Murder on Rouse Hill: Based upon the True Story of the 1915 Slaying of Jasper Jacob "Jap" Francis Near the Tiny Ozark Railroad Town of Stoutland, Missouri

by Alan Terry Wright

Around noon, November 22, 1915, everyone in Stoutland, Missouri, who could walk or ride rushed to view the mortal remains of one of the area's most prosperous farmers and leading citizens. Hidden in a brush pile on nearby Rouse Hill, the victim's body displayed the marks of a determined and vicious killer. Six years later, a dozen lawyers, four doctors, one hundred witnesses, four jury trials, a Missouri Supreme Court decision, and the only eyewitness a Missouri fox-trotter horse named "Sam" had not resolved the brutal murder of Jasper Jacob "Jap" Francis. Alan Terry Wright's suspenseful tale of greed, fraud, political influence, and cold-blooded murder will keep you riveted. His descriptions of the predawn killing, carried out in pitch darkness on a public road, and the agony of Sam, Francis's prized horse, tied by the killer and left to starve, are both frightening and moving. The accused killer, Charlie Blackburn, nearly lynched by townsfolk, died in his bed in a California nursing home in 1964 at the advanced age of 91. The victim, Jasper Francis, had been dead for 49 years. Wright s account of a young girl's unwitting visit to the murder scene in 1928 is chilling. Her return there as a feisty 84-year-old accompanies events so bizarre and puzzling they verge on the paranormal. Recent interviews with the accused killer s family, the opinion of a renowned medical examiner, and the report of a handwriting expert shed important new light on this nearly forgotten case. Wright s skillful weaving of the story line with gently humorous vignettes of backwoods living sets this book apart from typical "true crime" stories. His love for the history and lore of Missouri helps craft a tale that rings with authenticity.

435 pages, Paperback

First published August 9, 2007

Reviews

[Gary Sosniecki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings about "Murder on Rouse Hill," the story of a crime that occurred a century ago just a few miles from where I live. The research is extraordinary. The writing is dramatic, at one point keeping me awake at night. But — and I'm trying to be polite here — the editing was timid. Having authored my own historical true-crime book, also published by a university press, I was surprised that the author was allowed to wander off-course so much, interrupting the flow of the story. Some material — the text of a funeral service, for example — could have been moved to an appendix. And I'm bothered whenever I read made-up quotes in a true-crime story. The author states in his opening "Notes and Acknowledgements" that the book is "a literary docudrama with novelistic elements." He continues: "I would have preferred a book with no fictional elements at all . . . In order to create something greater than just a journalistic rehash of a 91-year-old murder, more was needed. . . ." I disagree. Such a treatment leaves the reader wondering what part of the story is true and what isn't. Judging from the extensive chapter notes, the author had enough material to write a "true" true-crime book without "novelistic elements." Still, I give the book five stars. The author is not a writer by profession, yet his research went above and beyond what most writers would do, even financing his own attempt to solve the crime. The Epilogue and Postlude are fascinating. And, living in the area, I was surprised to recognize the names of so many characters and sources. I even served in an organization with one of the primary sources, recently deceased. "Murder on Rouse Hill" is a good book, at times an extraordinary book. But it could have been even better with tighter editing.

[C C · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been many years since I read a book simply for the enjoyment. With changing careers a few times, working full-time all the while caregiving for my live in elderly mother, there's been little time. Add to that, there's so few well written books produced nowadays that can grab ahold of my attention and keep it.
This book does it and more!
Incredibly well written, it puts you on the streets in Stoutland, and on the rural farms. You become one of the townspeople, loving your neighbors and knowing whose word is as good as their bond, and learning whose isn't.

[Alicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Wright did an admirable job researching the 1915 unsolved murder of Jasper J. Francis in Stoutland, Missouri. He inherited the idea from his mother, and I love the family lore surrounding the book's conception. Wright skillfully connects the story to broader events in American history while offering historical tangents and life trajectories of different personalities in Stoutland. The puzzle pieces of the murder, its aftermath, and trial are really riveting. One drawback is the distracting overuse of quotation marks, especially at the beginning. There were also a few instances where the author misstepped in historical references for dramatic effect (p. 159, for example) but these were very minor. Overall it's a fine accomplishment that gives dignity to the victim and family. Highly recommended for anyone who likes mysteries and local history.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book for the local color and historic research, but the writing style was a little distracting (lots of unnecessary quotation marks).