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Jim McCain, when I left--I had made a lot of friends in those two days--said, “We've enjoyed having you here; and if ever I can do anything for you, you just let me know.” I laughed merrily and said, “What can you ever do for me in Manhattan, Kansas?" and gaily, off I went.

Well, shortly after that came the murder of the Clutter family--a man and his wife and two children murdered in cold blood in Garden City, Kansas. It was a front-page story all over the country. Local police were going crazy because they had no clues. It was an inside job obviously because the murderers knew where to hide their automobile, how to get into the house and exactly where the wall safe was located. So they figured it must be somebody in the town of Garden City, Kansas. The whole town was suspect.

One day Truman walks into my office and says, "The New Yorker is sending me out to cover that murder case.” I said, “You? In a west Kansas hamlet?" This was the first reaction of everybody--this elegant Mr. Capote going to this small town in Kansas. He got quite indignant at my surprise. He said, “I don't know a soul in the whole state of Kansas. You've got to introduce me to some people in Kansas.” This is what a publisher is for, I guess! Well, this was once that I could deliver the goods. I immediately remembered my friend Dr. McCain at Kansas State. I called him up and I said, “You remember that you said that if I wanted something I should come to you?" He said, “Yes. And I remember your laughing at me too.” I said, “Well, Jim, I apologize. You