3/22/2015
Ok…so a feather floated to my feet yesterday as I worked on our beach, clearing debris and boughs of soggy pine straw from the sandy shoreline. Eager for another message, I acknowledged its gift–lifted it from the water and laid it upon a rock of my fire pit to dry. Lost again in the rigors of raking and burning, I forgot about the feather and continued to work. Hours later, sore but happy to finally be outside in the sunshine…a large boat came too close to the dock –kicking up a huge swell of water that rushed the shoreline.
My back had been to the water, cleaning our chairs from winter’s mildew and so did not notice the wave’s approach- but rather heard it, as it slammed the shoreline and splashed the nearby fire pit. Hearing the cacophony, I turned abruptly and noted the feather that had been placed on the warming stone to dry, was missing.
“Well…the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh”, I guessed and went swiftly back to my chores.
As my husband cleared the cover from the boat and worked about replacing the radio and fish finder–I continued to wash chairs and rake debris. Three more chairs in, I absentmindedly stepped too near a fire ant hill and got bit. Annoyed at my misfortune, I ran to the water’s edge and shoved my feet, river shoes and all into the cold water up to my ankles…to stop the little suckers from biting me further.
Caught off guard, but refreshed by the cold swirling water I watched with satisfaction as their little bodies floated away. Those that clung, I brushed away- thrust my foot back into the water to soothe and then noted the very same little white feather I had saved hours before, was now floating in front of me for the second time that day.
What are the odds?
In spirit world- pretty good, I would surmise.
So what was the message?
The message was, to now bring this book out of the shadows and into the public light.
That’s right…I am now at the point in the book and my research where I am editing and reaching out to those who will be the ones to help me bring closure to the effort. I have several law enforcement colleagues that have been tapped for such and of course, a copy to my lawyer for perusal, with a few messages to those still active in peripheral cases as a head’s up– to make certain the content will not compromise their efforts to get certain people a new trial.
Carlton Gary’s case is integral for sure- but not the sum total of all that this book entails. It is not even the sum total of all that was brought to me to investigate by one very brave and dedicated woman. It is more…so much more.
Am I completely done with the book? The final chapters are outlined, but at over 500 pages… I must begin to reign in the timelines, tailor the fit and rework my original book cover for polish.
I promise you dear readers…in as much as Charley’s case took you places you never thought you would go–this book will take you that much farther and beyond where even I thought it could go. The city of Columbus, Georgia will begin to feel the rumble first…then several other metropolitan cities, the Florida Keys and islands beyond.
The title for the book has morphed from its original working title, due to the extent of additional victims found allegedly connected to this case and will be published under the following:
LAW OF THE HARVEST: A True Crime Investigative Memoir
by T.A. POWELL
(copyrighted materials 2014)
And just to wet your whistle?
Here’s the Prologue…
Prologue:
“While it is not my intention to begin this book with a riddle for levity’s sake, it is my intention to ask you to use your intellect from page one. You see, some murders are prompted by basic emotions that render a killer’s motivation most obvious. Other murders are committed out of a need to serve a higher purpose such as; personal or ideological loyalty and/or religious martyrdom. But the Columbus Stocking Strangler murders will never rise to the elegance of such, no matter how much the perpetrators of these atrocities might insist. These graphic slayings of seven elderly white women were executed for a series of reasons that for over 37 years have gone undecipherable and in the end, were simply part of a much larger puzzle that until now has remained hidden; the terror of the unholy trinity… the lords of the harvest.
So let us continue with the riddle.
What is another word for Thesaurus?
Thought provoking, isn’t it?
For how do you describe something that in essence exists only to describe everything else, but not itself? I think you would agree with me then, that sometimes there simply isn’t a better word or group of words to describe a thing other than the words that originally describes it the best. Thus, you have the reason why the title for this book could be nothing other than, Law of the Harvest.
The word harvest is defined as the process of gathering mature crops from the fields. In like token, reaping is the cutting of mature grains or produce for harvest, typically using a scythe, sickle or reaper.
But in Columbus, Georgia in 1977, the word harvest took on another meaning and the tools that were used to harvest these ‘matured’ victims will not only shock you…but lead you to other horrors before, once shrouded in mystery and considered as stand-alone murders.
The harvested souls of Columbus:
Mary Ferne Jackson, a white woman, age 60, was harvested by strangulation with a nylon stocking on Thursday, September 15, 1977. Jackson was also brutally beaten and …
Jean Dimenstein, a white woman, age 71, was harvested by strangulation with a nylon stocking on September 25, 1977. Dimenstein was also brutally beaten and …
Florence Scheible, a white woman, age 89, was harvested strangulation with a nylon stocking on October 21, 1977. Scheible was also brutally beaten and …
Martha Thurmond, a white woman, age 69, was harvested by strangulation with a nylon stocking on October 25, 1977. Thurmond was also brutally beaten and …
Kathleen Woodruff, a white woman, age 74, was harvested by strangulation with a scarf on December 27, 1977. Woodruff was also brutally beaten and …
Mildred Borom, a white woman, age 78, was harvested by strangulation with a nylon curtain cord on February 11, 1978. Borom was also brutally beaten and …
Ruth Schwob, a white woman, age 74, was almost harvested by strangulation with a nylon stocking on February 11, 1978…but survived.
Janet Cofer was harvested by strangulation with a nylon stocking on April 20, 1978. Cofer was also brutally beaten and …
Two years later?
Mary Sue Ogletree, a white woman, age 54, was harvested by slitting her throat in addition to over 33 other stab wounds to her body on June 8, 1980. Ogletree was also …
All of the victims had been assaulted, presenting trauma to the left side of the head; the first three found with their faces hidden beneath a pillow to muffle their screams during their profane violation. Indeed, the harvest that began in 1977 proved to be a productive culling of Columbus’s finest matrons; a killing spree that crossed over several seasons, leaving behind a bewildered city and the mangled corpses of seven elderly white women and one battered and bruised survivor.
Now, 38 years later we dip our shovels back into the cold swollen earth that swallowed the Columbus Stocking Strangler’s victims and ask the women who died beneath the crush of the killer’s knees and the stockings in his hands, to tell us their stories and point the way to other harvested souls from a network of serial killings that have spanned not only multiple decades, but reached across the four corners of this country as well.
So why this case? Why now?
Because spirit knew this case was the key to opening a larger set of locks that have kept this country in the dark about other serial killings and the true impetus of the killers. Beyond that, because I too, am now in the harvest cycle of my life and just the like the string of victims left behind would want someone to speak for me, if God forbid…
My name is T.A. Powell and I am an investigative forensic author who works with active and retired law enforcement, plus a psychic medium detective, to unlock the shorthand of the dead and speak for those who can no longer be heard.”
LAW OF THE HARVEST…coming this summer of 2015!
Brownstonelit's Blog 
Leave a Reply