October 2024
368 pages, 6 1/8 x 9 1/4
Paperback $24.95
ISBN 978-1-60635-487-2
The Madness of John Terrell
Revenge and Insanity on Trial in the Heartland
Recent Releases, True Crime, True Crime HistoryStephen Terrell
Cold-blooded murderer or loving father driven insane?
In early 1900s Indiana, John Terrell was the wealthiest man in Wells County, thanks to oil discovered on his farm. But when his youngest daughter, Lucy, became pregnant and entered into a forced marriage to abusive Melvin Wolfe, Terrell’s life and fortune unraveled in a tumultuous spiral of murder, a dramatic trial, and a descent into madness.
Wolfe’s abuse of Lucy eventually drove her back to her parents’ home. His continued harassment of the entire family became too much for John Terrell. He shot Wolfe in a roadside ambush, followed the wounded man to the doctor, broke into the operating room, and put a shotgun to the injured man’s head before pulling the trigger. The murder made sensational headlines across the country. Terrell, a polarizing figure in the community due to his wealth and atheism, went on trial and faced the death penalty. His lawyer presented an insanity defense; over 150 witnesses testified, including a dozen high-paid experts for the defense.
Yet Terrell was convicted in just 15 minutes. While awaiting sentence, his mental condition rapidly deteriorated; transferred to an asylum, he was ultimately proclaimed “insane.”
Until his death, the fierce debate raged: Had Terrell truly lost his mind? Or did he simply scam his way out of prison?
Stephen Terrell is a novelist and retired Indiana attorney with decades of experience in trials and appeals at the state and federal levels. He has been a frequent speaker at legal conferences and seminars and was selected to the Indiana State Bar Association’s General Practice Hall of Fame.
“Stephen Terrell joins the ranks of acclaimed Hoosier storytellers with his book, The Madness of John Terrell, which explores one of Indiana’s most sensational crimes. Terrell masterfully recounts the 1903 Wells County murder perpetrated by his great-uncle, who burst into a surgeon’s office wielding a shotgun and blew out the brains of his daughter’s abusive husband. Fans of historic true crime and courtroom drama will be delighted.”—Janis Thornton, author of No Place Like Murder: True Crime in The Midwest
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“Stephen Terrell’s latest, The Madness of John Terrell: Revenge and Insanity on Trial in the Heartland, does something that not many books accomplish: it’s an expert blending of true crime and family history. Terrell stumbled upon a family secret that had been kept from him—a notorious murderer in his family tree. Terrell expertly captures this family scandal and the Midwest at the turn of the 20th century.”—Keith Roysdon, coauthor of The Westside Park Murders: Muncie’s Most Notorious Cold Case
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“Who knows what family secrets are buried on Ancestry.com? Stephen Terrell went looking and was shocked by what he found. It wouldn’t surprise me if we all have relatives like John Terrell lurking in the shadows of the past just waiting to be discovered. The Madness of John Terrell is an engaging, well-researched family history that establishes Terrell as a seasoned storyteller and nonfiction writer who knows how to keep you on the edge of your seat. I really enjoyed this book.”—Larry D. Sweazy, award-winning author of A Cow Hunter’s Lament and Other Stories
