Scope and Contents

Relates the story of the November 30, 1935 kidnapping, torture and murder of Joseph Shoemaker, and kidnapping and torture of other members of the Modern Democrats political organization, who were assisting cigar factory workers in Tampa, Fla. Mr. Shoemaker died 9 days later in a Tampa hospital. The police and others involved in the kidnappings were reported to be members of the Ku Klux Klan.

Description This document investigates the local legend of the Gator Children of Berrien County, Georgia, confirming their existence and shedding light on their challenging lives. These two siblings, Madison (Mattie/Matt) and Bettie (Betty) Cook, children of Jack and Melissa M. Cook, were afflicted with a severe form of ichthyosis, a genetic skin disorder characterized by dry, scaly skin, deafness, unusual teeth, and limited mobility, often requiring them to crawl. From at least 1905, their parents...