Comments on: No Death Bed Confession http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/ A master of narrative nonfiction and true crime Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:31:37 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Harry http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-328 Harry Tue, 31 Jan 2012 01:31:37 +0000 http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-328 Did you know him personally, or just hear this about him? Your take on him is a common one, although he has his defenders. Did you know him personally, or just hear this about him? Your take on him is a common one, although he has his defenders.

]]> By: Mike http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-327 Mike Sun, 29 Jan 2012 09:42:46 +0000 http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-327 Gah, answered my own question, It's Williams. I also found Ken's son Reno. He seems like a pretty nice guy honestly............go figure. Gah, answered my own question, It’s Williams. I also found Ken’s son Reno. He seems like a pretty nice guy honestly…………go figure.

]]> By: Harry http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-325 Harry Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:56:27 +0000 http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-325 I've always wondered why he wasn't killed long before he was. I’ve always wondered why he wasn’t killed long before he was.

]]> By: kathy http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-324 kathy Fri, 27 Jan 2012 02:09:46 +0000 http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-324 It's easy to sit in judgment of these people when you're not the one who has to live in constant fear of this evil bastd. I'm sure the people of the town didn't care how it happened, only that it happened. How many more people had to be shot and live in abject heck before the law did anything about this evil SOB? It’s easy to sit in judgment of these people when you’re not the one who has to live in constant fear of this evil bastd. I’m sure the people of the town didn’t care how it happened, only that it happened. How many more people had to be shot and live in abject heck before the law did anything about this evil SOB?

]]> By: the unabiker http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-276 the unabiker Thu, 08 Dec 2011 07:13:16 +0000 http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-276 Del was a weasel. He had no courage if his target was taller , younger or stronger than him. A mean drunk if you could not defend yourself -- a backpedalling coward if you could. Del was a weasel. He had no courage if his target was taller , younger or stronger than him. A mean drunk if you could not defend yourself — a backpedalling coward if you could.

]]> By: Harry http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-55 Harry Sun, 02 Jan 2011 17:42:17 +0000 http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-55 I really have no quarrel with what happened to McELroy. The law had utterly failed to protect Skidmore or the surrounding communities. I had law officers tell me that the word was out among the cops that if you found McELroy out on the roads at night along and with a gun you should shoot him. In the book, I tried to present the town's side of the killing and to question those who said it is always wrong to take a life outside of the law. Several people in town said to me of the shooters: They should be given a medal for what they did and strung up for the way they did it. I've seen diagrams of plans to shoot McElroy on the backroads of Nodaway County; Intersections where he would have to stop on his way home, with a gunman or gunmen in the trees or behind the bushes. If that had happened, I doubt there would have been much of an outcry, and surely no book entitled In Broad Daylight. Actually, I think Del Clement's act was totally impulsive. I don't think it was planned beyond a few moments before it took place. I think he had a few beers in the tavern and, hothead that he was, went out the back door with mayhem on his mind. Standing at his truck, watching McElroy sit calmly in this truck with his wife, as if he owned the street, the twon, someone shouted "Shoot the sonofabithch!" and he grabbed his rifle. My point on his courage was, that I doubt he would have done it if he had been face to face with McElroy. I really have no quarrel with what happened to McELroy. The law had utterly failed to protect Skidmore or the surrounding communities. I had law officers tell me that the word was out among the cops that if you found McELroy out on the roads at night along and with a gun you should shoot him.
In the book, I tried to present the town’s side of the killing and to question those who said it is always wrong to take a life outside of the law.
Several people in town said to me of the shooters: They should be given a medal for what they did and strung up for the way they did it. I’ve seen diagrams of plans to shoot McElroy on the backroads of Nodaway County; Intersections where he would have to stop on his way home, with a gunman or gunmen in the trees or behind the bushes. If that had happened, I doubt there would have been much of an outcry, and surely no book entitled In Broad Daylight.
Actually, I think Del Clement’s act was totally impulsive. I don’t think it was planned beyond a few moments before it took place. I think he had a few beers in the tavern and, hothead that he was, went out the back door with mayhem on his mind. Standing at his truck, watching McElroy sit calmly in this truck with his wife, as if he owned the street, the twon, someone shouted “Shoot the sonofabithch!” and he grabbed his rifle. My point on his courage was, that I doubt he would have done it if he had been face to face with McElroy.

]]> By: JRB http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-54 JRB Fri, 31 Dec 2010 12:13:39 +0000 http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-54 Harry, In an earlier post you stated "Del Clement, in my view, was also a coward. Who else would shoot a man in the back of the head as he sat in his truck?" It would appear that you are using the connotation for 'coward', (i.e. the dirty little coward who shot Mr. Howard) as opposed to the denotation; a person who lacks courage in facing danger, difficulty, opposition, pain, etc.; a timid or easily intimidated person. If the action against McElroy was spontaneous, wouldn't Clement expect to be held accountable for his actions? Does this not imply a certain degree of courage? Whether in the back of the head, between the eyes or in the heart, dead is dead. The real question is: What would drive an entire town, filled with good people, to this desperate act? McElroy was a narcissistic despot. Little more than a manipulative bully, who exploited weaknesses in our legal system. If anything, our legal system became his enabler. We all seek to find our constraints. This normally occurs when we are children, from our parents. If this process is circumvented, it becomes more difficult (to establish these constraints) with each passing year. Is this not what happened with McElroy? Over the years he learned a well spoken threat, a well placed punch or 'the look', was enough to quail opposition, in most instances. And if not, a few dollars to the right lawyer would suffice. I'm not looking to cause a row, but my quandary is this; What should a person do when 'the system' has failed them? When one feels all hope of finding justice is gone. I'm not condoning 'vigilante justice', but shouldn't i have a reasonable expectation of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? And if this right was challenged? Should i not expect that the legislative and judicial branches would then come to my defense? What if these also failed me? What then? As the old proverb says; 'Desperate times call for desperate measures.' What are your thoughts? Harry,

In an earlier post you stated “Del Clement, in my view, was also a coward. Who else would shoot a man in the back of the head as he sat in his truck?” It would appear that you are using the connotation for ‘coward’, (i.e. the dirty little coward who shot Mr. Howard) as opposed to the denotation; a person who lacks courage in facing danger, difficulty, opposition, pain, etc.; a timid or easily intimidated person. If the action against McElroy was spontaneous, wouldn’t Clement expect to be held accountable for his actions? Does this not imply a certain degree of courage? Whether in the back of the head, between the eyes or in the heart, dead is dead. The real question is: What would drive an entire town, filled with good people, to this desperate act?

McElroy was a narcissistic despot. Little more than a manipulative bully, who exploited weaknesses in our legal system. If anything, our legal system became his enabler.

We all seek to find our constraints. This normally occurs when we are children, from our parents. If this process is circumvented, it becomes more difficult (to establish these constraints) with each passing year. Is this not what happened with McElroy? Over the years he learned a well spoken threat, a well placed punch or ‘the look’, was enough to quail opposition, in most instances. And if not, a few dollars to the right lawyer would suffice.

I’m not looking to cause a row, but my quandary is this; What should a person do when ‘the system’ has failed them? When one feels all hope of finding justice is gone. I’m not condoning ‘vigilante justice’, but shouldn’t i have a reasonable expectation of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? And if this right was challenged? Should i not expect that the legislative and judicial branches would then come to my defense? What if these also failed me? What then?

As the old proverb says; ‘Desperate times call for desperate measures.’

What are your thoughts?

]]> By: Harry http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-53 Harry Mon, 15 Nov 2010 03:11:22 +0000 http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-53 Are you a friend or relative of Ken McElroy's? Could you explain your opinion? Are you a friend or relative of Ken McElroy’s? Could you explain your opinion?

]]> By: Sid http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-52 Sid Sun, 14 Nov 2010 07:07:31 +0000 http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-52 del was a coward and a asshole hope he burns in hell for what he did del was a coward and a asshole hope he burns in hell for what he did

]]> By: Bill http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-51 Bill Wed, 18 Aug 2010 04:34:13 +0000 http://www.harrymaclean.com/blog/no-death-bed-confession/#comment-51 Sounds to me like Del Clement was a hero. Sounds to me like Del Clement was a hero.

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