Nameless Indignities: Unraveling the Mystery of One of Illinois's Most Infamous Crimes (True Crime History)

New Evidence Discovered In A 130-year-old Mystery ... Upon Discovering That Her Great-great Aunt Was The Victim And Central Figure In One Of Illinois?s Most Notorious Crimes, Author Susan Elmore Set Out To Learn More. She Uncovered A Perplexing Case That Resulted In Multiple Suspects, A Lynch Mob, Charges Of Perjury And Bribery, A Failed Kidnapping Attempt, Broken Family Loyalties, Lies, Cover-ups, Financial Devastation, And At Least Two Suicides. In June 1882, When Young Schoolteacher Emma Bond Was Brutally Gang-raped And Left For Dead In Her Country Schoolhouse Near Taylorville, Illinois, An Enduring Mystery Was Born. The Case Was Covered By Newspapers Across The Country, But Some Of The Injuries Inflicted Upon The Victim Were So Appalling That The Press Refused To Print The Ugliest Details, Referring To Them Only As Nameless Indignities. Emma's Life Hung In The Balance For Months, But She Survived.^ Eighteen Months Went By Before Three Of The Six Suspects Were Finally Brought To Trial. Citizens Expected A Swift Conviction But Were Shocked To Learn Of The Defendants' Acquittal. What Should Have Been The End Of The Bond Story Was Actually Just The Beginning. Permanently Crippled In The Attack, Emma Spent Time In A Sanitarium And Was Stricken By Amnesia. In The Years That Followed, New Theories On The Crime Emerged. Some Suggested That She Had Concocted Her Story As A Cover-up For An Unwanted Pregnancy Or Abortion. Doctors Labeled Her As A Mentally Unstable Hysteric And A Malingerer Who Purposely Lied. Within A Decade, The Tides Turned Against Emma And Her Life Began To Crumble As She Tried To Cope With The Demons Of Her Past. At The Time, Educators, Editors, Politicians, Lawyers, And Doctors Eagerly Weighed In On The Case And Its Ramifications. Doctors Of The Victorian Era Couldn't Agree On Anything Of A Physical Or A Psychological Nature, And As A Result, Emma Paid Dearly.^ The Crime Also Took A Toll On Local Residents, Pitting Families And Neighbors Against One Another. The Fact That The Case Was Never Solved Gave It Staying Power, With Unanswered Questions And Intrigue Persisting For Decades. Elmore Spent Years Digging Through Historical Newspapers And Documents, Trying To Crack This Whodunit. In The Process, She Uncovered Startling New Facts About Some Of The Defendants And Based On Those Discoveries Developed Her Own Theory On What Really Happened. Her Theory Concludes Nameless Indignities. The Crime And The Investigation : June 29, 1882-august 7, 1882 -- The Hearing And The Indictment : August 8, 1882-december 6, 1882 -- The Interim : December 7, 1882-december 9, 1883 -- The Trial : December 10, 1883-january 2, 1884 -- Rumors, Ramifications, And New Revelations : After 1883. Susan Elmore. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 292-315) And Index. 2013 GOLD MEDAL/INDIEFAB AWARDS(ForeWord Review); 2014 BRONZE MEDAL/IPPY AWARDS: If you like history relating to crime, law, medicine, psychology, journalism, or genealogy then this Victorian mystery is for you. Nameless Indignities is a true story, full of incredible twists and turns, and will hold you in its grip from beginning to end with multiple suspects, a lynch mob, perjury and bribery, failed kidnappings, broken family ties, cover-ups, financial devastation, and at least two suicides. When young schoolteacher Emma Bond was brutally gang-raped and left for dead in her rural Illinois schoolhouse in June 1882, an enduring mystery was born. Although she survived, her recovery was hindered by hysteria, amnesia, and some unusual physical complications. The story was covered by newspapers across the land, but some of the wounds inflicted upon the victim were so appalling that the press refused to print the ugliest details, referring to them only as nameless indignities. Eighteen months went by before three of the six suspects were brought to trial. After the verdict, however, the publics unwavering support for the victim began to fade amid persistent theories and rumors that she had lied and that no crime had been committed. At the time, educators, editors, politicians, lawyers, and doctors eagerly weighed in on the case and its ramifications. But with Victorian doctors unable to agree on anything of a physical or a psychological nature, Emmas life went into a tailspin from which she never recovered. The crime also took a heavy toll on local residents, pitting families and neighbors against one another. The fact that the case was never fully resolved gave it a certain staying power, with its many unanswered questions persisting well into the twentieth century. The author, whose great-great aunt was the victim, concludes with her own theory on the crime, based on some new evidence that she recently uncovered.