The Osage Indian Murders: The True Story of a 21-Murder Plot to Inherit the Headrights of Wealthy Osage Tribe Members [Paperback]

Laurence J. Hogan (Author)

Product Details

• Paperback: 282 pages
• Publisher: Amlex Inc; 1st edition (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 096591741X
• ISBN-13: 978-0965917414
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,429,971 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The open spaces have people as depraved as cities., March 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Osage Indian Murders: The True Story of a 21-Murder Plot to Inherit the Headrights of Wealthy Osage Tribe Members (Paperback)

The arid Oklahoma acres turned over to the Osage Indians back when whites were taking over other parts of the so-called Indian Territory, proved in the 1920's to be floating on oil. The income was split into 2,229 headrights; some of these instant millionaires found wealth hard to handle. But a far sadder consequence, as Lawrence J. Hogan reconstructs in [this book] was the arrival of white men bent on seizing the money for themselves. A favorite method was to marry an Indian widow; she and her relatives then conveniently died and the interloper inherited everything. When the tribe cried out to Washington for help, the case was assigned to... the very new Federal Bureau of Invesitigation. It took from 1923 to 1929 but bypassing the corruption and futility of local lawmen, the FBI obtained four convictions and four life sentences. The reign of terror abated and the FBI heard its first national applause. Hogan...was a three-term Congressman and then County Executive of Prince Geoges County [MD]. But first he worked 10 years for the FBI where he learned of the Oklahoma outrage. After reviewing what is known today of Osage life and beliefs, he tells a powerful story. The great open spaces have been home to people as depraved as any city folk.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True story of the murder of Osages for their oil wealth., June 30, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Osage Indian Murders: The True Story of a 21-Murder Plot to Inherit the Headrights of Wealthy Osage Tribe Members (Paperback)

White men marry Indian women and then kill their relatives to acquire their share in the Ossage Tribe's oil wealth. There were about two dozen murders. This was the FBI's first big case. A fascinating true crime story.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Commenting on the reader from Edmond, OK, July 19, 1999

By 

[e-mail] (Frederick, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Osage Indian Murders: The True Story of a 21-Murder Plot to Inherit the Headrights of Wealthy Osage Tribe Members (Paperback)

The reader from Edmond, OK did not like this book, but apparently he is a minority of one among Osage Tribe members. The Osage Tribal museum as well as commerical establishments owned by Osages have sold thousands of copies of "The Osage Indian Murders."

He claims the book is inaccurate historically, but the book was written with access to all of the FBI's files about the case as well as historical material available at the White Hair Memorial near Fairfax, OK, the Osage Tribal museum in Pawhuska, OK, the Tulsa Public Library, the Tulsa world and other sources. The reader objected to the book stating that Baconrind "bellowed," but that is a verbatim quote from a magazine writer who personally interviewed Baconrind. Baconrind's grandson and namesake, incidentally, has bought several copies of the book. If this reader from Edmond, OK has some specifics to back up his objections about inaccuracies, the author and publisher would be pleased to have this information as is stated in the introduction to the book.

Many Osages have purchased multiple copies for relatives and friends without ever objecting to anything in the book.

The author would be pleased to personally hear from this reader if he has any specifics to back up his objections.

Amlex, Inc.