Wesley Elkins entered Anamosa State Penitentiary at 4'8" and 75 pounds. He was six years younger than the next youngest inmate. The 11-year-old would spend the next 12 years in prison for the 1889 murder of his father, John, and stepmother, Hattie.
River to River host Ben Kieffer is joined by authors and husband-and-wife duo Tom Wolf and Patricia Bryan to discuss their book, The Plea, in which they explore this early case of horrific youth violence and the legal, social and political environment in Iowa that surrounded it.
Later in the episode, Kieffer talks with New York Times-bestselling author Nathalia Holt about her latest work, Wise Gals: The Spice Who Built the CIA and Changed the Future of Espionage. The book tells the true story of Dubuque native Jane Burrell, who was the first Central Intelligence Agency officer to die in service in 1948, along with four other female agents who were critical in helping build the CIA out of World War II.
Guests:
- Patricia Bryan, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill professor of law, author
- Thomas Wolf, freelance writer, author
- Nathalia Holt, author
These interviews were originally produced on 9-8-22 and 9-12-22
