret Hossack was acting out of fear. A history of domestic strife convinced the local authorities that she had finally snapped after years of threats and verbal abuse. The juxtaposition of a woman journalist who covered the first trial (who would later use the case as fodder for a short story and a play) with the severely circumscribed life of a farm wife, accused of the murder of her husband, is a nice touch. Midnight Assassin expertly renders the American character and experience: our obsession with crime, how justice is achieved, and the powerful influence of . The first thing you need to know if you decide to read this book, is that it is a true crime story in which the murderer is never caught. The narrative flows well, good retelling of the events in context of that time. Wed love your help. Word Count: 311. Then a couple of white women were killed as well. mistakes. Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web. Dr. Grimes goes further and intimates that in his opinion an effort was made to Later these same events were used as the basis for her classic short story, A Jury of Her Peers, and the famous play Trifles. witness the bed in which he died was introduced by the prosecution and was The medical experts, Dr. Grimes of Des Moines and Professor Tilton of Indianola, who made the chemical analysis of the blood found on the axe with which the prosecution alleges Mr. Hossack was murdered and which the defense has insisted is that of a fowl testified that . Do you remember the name Id love to read it I cant open the link to read this. Firsthand accounts describe the victim, John Hossack, as a cruel and unstable man. MRS. HOSSACK'S PARTING PLEA. He stated }}(document,'script','twitter-wjs'); Praise for the Book. Thank you in advance! It is just fascinating. He also testified to wash the blood from the axe before it was submitted to him for analysis. I grabbed this true crime novel primarily because it is set in my home state. Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read. Perhaps Margaret Hossack was acting out of fear. According to the Cult of True Womanhood, a popular phrase during those years, a true woman possessed four cardinal virtues: piety, purity, submissiveness, and domesticity.. which had caused the spots. bed was about two feet from the wall; that the north wall near the west wall showed Write a pronoun in the possessive case to correctly complete each sentence. the Hossack case as a young reporter and later used it as the basis for her acclaimed work A Jury of Her Peers. Midnight Assassin expertly renders the American character and . First Photograph Bearing on the Tragedy. I did feel that the book was a bit repetitious. INDIANOLA, April 4.--(Special.) Stay to Tea . Reviewed in the United States on March 3, 2021. wanted to prove to people that he indeed was was a simp (last name Simpson) so he clapped the husbands cheeks cuz the husband abused her. Shep was reputed to be an active dog with a tendency to bark at stray cattle and strangers. Life was tough on the farm at the turn of the century. "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. identified by the witness as the one in which he found the deceased lying. There would be no third trial, and no one else was ever charged with the crime. The second excerpt, because it appears to contain a prejudice that may have affected the writer's beliefs about Mrs. Hossack. : 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 . One option is James Maybrick a London cotton merchant who "may have"traveled to Austin while at the Southern Exhibition in New Orleans. On April 11, 1901, after five The Midnight Assassin website has this to say about the book: MIDNIGHT ASSASSIN takes us back to the murder, the investigation, and the trials of Margaret Hossack. Shop now >>. Margaret Hossacks husband was murdered and Margaret was put on trial for the murder. to get rid of her husband are offered, it begins to look like the defense will slight changes, researchers may wish to consult the original articles from the Daily News, which are available on microfilm at several different locations, including the State Historical Society of Iowa in Des Moines. "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.". Susan Glaspell. Wow! We haven't changed the text to correct these He stated that the ground The Des Moines Daily News published more than two-dozen articles on the Margaret Hossack case from December 3, 1900 through April 19, 1901. The narrator doesnt say pecan or Seguin right. "Did you hear your father say anything?" The theory is that it was one of her sons and she was covering for him. Starred Review. "Midnight Assassin" also introduces us to Susan Glaspell, a journalist who reported on the Hossack murder for the Des Moines Daily. We live in a world with thousands of confident religions. The novel was well written and kept me interested enough to read it every night until I finished. Soon after, his wife, Margaret, would become the focus of the case in 1900 when the murder occurred until this day when trying to understand how evidence is viewed and stories are told in the courtroom. 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