Chapter 20
Forty-four years had passed since Hud Hudson and Ester Walker were reported to have died in that farmhouse explosion in Woodland, Arkansas.
After that explosion, people would come to the farmhouse and steal pieces of the burnt wood to keep as souvenirs. Because of that, the burnt farmhouse was bulldozed in the spring of 1935. Another house was constructed with "No Trespassing" signs all around the property's fence.
That house was demolished in 1969, and a Sears store was constructed. But the town of Woodland did install a historical marker at the beginning of the Sears parking lot. This marker stated that this was the location of the fiery deaths of public enemies Hud Hudson and Ester Walker on October 9th, 1934. This actually attracted many tourists to that Sears. Some tourists hoped to find Hud Hudson actually shopping in that store. Other tourists had expected to see the ghosts of Hud or Ester in Sears. None of those hopes panned out over the years.
It was now 1978 in Gibsland, Illinois.
The town of Gibsland was situated a little north of Interstate 64 and about forty miles southeast of St. Louis.
It was now Saturday evening in Gibsland, and most of the residents were on their way home from their hard day on the job.
Situated in Gibsland, was a quaint neighborhood called "Countryside Estates." In this neighborhood, all garages are located on the right side of the homes. And all the houses were basically the same style with some variations. Since the neighborhood was only three years old, most of the trees that were planted were still short. But the Architects renderings had large shades trees for that countryside effect.
On his way home from his job was forty-year-old James Randall. He drove his maroon 1968 four-door Chevrolet Impala down Montvale Street of Countryside Estates.
James kept his black hair styled and parted down the middle. He had worked as a security guard at the Gibsland Mall for the past two years now. The Gibsland Mall was located off Harrison Avenue in the western section of town.
James retired from the Air Force two years ago at the rank of Master Sergeant. He spent his entire Air Force career in the administrative field working orderly rooms and post offices.
He met his wife Cindy when he went to technical school at Keesler AFB, Mississippi back in 1956 one night at a bar in Biloxi. It was love at first sight. They got permission from the base commander to be married two months later.
So since he was in the Air Force, he did not mind wearing the mall security guard uniform that consisted of blue pants, white shirt with his security companies patch on his right sleeve and a silver badge. This was not the second career choice James wanted, as he really wanted to pursue his dreams of becoming a famous author of crime novels.
While James drove down Montvale Street, the song We Will Rock You by Queen played on the radio.
"We will we will rock you," James sang along with the song but was way off-key.
He hummed along with the song while he turned his Impala right into his driveway and parked next to his wife's red 1976 Chevrolet Monza.
James got out of this car and glanced the "Abby's Real Estate Office For Rent" sign in the front yard to the house next store to his left.
He missed hanging out with his old neighbors Sally and William. But William got a sweet job with Rockwell International down at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida. He was going to work on the Space Shuttle program that was starting to kick into action. William wanted to keep his house in case the job down in Florida did not pan out, so he went through a local real estate office to rent out his home.
While he glanced over at Williams house, James noticed Agnes Moore, the eighty-four-year-old neighbor that lived across the street from Williams house.
Agnes was still paranoid and continued to spy on every movement outside her home. All the neighbors thought she was just a strange old woman with nothing to do but spy on them to fulfill her day. So they ignored her, and she would often be the brunt of jokes.
James shrugged off Agnes's spying and headed off to his front door.
James entered through his front door into the living room.
"I'm home," he called out while he closed the door
"I'm in the kitchen," Cindy replied.
James walked through the living room and headed into the kitchen.
Cindy Randall was forty years old with short brown hair and petite in size. She worked as a Dental Assistant at a local Dentists office.
Just like her husband, Cindy also retired from the Air Force with the rank of Master Sergeant. She spent her entire career in the Air Force as a dental assistant.
James and Cindy decided to forgo having children since their military careers had them traveling all around the world.
James was originally from Kansas while Cindy was from Gibsland. After they retired, they decided to settle here since James's parents passed away a couple of years ago. Cindy had a brother named Marvin that lived in Gibsland, but her mother moved away to Evansville, Indiana to live near her sister.
In the kitchen, Cindy prepared a tossed salad in a bowl on the counter when James entered.
James walked up and gave Cindy a kiss on her cheek.
"Hey baby, did you catch any mall shoplifters today?" she asked.
"No. All the customers were well behaved. Did you pull any teeth today?"
"Four cavities and a root canal. Now don't get involved with your manuscript, dinner will be ready in a few minutes. So go wash up," she said then picked up the salad bowl and headed off into the dining room.
"Yes, dear," James replied in his obedient tone while he headed out of the kitchen.
After a nice quiet dinner, James and Cindy did their usual routine and spent the rest of the evening watching TV in the living room.
There was a museum located five miles south of Joliet, Illinois. It was called the Golden Age of Bank Robbers Museum. This museum had memorabilia from all the famous bank robbers of the 1930s like Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, Pretty Boy Floyd, and The Hudsters.
In that museum, was seventy-year-old Bernard Sanders from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Bernard had short thinning white hair, dark brown eyes that almost looked black, an average size nose, and a white goatee
Bernard walked around the museum looking at all the history from those famous bank robbers.
Then Bernard stopped at The Hudsters displays.
He saw a 1932 Hudson. It was a Brougham burgundy Major 8 four-door sedan with wire-rim wheels roped off with red velvet rope and brass poles.
Bernard glanced at the "Hudson That Belonged to Henry "Hud" Hudson" title on a display board.
Then he glanced at the display board.
"This 1932 Brougham burgundy Major 8 Hudson belonged to Hud Hudson but was registered to Ester Walker. This Hudson was at that farm house in Woodland, Arkansas when it exploded killing Hud Hudson and Ester Walker. The car remained damage free from the explosion," read the display board.
Then Bernard saw a copy of the sales receipt from Wooten Hudson in St. Louis that showed that car being sold to Ester Walker on November 22nd, 1932. He stared at that sales receipt for a few seconds then walked away.
Bernard walked around the Hudson, checking it out and showed no emotion. Just his typical stone-cold expression.
A young couple was by the front of the Hudson checking it out.
"I read that Ester would have sex with all The Hudsters while they were on the run," the man told the woman.
"I guess they did have sluts back in the thirties," the woman replied.
Bernard heard the couple and walked away.
He walked over to a wall that had numerous The Hudsters displays.
He saw large copies of mug shots for Hud, Ester, Jack, Harold, and Willie.
The board also included the dates and locations of the banks and jewelry stores The Hudsters robbed.
Bernard showed a hint of a smile when he saw that list. "They didn't know about one," he muttered to himself.
Then he saw a copy of the receipt for the Peabody Motel of Union Park, Indiana. It was dated April 6th, 1933 and signed by Candace Lane. The caption under it read "Alias Used By Ester Walker for The Hudsters Hideout."
Then he saw the newspaper pictures of Hud, Harold, and Willie when they ran out of a bank from robbing it.
Then Bernard saw the picture of Hud, Ester, Harold, Jack, and Willie sitting around the table with a turkey dinner.
Then he saw the picture of The Hudsters, Ester, and farmer Jesse on his front porch in Union Park, Indiana. The caption "Taken My Concerned Citizen on December 4th, 1933.
Bernard looked a little surprised by that photo. "What the fuck?" he quietly muttered to himself as this was the first time he saw that photo.
Then Bernard saw the photo of Hud, Ester, Harold, Jack, Willie and Uncle Melvin standing outside the bank in Tupelo. The caption read "The Hudsters Visit Bank Robbed By Machine Gun Kelly in Tupelo, Mississippi."
"That fucking figures," he said.
Then Bernard saw road maps of Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio on the wall. On these maps was an "X" over various cities. Below was the "Maps Used By Hud Hudson to Mark His Heists" caption.
Bernard then saw a larger copy of the newspaper photo of the burnt farmhouse in Woodland, Arkansas. Below it was the "The Final End for Hud Hudson and Ester Walker" caption.
Then Bernard took one quick glance at the car and display board then he walked away and headed out of the museum.
Outside the museum, Bernard walked over to a parked pristine 1953 green with green interior Hudson Hornet.
He got inside the Hornet, started it up, and drove out of the museum parking lot.
Bernard drove his Hudson away and headed east.
Back in Gibsland, it was now 8:00 p.m. and James relaxed on one end of the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table. His eyes were focused on the NOVA station that just started a documentary.
Cindy sat at the other end the couch, and she was engrossed in her book, Beauty by Robin McKinley and could care less about the documentary.
The Nova Commentator Edward Fuller was visible on the TV screen.
"I'm Edward Fuller, and welcome to tonight's NOVA's "Is Hud Hudson, Dead or Alive?" Documentary," Edward told the TV viewers.
James removed his feet off the coffee table and sat up with eyes glued to the TV.
Cindy had her eyes glued to her book.
"Public enemy Henry "Hud" Hudson was born on March 20th in nineteen oh eight in Booneville Missouri to the parents of Calvin and Martha Hudson," Edward said while a baby picture of Henry with Calvin and Martha appeared on the screen behind him.
"Did you know that Hud Hudson used a potato sack when he robbed banks?" James told Cindy.
Cindy looked more interested in her book than James comment. "That's nice dear," she said then turned a page in her book.
"I believe I read where his old family house was burned down in fifty-one. Some people believe it was an arsonist," he added with interest.
"That's nice dear," Cindy replied while she read her book.
Some time passed, and the documentary continued.
"After his father died in World War One young Henry started hanging out with another tough kid named Frank Peabody. Henry and Frank would go around Booneville committing petty crimes and never got caught. His mother Martha was too busy working at the local diner to watch over Henry. But then Martha was diagnosed with cancer," said Edward.
James still sat on the edge of his seat, engrossed into the show.
"But Hud's luck finally changed when he got caught stealing a Ford pickup truck from a farmer. Hud was arrested by Booneville police officer Ronnie Pettine who was an old school mate that hated Henry. Hud was sentenced to five years in prison," said Edward.
On TV, James saw the mug shot of Hud that showed his trademark large nose.
A commercial for Dr. Pepper started on the TV.
James took this as an opportunity. He got up off the couch and rushed down the hallway to use the bathroom.
Cindy stayed behind and continued to read her book.
Some time had passed, and the documentary continued.
James sat on the edge of his seat on the couch while he watched the show.
"It was now nineteen thirty-two, and Hud's gang consisted of Jack Jenner, Harold Pyle, his old prison buddy, and Willie Gates. They started robbing banks in Missouri netting over nine thousand dollars in loot that year," said Edward.
Cindy was not in the living room, and the sound of water running from the sink was heard from the kitchen.
"To celebrate, the gang decided to party in December in St. Louis. While there, Hud frequented sexy prostitute Ester Walker. They hit it off, and she later decided to join Hud, Jack, Willie, and Harold for their crime spree for the next couple of years. The story goes that she joined Hud because she was tired of her pimp beating and raping her and the other prostitutes. The story was also told that Hud beat the crap out of the pimp once he learned about the beatings and rape," said Edward.
An earlier mug shot of Ester Walker that showed her double chin appeared on the TV screen behind Edward.
A commercial for Mounds Almond Joy started, and James rushed out of the living room and headed into the kitchen.
Some more time passed, and the documentary continued.
James continued to watch the show while he ate chocolate ice cream straight from the carton.
Cindy sipped her hot tea while she continued to read her book.
"And Hud's last murder occurred on April 17th, in Gibsland Illinois when Hud killed a policeman. That poor soul would be forty-year-old Homer Randall during a bank robbery in Gibsland, Illinois," Edward said.
"They mentioned grandpa being killed by Hud Hudson here in Gibsland. Bastard," James told Cindy then he reflected on that for a second "Did you know that grandpa was my age when he was killed," he added.
Cindy yawned, as reading her book, was starting to make her sleepy. "That's nice dear," she said, and it began to sound like she was on autopilot with her responses. She placed her book on the coffee table and eyed the TV. She yawned and looked tired.
Some more time passed, and the documentary was winding to a close.
Cindy fought to keep her eyes open while she watched the TV
James munched on some Lay's potato chips while he sat on the edge of his seat with eyes fixed on the TV.
"Then seven years after that fatal explosion that claimed the lives of Hud and Ester, fellow gang member Jack Jenner sat in prison. He apparently told a fellow cellmate that Hud Hudson buried his shares from the jewelry heists for future cash. These exact locations are unknown to the authorities and Jack Jenner. So that information was buried along with Hud Hudson," said Edward.
"Now that's a piece of information I did not know," James told Cindy.
"That's nice dear," Cindy replied during a giant yawn and could care less.
A commercial for Kenner Hardy Boys Action Figures started on the TV.
James took this opportunity, got up from the couch, and rushed into the kitchen.
Cindy sat behind on the couch. She placed her feet up on the coffee table, and her eyes started to droop.
Some more time passed, and the documentary was on its final chapter.
James was still engrossed in the documentary while he sipped on a can of Budweiser beer.
Cindy was sound asleep on the couch with her feet still propped up on the coffee table.
"And then in nineteen fifty-eight, an eighty-one-year-old retired physician named Albert Harvey made a death bed confession. He claimed that he gave Hud Hudson a nose reduction, and reworked Edith Walker's chin to get rid of her double chin in early January nineteen thirty-five. He stated that Hud paid him thirty thousand dollars in cash. The police did not believe Doctor Harvey and never pursued his claim. So for years, many people have wondered, Is Hud Hudson and Ester Walker Dead or Alive?" Edward said, then smiled.
"Wow. Maybe he really faked his death and went into hiding? Maybe he's still alive today. What do you think, Cindy?" James said while he glanced over at Cindy. He saw she was sound asleep on the other end of the couch.
"And that concludes tonight's documentary, "Is Hud Hudson, Dead or Alive?" Thank you for watching," Edward said then gave the TV audience a warm smile while the ending credits started on the TV with old known photos of Hud and The Hudsters.
James got up off the couch, walked over and turned off the TV.
He walked back over to the couch and tugged on Cindy's left big toe. "Let's go to bed, Cindy."
Cindy's eyes opened, and she yawned.
James got up from the couch and assisted Cindy up to her feet.
He escorted her out of the living room, and they headed down the hallway and went to bed.