A fascinating portrait of mid-1950s America by the iconic Charles Beaumont He was a leader of men, but he was evil. He was a stranger, but he brought lust and love, rape and hate to this quiet Southern town. He was … the intruder. It was a sleepy Southern town with nice folks and good schools. Then the intruder arrived from the North. With him came trouble, fear, and hate so vicious it could turn neighbor against neighbor, child against child, white against black-and destroy them all.