The Hanging Tree: A True Story
The rolling fields and quiet towns of Ripley County, Indiana had long been a place of hard work and simple living, but beneath the surface, a darker current had begun to flow. By the late 19th century crime had crept into the community, and at its heart stood five men whose names sent chills through every citizen in town. Lyle Levi had been the first to turn to crime. A former Confederate soldier, he had returned home to find honest work scarce and his temper short. A natural leader, Levi used his charm and influence to gather others like him—men who found the law to be more of a suggestion than a rule. His saloon in the “Texas” district of Osgood became a den of vice, a meeting ground where money changed hands, liquor flowed freely, and criminal enterprises were planned. It was here that he met William Jenkins, a man whose fists had settled more disputes than words ever could. Jenkins, also a former Confederate soldier, had a reputation for being ruthless, a man who enjoyed the fear h...