See photos below.
At the turn of the 20th century, a Native American tribe driven from their lands in Kansas onto what was thought to be a worthless patch of rocky land in Oklahoma became some of the richest people in the world almost overnight. Oil was discovered under the Osage Nation, and white men who wanted to access that oil had to buy leases. The land could be sold, but the mineral rights belonged in perpetuity to the Osage.
The wealth of these Native Americans immediately attracted white interlopers, who manipulated, extorted and stole as much Osage money as they could. But the only way the mineral rights could be transferred was by familial inheritance. Thus began an insidious story that involved marriage, deception and murder.
As the body count continued to rise, the local authorities proved unwilling to solve the murders. This led to the involvement of the fledgling Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the leadership of a young J. Edgar Hoover. Under the guidance of Tom White, the investigation finally made headway in exposing the extent of the conspiracy and bringing many of the culprits to justice.
These tragic events, which came to be known among the Osage as the Reign of Terror, are detailed in David Grann’s bestselling book, Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. Grann’s book has been adapted for the screen by Eric Roth and directed by Martin Scorsese as his epic western film, Killers of the Flower Moon.
Set in 1920s Oklahoma and told through the improbable romance between the son of a poor cotton farmer named Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) and a wealthy Osage woman named Mollie Kyle – later Mollie Burkhart – (Lily Gladstone), the film tracks the suspicious murders of members of the Osage Nation. The movie also stars Robert De Niro, Jesse Plemons, Cara Jade Myers, JaNae Collins, Jillian Dion and Tantoo Cardinal.
Apple, in partnership with Paramount, will launch the film to a wide global theatrical release on October 20.
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Anna Kyle Brown – Circa 1900s
Image Credit: Vince Dillion/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Portrait of Anna Kyle Brown, the sister of Mollie Burkhart, who is played by Cara Jade Myers in the film.
Brown was one the first recorded victims in a series of more than 60 killings between 1918 and 1931, which came to be referred to in white society as the “Osage Indian murders.”
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Mollie Burkhart – Circa 1900s
Image Credit: Getty Images Mollie Burkhart, played by Lily Gladstone in the film, was a wealthy Osage woman who died in 1921, supposedly of tuberculosis, but authorities have always been doubtful the disease was her real cause of death.
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Rita Smith – Circa 1900s
Image Credit: Getty Images Rita Smith, the sister of Mollie Burkhart, who married former horse rustler Bill Smith. She was killed when her husband’s home was mysteriously blown up.
His first wife, also Osage, also died mysteriously.
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Henry Roan – Circa 1900s
Image Credit: VCG Wilson/Bettmann Archive Henry Roan, wealthy Osage, one of nine slain by a “murder ring” run by W.K. Hale, a wealthy rancher and oil magnate.
Hale was charged with the murder of Roan as part of a plot to obtain the fortunes the Osages received from their oil rights.
Hale also claimed he was one of Roan’s closest friends, and sought to collect a $30,000 life insurance policy after Roan’s death.
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Anna Sanford – Circa 1900s
Image Credit: VCG Wilson/Bettmann Archive Anna Sanford
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Charles Whitehorn – Circa 1900s
Image Credit: VCG Wilson/Bettmann Archive Charles Whitehorse was one of many wealthy Indians who met his death in a suspicious manner
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Lizzie Q – Circa 1900s
Image Credit: Getty Images Lizzie Q – mother of Mollie Burkhart, Anna Kyle Brown and Rita Smith – played by Tantoo Cardinal in the film
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William K. Hale Held for Murder – January 18, 1926
Image Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images William K. Hale, wealthy Oklahoman cattleman known as the “King of the Osage Hills,” played by Robert De Niro in the film. Haley was the head of the ring which plotted the deaths of the wealthy members of the Osage Indian tribe to gain control of their valuable oil holdings
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Osage Paul Red Eagle – 1895
Image Credit: George W. Parsons/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Photograph of Osage Paul Red Eagle (from Pawhuska, Oklahoma Territory), who was a student at A&M College
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Sisters of St Francis & Students at St John’s Mission – 1901
Image Credit: Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Photograph of Sisters of St Francis posing with Osage students at St John’s Mission, Gray Horse, Osage Nation, Indian Territory.
Mollie Burkhardt attended such a school where she was taught from the Bible, forbidden from speaking her native language and trained in “the domestic arts.”
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Osage In Washington Posing With Coolidge – January 20, 1924
Image Credit: Getty Images Osage representatives in Washington for meetings regarding their oil lands, were they were presented to the President by Indian Commissioner Burke. Photo shows the Osage posed with President Coolidge
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Coolidge With Native Osage – 1925
Image Credit: National Photo/Buyenlarge/Getty Images President Calvin Coolidge with four Osage at The White House.
In 1906, Osage Principal Chief James Bigheart and a half-Native lawyer named John Palmer had negotiated an innovative agreement with the U.S. government whereby every full-blood Osage retained their headrights on any mineral and oil deposits within the reservation. It made the Osage fabulously wealthy for a time.
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President Coolidgen Receives Osage Nation Representatives – January 20, 1927
Image Credit: Scherer/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Portrait of US President Calvin Coolidge (center right, with hat in hand) and unidentified representatives from the Osage Nation as they pose in front of the East Colonnade at the White House, Washington DC
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Pawhuska, Capitol of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma Territory – 1887
Image Credit: George W. Parsons/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Photograph of Pawhuska, Capitol of the Osage Nation, Pawhuska, Oklahoma Territory. The view includes a boardwalk running along a dirt road, a photograph gallery, the Agency building, and many other wooden buildings
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Osage women – Circa 1920s
Image Credit: VCG Wilson/Bettmann Archive Two Indian flappers accompanied the group. Left to right in the group are Mrs. Red Eagle, Miss Rose Wagoshe and Miss Mary Red Eagle. The child is little Miss Julia Red Eagle
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Osage School Girls’ Dormitory – 1902
Image Credit: Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Photograph of the Osage School Girls’ Dormitory, Pawhuska, Oklahoma Territory
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Osage Football Team – 1910
Image Credit: William J. Boag/Buyenlarge/Getty Images Osage School football team
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Osage Camp – 1906
Image Credit: O. Drum/Buyenlarge/Getty Images An Osage camp
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Oil Fire at Osage Oklahoma – 1910s
Image Credit: Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images A postcard labelled ‘Oil Fire Osage Okla.’ shows three teams of horses and several men with pick-axes, while thick, black smoke billows about overhead.
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Osage Dancers at Gray Horse Hall – Circa 1913 – 1914
Image Credit: Vince Dillion/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Photograph of a group of Osage male dancers posed around a large drum in front of the Gray Horse Hall roundhouse, Gray Horse, Oklahoma
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Osage George Newalla with an Unidentified Osage Man – Circa 1915
Image Credit: Vince Dillion/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Photograph of Osage George Newalla and an unidentified Osage man
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Osage Drying Bison Meat – Circa 1915
Image Credit: Vince Dillion/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Photograph of Osage drying bison meat at their camp, near Pawhuska, Oklahoma
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Wincombone, Native American Woman – Circa 1860
Image Credit: J. Lee Knight/Graphic House/Archive Photos/Getty Images Osage woman named Wincombone (which translates as Far Sighted)
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Bill McKinley with Osage men – Circa 1915
Image Credit: Vince Dillion/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Photograph of Bill McKinley who is on a horse, and two unidentified Osage men with horses after a rodeo
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Oil and gasoline fields of Oklahoma – 1918-1919
Image Credit: HUM Images/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Osage Hominy
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Portrait Of Three Osage Men Outside A Shop – Circa 1918 – 1919
Image Credit: Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Postcard features a photograph of three of unidentified men of the Osage Nation as they sit on a bench in front of shop, Pawhuska, Oklahoma Territory. At right is a staircase that features ads for, among others, Mrs OA Brown’s millinery shop and lawyer JM Worten
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Wedding Portrait Of Paul Albert & Wife – Circa 1920
Image Credit: George W Parsons/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Portrait of Paul Albert and his (unnamed) wife, both of the Osage Nation, at their wedding, Pawhuska, Oklahoma Territory, early 20th century
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Portrait Of Osage Women & Children – Circa 1918 – 1922
Image Credit: William J Boag/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Postcard features a photograph of a group of unidentified women and children of the Osage Nation, Pawhuska, Oklahoma Territory
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Portrait Of An Osage Woman & Children – Circa 1918 – 1922
Image Credit: Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Postcard features a photograph of an unidentified women and two children (one an infant) of the Osage Nation, Pawhuska, Oklahoma Territory
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Osage Election – Circa 1915
Image Credit: Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Osage election dinner, early twentieth century. The dinner is outdoors under tents, and people are gathered in rows with food laid out between them. Among the attendees are Charlie Tillman, Big Horse, Amos Osage and Mary Green Osage; many are from Fairfax, Oklahoma
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Portrait Of Osage Women & Children – Circa 1918 – 1922
Image Credit: William J Boag/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Postcard features a photograph of a pair of unidentified women and children of the Osage Nation, Pawhuska, Oklahoma Territory
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Charles Brave, Son of Chief Brave – 1919
Image Credit: H. T. Love/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Osage Charles Brave who was the son of Chief Brave, Oklahoma
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Osage Rope Maker – 1923
Image Credit: Vince Dillion/Oklahoma Historical Society/Getty Images Osage Rope Maker seated on a barrel holding a hatchet and a feathered fan
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Joseph Matthews at Home – December 16, 1937
Image Credit: CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images Joseph Matthews, Osage council member, author, historian, and Rhodes scholar, seated at home in front of his fireplace
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