ARWHITE-L Archives
Archiver > ARWHITE > 2004-03 > 1078694697
From: Bill Blevins <>
Subject: [ARWHITE] New Book Depicting story of Byler Family Who Moved to White County .
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2004 13:25:05 -0800 (PST)
In-Reply-To: <MFMBM027uNHH86J5nRo000048ea@mfmbm027.myfamilycorp.local>
I just recently published a book entitled "Rubert" that was
published in Dec 2003 about the killing of Sheriff Lawrence
Harber in Izard County in 1945. This is a fully documented
story of the suffereings of his family who later settled in
White County after their trials. The family lived and died
in the area around Velvet Ridge and Bradford. This story
also brings into play the role that White County Sheriff
Tatum Plant played in the manhunt for Rubert Byler and his
19 year old wife...which consisted of the longest and
largest manhunt in Arkansas History. The record still
holds today.
I am a pasting to this a review of the book that was
published on the front page of the Batesville Guard in Dec
2003 telling of a book signing I was doing there in early
December. Should you wish more information on how to
obtain this book you can respond to me on from site and
write to
The Story:
Book details 1945 killing of Izard County sheriff
By Angelia Roberts, Guard Managing Editor
The Batesville Guard
Published 0n 12/16/2003
Published on 12/16/2003
Bill Blevins was only 6 years old when Rubert Byler killed
Izard County Sheriff Lawrence Harber. Now, 58 years later,
Blevins has retraced the story from the beginning and
learned much about the history of Izard County.
Blevins said his father was present in the courtroom the
day Byler was sentenced to die by electric chair. He said
he will never forget how upset his father was with the
trial proceedings. With only one dollar in his pocket, the
elder Blevins donated it to toward an appeal. On appeal,
the trial court found 53 reversible errors.
In his book entitled "Rubert," Blevins takes the reader
through an era when Klan-like activity played a role and a
county was involved in "a conspiracy of corruption among
neighbors and elected officials."
"The book makes public for the first time, after almost 60
years, individual first-hand knowledge from people who are
still reluctant to come forth with information, unless
their names were changed, for fear of retaliation," Blevins
said.
This book is a limited edition of 1,000 copies. Each book
will be signed and numbered by the author Wednesday from 1
to 3 p.m. at Kelley-Wyatt's Restaurant in Batesville.
The afternoon of Dec. 4, 1945, residents in Izard County
soon learned their sheriff had been shot. Rubert Byler and
his young wife fled into the hills and caves in the Jumbo
community and eluded authorities for two months before
turning themselves in to Independence County authorities.
The search became the object of the largest and longest
manhunt to date in the history of the state of Arkansas.
But this story is about much more than the killing of a
sheriff and the much-publicized trials of the Byler family.
Blevins takes the reader back to a time when stolen cars,
whiskey and moonshine running played a role in the history
of Izard County.
"The story focuses on mountain vengeance and its method of
retaliation," Blevins said.
It covers several counties involving elected and prominent
citizens. Key players in the story from Fulton County
center on Sheriff C.B. McGuffey, the Collinss, and
Carutherss to many descendants of those still living in
Izard County.
Blevins provides court transcripts of the trials, with
presiding Judge John Bledsoe, along with prosecuting
attorney Harrell Simpson, who later became a judge; R.
Walter Tucker of Batesville, who had never before tried a
capital murder case; and attorney W.E. "Widd" Billingsley,
along with the entire Byler family, who were arrested in
this case.
Others who still have family connections in the county
include those selected to serve in the first trial, such as
J.T. Cornelius, J.B Gault, Rex Shrable, H.H. Ducker, Randal
Gaither, Robert L. "Bob" Stroud, Boyce Roberts, Corbit
Williams, Baxter Couch, Oliver Reynolds, Jeff Copeland and
Mercle Moser.
Blevins said the story will show - based upon eyewitness
accounts, public records, newspaper and national magazine
articles - how the entire family, including a young baby
and a 13-year-old boy, were arrested and placed in jails
throughout the area.
"It reveals Klan-like behavior responsible for the burning
of their home and the slaughter of their pets and livestock
on the day after the sheriff's death," Blevins said.
According to Blevins, the story portrays the determination
of a small group of corrupt individuals to silence the
entire Byler family with threats of prosecution, physical
injury, jury tampering and graduating to physical attacks
on the defense attorney.
John Ferguson, state historian and director of the Arkansas
Historical Commission, said he grew up in southwest
Arkansas and remembers the actual case and the substantial
coverage in the press.
"It seemed to capture the imagination and interest of a
good many people," Ferguson said.
"It was a throwback to an earlier time and made us think of
Jesse and Frank James. It was a rather romantic setting
even though it was a story of life and death. It reminded
us of an earlier America," Ferguson said.
While researching the book, Blevins said, "I came in with
an open mind and came out with one. The story speaks for
itself."
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"In God We Trust "
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