In 1953

[frogmarch]

Last edited Sun Mar 2, 2014, 12:28 AM - Edit history (1)

when I was nine-going-on-ten-years-old, a teenage girl who lived in a neighboring town was murdered by a boy she knew. My family didn’t know the girl or her family, or the boy either, but we, like everyone else in town, were shocked by the murder. My mom cried and hugged my older sister and me whenever one of us mentioned it, so my sister and I, not wanting to make Mom cry, learned to not talk about it. I remember Mom once saying that the boy had tried to kiss and then perform the man-act on the girl, and when she’d refused to let him, he killed her. I had no idea what the “man-act” was, and I wouldn’t have known what it was if it had been called “rape” either. I was traumatized by the murder, and I never forgot about it. As an adult I tried periodically to find some information about it, but all I had to go on were the year it happened – 1953 – and where – Rushville, Nebraska. Even when I bought a computer I had no luck, but the internets weren’t as smart in the early years as they are today.

I still live close to Rushville. Yesterday when I drove through it on my way to see some ranch friends, the name Talbot popped into my mind. Did I once know someone named Talbot from there? I wondered. I couldn’t place the name Talbot. When I returned home I found the name in the Rushville phone listings, but I didn’t want to call them. What would I have said? This? “Hi, there. The name Talbot popped into my head as I drove through Rushville today and I thought I’d give you a call and say....ummm...”? Then I entered rushville nebraska talbot into Google search and found this story.






The “man-act” isn’t mentioned in the article. Maybe in 1953 it was okay to describe murders, but mentioning rape or attempted rape wasn’t okay. I wonder how Mom came about the “man-act” information.

I was taken aback to read that Karen Talbot was only 13, her killer Duane McLain 19, and that they had once dated. That was quite an age difference.

It took 60+ years, but now I know the story. This is kind of a big deal to me. The girl’s first name, Karen, didn’t ring a bell when I read it, but for some reason her last name had been tucked away in my brain.

[jakeXT]

1. The age difference and youth reminds me of Elvis and Priscilla

Little did she know that, at the age of 14, while living with her family in Germany - her father was in the Air Force - she would be spotted by a friend of Elvis and invited to meet 'the king'. Elvis was stationed at a nearby Army base. She met the crooner with her parents' permission, wearing a sailor dress and patent leather shoes. 'I was so nervous', she said. 'I really didn't know what to say. I was quite shy'.

'People have said, 'Oh my gosh, I can't believe your parents let you go with this stranger'. But it was a very innocent time', Presley said. She described the late entertainer as very caring. 'I liked him very much. I certainly felt safe', she said. 'It was hard for me to say that I was only just going into the ninth grade'.

Elvis' first impression of Presley was justifiably focused on her youth. 'He went, 'Oh! A baby! You're just a kid',' she said. 'Elvis was 24 at the time, so I started feeling very, very young'.

Presley continued seeing Elvis in Germany and later in the United States, eventually moving into Graceland to live with him while she finished high school. As the couple's relationship blossomed, Presley said Elvis treated her with great care and respect. It wasn't the sexual relationship some assumed it to be. -
- See more at: http://www.elvis.com.au/presley/interview_pricilla_presley.shtml

[frogmarch]

3. I remember when I found out

that Elvis was going to marry someone even younger than I was. I'd given up on the idea of marrying Elvis because I thought I was too young for him, and there was Priscilla, even younger than I.

[Kali]

2. what ever happened to him?

I wonder if he is still alive?

[frogmarch]

4. I wonder too. He'd be 80, I guess.

Here's another news clip. I think it must be from October 1953, when the body was found.

The search is over. The long anxiety, the rumors, have ended. A graduate of the Rushville high school class of ‘53, popular football player, engaged to be married, Duane McLain has been arrested after confessing to the murder of Karen Talbot on August 20. McLain took Sheriff Hill and other deputies to the site on his grandparents’ farm where he had buried her body. He has been living with his grandparents. Though grief stricken, they cooperated fully with the officers. McLain wrote out his confession in full detail. He said that he couldn’t bear to talk about it. The county is shocked and grieved over the tragedy. As week after week went by, the police and sheriff’s officers have gone over and over every scrap of evidence, until it all started to point to one person -- the killer. Attorney Frank Aplan has been appointed to defend McLain. Meanwhile, young McLain has been held in a cell in Gering. Funeral services are scheduled for October 15 at the Methodist church in Rushville. Karen’s obituary will be listed in next week’s issue of the Journal.

~~

Here is all I found about his trial, which I think ended a day or two before Christmas, 1953:

The trial of Duane McLain, 20, being tried for his life for the murder of Karen Talbot, 13, Rushville, came to a close Tuesday evening when the jury found McLain guilty of murder in the first degree and he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The trial ran eight days, with two and one-half days being taken up with selecting the jury. Thirty-four witnesses testified for the prosecution and six for the defense. The case went to the jury at approximately 12:30 p.m. Tuesday and deliberation began about 1:45 p.m. and deliberation was finished at 7:20 p.m.

I found both entries at an old web page pertaining to the Nebraska panhandle called "50 Years Ago." No specific dates for the news clippings were given.

I wish I could find a photograph of Karen.


I don't know where he was sent to serve his time.

[Kali]

5. really interesting history

the randomness of the behaviors coupled with the times and the tragic outcome. very sad.

[frogmarch]

8. Yes, very sad.

In 1953 we didn't have TV and neither did anyone we knew, and we weren't used to hearing about murders, which were rare in the area to begin with (and still are), so when the Talbot murder was reported in our local newspaper, it stunned everyone.

The entire incident was very bizarre.

[Khaki]

10. KAREN TALBOT ARTICLE AND PHOTO

Hello frogmarch: I found out about this story from a man who went to the school at that same time that Karen attended. Here is a newspaper article that includes a photo of Karen. What a terrible thing to happen to a wonderful girl.

http://www.newspapers.com/clip/1492762/rushville_bewildered_by_karen_talbot/

[frogmarch]

11. Thanks, Khaki!

Welcome to DU!

I saved the clipping to my computer.

[Rushville1957]

14. Karen Talbot murder

He spent quite awhile in prison, and I don't recall what the original sentence was. He was released early, and went to work for a former Rushville professional who had moved to a different state. As far as I know he is still alive.

[almartin]

20. Karen Talbot's family

I am Karen Talbot's niece. I was not born until '57 but I remember hearing all about this growing up. Karen was my mom's youngest sister. My grandma had her pictures all over the house. When I stayed with my grandma in '76, some people in town were still talking about it after 23 years. A nurse that worked at the hospital in Rushville was at a medical conference I believe in Rapid City and a man in the audience found out that the nurse from Rushville was in the audience too. The nurse worked with my sister. She told my sister this. She said that the guy immediately got up and left the conference when he found out. Turned out it was Duane McClain.

[gopiscrap]

22. welcome to DU

[Ptah]

6. Mann Act

The White-Slave Traffic Act, better known as the Mann Act, is a United States
federal law, passed June 25, 1910 (ch. 395, 36 Stat. 825; codified as
amended at 18 U.S.C. §§ 2421–2424).

It is named after Congressman James Robert Mann of Illinois, and in its original
form made it a felony to engage in interstate or foreign commerce transport of
"any woman or girl for the purpose of prostitution or debauchery, or for any other
immoral purpose". Its primary stated intent was to address prostitution, "immorality",
and human trafficking particularly where it was trafficking for the purposes of prostitution.
This is one of several acts of protective legislation aimed at moral reform during the
progressive era. Its ambiguous language of "immorality" allowed prosecutions for many years,
and was used to criminalize consensual sexual behavior.[1] It was amended by Congress in
1978 and again in 1986 to apply to transport for the purpose of prostitution or
illegal sexual acts.[2]

<snip>
Although the law was created to stop forced sexual slavery of women,
the most common use of the Mann Act was to prosecute men for
having sex with under-age females.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mann_Act

[frogmarch]

7. Well, I'll be darned. All these years

I thought it was the "man-act," a polite way of saying "rape."

Thanks for the information. I'm astonished!

[My Good Babushka]

9. Interesting and tragic.

Thank you for sharing that bit of history. Somehow, it makes it even better that in your childhood you had conjured up "man act" for Mann Act. It does sound more mysterious and frightening than boring old legislation, and shows how indelible impression are in our youth.

[ZGirl]

12. Info about McClain

Hi,
My dad used to talk about this homicide a lot. He knew Duane McLain (he babysat him, or my grandmother did).
Dad also knew the Talbot family well. I remember him saying that Duane went to prison in Lincoln and served his time. While he was there he studied pharmacology and later became a pharmacist at the pharmacy on the corner of O Street and 10th Street.
Don't know what happened to him but I'll see if I can find anything!

[Rushville1957]

15. Karen Talbot murder

Found your post interesting. I suppose I knew your family quite well. I grew up in Rushville, and graduated from high school in 1957.

[Rushville1957]

13. Karen Talbot murder

I accidently came across this forum, and found that many were interested about the Karen Talbot murder. I went to school with Karen, I was sort of a close friend for a short while. My name was in Inside Detective as a suspect. I think I was suspect for about an hour, until Sheriff Wendell Hills came to his office, and found me there. He asked why I was there, and I told him. I was released within about ten minutes. I was a wild young thing, and did a lot of mischief, but as the Sheriff told the Detectives, I was not capable of murder, and had a great alibi. Just for your interest, I was at a Boy Scout meeting that night, and after we got out of scouts, I rode around with several of the other guys. We saw Karen walking home from what we thought was the movie theater, and offered her a ride home. She didn't want to get in with all us boys, I think there might have been five of us, and so we just let it go. We rode around for awhile more, then I went home. The next morning I heard that she had disappeared, and was shocked to say the least. I went on several outings, to try and find her, and we looked everywhere in Rushville. We must have combed the town so many times, I lost track. Got to say my heart was broken, even though we weren't that close for very long. It was more me that admired her, then vice versa. It didn't stop me from looking for her, every chance I had. Even after all these years, I miss her terribly. She was a very sweet young gal, and I loved going to school with her. To say that I miss her, is an understatement, as when I go back to Rushville I make sure I visit her grave. I also had a brick placed along with many others in front of the local theater in her remembrance.

God rest her soul.

[gopiscrap]

16. welcome to DU

[Klarno]

17. Found in my parents' diary

My parents were married and lived a few years in Gordon NE. My mother grew up there and my father worked on the Spade Ranch. I am reading their diary they kept for a bit over a year after they were married in 1952. The entry on Oct 10 1953 mentions that Karen’s body was found and Duane confessed. I was intrigued and googled and found this stream. Thanks all for filling in the blanks.

[KelleyKramer]

18. Welcome to DU!

Just a friendly heads up, the post you replied to is from 8 years ago so they may not respond to you.

In any case, I'm glad you found this thread helpful

Welcome to DU and enjoy your stay here!

[JudyM]

19. Looks like he's 89 and living in Casper, WY with a wife Margaret, who's about 12 years his junior.

I got curious and checked around online.
Welcome to DU, Klarno, enjoy your stay.

[almartin]

21. Karen Talbot's family

Karen was my Aunt. My mother's youngest sister.