THE RIPEST FRUIT FALLS FIRST

“The whiskey was as necessary for this business as Jack, or powder for his gun.”- Martin Van Buren addressing the jury

   I’m sure there are family murder plots being hatched as I write this. I know way too much these days. Google "Osterhout murders" and see what comes up. I have a long list of culprits. Father and son Osterhouts are doing serious time in the same Idaho prison for horrific crimes of violent rape;  involving multiple victims (some closely related). A Michigan woman who married an Osterhout, Jacquie Lasley Osterhout, was shot-gunned to death on the couch by her 73 year old, distraught father; who just couldn’t take anymore of her drunken antics. Jacquie had an impressive arrest record of “drunk and disorderly” convictions and other random violence. Her father had come to the end of his rope. After shooting his daughter in the face, Donald Lasley tearfully explained what he had done, and assured the 911 operator that he would meet the police on the porch, unarmed.

   As far as the black Osterhouts go, I couldn’t find a living soul who might have been connected to the Lenox branch. The spinster sisters never had children, and I can’t find any heirs of David Osterhout, jr. I did find a few random black Osterhout women online, but they always ended up being married to a white man named Osterhout; a dead end. That is, until I found Prof. Maria Clark Osterhout.

   Maria Clark was a black woman who was married to Alan Osterhout, Jr.; a black man. The reason I know this is from their pictures on a local news outlet website. She is smiling and pretty, in a kind of junior college way. He is bald and meek looking, sitting before a judge in a Florida courtroom; on trial for the murder of his wife. The one black Osterhout couple I was able to find was involved in a domestic homicide. Alan’s 911 call/confession is available on Youtube. I don’t recommend listening. It’s not horrific, just kind of sad, and hopeless. You can’t un-hear it. Alan drones on in a detached, unzipped voice, confessing to the crime. “……the most heinous thing….” he repeats to the 911 operator.”….the most heinous thing….” Alan Osterhout, Jr. was 63 years old at the time of the call; sitting on his wet front lawn, phone in hand, a .38 caliber revolver in his lap.

   Later, on the stand, Alan would change his tune; spinning an implausible story of being awakened suddenly by the barking family dog, grabbing his .38 from the nightstand, and shooting “a form,” that turned out to be his wife. After hearing his very convincing 911 recording, nobody believed the second version. Taking into account his clean record, age, and palpable remorse, the jury convicted Alan Osterhout, Jr. on the lesser charge of “manslaughter with a firearm.” The judge gave him thirty years—a life sentence.

   I reached out to Alan Osterhout, Jr. through his lawyers, and the only response I received was a request from the lawyers for $5000 to file a writ, “…since you are his brother……” We’re not brothers. Maybe distant cousins. Maybe not. I’ll wait until I hear from Alan before I write a check. Maria Carter’s family has my deepest sympathies, as they are also victims of an Osterhout’s unnecessary business.               

Samuel Wilkin sworn

By the D.A.:

Q. From your opportunities for observation what were the sentiments of Jack Hodges’ for the deceased?

A. He has appeared at all times to have entertained the most cordial good will towards the deceased, he says that he has always been treated well by Mr. Jennings, who would frequently jest and joke in the most familiar manner with the prisoner.

   Jack may have been cordial with Richard Jennings, politely listening to his bad jokes; but plenty of neighbors crossed the street when they saw the old man coming. More than one testified in open court to being offered real money to kill Jennings. And more than one seriously considered doing it. The implications were clear. Things were spinning completely out of control in Sugar Loaf. Money was openly being offered throughout this tiny village for the assassination of an upstanding (albeit solitary) member of the community. Anyone who comes from a small town knows how hard it is to remain in good standing—or keep a secret. Sally, Mary Ann, Coe, Ira, Doc. Seward; all must have known about the contract being offered by Teed and Conklin to kill Richard Jennings. They did nothing but wait for it to happen. It’s no wonder that the future President of the United States, Martin Van Buren, would evoke Richard III and Richard Jennings in the same breath.