By Steve Flairty
NKyTribune columnist
If crime and mystery stories of the non-fiction kind interest you, along with a decidedly Kentucky setting, When the Bluegrass Ran Red may be something you’ll want to pick up. It’s authored by veteran journalist Wes Swietek, the managing editor of the Daily News, in Bowling Green.
His 192-page book zeroes in on the 1965-1975 period, which he says was “especially fertile ground for sensational crimes, from Bowling Green to Newport, Lexington, Lewisburg (in Western Kentucky) and all points in-between.” Interestingly, he prologues his offering with a detailed narrative about the notorious Harpe brothers of the late 1700s, called by one newspaper as “the bloodiest criminals that ever darkened the pages of Kentucky’s history.”
Swietek engages readers by starting with the 1965 kidnapping and murder, near Lewisburg, of Ella Givens and her father, local bank president Edgar Harper. And though arrests were made and the author offers many details of the investigation and trial, no one was prosecuted and the case remains, after over 65 years, unsolved. Another murder event in the area, the killing of Barbara Crouse and husband, Robert, happened in April 1966. Investigators surmised there was a connection to the Givens-Harper murders, but no one was prosecuted. Northern Kentucky readers may find it particularly interesting that in 1967, the Cincinnati Enquirer ran a three-part series examining the cases.
In his chapter, “Little Chicago Era Ends,” Swietek chronicles stories of bootlegging in the rapidly growing city of Bowling Green in the 1960s, where it was found that ending the alcohol sales prohibition didn’t stop illegal crime transactions, including using dynamite to pressure those who pushed back.
The author closely examines the rampant crime of Newport, called “Sin City,” in the 1960s. He chronicles the rise of former football star George Ratterman and his race for Campbell County Sheriff, vowing to clean up the mess. Swietek offers a detailed, fascinating look at the framing of Ratterman when he was unknowingly drugged and woke up in bed with a well-known local stripper.
In Central Kentucky, revisited is the 1961 murder of a Transylvania University student, Betty Gail Brown. Looking at a then highly publicized story of the tragedy, Swietek takes readers back to a time when Lexington was much smaller and where fear abound after the gruesome killing in front of the Morrison Building. Reading like a crime novel, readers learn of the arrest and subsequent trial of a suspect who actually confessed to the murder yet was eventually acquitted.
There is much more, including numerous additional accounts of Bowling Green’s violence in the 1960s and early 1970s are packed in the 192-page chronicle. Swietek concludes, however, by stating some positive news of diminishing crime rates in recent times. “Concerted efforts to root out corruption, prosecute criminal syndicates and improved law enforcement made a difference—although new challenges would continue to surface,” he said. “Today, Bowling Green is known as one of the fastest growing and economically successful cities in the state, while Newport draws countless families to area tourist attractions such as the Newport Aquarium.”
The era of bad actors talked about in the book, said Swietek, “primarily lives on in memories, black and white photos, and faded newspapers.” Most are unsolved and will probably remain so. Continuing, he noted, “That doesn’t, of course, stop speculation, and for families who lost a loved one, a hope for long-sought resolution to the crimes that marked a dark chapter of Kentucky history, when the Bluegrass ran red.”
Switching over to more uplifting content, here’s a couple of initiatives around Kentucky that are of the “good vibes” type.
There’s a unique, family-oriented event coming to Louisville that might interest those who like to expand their brainpower with a little friendly competition added. The Gary and Woo Smith Family Chess Camp is slated for June 15 to June 18, daily 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. It’s to be held at the California Community Center, 1600 West St. Catherine Street, in Louisville. It’s billed as a place to “make new friends, enjoy tasty food, and ‘earn chess dollars.’” You may register by contacting Corbin Seavers at urbanlouisvillechess@yahoo.com.
In Wilmore, a town with an amazing heart is almost outdoing itself. In what community folks say, “brings history, remembrance, and celebration together,” a “Salute to Service” will occur at the Thomson-Hood Veterans Center on June 12 and 13. Many celebratory activities are planned, including ones specifically for kids. On the 13th, they plan to “recognize and honor 250 veterans… who have served our nation with courage and sacrifice.”
Also, those interested in writing letters of support to individual veterans to be available for the event are urged to contact Bethany at 859-858-8955, ext. 401.
If you are a veteran, or you know a veteran interested, visit Wilmore.org to register or email WilmoreSaluteToService@gmail.com for more information.
