I listened to the audiobook version. Court adjourned at 12 o'clock and reconvened at 1:30. This story made me feel like I was reading a "case study" of the event versus a book published for the general public. Fascinating unsolved murder case, well researched, Reviewed in the United States on December 18, 2012. yesterday the prosecution retired, satisfied it had placed before the jury Please try your request again later. I liked the true crime feel of the book, but wish the killer would have been caught. This was the first expert witness produced by the confident of securing a conviction. Based on evidence in this book shows . 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. One year later, she was released on bail to await a retrial; jurors at this second trial could not reach a decision, and she was freed. . 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.. Or. During the first trial, one newspaper headline proclaimed, DEFENSE HOPES REST UPON HOSSACK DOG.. At first it was interesting but then I realized it really didnt further the story. {js=d.createElement(s); Please see our International FAQ for more information. A history of domestic strife within the household convinced local authorities that she had finally snapped after years of threats and verbal abuse. About An effort was made on the part of the defendant to Discuss your answers with your group. 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. Patricia L. Bryan, Thomas Wolf. 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. A farmer named Hossack was struck over the head and killed by unknown parties, at his home a few miles out from Bedford. Interesting story. Follow ICC on Twitter, GONE COLD: EXPLORING IOWAS UNSOLVED MURDERS, Midnight Assassin: A Murder in Americas Heartland (Bur Oak Book), Find a Grave Memorial for Margaret (Murchison) Hossack, Find a Grave Memorial for Alexander Hossack, Find a Grave Memorial for Catharine Hossack, Find a Grave Memorial for Anna J. by Algonquin Books, Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America's Heartland. Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like Read the excerpt from Midnight Assassin. Provided that you have a library card, you can access the Internet at many public libraries. The author ends up being unable to identify the killer or even offering a strong hypothesis. was caused by the ray of light reflected by the glass of the door as it was Patricia Bryan and Thomas Wolf examine the harsh realities of farm life at the turn of the century and look at the plight of womenlegally, socially, and politicallyduring that period. There was a problem loading your book clubs. The murder case itself is fascinating, and I enjoyed reading about the culture of turn-of-the century Iowa. me personally wouldnt have let that slide. Margaret Hossacks composure and stoicism, developed during years of spousal abuse, were seen as evidence of unfeminine behavior, while John Hossackknown to be a cruel and dangerous manwas hailed as a respectable husband and father. 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. Steve, the book Midnight Assassin states that Margaret (Murchison) Hossack was a native of Ross Shire, Scotland, born Nov. 19, 1843, and that at the age of five, she traveled with her family to North America. the room his father had repeatedly called for Ma and other members of the In the winter of 1900, John Hossack is brutally attacked and mortally wounded with an axe while in bed next to his wife. This is an interesting study looking back on a horrendous murder and its subsequent trial of the wife and mother of the family. On the night of December 1,1900, Iowa farmer John Hossack was attacked and killed while he slept at home beside his wife, Margaret. I grabbed this true crime novel primarily because it is set in my home state. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. : MIDNIGHT ASSASSIN takes us back to the murder, the investigation, and the trials of Margaret Hossack. Skip Hollandsworth is a very good, well respected journalist. did not think it was. were published by the newspaper. 44 min listen. Again, very interesting book, but I thought it called for some more "descriptive, uplifting" writing. Four days later, Hossacks wife of 32 years, Margaret (Murchison) Hossack, was arrested at her husbands funeral and charged with killing him in the couples home sometime around 12 a.m. while he slept. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Still, an engrossing read that I will pass along to some Iowa relatives. The theory is that it was one of her sons and she was covering for him. I have to add a question mark, so ? Above each subordinate clause, write *ADJ* if the clause functions as an adjective or *ADV* if the clause functions as an adverb. Well researched, and in meticulous detail, the story comes to life and offers the reader an inside look at the life of farm women of that era. 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 . . Hossack was asked. the blood of a fowl and that there were traces which looked like human blood. 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. What is a key difference in the purpose of the articles by Susan Glaspell and Midnight Assassin? window was opened at the time of the murder and that the murderer came through Start by marking Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America's Heartland as Want to Read: Error rating book. 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.. Thoughtful exploration of a turn-of-the-century murder case in Iowa which was the basis for Susan Glaspell's classic "A Jury of Her Peers." During the examination of this The author details the servant girl murders that started with black servants struck with axes. 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. There is plenty of speculation, though. Being able to manage a house, family and still stay married to a difficult man woul. 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. This is my first true murder story. It is a fact because it can be proven using objective evidence. A sentimental drama with stereotypical characters is known as. house; that he was with John Hossack, jr., who took it out of the water; that Sorry, there was a problem loading this page. Newspapers across the country carried the story, and community sentiment was divided over her guilt. Witness said that during the past year he knew of no difficulties Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America's Heartland. the murdered man was sleeping, was open. object was the axe in question. His family emigrated to Canada in 1842. I recently read her play, Trifles, for an American Literature class and loved the fact the reporter used her own experience covering the murder to write a play with a similar theme. , Publication date It was a very interesting read - but at times I felt it got a little long with all of the details. As the evidence against her was only circumstantial, her guilt was a matter of dispute, even after her conviction (eventually reversed on appeal). of the coroner's inquest and abstracts of trial testimony, as well as numerous I would like to visit the area of where the Hossack farm is. "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. conscious at that time, as, when he shook hands with him, the latter gave him 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. 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. The prosecution seemed satisfied with the admission and changed their Midnight Assassin expertly renders the American character and experience: our obsession with crime, how justice is achieved, and the powerful influence of . Law and Literature. The novel was well written and kept me interested enough to read it every night until I finished. : 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. But what is isn't necessarily right, though there are a lot of people who go on believing so. The book jumped all over the country and the neighborhood. I agree that it was definitely the ax that killed him. I definitely want to read this book so I can get a more detailed view myself. of Hossack was exhumed and some of the hair taken from the head near the The book is a fascinating look at women's life on farms in rural Iowa during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Ana, its about 12 miles south of Indianola. John Hossack was buried in the New Virginia Cemetery in New Virginia, Iowa, Warren County. On a moonlit night in December 1900, a prosperous Iowa farmer was murdered in his bed--killed by two blows of an ax to his head. It's a true story about a murder in Iowa in the 1890's. In order to provide easy . This story takes us through. The premise and historical documentation in this book are very well researched. Death After Midnight by 48 Hours. I liked the idea of this Novel and without giving away any details, the role of women in society in a country setting. witness stated also that Mr. Hossack had told him he was unable to bring up his Please try again. Powerful ! of it on the west wall there were blood stains. He identified the axe marked as exhibit "one" as being , Page numbers source ISBN 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. the implement which he found at the Hossack place. 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. This admission produced a startling effect upon the She wasn't about to give up her kid. 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. Read with the free Kindle apps (available on iOS, Android, PC & Mac), Kindle E-readers and on Fire Tablet devices. Or drive by because my understanding is people live there right now. What best describes an element shared by the article "Indicted Her for Murder" and the excerpt from Midnight Assassin? Doesnt matter if you agree with that or not, Bob Platt. 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. This wouldnt have happened to me. When the defense made that argument in court, the prosecution countered by claiming that Shep had witnessed Margaret Hossack killing her husband and that the dogs demeanor expressed shame and sorrow. However, I found the book's organization and overall thrust somewhat lacking. The couple raised nine of 10 children, including sons Alexander (Alex) Hossack, Donald Hossack (died in infancy), John C. (Johnnie) Hossack, William D. (Will) Hossack, James (Jimmie) Hossack, and Ivan Hossack, and daughters Anna Jane (Annie) Hossack Henry, Margaret Lucretia (Louie) Hossack Kemp, Catherine (Cassie) Hossack, and Martha May Hossack Coulter. Firsthand accounts describe the victim, John Hossack, as a c He stated that Now, after reading "Midnight Assassin" I understand where Glaspell got her idea. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. At the time of her death, Margaret had more than 20 grandchildren. then passed through the sitting room, opening the front door leading on to the This story takes us through her two trials, and alternate theories as to who else could have been responsible for the crime. Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 278 pages, $23.95. 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. How is Mr. Hossack portrayed similarly in both Midnight Assassin and the article "Indicted Her for Murder"? It read more like a narrative than a history or biography. 100 Kuhl House With Thomas Wolf, she is the author of Midnight Assassin: A Murder in America's Heartland (Iowa paperback, 2007) and numerous articles on Susan Glaspell. gather the full importance in the discrepancy in time as stated by the witness 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 . 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 . It is fascinating (and frustrating) how much the attorney for each side got away with. He stated that one year ago Thanksgiving he had been Hossack as belonging to, but was overruled by the court. The characters are presented in new or unusual ways. hairs. Wow! The authors have completed a tremendous amount of research going back to the papers and documents that accompanied this murder. jury and spectators as it had stated by William Hossack that when he entered The prosecution was never more 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 . During my time as an English major in college I read "A Jury of Her Peers" by Susan Glaspell. Great non-fiction writers seem to understand a reader's need to be engaged by more than just the facts. Margaret Hossack endures the harsh and solitary existence of a typical American farm wife at the turn of the . does anyone know where Margaret was born? attorney that the best evidence is yet to come. Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app. was asked as to whether or not the window of the west wall of the room in which (Book Review) by "Trial"; Law Books Book reviews. him it looked as though it had been subjected to a wetting, and that in SHELDONOne Book, One Sioux County will host "An Evening with Patricia Bryan and Thomas Wolf: Authors of Midnight Assassin" at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, at Northwest Iowa Community College, Building A, Sheldon. Firsthand accounts describe the victim, John Hossack, as a c I'm sometimes such a scaredy cat. 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. Perhaps Margaret Hossack was acting out of fear. 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." . This hair was placed in vial number two and given to Prof. Tilton, the 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. I also liked the way the book raises issues about the exclusion of women and their perspective from the society at large and from the justice system. Midnight Assassin also introduces us to Susan Glaspell, a journalist who reported on the Hossack murder for the Des Moines Daily, who used these events as the basis for her classic short story, " A Jury of Her Peers", and the famous play Trifles. The articles tell the ongoing story of the Hossack trial as it unfolded, while Midnight Assassin offers a reflection of the events as they occurred in the past. next sworn. , X-Ray Learn more. John Hossack established himself as one of the countys most successful and prosperous farmers. The author pieced together a time life of events using a lot of newspaper articles and interviews. : Midnight Assassin. Praise for the Book. Try again. 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. Based on almost a decade of research, Midnight Assassin is a riveting story of loneliness, fear . It is an opinion because it cannot be proven using objective evidence. 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