The State-Line Mob: A True Story of Murder and Intrigue

by W.R. Morris

Book Overview

The story that could not be written till now

I have been collecting this informatin for more than twenty years. I was personally acquainted with many of the outlaws who nested in the dives along the Tennessee-Mississippi border, and I crossed paths with them while I was doing research for Buford Pusser's authorized biography, The Twelfth of August. Pusser fought the state-line criminals during his entire six-year reign as sheriff of McNairy...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1558538615
• ISBN13: 9781558538610
• Release Date: January 2001
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson
• Length: 196 Pages
• Weight: 0.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Still walked tall

W.R. Morris was Buford Pusser's authorized biographer, he wrote the best selling "The Twelth of August" however in 1973 he told People Magazine, "Buford can be a really nice guy one day and the next day he's barely civilized. I thread delecitly in the book." Did Pusser and Morris have a falling out or did Morris' research cause him to have a change of oppinion on the hero? Regardless, this book is the origins of the loose mob that Pusser destroyed. The crime element along the Tenn and Mississippi border was the result of a government crackdown on the illegal activities in Phenix City, Ga in the late 40's. The displaced con artists and prostitutes settled on the stateline of Tn/Miss on highway 45. Morris provides a fasinating discription of the self destructive lives of this murderous group. It seems that Alcorn County, Miss is the hot bed of much of the criminal activity-yet McNairy County, Tn got the title of "Murder County USA" due to it being the dumping ground of many of the unsuspecting victims of the so-called "state line mob." One of these victims was a young Buford Pusser, who had the guts to go back and rob the robbers. The ring leaders of the mob have an amazing ability to avoid long term jail sentences. They are soon challanged by a new sheriff- Buford Pusser, who has an amazing ability so withstand knife wounds and gunshots. Pusser believed in "fighting fire with fire" a true unconventional law enforcement warrior. Shortly after taking office he picked up a mob leader and took him out to the swamps and beat him up for three hours. Morris, as well as the author of "Mississippi Mud" believe that Pusser knew who was behind the ambush that killed his wife, but he kept the information from the authorities only to track down and kill, or hire to kill, the men himself. The result of this book is that Buford Pusser may have been a flawed and tragic hero, but in the end he got the bastards- and walked damn tall doing it, even if outside the law.

An Amazing Story. A Must Read For Any Pusser Fan

It took only one day to read this book. It was like a magnet in my hands I could not put it down. I have seen the movies, and heard stories of Buford Pusser, but now I know the facts. What an awesome book.

The Foundation of Buford Pusser's Legend

In this book, W.R. Morris provides an excellent account of the nature and activities of the persons who, despite their attempts, would inable Buford Pusser to become the legend he is now held to be by many. For any fan or admirer of Buford, or anyone interested in " Mobster " crime stories, this is a good, real account of the true battles held on the TN / MS state line.

contents include my family history

the book was a shock to me. It told things about my real father, but there was so much more that my mother added while dying of cancer that could of made for a scond book that would have been even better.

The Stateline Mob

Great true crime story, highlignting not only the career of the late Sheriff Buford Pusser of McNairy County, TN. But also the modern day outlaws that made him famous. Shows two sides of Buford, in his quest for "Towhead" White, and other personalities of the Miss/Tenn stateline