Matter of Chastity: The High Plains Saga of a Woman's Revenge

by Douglas Yocom

Book by Yocom, Douglas

Genres: Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published November 30, 2005

Reviews

[Joycelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a Kansas native, former history major, and a practicing attorney, this book held a lot of interest for me. I was amazed that the newspapers of the era covered the trial in such detail. The testimony of the witnesses, and their credibility, played a crucial role in the book, especially given the lack of physical evidence. The plains settlers lived such an interesing, often difficult life. It is hard to imagine living in Kansas without the modern amenties. The author did a good job of depicting life in Kansas in the late 1800s and of detailing the rape, the events attendant thereto and the trial itself.

[Buck Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

It seems fitting to retire from GoodReads with a bang. "A Matter of Chastity" is a masterful courtroom drama about the author's own grandmother, who, after being raped by a neighborhood man, takes a pistol from her pocket at his inquisition and puts four bullets in him. What follows is a well-crafted reenacted script of the 1894 Kansas trial, when woman's rights were scarce, especially in a courtroom--they couldn't serve on juries--and in some cases, many other places. And yet, the two defense attorneys, faced with defending a woman either hanging, or life in prison, put their careers to the test. A fine drama by a gifted Portland, Oregon writer.

[Cheryl · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book that tells the story of the author's grandmother. I enjoyed the historical aspects of it greatly but my dad's family is from the area that the crime happened in so I don't know if I would have found it as much so if I didn't have this connection. It was still a good representation of life on the Kansas prairie in the late 1800's.

[DocHolidavid · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Matter of Chastity’s stage is a piece Northwest Kansas buffalo grass prairie bordered by U.S. 183, U.S.36, Interstate 90 and the Colorado border and mostly seen as something endured by itinerants staring through the windshield never giving it a second glance between Mississippi and the Rockies.

Avoiding typical historical novel fabrications, Douglas Yocom, a native of this sparse backwater rarely ruminated by anyone, pieces together a tedium of endless trial documents, news accounts, family lineages, and regional literary history to weave a tale of rape, murder, and mayhem.

Also a native, I grew up in the shadow of the Twin Mounds, the heroine’s home. I’m here to tell’ya that Yocom nailed the lay of the land and the cut of their jib. This a compelling saga keenly describing the mindset of the time and the terrain and climate of the area.

I married a girl also from the main character’s St. Joseph’s parish. Yocom somehow eloquently portrays the despoiling of a provincial maiden, its manic shame, psychotic depression, toxic rage and obligatory retribution within the devout, proud and stoic regional 19th-century culture.

When I left those passions had changed very little.

This novel is difficult to put down. I'm sorry that Raymond Douglas Yocom passed in December 2015. God be with him.

[Mitzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the ethical questions that this book presented, but I feel that its writing style could have been "cleaned up" a bit. I also enjoy getting to picture these Kansas pioneer days. Amazing. I feel that I wouldn't make it one week, on the other hand, I think that I would just do whatever I had to do to survive/make a life. Just like kids today can't imagine not having AC or cell phones, I know that I did it as a child and could do it again if I had to - and I didn't know I was missing anything at the time.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

While I really like this story, I think the author rambled and the information that he provided, while attempting to explain the times, detracted from the actual story. I have an uncle who was raised in the Norton area. I'm going to call him and ask if he recalls hearing about the case. Isn't it great that she was acquitted? But always lived with the shadow over her. It must have been so difficult.

[Melissa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book got really bogged down in over explaining of details that really had nothing to do with the main point of the story. There were a lot of side trips about things going on or people that didn't pertain to the rape, murder or trial so by the time you waded through all of that you were almost tired of reading the book.

I think it would have been really interesting without all that extra.

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't imagine the pain & sorrow she had to endure her entire life!

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Loved the details of what pioneer days were truly like! Those had to have been terribly difficult times. The trial tended to drag on for me.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lunney family, Kansas, 1984. Ellen was raped by a neighbor. She later shoots and kills the neighbor. Book is a detailed report and transcript of her murder trail. Ellen is found not guilty.