Public Enemy Hud Hudson by Gary Whitmore - HTML preview

Chapter 38

 

Back to reality in the Illinois State Penitentiary visiting room.

James jotted down all of Hud's story on his pad of paper.

"We left Doctor Harvey's office after some healing. I used a forger named Bruno Lorenzo to give us some fake identifications. I first met him when I was in prison back in twenty-nine. The first fake identification I used was Jimmy Peabody. Remember that name?"

James thought for a few seconds. "The cemetery in Gibsland."

"That's correct. So Ester headed off to Seattle while I headed off to Mexico City for a few years. After I used Jimmy Peabody as a fake identification, I used Mickey Clinton, then Kent Osborne, then Abner Murray, then Elmer Brown and finally Bernard Sanders. All gravesites where I buried my stash from jewelry heists."

"Do you have any remorse for those police officers you killed?" James asked

Hud thought long and hard about his question. "People would expect I should, but I really don't. I was nineteen when I was sent to prison. This one guard named Russell Brantley would occasionally rape me. This was someone who was supposed to be on the right side of the law. And he was allowed to rape me. So no remorse from me. Only payback."

"What a shame."

"Oh, I forgot something," Hud said with a smirk. "The cops never figured out that back in thirty-two after I got out of prison, I killed Russell Brantley. I made it look like a suicide," he said.

James jotted down that information.

Hud got a smirk when he remembered something and wanted to fuck with James. "Oh yeah, but the way, you're wife Cindy has some nice perky tits and a great ass with that cute birthmark on her right butt cheek. I'd be fucking that every night if she was with me," he said then chuckled.

It took a few seconds for it to dawn on James. He clenched his fists and wanted to lunge after Hud, but the guards were watching. He refrained. "So when you go before the judge tomorrow, how are you going to plead? Guilty like a man, or innocent like a chicken?"

Hud looked at James while he pondered his answer. Hud started another coughing fit.

He motioned to the guards that he wanted to go back to his cell.

"This interview is over," one of the guards said while he walked over to Hud.

James watched while a coughing Hud was escorted over to the door by three guards.

Then Hud suddenly stopped by the door, turned around, and looked at James. "One last thing. Locate a Ronnie Pettine. He was once the police chief of Bellwood. Then that asshole that I'm the one that sliced the tires of his caddy and scratched the hell out of it back in sixty-nine. He would love to hear that," he said then motioned to the guards that he was ready to leave.

James jotted down that information on his paper.

He then got up, and the fourth guard escorted him to the other door.

Off in another area of the Penitentiary, those three prison guards escorted Hud down a hallway where jail cells were on both sides.

All of the prisoners in those cells eyed Hud with admiration.

"Hey Hud, you were my hero when I was a kid," one of those prisoners yelled out between the bars.

Hud ignored that prisoner while he was being escorted down the hallway.

The three guards escorted Hud down to an empty jail cell.

Hud stepped inside the cell then one of the guards slammed the door closed. It echoed down the hallway.

The three guards walked away back down the hallway.

Three weeks passed, and Henry "Hud" Hudson was in a Federal Court House in Peoria, Illinois.

It was a media frenzy outside the courthouse where hundreds of news reporters from all around the country were camped out. They expected this trial to take a while, as they figured Hud would try his best to get acquitted on all accounts. After all, it's been forty-four years.

Then all of a sudden, there was a flurry of activity amongst the reporters. They all scrambled to get live coverage out now.

One reporter from Seattle stood in front of his cameraman. "We just learned that Henry "Hud" Hudson pleaded guilty to the murders of numerous police officers over forty-four years ago," he said into his microphone.

Another reporter from Dallas stood in front of her cameraman with a microphone in her hand. "Henry "Hud" Hudson, the leader of the infamous The Hudsters gang just pleaded guilty to murder. The Hudsters were as famous as Bonnie and Clyde and John Dillinger. Their crime spree ran from nineteen thirty-two to nineteen thirty-four when it was believed Hud Hudson and Ester Walker died during a house explosion. That proved to be untrue," the reporter said into her microphone.

Another reporter from Atlanta stood in front of his cameraman with a microphone in hand. "Officials are now planning on digging up the graves of Hud Hudson and Ester Walker in hopes of learning if they are in fact Jason Henson and Betsy Lawrence from Pratt, Oklahoma. Hud claimed he used their bodies to fake his and Ester's death."

Similar reports were echoed across the sea of other reported camped out around the courthouse.

Six months had passed.

Over at the Illinois State Penitentiary, Hud sat alone on his bunk in his prison cell. He was in deep thought.

Ricky Kelly, now seventy-eight years old and FBI Agent Kenny Williams, now retired, walked down the aisle between the jail cells of death row. They had two other prison guards behind them.

Ricky and Kenny walked over to Hud's cell.

Ricky saw Hud on his bunk.

Hud looked at the bars and saw Ricky and Kenny. "Who the fuck are you?" he asked, not recognizing these strangers.

"Nineteen thirty-four, Bureau of Investigations Special Agent Ricky Kelly and Special Agent Kenny Williams. Remember us at that farmhouse," Ricky said.

Hud looked at Ricky and Kenny for a few seconds. Then he remembered. "Hey there, Agent Kelly. It's been a long time. I figured you would have died by now," Hud said then he looked at Kenny. "I don't remember you."

"I'm alive and well and have many more years left on this earth. Unlike you who has about, oh, should be dead in an hour or less," Ricky said then gave Hud a smile.

"Do you know what I find funny Agent Kelly? I find it funny that a stupid mall security guard took me down. Not the Bureau of Investigations. Not you. But a simple-minded mall security guard who took me down forty-four years later. Forty-four years of the Bureau of Investigations not having a fucking clue that I was still alive," he said then laughed.

Ricky kept his cool. He motioned for Kenny that they should go.

Ricky and Kenny walked away with the two prison guards.

While they walked down the aisle, they walked past a Preacher who headed to Hud's cell with another prison guard.

Over in Chicago, James sat on stage for a talk show by Robert Cassidy. It was called "Cassidy's Chat."

Robert sat in his chair to James left.

Off to the left side of the out of view of the cameras stood Cindy. She looked so proud of James.

Robert was given the signal to start his show. He looked at the assigned camera.

"Welcome to Cassidy's Chat, and I'm Robert Cassidy. On today's show, we have as my special guest, the best seller author James Randall of the book "I Found Hud Hudson and Ester Walker."

The audience clapped for James per the lighted "Applause" sign.

Over at the Illinois State Penitentiary, Hud Hudson was now shaved bald. He was being escorted down a hallway by four prison guards.

They escorted him down numerous hallways where they eventually walked him into the execution room. The room had a glass wall that at this moment, had a curtain that blocked the view of the witness area.

Hud paused for a second when he spotted the electric chair. The chair that took the lives of so many other criminals.

Back at the TV studio, the "Cassidy Chat" TV show continued.

"Mister Randall was the individual who discovered that his neighbor was the famous public enemy Hud Hudson," he said while he looked at his assigned camera.

"Now, James. Isn't it true that your neighbor across the street from your house, claimed to have worked for the doctor that performed the plastic surgeries on Hud and Ester for their escape?" he asked when he looked at James.

"That's true, and she actually felt that Hud and Ester came to out town to silence her on what she knows. But truth be known, Hud or Ester never have a clue about Agnes. They just thought she was a snoopy neighbor. But what they did not realize, was that Agnes had four photos taken by Doctor Harvey, just before he operated on them in thirty-five. They were before and after shots. He willed it to Agnes back in fifty-eight. That's why she was paranoid they were in town to kill her," he replied while he looked at the camera.

"But I guess you were also a bit of a snoop? I mean you would have to be in order to find fingerprints of Hud and Ester," said Robert.

Cindy nodded in agreement from the side of the stage.

"Yes, I guess you can say that," James replied and got a chuckle out of the audience.

"That's a strange coincidence that they moved in across the street from her," Robert added.

James nodded in agreement.

Back over at the Illinois State Penitentiary, Hud was being strapped in and hooked up in the electric chair. He showed no fear from the outside. But on the inside, he started to tremble.

Back at the TV studio, the "Cassidy Chat" TV show continued.

Robert looked at his assigned camera.

"I also had a telephone interview with retired FBI Agent Ricky Kelly. He's the agent that had the assignment to capture the famous The Hudsters gang. Now, Mister Kelly stated that at the time, he always felt that the two bodies found in the exploded house might not be Hud Hudson or Ester Walker. But there was pressure from Washington to show the public that the pair was finally dead. So the FBI let circumstantial evidence prevail. Mister Kelly was unable to attend this show." Robert said, then turned to James.

"The police in Gibsland apparently found some old black and white photos that belonged to Hud."

"Yes, they did."

"And we also learned that Hustler Magazine will publish a nude photo of Hud Hudson and Ester Walker. Apparently, you sold it to them for a hefty amount of money? How much?" said Robert hoping to put James on the spot.

"That's true. I got four hundred thousand dollars," James replied.

The audience did not look impressed.

"A little financial gain from a famous outlaw?" Robert replied with a smirk.

The audience booed a little.

"Not really a financial gain. With the help of my brother in-law, the detective that arrested Hud Hudson, we located all the living sons and daughters of the slain police officers Hud killed. He divided up the money equally amongst them. I got a small portion since my grandfather was killed by Hud back in forty-four. My dad was his son, and dad died a couple of years ago," said James.

The audience clapped in support of James.

Back over at the Illinois State Penitentiary, fifteen witnesses sat on the other side of the glassed enclosure of the execution room to watch. Four of them were family members of police officers killed by Hud.

Ricky Kelly and Kenny Williams were amongst the witnesses, and they sat upfront.

Hud eyed Ricky and gave him a smile pretending to be tough.

Ricky just stared at Hud.

Then Hud's eyes widened a little when he saw Ronnie Pettine, now sixty-nine years old in the back row of the witnesses. Ronnie gave Hud a short wave and smile.

The one guard lowered the hood flap, and it covered Hud's eyes so he no longer would see anybody from this world.

Behind that hood flap, Hud started to have a few flashbacks of his life.

He recalled that day when his and his mom saw his dad off on the train when he got drafted into the Army.

Then he recalled that day when the telegram arrived stating that his father died in France.

His eyes welled up, and tears ran down his cheeks. The last time he cried was when his mom got that telegram.

Then he recalled that day when he first fucked Ester at that whore house in St. Louis.

Then he recalled when Ester was killed in Gibsland. His eyes continued to well up, and tears ran down his cheek.

Back at the TV studio, the "Cassidy Chat" TV show continued.

Robert looked at his assigned camera. "Since Hud Hudson was known to be a killer of numerous police officers back in the thirties, were you ever afraid he might kill you?"

"After he found out that I lifted his prints, he had planned to take me with him from Gibsland and go to their hideout in Boone, North Carolina. He was going to kill my wife, then frame me for her murder. But fortunately for the fast actions of the FBI and the Gibsland police, those plans were foiled," said James.

"He sounds like a sweetheart of a man," Robert said and created a little chuckle from the audience. "Did you ever thought about killing Hud after you learned of his true identity?" asked Robert.

James thought about his question for a few seconds. "That never crossed my mind. I wanted him to rot in prison for the rest of his life."

"Speaking of which, we heard Hud wanted to be executed since he was terminal with cancer. Do you believe he thought that would be an easier death than what his cancer would have brought?"

"I think that deep down inside, he was a chicken," James replied, and that created a little clap from the audience showing they felt the same.

Back over at the Illinois State Penitentiary, Hud sat in the electric chair with the hood over his head hooked up to a large wire. His bare legs were also hooked up to large wires.

The witnesses did not notice that Hud peed in his pants. He was finally scared the second before the electricity would start shooting through his entire body. For a split second, Hud wished he never headed down the path of a life of crime.

One of the guards flipped the switch.

The witnesses watched while his body shook and twitched. Then his body went limp when the juice was turned off. He was officially dead.

From on the other side of the glassed enclosure, Ricky and Kenny got up from their seats.

Then and all the other witnesses looked satisfied while he left the room with the other witnesses.

Four weeks had passed, and James got a contract to write three more crime novels. He proposed "The Gangster Killer," "He Killed at Night," and "Confession." Even though he eventually found the torn-up copies of his manuscript thanks to Hud, he was still able to retype them.

Because his "I Found Hud Hudson and Ester Walker" book was a best-seller, James and Cindy both quit their jobs.

Agnes stopped snooping out her living room window after she learned Hud Hudson fried in the electric chair. The For Sale sign in her front yard was now gone, and she was able to live in peace.

Two months had passed.

James took a little time and headed off to the south of Joliet, Illinois. He visited the Golden Age of Bank Robbers Museum.

James walked around the museum looking at all the history from those famous bank robbers.

Then James 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.

He headed over to the wall of displays and saw everything. He even saw the potato sack that was in the trunk of that 1953 Hudson Hornet. It had the "Potato Sack That Was Used By Hud Hudson During His Robberies" caption under it.

James saw the other huge addition, it was Hud's 1953 Hudson Hornet still damaged from the shootout he was part of.

James walked around the red velvet rope that hopefully stopped people from trying to take pieces of the car.

James stared at the car while he recalled those memories of his adventure that helped him become an author.