True tales of whiskey still studded hills, brew brimming cisterns, locals flouting authority, undercover agents and assassination come Cleburne Public Library’s way at 6:30 p.m. Monday courtesy of author Martin Brown.
The event, part of the library’s ongoing area authors series, is free.
Brown’s debut, “The Glen Rose Moonshine Raid” recalls the days of Prohibition, Texas Gov. Pat Neff, who was for it, and a number of Glen Rose residents, including officials, who opposed and/or ignored it.
To counter such contrariness, Neff dispatched Texas Rangers and undercover agents who arrested more than 50 including the Somervell County sheriff and prosecutor. Residents pushed back culminating in the ambush and assassination of the investigation’s primary operative.
Dallas-born Brown served as an officer and detective with the Garland Police Department through the early ’80s at which point he opened a private detective agency in Dallas before retiring to a small ranch in Glen Rose.
“This is my first time speaking at the Cleburne library but I know it well,” Brown said. “I did a big part of my research for the book there.”
Brown’s twin interests of law enforcement and history inspired the book.
“I started with Eulogy as the backdrop, which is just down the road,” Brown said. “And I’d heard the local lore about Texas Rangers in the ’20s and all. Being an ex police officer that was right up my road.
“I started with the Heritage Center where I received a friendly, warm welcome. But when I asked about the Rangers and the raids, I found that suddenly my time at the Heritage Center expired. That got me to thinking, what can they still be so damn sensitive about 90 some years after the event?”
It also sent Brown on a binge of research and thoughts of penning his first book.
“My only book so far though I’ve written a few articles here and there,” Brown said. “But, as an investigator, I had to write reports for my clients and those were pretty much like writing a book. So I figured I already knew how to express myself in writing pretty well already.”
Library Manager Tina Dunham encouraged residents to attend Monday night and learn more about fascinating albeit previously little researched episode of Texas history.
Library Assistant Amy Graham agreed.
“We’ve had many interesting local authors speak at the library through the years,” Graham said. “What makes Martin Brown so special is that we’re already familiar with him from having spent so much time here going through our micro film machines and researching his book. I’m looking forward to what he has to say Monday night and I think anyone interested in local history and crime stories will be, too.”
Brown on Tuesday said he’s looking forward to Monday night but also joked that he’s still working out his program.
“Amy asked if I could talk for 20 minutes or so and then answer questions,” Brown said. “I told her, ‘That’s easy. The harder part would be to get me to shut up for 20 minutes.’”
The Texas Author series is but one of the Cleburne Public Library’s events. Other events and activities fall throughout the year and include something for everyone from children to teenagers to adults.
For information, call 817-645-0934 or visit cleburne.net/library.
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