The Upland South: Region, Violence, and Stereotypes -- a Comparison of the Edith Maxwell and Connie Franklin Court Cases

In the early part of the twentieth century, two court trials – that of Edith Maxwell and Connie Franklin -- deserve to be compared. They have much to say concerning stereotypes and region. In one, some suggest that a ghost testified during the trial. In the other, a daughter murders her father. In 1935 on a July night in Wise County, Virginia, Trigg Maxwell is murdered. His daughter Edith Maxwell is accused of murdering her domineering and conservative father, Trigg. In northwest Arkansas, Connie Franklin is thought to have been brutally murdered in 1929. The purported victim was a drifter who may have wandered off only to return some time later – although there were distinct differences between Franklin and the mystery person who later appeared. Some suggest that Connie Franklin is alive and others view him as a ghost who testifies on behalf of the defendants at the trial. The Franklin case occurred in the Ozarks which is part of the Upland South. The Maxwell trial took place in Appalachia. What ties these cases together is twofold. In regional terms, the Upland South includes both the Ozarks and Appalachia. Based on these case, are there commonalities that allow one to characterize the Upland South? Secondly, both cases attracted national attention and media coverage. A crowd of national of news reporters descended on the small county seats where the trials took place. Their knowledge of the area was informed by stereotypes . The influence of the mass media can be illustrated by the Betty Boop cartoon Musical Mountaineers. Detailing a long list of stereotypes – hillbillies, bedraggled clothing, feuds, and musical proficiency -- this is the kind of background information that shaped the view of the reporters. . A short clip of the cartoon will be screened as part of this presentation. This paper is informed by two important works -- Brooks Blevins’ Ghost of the Ozarks: Murder and Memory in the Upland South, and Sharon Hatfield’s Never Seen the Moon: The Trials of Edith Maxwell.