American Pied Piper

At the dawn of the 20^th century, Beardstown, Illinois, is a city of contradiction. A town of river rats, gamblers, and rail-yard workers, it's also filled with the accoutrements and refinements that accompany wealth . . . whatever its provenance. In Beardstown, the God-fearing don't just live side-by-side with the sinners-they often are the sinners.

Throughout the first half of the century, the state's attorney is always a McHugh, a Beardstown family that has spent generations fostering the ...