Chapter 1
Like with all criminals, it always started off with the birth of an innocent, sweet baby.
This time it happened during a cool night on March 20th, 1909 in Booneville, Missouri. This small town was located in the lower southeastern part of the state.
Out on the outskirts of Booneville lived twenty-year-old Calvin Hudson and nineteen-year-old Martha Hudson. Calvin had the standard Hudson large nose, as did his father and his grandfather and great grandfather and so on.
Calvin's lived in a small two-bedroom wooden house with a wooden outhouse in the backyard. Kerosene lanterns provided adequate light for the inside their home during the night. Plus the bathroom was a wooden outhouse in the back of their small back yard.
But tonight would be a fantastic night, as was heard from Martha screams from her bed.
Martha lay in her bed in pain. Her forehead was sweaty, as was her clothes. She had her knees up and legs spread apart.
Between her legs was their neighbor fifty-year-old Anna Wilston. Anna was the woman who helped the mothers give birth. She knew was she was doing since she gave birth to seven babies herself.
"Ahhhhh!" Martha screamed out while the baby started its move down the birth canal.
In the small living room, Calvin nervously paced back and forth while he smoked on his pipe.
"Ahhhhh!" Martha screamed out from their bedroom, and that caused Calvin to cringe in sympathy pain for his wife.
Back in the bedroom, Anna could see the head of the baby start to protrude from Martha's vagina. "Push Martha, it's coming out. Push," she said.
Martha cringed, and she pushed with all her might.
Anna could now see more of the baby's head. "Push Martha," she said.
Martha cringed, and she pushed again with all her strength.
Anna was now able to grab hold of the baby's body and assisted it out of Martha's vagina.
She saw the tiny penis. "It's a boy, Martha," Anna said.
Martha smiled and relaxed a little.
Calvin stopped pacing in the living room when he heard the screaming stop. He knew he was now a papa.
"It's a boy, Calvin," Anna called out from the bedroom.
Calvin rushed over and placed his pipe on the mantel of the fireplace.
He rushed out of the living room and headed to his bedroom.
Calvin's eyes widened in joy the second he saw his son in a blanket in Anna's arms.
Anna walked over to Calvin and handed him the baby.
Calvin looked down at the baby. "I'll name him Henry. After Henry Ford who makes those fancy Model T cars. Because I know my Henry will grow up and be famous and make the world a better place," Calvin said while he held baby Henry Hudson in his arms. He was a proud papa.
"I'll stay here for a few days until Martha gets her strength back," Anna told Calvin.
Calvin nodded while he could not take his eyes off his beautiful son.
"Henry, you're going to grow up and do wonders in this world," he said.
Anna walked over. "I'll take Henry. You better get some sleep for work tomorrow," she said then took Henry out of Calvin's arms.
Calvin walked over and gave Martha a kiss on her lips. "Goodnight momma," he said to her.
Martha smiled and looked so exhausted.
Calvin walked out of the bedroom.
Anna walked Henry over and placed him in a wooden crib next to the bed by Martha's side.
The next morning, Anna got up after sharing the bed with Martha.
She went into the kitchen and made Calvin some scrambled eggs and a cup of coffee. She also made him two ham sandwiches for lunch.
After he ate his breakfast, Calvin went into his bedroom. He gave Martha a kiss then gave Henry a kiss on his tiny forehead.
He left his house then strutted off to work down the dirt road in his shirt and work coveralls. He had a proud smile while all he could think about was his new son.
A little while later, Calvin walked into the entrance of the Booneville Sawmill.
He walked over to a pile of lumber where six other coworkers lounged around before the start of work.
Calvin walked over to his coworkers with a huge proud smile.
"What are you so fucking happy about?" Johnnie asked.
"Yeah, working ten hours in sawdust is nothing to smile about," Ernie added.
"I'm a dad! Martha gave birth last night!" he said and flashed another proud smile.
Johnnie, Ernie and the other four guys jumped up and rushed over to Calvin.
"Congratulations daddy," Johnnie told Calvin while he shook his hand.
Ernie and the other guys took turns giving Calvin congratulatory handshakes.
"Let's get to work before I dock your pay," fifty-five-year-old Harry the foreman said while he walked over to the guys.
Calvin strutted off with his coworkers into the sawmill to start their workday.
After work was over, Calvin practically ran home to spend time with little Henry.
But this first birth for Calvin and Martha would be their last.
Martha encountered some problems after giving birth to Henry and was not able to have any more children.
Three years had passed, and Calvin and Martha provided Henry with a loving home.
When Henry was four years old, Calvin would take him out to Leers Lake and started to teach him how to fish. Henry loved those quiet moments along the shore of the small lake with their fishing lines in the water. And every once in awhile, they even caught a trout or two.
But it was these moments of father and son bonding that Henry loved.
Henry turned six and Calvin started taking him camping out in the woods. Henry loved the warm summer nights sleeping in a tent under the twinkling stars.
Two more years passed, and Henry and Calvin spent countless times fishing at Leers Lake and camping out in the woods.
"One day Henry, we're going to go fishing down in Florida. I want to take you to Sarasota, Florida, for fishing and swimming at the sandy beach. I've never seen the beach and want to. We'll have so much fun," Calvin told Henry one Sunday while they fished at Leers Lake.
Then Sunday afternoon, Calvin and Henry walked home from fishing at Leers Lake.
While the headed home, Calvin and Henry walked near Rodney's house.
Rodney was a forty-five-year-old fat drunkard who was currently unemployed. His wife Wilma supported him by working long hours as a waitress at the local diner.
When Calvin and Henry walked up to Rodney's house, they heard him yelling out in anger. "You stupid bitch," he yelled at Wilma.
Calvin and Henry glanced at the house, and from the living room window, they saw Rodney punch Wilma in her face. She dropped to the floor sobbing.
Calvin was pissed with that sight, so he dropped his fishing pole to the dirt street.
Henry watched while Calvin ran to Rodney's front porch.
The second Calvin got to Rodney's front porch he started pounding on the front door.
The front door opened and Rodney appeared looking pissed. "What the fuck do you want?" he yelled at Calvin.
Calvin peeked around Rodney and saw Wilma on the floor, sobbing in her hands. He did not say a word but threw a punch and walloped Rodney in his left eye.
Rodney flew back and landed on his ass. He got pissed and jumped up and came after Calvin.
Calvin was ready and threw two more rapid punches at Rodney's face.
Rodney flew back again and landed on his ass.
Calvin entered the house with fists ready while he walked up to Rodney.
Rodney slowly stood up and staggered a bit. Calvin threw another punch breaking Rodney's nose.
Rodney flew back and landed on his ass. He tried to get up but did not have the strength.
"If you ever hit your wife again, I'll be back for some more.
Do you understand Rodney?" Calvin said in a threatening tone.
"Yeah, I understand," Rodney said while he wiped the blood away from his nose.
Calvin left their house, closing the door behind him.
Once he got outside, he walked back over to Henry and picked up his fishing pole off the street.
"Never hit a woman, Henry. A man should never hit a woman. Understand?" Calvin said.
Henry nodded that he understood. Then Henry looked back at Rodney's quiet house. "Will you teach me how to fight?"
Calvin looked at Henry. "Sure son. It's time you learn how to defend yourself," he said then they walked off down the street and headed home.
Calvin kept his word and started to instruct young Henry how to box to defend himself from bullies. Calvin was surprised how Henry was a natural at boxing.
"Only use what I thought you to defend yourself," Calvin would instill in Henry young mind.
Henry was a happy young boy with happy family life. Life was great.
Then September 1917 rolled around, and conscription nabbed Calvin for the US Army.
It was a sad morning when Calvin went to the train station in Booneville with Martha and Henry.
"Henry, you're the man of the house while I'm gone. Take care and protect your mother," Calvin told Henry.
"Yes sir," Henry replied and fought back his tears so his dad wouldn't think he was a sissy.
Martha's eyes welled up when Calvin gave her a kiss.
Calvin extended out his hand at Henry who shook it. "I'll be back soon, and we'll go fishing and camping again. Maybe Florida," he told Henry then winked.
Martha and Henry watched while Calvin boarded the train with his small suitcase.
The train started to move down the track.
They stayed at the station until the train was out of sight.
It was a lonely walk back home.
Calvin eventually made it to Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa.
He was assigned to the 88th Division for his basic training.
After he received basic training, he was shipped off to France to fight the Germans.
Then on March 5th, 1918, Martha got a Western Union telegram delivered to the house.
While by the living room front door, she opened it hoping it was news that Calvin was on his way home. She dropped to her knees and started sobbing when she read that Calvin was killed in action on February 12th, 1918.
Henry entered the house with his school books in hand.
He saw Martha on the floor, crying.
He saw the telegram on the floor and picked it up. He read it and learned his father that he loved so dearly was dead because of the Germans. Henry dropped the telegram, and it floated down to the floor.
He walked away and headed off to his bedroom.
He walked over dropped his school books to the floor. He got on his bed. His eyes welled up the second his head hit his pillow.
This would be the last time Henry would ever cry, for now.
That night was like many other nights to follow, Martha would sit alone on the front porch of her home. She rocked in her rocking chair while he smoked cigarettes. Her eyes would well up while she recalled all those special moments of her life with Calvin.