Madeline Update: Embarrassment of Riches

Co-author M. J. Van Deventer and I are rushing to submit our true crime book, Madeline Gets Life, to a publisher.

Correction: we were rushing. Now, we are waiting. It’s a bad news-good news thing. Allow me to explain.

On Friday, May 29, 1942, a New York City jury convicted Madeline Webb of murder in the death of wealthy Polish refugee Susie Reich and recommended life in prison. Madeline's lover, Eddie Shonbrun, and a third defendant, John Cullen, were executed for the crime.

The book follows the colorful life of Madeline Webb, an Oklahoma woman who gets caught up in a sensational 1942 murder in New York City.

She was sentenced to spend the rest of her life at Westfield State Farm in Bedford Hills, New York, and submitted six clemency petitions to a succession of governors. Nelson Rockefeller finally granted her parole in 1966.

A few years back, I contacted the New York State Archives asking for access to the clemency files. They would add a lot of rich material about Madeline’s many years in prison, about which we had very few details.

The Archives said they didn’t have the files.

This summer, with the book nearing completion, I asked again.

They had them!

The files had been, er, misfiled.

They said they would scan the “few hundred” documents, remove any “restricted material,” and email the scans to me.

A couple months went by, so I asked for an update a few days ago.

The files actually hold 800 pages!

The Archives said the “restricted material” review was almost complete (they didn’t need to redact much), and they suggested we might get the files next week.

Great news for the research nerd in me.

Frustrating for my “send the damn manuscript already” persona.

It will take time to incorporate new details, but ultimately that’s a good problem to have.

Shoot! Gonna need a bigger desk.