Book: In Cold Blood
Author: Truman Capote
Publication: 1965
Pages: 343
Completion Date: 3/14/25
On November 15, 1959, in the small town of Holcomb, Kansas – four members of the Clutter family were savagely murdered by blasts from a shotgun held a few inches from their faces. There was no apparent motive for the crime, and there were almost no clues. In this book, Truman Capote reconstructs the murder and investigation that led to the capture, trial & execution of the killers.
The Clutter family were wheat farmers in Finny County, KS – about 70 miles east of the Colorado border. The family consisted of the following: Herb (father – 48), Bonnie (mother – 45), Eveanna (oldest sister married & living in IL), Bonnie (2nd sister attending KSU), Nancy (3rd sister – 16) & Kenyon (only son at – 15).
There were two criminals involved in murder:
1) Perry Smith was an under-sized, over-muscled half-breed (1/2 Irish & 1/2 Cherokee) who grew up all over the Western half of the US and in Alaska. Perry had been in the Merchant Marines (where he was sexually assaulted) and after completion there, joined the Army.
2) Dick Hickock grew up near Kansas City, KS & spent time in the Navy. Dick got the idea of the murder from a former cell-mate, Floyd Wells, who had worked for the Clutters about ten years before. Floyt told Dick that Herb Cutter had a safe & kept $10,000 in it.
Perry joined Dick in KC and a few days after, they drove 400 miles west to Holcomb, arriving about 11:00 pm. They broke into the house and after realizing there was no safe, they killed the entire family with shotgun blasts to the head. The immediately drove back to Kansas City and Dick was home by noon to watch basketball on the TV with his family. They only got $50 from the robbery.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation took the lead on the case and the lead detective was Alvin Dewey. He had worked for the FBI for about eight years and had actually been the sheriff of Finny County just two years previous, so he knew the area and people well. Other assisting detectives were Harold Nye, Roy Church & Clarence Duntz.
About a week after the murders, the killers did a long check-writing spree in Kansas City – writing checks on large purchases and then taking the goods to a pawn shop to get cash. After that, they started moving around quite a bit the next 1.5 months. First they went to Mexico and moved from city to city there. When they were out of money, they went to Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Omaha, Iowa and back to Kansas. About the time they hit Iowa, Floyd heard about the murder on the radio, determined that Dick was involved and turned them in. As the book progressed from start to finish, it jumped back & forth from past to present, describing the upbringing of Dick & Perry as well as providing more information on the people of Finny County.
By the time they hit KC, the law was just about a day behind them. While in KC, they pulled their check-writing scheme again & from there proceeded to Florida, followed by Texas, New Mexico and back to Vegas. They were apprehended in Vegas on 12/30/59 and extradited to Garden City, KS. The trial started on 3/22/60 and lasted less than two weeks. Dick & Perry were sentenced to hang on 5/13/60 and were placed in the Kansas State Penitentiary in Lansing, KS (Leavenworth County).
A couple of chapters were focused on the history of capital punishment in Kansas. Dick & Perry’s case was appealed multiple times due to an “unfair trial” and was in front of the Supreme Court three times, but they never agreed to hear the case. They were finally hanged on 6/22/65 – about five years after the date of the original execution.
What I learned from this book that will increase my prospects for success after prison:
I did not learn much from this book that will help me after prison. I heard about this book in college (33 years ago) and finally got around to reading it. It was an interesting book and not a difficult read. I did not realize that this is the same author of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
