2025 Guest Speakers
February 2025 Speaker
Charlotte Halsema Ottinger
Madge: The life and times of Madge Oberholtzer, the young Irvington woman who brought down D.C. Stephenson and the Ku Klux Klan
Indiana author Charlotte Halsema Ottinger will discuss her 2021 book, Madge: The life and times of Madge Oberholtzer, the young Irvington woman who brought down D.C. Stephenson and the Ku Klux Klan. According to newsman Harold C. Feightner, “Few deaths of comparatively inconspicuous people have had the far-flung effects that [Oberholtzer’s] did. Her passing marked the beginning of the end of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana; it resulted in the indictment of Governor Ed Jackson; the indictment and conviction of Mayor Ed L. Duvall, of Indianapolis, and other city officials and a complete change in the capital city’s administration, and it nearly wrecked a political party.”
Ottinger will rely on her four years of intense historical research to discuss Oberholtzer’s limited relationship with Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Klu Klux Klan, her abduction and assault, her death bed declaration and the trial that sent D.C. Stephenson to prison for second degree murder. In addition to a display of related artifacts from the 1920s, Ottinger will share interesting aspects of Oberholtzer’s short life including her time studying under notable Indiana artists William Forsyth, Otto Stark and Clifton Wheeler. Special attention will be given to the legal precedents established during the trial and Oberholtzer’s lasting legacy. Time will be given for questions and answers.
Bring your own copy of Madge to be signed or purchase a copy following the presentation.
Charlotte Halsema Ottinger is an author, presenter, and history enthusiast who makes her home in Historic Irvington on Indianapolis’ east side. Ottinger has a psychology degree from Purdue University, nursing degree from Indiana University, and a master’s degree from Gallaudet University, a university for the deaf in Washington, D.C. She is a retired professional American Sign Language Medical Interpreter and currently works as a part-time nurse at the Indiana School for the Deaf. She is a current member and former board member of the Irvington Historical Society. In her spare time, she enjoys buying and selling antiques and fostering kittens.
We will meet on Saturday 22 February 2025 at noon. We are meeting in person at the Carmel Clay Public Library (425 E Main St, Carmel, IN 46032) and on Zoom.
Join us for lunch afterwards at Juniper on Main (110 E. Main Street Carmel, Indiana 46032) at 1:30 pm.
Ottinger will rely on her four years of intense historical research to discuss Oberholtzer’s limited relationship with Stephenson, Grand Dragon of the Klu Klux Klan, her abduction and assault, her death bed declaration and the trial that sent D.C. Stephenson to prison for second degree murder. In addition to a display of related artifacts from the 1920s, Ottinger will share interesting aspects of Oberholtzer’s short life including her time studying under notable Indiana artists William Forsyth, Otto Stark and Clifton Wheeler. Special attention will be given to the legal precedents established during the trial and Oberholtzer’s lasting legacy. Time will be given for questions and answers.
Bring your own copy of Madge to be signed or purchase a copy following the presentation.
Charlotte Halsema Ottinger is an author, presenter, and history enthusiast who makes her home in Historic Irvington on Indianapolis’ east side. Ottinger has a psychology degree from Purdue University, nursing degree from Indiana University, and a master’s degree from Gallaudet University, a university for the deaf in Washington, D.C. She is a retired professional American Sign Language Medical Interpreter and currently works as a part-time nurse at the Indiana School for the Deaf. She is a current member and former board member of the Irvington Historical Society. In her spare time, she enjoys buying and selling antiques and fostering kittens.
We will meet on Saturday 22 February 2025 at noon. We are meeting in person at the Carmel Clay Public Library (425 E Main St, Carmel, IN 46032) and on Zoom.
Join us for lunch afterwards at Juniper on Main (110 E. Main Street Carmel, Indiana 46032) at 1:30 pm.
January 2025 Speakers
Cindy Fox and Wendy Otto
Double Trouble, Badge, and Banter: The Adventures of Twin Sisters on the Beat
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We’re thrilled to introduce Cindy Fox and Wendy Otto of Madison County, Indiana, as our January speakers. They, in turn, are thrilled to share their story with us.
In 1987, they were hired by the Anderson (Indiana) Police Department and achieved something quite unique: they became the first set of female identical twin patrol officers in the entire nation. According to Wendy, “Life can be unpredictable, and we’re not afraid to share the messy details. Come along with us as we recount real-life stories of unexpected encounters—from the sharp shock of a dog bite to the awkward upside-down struggle on a fence. We’ll even delve into the chaotic world of late-night encounters and the characters we met, including more than a few drunken revelers. And can you imagine the double-takes we received? Join us for an unfiltered look at the absurdity that life threw our way.” We will be meeting on Saturday 25 January 2025 on Zoom and in person at the Carmel Public Library Meeting Room B (425 E Main St, Carmel, IN 46032). Business meeting starts at 11:00 AM and our speaker will start at Noon. |
See Speed City Sisters in Crime's Youtube Channel for more past guest speakers