Madison County has a violent past, one which reflects the history of the entire Deep South. Too often, when we consider this area’s bygone era, it is with a “down home days” spirit. We turn our complicated history into a comforting folktale honoring hardy pioneers, country churches, and military heroes. But history cannot ignore man’s inhumanity to man. Any “history” that focuses solely on the “inspiring” aspects of the past is no history at all—at best it is nostalgia, and at worst, blind propaganda.
More than 30 murders are discussed in this book including:
- A student who kills his teacher, avoids any charges, and becomes an attorney defending other murderers
- A fatal shooting aboard the South Georgia Railroad that results in a dramatic trial and acquittal of the killer
- A four-man fist, knife, and gun fight that leaves three of the participants dead
- The cold-blooded shooting of a popular attorney on the day of the circus
- And many more
Tracy J. Revels is the Laura and Winston Hoy Professor of Humanities in the history department of Wofford College, and author of the book Grander in Her Daughters: Florida’s Women During the Civil War, which earned the Rembert Patrick Award for Best Scholarly Book on a Florida History Topic.
