By Kathryn Rice
Don Nothstine, Barnard, gained inspiration for his first novel, “Died Innocent,” from a tombstone in a small Arkoe cemetery inscribed with “we died inocent.”
Don Nothstine stands on the courthouse square where events that inspired his first novel, “Died Innocent,” unfolded over 136 years ago.
That inscription, on the tombstone of the two Talbott sons, led him to read, “Murder of Dr. Talbott” by Janet Hawley. The Talbott boys underwent the first legal hanging in Nodaway County, at what is now Beal Park, for the murder of their father.
“I thought maybe I could find out whether the boys who were hung were innocent or not,” Nothstine said. “After a year, decided I couldn’t because there was too much variety of opinion.”
This led him to create a fictionalized account of the incident. In the book, the surname Talbott is renamed McKee, Nodaway County is Seneca County, Maryville is Cynthiana; and Arkoe is Stratford.
The Talbott boys’ father was a prominent man in the area. He was a state legislator and had varied party affiliations including Democrat and Greenback. He was a newspaper publisher and had a doctor’s office on the south side of the square.
Nothstine researched old journals and documents kept by priests at Conception Abbey, Conception. He was interested in Father Anselm Ineichen of St. Mary’s who ministered to the Talbott sons in jail.
The priest baptized the Talbott brothers while they were in jail and said in his own obituary that the boys were innocent and that the mother had killed Mr. Talbott.
“When the brothers died, they wrote part of their own obit,” Nothstine said.
The rest of the story deals with who Nothstine believes committed the murder.
The book is published by Amazing Things Press and will be available at the Nodaway News Leader for $13. It is also available on Amazon.com.
Nothstine will have a book signing from 1 to 4 pm, Saturday, November 12 at Tobiason Stained Glass Studio, 302 South Eighth Street, St. Joseph. Another book signing is planned for Maryville at a later date.
Nothstine is currently working on his third book set in the Vietnam era.
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