Madge Oberholtzer
Encyclopedia
Madge Augustine Oberholtzer (November 10, 1896 – April 14, 1925) was an American schoolteacher who worked and lived in Indianapolis
. Kidnapped and raped by D.C. Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan
, she died of a staph infection from wounds inflicted upon her by Stephenson. It was speculated that she suffered and died from self-inflicted poisoning but it was the infection shortly thereafter that was evidence in the indictment of Stephenson . She named Stephenson as her assailant in a deathbed statement
that is on Indiana Record as one of the most provocative and thorough deathbed confessions . Her testimony was key to his conviction at trial and to the decline of the 1920s KKK in Indiana
.
to German-American parents and grew up in Fulton County, Indiana
. After college, she taught in an Indiana state program for literacy. Like many young single women, she continued to live with her parents, then in the Irvington neighborhood of Indianapolis
.
On March 27, 1925, Stephenson called her and asked her to come to his home about a new job. When she arrived at his home, he overpowered her and forced her to drink several glasses of alcohol (she was a teetotaler), until she became sick and nearly passed out. Stephenson ordered two of his bodyguards to carry her into a car, where she finally fainted. She awoke on Stephenson's private train on its way to Chicago
. There he raped her several times, also mutilating her, until she blacked out.
In Hammond
, Oberholtzer convinced Stephenson to let her go to a drug store to purchase feminine hygiene items. Despite the presence of Stephenson's bodyguards, she purchased mercuric chloride tablets, and, when no one was watching, she swallowed six of the poison tablets. Oberholtzer threatened Stephenson, saying “The law will get their hands on you!” He laughed and said, “I am the law in Indiana.” Stephenson's Klan connections gave him tremendous political power in the state when the KKK was at a height of membership and influence.
Discovered vomiting blood that night, Stephenson waited until the next afternoon (nearly 24 hours), and when she didn't recover, he had his two bodyguards rent a car and drive her back to her parents' home in Indiana, where they dropped her off late that night. While in the house the bodyguard was approached by a boarder who asked what was going on. The bodyguard, while hiding his face with his hat, said that Madge had been in a car accident and then quickly exited the home. Her parents immediately called a doctor, but there was little the doctor could do. With what strength she had left, she accused Stephenson in a deathbed statement on March 28 that detailed her treatment at his hands. Oberholtzer died on April 14, 1925 from an infection and kidney failure from mercury poisoning.
Stephenson's defense was that Oberholtzer had committed suicide
. The prosecution demonstrated Oberholtzer vomited so violently that prompt medical attention may have saved her. During closing statements, Stephenson was decried as a “destroyer of virtue and womanhood”. The court found him guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Stephenson was paroled on March 23, 1950, but violated parole by disappearing on or before September 25, 1950. On December 15, 1950, he was captured in Minneapolis
. In 1951, he was directed to serve a further 10 years in prison. On December 22, 1956, Stephenson was paroled again on condition he leave Indiana and never return. In 1961, he was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a sixteen-year-old girl, but the charges were dropped on grounds of insufficient evidence. He died in 1966.
Madge Oberholtzer was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Indianapolis.
portrayed Oberholtzer in the TV mini-series Cross of Fire
(1989).
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. Kidnapped and raped by D.C. Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Indiana Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
, she died of a staph infection from wounds inflicted upon her by Stephenson. It was speculated that she suffered and died from self-inflicted poisoning but it was the infection shortly thereafter that was evidence in the indictment of Stephenson . She named Stephenson as her assailant in a deathbed statement
Deathbed
A deathbed is a place where a person dies or lies in during the last few hours before death.Deathbed may also refer to:* Deathbed conversion, a religious faith conversion...
that is on Indiana Record as one of the most provocative and thorough deathbed confessions . Her testimony was key to his conviction at trial and to the decline of the 1920s KKK in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
.
Early life
Oberholtzer was born in Clay City, IndianaClay City, Indiana
Clay City is a town in Harrison Township, Clay County, Indiana, United States. The population was 861 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Terre Haute Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
to German-American parents and grew up in Fulton County, Indiana
Fulton County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,511 people, 8,082 households, and 5,738 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile . There were 9,123 housing units at an average density of 25 per square mile...
. After college, she taught in an Indiana state program for literacy. Like many young single women, she continued to live with her parents, then in the Irvington neighborhood of Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
.
Events of the case
One evening in 1924, she attended a dinner at the Governor's mansion, where she met David Curtiss "D.C." Stephenson, who was instantly attracted to her. Madge would go on two dates with Stephenson; on the second date, he revealed he was Grand Dragon (state leader) of the Indiana Branch of the Ku Klux Klan. Incensed, she immediately broke off the relationship.On March 27, 1925, Stephenson called her and asked her to come to his home about a new job. When she arrived at his home, he overpowered her and forced her to drink several glasses of alcohol (she was a teetotaler), until she became sick and nearly passed out. Stephenson ordered two of his bodyguards to carry her into a car, where she finally fainted. She awoke on Stephenson's private train on its way to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. There he raped her several times, also mutilating her, until she blacked out.
In Hammond
Hammond
-Canada:*Hammond River, a small river in New Brunswick*Upper Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia*Hammond, Ontario, Canada, now Clarence-Rockland, Ontario.*Port Hammond, British Columbia, also known as Hammond or Hammond's Landing-United States of America:...
, Oberholtzer convinced Stephenson to let her go to a drug store to purchase feminine hygiene items. Despite the presence of Stephenson's bodyguards, she purchased mercuric chloride tablets, and, when no one was watching, she swallowed six of the poison tablets. Oberholtzer threatened Stephenson, saying “The law will get their hands on you!” He laughed and said, “I am the law in Indiana.” Stephenson's Klan connections gave him tremendous political power in the state when the KKK was at a height of membership and influence.
Discovered vomiting blood that night, Stephenson waited until the next afternoon (nearly 24 hours), and when she didn't recover, he had his two bodyguards rent a car and drive her back to her parents' home in Indiana, where they dropped her off late that night. While in the house the bodyguard was approached by a boarder who asked what was going on. The bodyguard, while hiding his face with his hat, said that Madge had been in a car accident and then quickly exited the home. Her parents immediately called a doctor, but there was little the doctor could do. With what strength she had left, she accused Stephenson in a deathbed statement on March 28 that detailed her treatment at his hands. Oberholtzer died on April 14, 1925 from an infection and kidney failure from mercury poisoning.
Trial
Stephenson was indicted on charges of rape and second-degree murder. At his trial, the doctor who had examined her testified that the injuries she received during her rape would be sufficient alone to kill her. He described her wounds as similar to having been "chewed by a cannibal."Stephenson's defense was that Oberholtzer had committed suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. The prosecution demonstrated Oberholtzer vomited so violently that prompt medical attention may have saved her. During closing statements, Stephenson was decried as a “destroyer of virtue and womanhood”. The court found him guilty of second degree murder and sentenced to life in prison.
Aftermath
Stephenson's assault of Oberholtzer so outraged many members of the Klan that entire lodges left the organization. The scandal destroyed the KKK in Indiana. Within the following two years, the Indiana KKK lost more than 178,000 members, becoming virtually non-existent. Indiana and other states stepped up efforts to publicize Klan members (who had depended on secrecy to hide their activities) and prosecute infractions. By February 1928, Indiana Klan rosters had decreased dramatically from a peak of more than 250,000 members to approximately 4,000.Stephenson was paroled on March 23, 1950, but violated parole by disappearing on or before September 25, 1950. On December 15, 1950, he was captured in Minneapolis
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...
. In 1951, he was directed to serve a further 10 years in prison. On December 22, 1956, Stephenson was paroled again on condition he leave Indiana and never return. In 1961, he was arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a sixteen-year-old girl, but the charges were dropped on grounds of insufficient evidence. He died in 1966.
Madge Oberholtzer was buried in Memorial Park Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Legacy in popular culture
Actress Mel HarrisMel Harris
Mel Harris is an American actress.-Personal life:Harris was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the daughter to Mary Michael "Mike", a high school science teacher, and Warren Harris, a university football coach...
portrayed Oberholtzer in the TV mini-series Cross of Fire
Cross of Fire
Cross of Fire was an American 1989 television miniseries based on the horrific rape and murder of Madge Oberholtzer by D. C. Stephenson, a highly successful leader of the Indiana branch of Ku Klux Klan. It starred John Heard as Stephenson and Mel Harris as Oberholtzer. Lloyd Bridges was also in...
(1989).