Fisher chronicles the life of South Bend scoundrel John W. Talbot in new book

Greta Fisher loves research. The hunt, the twists, the turns. The unexpected finds. Nothing like it. Sometimes it is a dead end. Sometimes it turns into a book.

This time, it was a book for Greta. “So Much Bad in the Best of Us: The Salacious and Audacious Life of John W. Talbot” has been published by Indiana University Press. It will be released in early September.

What makes this so very interesting is that John W. Talbot (1869-1938) was a homegrown South Bend resident. He was charismatic, energetic and powerful. A force of nature. A scoundrel who spent time in Leavenworth Penitentiary. A womanizer. He had threatened people including the vice president. He syphoned off money from an organization he founded. He was a lawyer who was disbarred. That’s all we need.

The story fell into her lap and she ran with it.

How did we not know more about this guy? In Greta’s opinion, South Bend has always been the story of overcoming adversity and achieving. This was not the case. “We are seeped in growth. This story is so dark and seedy.” So different from that of the Studebakers or Olivers. It was nearly a forgotten page from local history.

But, oh so interesting, she said.

Greta is the executive director of the Casaday Costume Company in South Bend. She is a South Bend native and graduated from Adams High School and IU South Bend. She said her life went down several paths, from interior design and theater work to the St. Joseph County Public Library and the local history room.

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How did this all start? Interestingly, she said, it began with an Order of the Owls postcard. The card was purchased from a collection of antique cards. “I didn’t know what it was. I went to a Wikipedia page.” From there, she discovered that the fraternal organization was founded in 1904 in South Bend by Talbot and several other men.

With more research, Greta said, she learned the Owls were meant to help widows and children, their fellow men, etc. That didn’t happen here. The cash from the clubs went to Talbot. No widows or children were helped, and there was no accounting for the money.

However, the Owls grew, and several clubs exist to this day. “This is not about the Owls, it is about an individual,” Greta said.

As she followed the research, Greta’s first thought was to write an article on Talbot. “The story grew and grew. Am I writing a book? I think I am. I felt it was a story that needed to be told.”

Her research took her down many roads, including court records and prison files from Leavenworth. Greta said the Leavenworth archivist wanted to know more about the story because they had never seen such an interesting file.

Talbot was born near the Notre Dame campus. “The Talbot Street is not named for him. It is not a matter of honor.” It was near the family home.

Talbot’s career included apprenticing with an attorney and starting a practice. He married and had a son. His office was near the parking garage on Colfax and Main streets. He frequented a bar around the corner, and his house was on LaSalle Avenue, around the present-day Burger King. “He lived in a very small world” from office to the home to the bar.

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Greta said he was a psychopath with no empathy or desire to follow social norms. He had a string of public affairs. There were a number of charges leveled against him, including perjury, blackmail, jury tampering, slander, libel, misuse of the mail, assault with intent to kill and white slavery. The white slavery case sent him to prison.

The case made headlines across the country.

He served two and half years and came back to South Bend. Greta said he lost his law license and his source of income from the Owls. He slept in his office. There may have been some alcohol and smoking materials involved. He died in a fire. The death made headlines, but, ultimately, he was forgotten.

Greta said he was buried in City Cemetery while other family members were buried in Cedar Grove at Notre Dame. There was little fanfare for old John with just his name and dates on his simple gravestone.

After several years of research and writing, Greta found an academic publisher, IU Press. After a year’s worth of editing, it is ready to make an appearance.

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It is available on all the regular sites.

Time well spent? “It was a heck of an experience,” she said.

You can reach Kathy at kfborlik@yahoo.com

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Biography chronicles life of South Bend scoundrel John W. Talbot