Hoosier Vigilantes - (True Crime) by Robert Bowling (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The story of the intersection between vigilantism and law enforcement

In frontier Indiana, vigilantism was a grim necessity. Beginning with the vigilance committees of the 1860s that lynched the Reno Gang and the Knights of the Golden Circle, who plotted to assassinate Governor Morton, the Hoosier State was a hotbed for citizens taking the law into their own hands. Later groups such as the White Caps enforced their own moral code, while the state legislature sanctioned the Horse Thief Detective Association and the Banking Vigilantes.

Chronicling the vigilante groups that operated in Indiana, author Robert Bowling explores the evolution of law enforcement from the lone marshal on the frontier to the birth of the modern police department and the Indiana State Police.

Review Quotes

The story of the intersection between vigilantism and law enforcement

About the Author

Robert Bowling is a retired police officer and local historian. He is the author of Wicked Fishers and a contributing author to Celebrating Hamilton County, Indiana: 200 Years of Change. With a passion for honoring fallen police officers, he serves as a historical researcher for the Officer Down Memorial Page and an Ambassador to the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund. He is a contributing writer to Officer Magazine, focusing on law enforcement history. His other works have been featured in the Michigan History Magazine, National Pastime and Journal of School Safety. He currently serves as the historian for the Fishers Historical Society and as a member of the Police History Society based in London, England.