Chapter 3
A couple of years passed, and it was now 1929.
Hud had grown into a handsome man despite his large nose. He kept his black hair styled and slicked back. Plus his dark brown eyes that sometimes looked black added to his mystic.
During March 1929, Hud was now out of school and worked at the Booneville Sawmill like his father. Harry, the foreman, gave Hud a job, as he remembered and always liked Calvin.
Plus the Germans also killed Harry’s son in WWI.
He loathed the manual labor and started to yearn for an easier way of life. Frank also worked at the sawmill, and like Henry, he also hated manual labor.
On Saturday nights, Hud and Frank would frequent the seedy bars of Booneville.
Then one Saturday night after getting drunk, Hus and Frank visited the local tattoo parlor.
Frank got a tattoo of a naked woman on the shin of his right leg.
Hud got a “Hud” tattoo on his right bicep. It was about an inch high and three inches long.
Then on Saturday, June 8th, 1929, Hud got off a grueling day at the sawmill.
He walked down the dirt road toward his house.
“Hud,” Frank’s voice called out from behind him.
Hud turned around and saw Frank running up to him. “Yeah.”
“Listen, I talked with this farmer over in Kingsville. And he wants to buy a Model T for one hundred dollars,” Frank said when he stopped running and walked alongside with Hud.
“So,” Hud replied and looked disinterested, as he was exhausted.
“So, we go over to old man Moore’s farm and steal his pickup.
I heard he typically passes out drunk every Saturday night. Then we drive the pickup over to Kingsville and sell it to that farmer.
Fifty smackers each,” Frank replied and looked dead serious.
Hud thought about his offer for a few seconds while they walked down the road. Then he thought about his recent days of dirty work at the sawmill. “Sure. Why not,” he replied.
“Great, we’ll head out around one in the morning.”
“Okay. That sounds great,” Hud replied.
Frank turned around and ran off down the road.
Hud continued on his trek down the dirt road toward his house.
At 1:00 a.m., Hud and Frank snuck through the darkness and headed over to old Elmer Moore’s farm.
They snuck through the side door of Moore’s barn.
They did not notice Elmer while he sat on the front porch smoking his pipe and drinking some moonshine.
Once they got inside the barn, they saw Moore’s 1924 Model T parked in the barn.
Hud rushed over and got behind the wheel.
Frank rushed over and slid the right main door of the barn opened.
He rushed over to the Model T and got in the passenger seat.
Hud tried to start the car. It would not start.
Then all of a sudden, Hud was staring at a double-barrel shotgun stuck through the driver’s door opened window. Hud froze when he saw Elmer with the shotgun ready to blow his head off. “You just stay right there, boy,” Elmer said with anger in his voice.
Frank panicked and opened up the passenger door then bolted to the side door of the barn.
Farmer Moore saw Frank but did not want to take his gun out of Hud’s face.
“Did you catch them, Elmer?” his wife Irene called out from the barn door.
“Yeah, Irene, call the police,” he replied.
Irene ran away from the door and headed to the house.
“Get out of my car, boy,” Elmer said with anger still in his voice.
Hud opened the door and cautiously got out of the car.
“Move it,” Elmer motioned with his shotgun for Hud to leave the barn.
Elmer walked Hud out of the barn with his shotgun aimed at the middle of Hud’s back.
“Get on the ground with your face in the dirt,” Elmer said the second they walked out of the barn.
Hud got on his stomach and put his face in the dirt.
“There’s coming,” Irene called out from the front porch.
Frank had managed to slip away out the side door of the barn. He ran away into the woods.
For the next ten minutes, Elmer still held Hud in the dirt with his shotgun aimed at his back.
A Booneville cop car with two cops inside drove down the driveway and drove over to the barn.
One of the cops that got out behind the wheel of the car was Ronnie Pettine. He was the kid that Hud punched in the nose years ago in the schoolyard.
Ronnie had a big smirk on his face the second he saw Hud in the dirt.
“Well, well, if it ain’t Henry Hudson. I just knew it would be a matter of time before we meet again. But this time, I have the upper hand,” he said while he strutted over to Hud.
“So, he tried to steal your pickup?” Ronnie asked Elmer.
“Yep, caught the hooligan red-handed. His buddy got away,” the Elmer said and removed his shotgun away from Hud’s back.
Ronnie and the other police officer reached down and pulled Hud up to his feet.
“Who was that buddy?” Ronnie asked Hud.
“No, buddy. Just me,” Hud replied and was not about to rat on Frank.
Ronnie sucker-punched Hud in his stomach.
Hud bucked over in pain.
Ronnie pulled Hud up straight by grabbing his hair. “And this is for that day at school,” he said then punched Hud in his face.
Hud fell back to the dirt.
The other police officer reached down and picked Hud up by the collar of his shirt.
“You’re under arrest Henry Hudson,” Ronnie said with a smirk loving this payback moment.
“My name is Hud Hudson,” Hud replied.
“Okay, Henry Hudson,” Ronnie said with a smirk while he handcuffed Hud’s arms behind his back.
They escorted Hud over to their cop car.
“Please try to escape Henry. I would love to put a bullet in the middle of your back,” Ronnie said while the other officer placed Hud in the back seat.
The other officer sat in the back seat with Hud while Ronnie got behind the wheel of the car.
Ronnie drove the cop car off to the station where Hud’s first and only mug shot was taken.
Hud was true to his friend and continued to remain tight-lipped about Frank’s involvement.
Then on July 18th, 1929, twenty-year-old Hud Hudson was sentenced to five years in an eastern correctional facility in eastern Missouri. This prison was located about twenty miles south of St. Louis.
Hud’s rap sheet documented two trademarks; his large nose and his “Hud” tattoo on his right bicep.
His prison sentence devastated Martha, and she got weaker due to her cancer. Anna, who delivered took Martha into her home to watch over her while Hud sat in prison.
Martha did not have any family since she and Calvin were only children and their parents both died years ago.
On the night of August 7th, 1929, Hud Hudson and five other convicts were driven in the back of a police truck to the eastern correctional facility in eastern Missouri.
Hud and the other convicts were processed into the facility, sprayed with delousing powder to kill any lice on their naked bodies.
They were provided the standard black striped prison outfits and sent off to a barracks type of jail cell.
The door opened to Barracks #4.
Inside that barracks, most of the prisoners relaxed in their bunks while some chatted and some playing cards.
The prisoners all glanced over at the door. They saw Russ Brantley, a forty-four-year-old prison guard with a fat belly, thinning greasy black hair. He was a pervert and a smart-ass. Russ always carried a rifle and had a revolver in a holster around his waist.
Russ escorted Hud into the barracks. “Prisoners, we have a new piece of shit to live in your humble abode,” Russ called out while he glanced at his right at Hud. He leaned over to Hud’s left ear. “I’ll be back for you later. We’re going to become excellent friends,” he said in a friendly tone.
Hud could smell the whiskey from Russ’ stale breath.
“You can bunk over there,” Russ pointed out to an empty bunk half-way down the barracks.
Hud walked to the empty bunk with Russ’ eyes zeroed in on his backside.
Russ turned around with a smirk and headed back to the door.
Hud sat down on the empty bunk.
Harold Pyle, twenty years old, relaxed on the bunk to Hud’s left.
“I’m Harold Pyle,” he said while he sat up and extended his hand over to Hud.
“Hud Hudson,” he replied while he shook Harold’s hand.
“Where you from?”
“Booneville. And you?”
“Bellwood,” Harold replied then leaned in closer to Hud. “Watch your back with that Russ Brantley guard.
He takes a weird liking to the younger prisoners,” he said in a warning tone.
“Thanks. So, what are you in here for?” Hud curiously asked.
“Robbed a grocery store. And you?”
“Robbery. I got caught trying to steal a farmer’s, Ford Model T.”
“How long you in here for?”
“Five years. How about you?”
“Also, five years. I arrived last month,” Harold replied, then looked concerned. “I hope I can last that long.”
Hud looked at Harold. “We will,” he said and seemed sincere.
Harold smiled as Hud was the only prisoner that would talk to him at first. He felt like he found a new friend.
Hud relaxed on his bunk and had a good feeling about Harold. He felt that this guy could be trusted.
The morning started at 6:00 a.m., for all the prisoners.
Russ stormed inside the barracks. “Get your fucking worthless ass cheeks out of my beds!” he screamed.
Hud jumped up out of bed, startled over his screaming voice. All of the other prisoners were used to it, so they slowly got out of their bunks.
After they got dressed into their prison outfits, Russ and four other guards marched them off to the dining hall where they ate some crappy scrambled eggs breakfast with a piece of cold toast and one cup of weak lukewarm coffee. Some prisoners noticed cockroaches in their eggs and tossed them on the floor. Some of the older prisoners could care less and ate the cockroaches along with their eggs.
Hud tossed his cockroach out of his eggs to the floor.
After breakfast, the prisoners were marched out of the dining hall and outside in the main yard. There they were placed in groups of four, and other guards installed chains around their ankles. The four would be chained together for their work detail.
Hud was chained along with Harold.
The prisoners were then loaded onto trucks and driven out of the prison facility.
A little while later, the prisoners worked in the field and were in a straight line. They had shovels and picks and were digging up the grass. They were actually being used to dig out a new road for the State of Missouri.
While the prisoners dug, numerous guards kept a watchful eye on them with rifles in hand. Some of those guards were itching for some of the prisoners to escape.
They really wanted to kill a few.
While on this work detail. Russ would always strut by and kept an eye on Hud then give him a smile. Hud avoided eye contact with Russ not trusting his intentions.
Hud glanced over to his right and saw one of the guards throw a couple of punches at another prisoner. The prisoner stopped digging for a few minutes, and that was against the rules.
The long day finally came to an end, and the prisoners were all sound asleep in Barracks #4.
It was 3:00 a.m. and Russ entered the barracks drunk with his rifle in hand. He worked during the day but would come back at night when he was drunk.
He walked over to Hud’s bunk, poked Hud in the middle of his back with the barrel of his rifle.
Hud stirred a little in bed.
Russ poked Hud harder in the middle of his back with the barrel of his rife.
Hud, wearing an athletic tee shirt and boxers, woke up and saw Russ towering over his bunk.
Russ motioned for Hud to get out of his bunk.
Hud obeyed and got out of his bunk leery of what Russ had on his mind.
Russ escorted Hud down the aisle and into the bathroom.
Harold woke up and saw Russ escorting Hud down the aisle towards the bathroom. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep.
Once they got inside the area the prisoners took a shower, Russ handcuffed Hud to a vertical pipe on the wall.
Since Hud’s hands were not a threat so Russ immediately he pulled down Hud’s boxers.
Russ placed his rifle on the floor. He pulled down his pants and boxers. “I’m going to love this,” he said with a perverted chuckle while he moved over to Hud’s butt cheeks.
Hud cringed the second Russ raped him. But he knew not to cry out, as that might cause Russ to shoot him.
After Russ had his way with Hud, he pulled up his boxers then his pants.
“You’re mine for the next five years, “Russ whispered in Hud’s right ear. Hud could smell the whiskey on Russ’ breath.
He removed the handcuffs from Hud’s arms, grabbed his rifle, and walked away.
Hud pulled up his boxers and headed out of the bathroom.
Hud walked back to his bunk in a little pain and was furious.
“I know what you’re going through,” Harold whispered when Hud got back in his bunk.
Hud lay awake that night furious and did not sleep a wink.
Three years had passed, and Hud endured the occasional raping and beating by Russ and the occasional beatings by some of the other crooked guards.
Hud took a beating and occasional raping, knowing he would be out in a couple of years. But this also created extreme hatred for any law official by Hud. He could not understand why he was in prison for violating the law when the law officials were allowed to break the law.
Hud often chatted with older prisoners.
One he spent time with was named Pete Huddleston from Pine Hills, Missouri. Thirty-year-old Pete would tell Hud countless stories of his criminal adventures and how never got caught. Then Pete told Hud how it was that hardware store robbery in Pine Hills that got him sent to prison.
Another inmate that took a liking to Hud was Bruno Lorenzo, a thirty-four chunky Italian man with thick black hair from St. Louis. Bruno was in for fraud and due to get out in a few years.
Bruno would spend time with Hud discussing his life of crime and where he thought he went wrong to land in prison.
In February 1932, Pete was finally released from prison. He said his good-bye to Hud while he relaxed on his bunk.
“When you get out, come on over to Pine Hills. My brother owns the Pines Motor Court, and he’s going to give me a job I’ll make sure you get a good rate on a room,” Pete told Hud just before he was escorted out of prison and set free.
Two weeks later, Bruno was released. He said his good-bye to Hud while he sat on his bunk.
“What’s your plans?”
Bruno looked to make sure no guard was within hearing range. “Heading over to Cincinnati. I have an uncle that wants to teach me his craft so he can retire,” Bruno replied and looked excited.
“What’s that?”
“Forgery. So if you’re ever in need of something forged, like identifications, and what not, come see me in Cincinnati. Uncle Louie is the best,” Bruno said then he winked at Hud.
Hud watched while Bruno walked away and headed to the guard that waited at the barracks door.
Hud wondered if he would ever see Bruno again. He lay on his bunk and closed his eyes.
March 1932 rolled around, and Harold got released early from prison since he was not a problem inmate.
Hud stayed behind bars and prayed he would soon get released.
Then in May 1932, Russ strolled over to Hud’s bunk while he relaxed after a grueling day of digging out that new road.
“Hey, Hud. There’s something I forgot to tell you,” Russ said and waited.
“What’s that?” Hud asked.
Russ chuckled. “I forgot to tell you that your momma died back in February,” he said then laughed.
Hud clenched his fists and had a strong urge to lunge at Russ and beat the crap out of him. Hud refrained, knowing he would lose in the end. So he just looked away and discreetly wiped away his tears.
Russ walked away down the aisle, laughing.