Murder & Mayhem in Rockford, Illinois

Book excerpt: The shocking true crimes of Rockford, Illinois, come to light in this fascinating account of a midwestern city’s sordid history of murder and corruption. Rockford, Illinois, rightly prizes its prosperous heritage, built on manufacturing concerns like the Rockford Watch Factory and the Manny Reaper Company. But the town formerly known as Midway also harbors a history of crime and calamity . . . Gunfire broke out in the streets when networks of Prohibition informants decided to go rogue. In 1893, John Hart forced his own sisters to drink poison. Three years later, James French shot down his wife in the street. Over the years, a courthouse collapsed, a factory exploded and trains collided . . . Join local historian Kathi Kresol as she explores Rockford, Illinois’s scandalous past in this gripping book of small-town true crime stories.