Kansas City Crime Central: 150 Years of Outlaws, Kidnappers, Mobsters and Their Victims

From the bandits of the Wild West to the gangsters of the wide-open town, from whiskey-guzzling kidnappers to gunslinging evangelists, Kansas City has proved to be a hotbed for criminals and a hotspot for crimes. Local historian and author Monroe Dodd recounts the highlights and lowlights of a century and a half of local wrongdoing. Kansas City Crime Central covers 150 years of history, past to present ... not only our area's most notorious crimes, such as the Union Station Massacre and the kidnapping of Bobby Greenlease, but also the Hollywood-style gangland shooting of Ferris Anthon in the 1930s, the unsolved murder and mutilation of the well-situated Leila Welch in the 1940s, the 1890s hanging for which the sheriff sent printed invitations, and 30 more stunning breaks with the law. Kansas City Crime Central is a compelling look at the stories behind some of Kansas City's most notable headlines.