14 Comments
User's avatar
Jill Swenson's avatar

Incorrigible to the end. What a story!

Expand full comment
Paul Chiddicks's avatar

What a final part! I never expected it to end this way, how on earth did he get away with so much for so long! But, and there's always a but, his luck ran out and fate eventually caught up with him. Great read Lori I have really enjoyed following his story thank you for sharing this with us

Expand full comment
Lori Olson White's avatar

As my husband is fond of saying, in every ocean, 10% of the fish are sharks 😉

Expand full comment
Lori Olson White's avatar

Thanks, Paul. In researching and pulling this story together, I just kept thinking about the impunity under which John lived and wondering what triggered it. His siblings appeared to be upright citizens, so what took him down the criminal path? Interesting story, indeed, and I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Expand full comment
Paul Chiddicks's avatar

I might have to use that one 😉

Expand full comment
Paul Chiddicks's avatar

Sometimes you just a bad one in a family there’s no explanation for it just a bad apple as they say

Expand full comment
Sarah's avatar

What an amazing story! I bet his wife was relieved when he finally was sent away. Takes the idea of a career criminal to a whole new level!

Expand full comment
Lori Olson White's avatar

Yeah, I wish I could have uncovered more about his wife, I can't imagine she had a great life with him. The 61-year age different had to be a challenge, but then throw in his cavalier attitude toward breaking the law, his obvious violent streak(he did kill two people) and apparent inability to tell the truth. Yikes!

Expand full comment
Cath Giesbrecht's avatar

Amazing story, well-researched and really engaging!

Expand full comment
Lori Olson White's avatar

Hi, @Cath, and I’m glad you’re enjoying the story! It was great fun to research and put together.

Expand full comment
Kirsi Dahl's avatar

Amazing story-telling about a truly irredeemable character. Check it out if already haven't!

Expand full comment
Cynthia Boatright Raleigh's avatar

This guy! Incorrigible is right. Instead of underage and too young to know, he claimed overage and too old to know, and still went on to commit two more serious crimes over several more years. I'm also quite curious about John Henry George. I'd love to know what his momma had to say.

Expand full comment
Lori Olson White's avatar

That’s a story in itself haha

Julia actually conceived two babies while her husband was in Kilby Prison- John Jr in 1933 and William, who was born three months after John’s death in 1935.

Conjugal visits weren’t a thing in AL prisons at the time, so…

Shortly after John’s death, Julia married a guy named John William Hood. He was *just* 14 years her senior, a Confederate veteran, the father of three girls, and a widower, his wife having died in 1933 after a lengthy illness.

In 1942, John’s daughter married Julia’s son.

Wouldn’t that family make an interesting DNA study lol

Expand full comment
Cynthia Boatright Raleigh's avatar

I'm sure Julia felt a mere 14-year age difference was nothing. Yep, their DNA results would be interesting.

Expand full comment