Book Review #29: Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann

My first book of the new year! Yay!

While my review for The Shining came out this year, I did technically finish that book in 2023. Killers of the Flower Moon is the first book I’ve read (listened to) this year, and boy is it a heavy hitter.

I think many people who have grown up with a U. S. education know that there is a lot of information about our history that we don’t learn in schools. While I remember a few lessons about the Native Americans, such as learning about the Spanish-Indian War, the Spanish-American War (which Native Americans also served in), the Indian Removal Act, the Trail of Tears, and so on, there’s a distinct gap in my knowledge of Native American Affairs from 1831 to the present day.

These aforementioned events are landmark historical events, and while they do cover a lot of the issues between colonists and Native Americans, there was a lot that was glossed over, reinterpreted, or left out. For example, I distinctly remember a middle school history teacher phrasing the tensions between Native Americans and colonists as a battle for survival on the colonists part, as if they weren’t the ones invading and decimating Native populations.

I also remember that my 10th grade U. S. history class started from 1850 and onward. The constitution was ratified in 1788, and many of the indigenous atrocities occurred between 1788-1850 (the Indian Removal Act happened in 1830 and the Trail of Tears in 1831). While there may have been a perfectly legitimate reason for starting a U. S. history course well after the ratification of our Constitution, it does now feel like we were skipping some pretty important material.

Though that class began in 1850, I still did not learn anything about the Osage Indian murders, which David Grann claims may have begun as early as 1918. Of course, during that time my teacher focused on the effects of the Industrial Revolution, WWI, and the Spanish Flu epidemic. All important events, which may fairly overshadow a rather niche (in comparison) event, but I do think it’s interesting that our history tends to completely overlook any Native American events as though they are a subplot of our history.

In David Grann’s book, Killers of the Flower Moon, the Osage take the main stage. The book is a nonfiction recount of the Osage murders during the 1920s and how the investigation into these murders prompted the start of the FBI. It’s an in-depth look into a conspiracy that so few people have even heard about, and Grann does an excellent job making an already compelling story completely absorbing.

I listened to this 11 hour audiobook in two days. The history is moving, and Grann’s storytelling paints clear pictures and characterizes the people in a way that allows the reader to empathize wholeheartedly. It’s clear he did an abundance of research not only into the murders, but also into the Osage community itself and into every single person who makes an appearance in his book. It’s a journalistic feat.

A quick aside here: For those who do listen to the audible version of the book, there are three different narrators (one for each section). I personally dislike when an audiobook switches narrators, but I thought each reader did a great job. This is just a heads up if you also find this disorienting.

Back to the book!

Grann splits the book into three sections: the stories of the earlier Osage murders and the start of the FBI involvement, the FBI’s main investigation and the capture of the criminals, and then the point where his own research takes over as he uncovers information even the FBI hadn’t found.

Part one is engaging from the very beginning. Grann gives background into each victim as he discusses their deaths and how this affected the community. It’s very humanizing, and I think he handles the details with care and grace. For those who dislike guts and gore, there is very little of that in this book, so it’s a good true crime story for the squeamish. Many of the murders were committed by poison, rather than by outright violence, which makes the nature of the murders even more insidious, in my opinion.

We learn about the Burkhart family, many of whom are taken by the murders, as well as several other Osage Indians who are either found murdered or have died under suspicious circumstances. The official FBI investigation estimates that there were 24 murders committed throughout this conspiracy, but Grann ultimately estimates that this number is much higher.

He also discusses the initial FBI investigation, detailing how they hit a considerable amount of roadblocks when trying to figure out the connections between these murders. There is also a discussion of the prejudices held by many of the white folks either surrounding the Osage community or directly in it. For example, the main FBI investigator on the case at this point in time wrote several prejudicial statements about the Osage in his own report. Though he was trying to thoroughly investigate the crimes, he still looked at the Indians as lesser-than.

Part two begins with Tom White, the FBI agent who takes over the case and ultimately unveils the conspiracy. Gran describes White as an upstanding person and agent who is also the “start” agent of the FBI at this point in time. While not explicitly said, it is strongly hinted (and can be seen from the description of the first investigators) that any other agent likely would not have solved this case. White had the guts, smarts, and most importantly the empathy to commit to this investigation wholeheartedly.

It is he who unveils the conspiracy arranged by a William Hale (a self-proclaimed protector of the Osage) to murder the Osage Indians in order to claim their head rites. For those who are unfamiliar, head rites are monetary rites that the Osage had over their land. Because this land (that they’d been relocated to, mind you) was over a large oil field, they were ostensibly rich. Of course, the white folks did not like that the Native Americans were so monetarily wealthy, and they were constantly disparaged for using their money ostentatiously or inappropriately.

In order to have access to head rites, one must be Osage or must be married to an Osage Indian. Alternatively, many Osage were appointed guardians to help manage their finances. When these Osage passed away, their money would go to the guardian if there wasn’t another family member in line. The last method, which I’m a little iffy on, is that if an Osage Indian passes away and owes someone a debt, the debt can be collected from the head rites. I believe this is how William Hale was able to collect the head rites of murdered Osage who weren’t under his guardianship. He falsified debt claims and would claim the money after the Osage member had died.

Part two discusses a lot of the systemic issues that contributed to this conspiracies success. Firstly, William Hale had a lot of money and a lot of sway in this area. He consistently bribed or threatened people to get his way. Not to mention, many were more inclined to aid a powerful white man than an Osage Indian.

Another issue was that of medicine. Grann recounts how a pair of doctors were bribed by Hale to poison a member of the Burkhart. Rather than give her the insulin she needed for her diabetes, they poisoned her. When she was removed to another hospital and treated properly, she immediately improved.

Hale hired outlaws, low lifes, and white men who simply didn’t view the Native American’s as people to take care of his crimes. Then he would bribe investigators and private detectives to stop investigating the case. Many other people were in on this scheme, but Hale was the biggest conspirator, and the one caught and jailed by the FBI.

This section also discusses Hoover’s role in starting the FBI and his goals for making the bureau the largest investigative organization in the U. S. I did think there was a lot of interesting information here about the bureau’s beginnings, and Grann’s descriptions of Hoover are both hilarious and insightful.

Part three focuses on Grann’s own investigation. He details how he came to research this event, and some of his discussions with remaining members of the Osage tribe. He also discusses some more evidence that he found in his research.

The main revelation he makes is that as he’s looking through the records of the guardianship program, he notices that many of the Osage who had guardians ended up dying very young. Over and over again he looks through the guardianship logs, only to find the members of the Osage listed as dead in their 20s, 30s, and 40s. During this time period, people often lived well into their 60s, so dying this young was not a common thing.

In fact, Grann points out that the death rate of the Osage is abnormally high. For such a wealthy population, their death rate should be lower than that of the average white population, but it was significantly higher.

He reveals that it was not only William Hale who was running this head rites and guardianship scheme, but that it was happening all over the reservation. The system put in place to “help” the Osage with their “financial burden” made it all to easy to take advantage of them and steal their wealth.

If this scheme didn’t result in outright murder, it resulted in Osage being stolen from and left to take care of their families with no funds. In one story, a woman’s husband passes away and the guardian tells her there is no more money in her fund. Without the ability to check it for herself or take any legal action against him, she’s left to raise her ten children in poverty.

The book recounts this horrific period of the Osage tribe thoroughly, truthfully, and relentlessly.

Grann’s writing is descriptive and insightful without being too flowery or emotionally charged. For the amount of information packed into this book, it could be 20 hours instead of 11, but Grann keeps to the facts of his research and does his best to humanize the situation without overembellishing.

I think this is an extremely enlightening read for anyone who is interested in U. S. History, Native American History, or true crime stories. It’s not only an important look into how the Native American population was taken advantage of, but also how the FBI became the massive organization it is today.

I highly recommend this book, and I’m happy to have kicked off my new year with it. That’s a step towards my goal of reading more nonfiction this year, and with one book down I’m officially on my way to hitting 52 books!

The Lit Wiz


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