January 20, 2012

Dengan cerita singkat

Truman Capote terinspirasi dari artikel singkat berikut ini sebelum menulis bukunya, In Cold Blood.

Wealthy Farmer, 3 Of Family Slain

Holcomb, Kan., Nov. 15 (UPI)--A wealthy wheat farmer, his wife and their two young children were found shot to death today in their home. They had been killed by shotgun blasts at close range after being bound and gagged.

The father, 48-year-old Herbert W. Clutter, was found in the basement with his son, Kenyon, 15. His wife Bonnie, 45, and a daughter, Nancy, 16, were in their beds.

There were no signs of a struggle, and nothing had been stolen. The telephone lines had been cut.

"This is apparently the case of a psychopathic killer," Sheriff Earl Robinson said.

Mr. Clutter was founder of the Kansas Wheat Growers Association. In 1954, President Eisenhower appointed him to the Federal Farm Credit Board, but he never lived in Washington.

The board represents the twelve farm credit districts in the country. Mr. Clutter served from December, 1953, until April, 1957. He declined a reappointment.

He was also a local member of the Agriculture Department's Price Stabilization Board and was active with the Great Plains Wheat Growers Association.

The Clutter farm and ranch cover almost 1,000 acres in one of the richest wheat areas.

Mr. Clutter, his wife and daughter were clad in pajamas. The boy was wearing blue jeans and a T-shirt.

The bodies were discovered by two of Nancy's classmates, Susan Kidwell and Nancy Ewalt.

Sheriff Robinson said the last reported communication with Mr. Clutter took place last night about 9:30 P.M., when the victim called Gerald Van Vleet, his business partner, who lives near by. Mr. Van Vleet said the conversation had concerned the farm and ranch.

Two daughters were away. They are Beverly, a student at Kansas University, and Mrs. Donald G. Jarchow of Mount Carroll, Ill.

Artikel tersebut terambil dari arsip lama koran The New York Times, tertanggal 16 November 1959. Bisa dilihat di situsnya, sih, tetapi mesti sign up dulu.

Truman Capote mendapat bantuan dari Harper Lee, penulis yang juga terkenal melalui karyanya, To Kill A Mockingbird, untuk mengadakan penelitian guna menunjang penulisan buku Truman Capote tersebut, In Cold Blood.

Nah, kalau Truman Capote saja bisa terinspirasi dari cerita, artikel singkat di atas pada tahun segitu, tentu pintu kemungkinan terbuka bagi kita untuk melakukan hal yang sama, menginspirasi orang-orang untuk mengerjakan hal-hal besar bahkan mengubahkan, dari cerita-cerita kita meskipun singkat adanya. 

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