Although Jesse James and Cole Younger did their best (or rather, their worst) to cast a shadow on local history, a slew of lesser-known no-accounts also helped earn Missouri's early nickname of the Outlaw State. The Turk family's agenda quickly disintegrated from vigilantism to all-but war as they terrorized their community with bloody whippings during a murderous rampage. Unionist Harry Truman (no relation to the better-know and much more well-behaved Missourian) proved himself to be an invaluable solider, despite his penchant for drinking, looting, disregarding orders, and killing at will. But the most disturbing, vile, and gruesome character in all of Missouri may well have been London's own Jack the Ripper. All this and more is yours for the reading in Outlaw Tales of Missouri, which introduces fourteen of the most dramatic events, and the most daring and despicable desperados, in the history of the show Me State. Book jacket.