The Downfall of Galveston's May Walker Burleson: Texas Society Marriage & Carolina Murder Scandal

by T. Felder Dorn

Jennie May Walker Burleson was envied for having everything a woman of her time could want--the privileged upbringing, the dazzling good looks, the dashing war hero husband. She was admired for demonstrating that a woman could want more, from the front of the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession to the bottom of a Mesoamerican archaeological dig. But as she stood over the body of her husband's second wife, gun in hand, society's envy and admiration quickly hardened into pity and scorn. T. Felder Dorn examines the complicated trajectory of her life as socialite, suffragist and shooter.

Genres: True Crime

327 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 9, 2012

Reviews

[Ruthie Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love history, and these non-fiction accounts, such as The Downfall of Galveston's May Walker Burleson by T. Felder Dorn, provide unique glimpses into the lives of ordinary or semi-ordinary people who led extraordinary and often infamous lives.

This account of May Burleson's life is unique because she was a conundrum. May's personality was a complex mix of robust and independent that eventually spiraled into fragile and inconsistent and then became eccentric after her release from prison. The recap at the end offers a good observation that epitomizes Mrs. Burleson: "May Walker Burleson could not accept defeat or be denied what she wanted."

May spent her entire life pursuing her wants and desires, including surviving the 1900 hurricane in Galveston, marrying a prominent military man, engaging in social and civic activities, following an archaeology dream, and preserving her marriage and her family home. But somewhere along the way, May went too far when she didn't get her way.

What I love most about this account by T. Felder Dorn is that the facts are presented methodically and with little (if any) bias. In my opinion, the author does not try to sway the reader in any one direction, in terms of who was right and who was wrong. The facts speak for themselves, and the author allows the reader to see all sides of this tragic story that started long before May Burleson fired that gun.

Another interesting aspect is that this story is a reminder of how much slower life used to be. In today's age of instant information (and sometimes misinformation) and communication, it can be easy to forget that not long ago, people had to wait for letters, phone calls, court proceedings, and everything else for which we are no longer used to waiting.

But a slower time does not mean a less sensationalist time. This book about May Walker Burleson and her husband, Richard, is anything but boring or slow. In addition, this story is a reminder of how far this society has come in terms of mental health institutions and their standard treatments of care.

In the end, this story is tragic because someone was murdered, but it is also tragic because May Walker Burleson experienced the frustration of having her married life upended and broken. But before you feel too sorry for May, it's important to remember that every story has two sides. Both May and her husband are responsible for the downfall of Galveston's May Walker Burleson. If you want to know just how responsible these two were, I encourage you to read this excellent and thoroughly researched account of an interesting, erratic, and completely bewildering woman.

[Melyssa | Page Before Bedtime · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Downfall of Galveston's May Walker Burleson: Texas Society Marriage Carolina Murder Scandal is the re-telling of the very tragic life of May Walker Burleson including her high profile marriage to U.S. Army Colonel Richard Burleson, their resulting divorce, and her murder of the Colonel's second wife, Isabel Knowlton Burleson.

In the opening of the book we learn about May, who is quite an intriguing woman. Considering she lived during a time ... Read full review on bit.ly/PageBedtime

[Paula Corregan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book!

This book details the life of Jennie May Walker Burleson, a Galveston , Texas native and daughter of a prominent family. May Walker Burleson was a remarkable woman in many ways . She campaigned for women' sufferage in the early 1900s, was active in Democratic politics and joined an archeology expedition in Mexico. Unfortunately, her marriage to Richard Coke Burleson, an army officer suffered due to her long absences from home. Eventually, the couple divorced, and Richard remarried. The book relates how May killed Richard's second wife and what happened during her trial and afterwards. I highly recommend this book to true crime readers as well as those interested in history.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was interesting but but became quite dry in spots & really drug along. Too much time was spent incorporating the he said/she said in the transcripts of the divorce proceedings. It does give the reader a glimpse of how marriage for social standing can backfire when at least one party, in this case May, had interests that lead her to be absent from her marriage & husband for weeks & months at a time. She wanted the prestige & social standing that being married to a military officer brought without understanding that she also needed to support her husband in his career.

[Debra Foldoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Interesting look into the times. I would have preferred a more detailed picture of the personalities and lives of those involved but that may not have been possible with the materials available to the author.

Also, information about treatment and views of the time toward those with mental health issues would have been interesting.

[mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

detailed account of a women with talent and underlying evil, wanting her own power and knowing how to use it both in destructive and contributing ways . the author well researched and easily readable , would like to read more of his books

[Christena · Rating 4 out of 5]

“The lady dressed in black came in past me, and went up to where the second
Mrs. Burleson was sitting, and as she did, she laid her hand on the back
of the chair, leaned over, and at the same time shoved her bag right
in the back of Mrs. Burleson….”

I’ve read about the Galveston Hurricane of 1900 regarding its devastation and the lives it took. Author T. Felder Dorn vividly explains in a small snippet from twelve-year-old, May Walker Burleson, what she and her family endured during the hurricane.

What was more revealing was how the six thousand people who died in the storm were dealt with. I cannot imagine sending them off on a barge and then bringing their bodies to land to be burned out in the open. That tragedy there was enough to deal with for the entire book but the tragedy episodes only increased with the continued story of May.

The Downfall of Galveston’s May Walker Burleson recounts the life of May from her marriage, to her suffragist involvement, to her divorce, to murdering her husband’s second wife. The book further details the murder court case, her time served in prison and lastly May’s final years.

While almost clinical in its storytelling, the book is well researched. Courtroom testimony in both the contentious divorce of the Burleson couple to the murder trial is summarized well. What’s fascinating is the story behind the divorce and it actually being granted. I did not know that divorce’s back then could have a jury decided the granting of the divorce.

Dorn’s book gives small glimpses of history, especially on the 1913 Suffragist parade in Washington, DC. Plus, May was sent to Waverly Hills Sanatorium reputed to be one of the most haunted places in the U.S. One of the best features of the book is the historical photos interspersed with each chapter.
It is hard to imagine how a woman who had the world at her feet threw it all away from her marriage to her riches to her family.

[Lone Star Literary Life]

Average rating 4.3 for the Lone Star Book Blog Tours team.