800,000 copies by 1998 and was a New York Times Best Seller. The Beardstown Ladies become a global phenomenon and TV stations from Germany, Brazil, and Japan were interviewing them and taping their monthly meetings in Beardstown. The seeds of scandal were planted in late 1998: a Chicago magazine noticed that the group's returns included the fees the women paid every month. Without them, the returns dwindled to just 9%, underperforming the Dow. An article in The Wall Street Journal led the ladies to hire an outside auditor, which proved they had indeed misstated their returns. Time magazine jokingly stated that they should be jailed for fraud and misrepresentation. , the Beardstown Ladies were still buying stocks. Their books can be bought from Amazon.com for mere pennies. Notable people Frank McErlane spent his last years here William "Duff" Armstrong, accused murderer, was tried in Beardstown and successfully defended by Abraham Lincoln. Walter Flanigan, co-founder of National Football League, born in Beardstown. Stanley J. Korsmeyer, physician, born in Beardstown, Richard Henry Mills, (born 1929) Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois (1985–1997). He was born in Beardstown. Red Norvo, jazz vibraphone pioneer, born in Beardstown. Janice O'Hara, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League player, born in Beardstown. Jesse Wallace, United States Navy Captain and the 27th unique Governor of American Samoa, born in Beardstown. Glen Seator (1956—2002), visual artist and architectural sculptor. See also Beardstown Community Unit School District 15 Beardstown Grand Opera House List of photographs of Abraham Lincoln Fourth principal meridian References Notes "Baseball My Opinion " by Larry Rahn..LCCN # 2008909837...published 10/27/2008 Further reading Croll, Philip Columbus, et al. "Thomas Beard, the Pioneer and Founder of Beardstown, Illinois." Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 10.2 (1917): 207-236. online Miraftab, Faranak. Global Heartland: Displaced Labor, Transnational Lives, and Local Placemaking (2016) excerpt, in-depth study of Beardstown by a professor at the University of Illinois. online review External links Harvesting the River: Beardstown at the Illinois State Museum website Beardstown Houston Memorial Library Beardstown Economic Development — requires JavaScript Cities in Illinois Populated places established in 1819 Cities in Cass County, Illinois 1819 establishments in Illinois