Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

This week we revisit one of my favorite Most Notorious episodes. In the small town of Isadore Michigan in 1907, a young nun named Janina disappeared. Ten years later, her body is discovered by a priest intent on building a new church on the foundation of the old one. Mardi Link, author of "Isadore's Secret", chats with me about the terrible circumstances surrounding the death of Sister Janina. The author's website: https://www.mardilink.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a warm August day in 1910, Sheriff Jake Houpt and his deputies attempted to arrest brothers George and Oscar Chitwood outside the Garland County Courthouse in Hot Springs, Arkansas. A gunfight soon erupted, leaving both the sheriff and George dead. And when Oscar himself was killed in December under the protection of deputies, a mob of mysterious masked men were blamed for the lynching. But evidence suggests the story of Oscar's death might have been a cover for something else. My guest is Christopher Thrasher, who along with fellow author and historian Guy Lancaster wrote the book "The Murder of Oscar Chitwood in Hot Springs, Arkansas". He summarizes this fascinating story for us on this latest episode of Most Notorious. Christopher Thrasher's Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Christopher-Thrasher/author/B0C3Z3ZGQK The book's publisher page: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/products/9781467153270 The Encyclopedia of Arkansas: https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Six months after losing a world title fight that remains infamous as one of the last mob fixes in boxing, Tyrone “The Butterfly” Everett—a flashy, handsome lightweight southpaw on the verge of stardom—was dead. Only twenty-four years old, he was shot in the head by his girlfriend, Carolyn McKendrick, who claimed that Everett had abused her throughout their relationship. But for years, street corner talk raised doubts about what actually took place in Philadelphia at 2710 Federal Street on May 26, 1977. My guest is journalist Sean Nam, author of "Murder on Federal Street: Tyrone Everett, the Black Mafia, Fixed Fights, and the Last Golden Age of Philadelphia Boxing." He gives us an outline of the drama and shares theories regarding who might be responsible for the up-and-coming fighter's demise, including the possible involvement of a violent Philly organization called "The Black Mafia". The author's website: https://www.murderonfederalstreet.com/ The author on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/seanpasbon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we have special back-to-back episodes from the History Daily podcast. The first shares the story of the capture of one of the UK's most notorious serial killers, the Yorkshire Ripper, and the second is about the tumultuous life of Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible. Visit the History Daily website for more information about the show. https://historydaily.org/ More about the Most Notorious podcast here: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On September 30, 1955, 24-year-old James Dean became immortal. While his young life ended in a car crash, James Dean passed into the realm of American folklore, where his memory remains today. What exactly happened on that fateful day 60 years ago? What events led to the tragic accident that cost Dean his life? What became of the people and vehicles involved in that unguarded moment at Cholame? Is there any truth to the idea of a "curse" associated with Dean and his Porsche Spyder? My guest is James Dean historian and author Lee Raskin. He has been on a lifelong quest to not only learn everything he can about life and death of Dean, but also the journey of the car he died in. His book is called "James Dean: On the Road to Salinas". The author's website: http://leeraskin.net/ More about him at Stance & Speed: https://www.stanceandspeed.com/lee-raskin/ Visit us at https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There were few experienced swimmers among over 1,300 Lower East Side residents who boarded the General Slocum on June 15, 1904. It shouldn’t have mattered, since the steamship was chartered only for a languid excursion from Manhattan to Long Island Sound. But a fire erupted minutes into the trip, forcing hundreds of terrified passengers into the water. By the time the captain found a safe shore for landing, 1,021 had perished.  "Ship Ablaze: The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum" draws on firsthand accounts to examine why the death toll was so high and how the city responded. Masterfully capturing both the horror of the event and the heroism of men, women, and children who faced crumbling life jackets and inaccessible lifeboats as the inferno quickly spread, historian Edward T. O’Donnell brings to life a bygone community while honoring the victims of that forgotten day. Edward O'Donnell's website: https://edwardtodonnell.com/ The author on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthepastlane/ The author on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@inthepastlane The author on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/InThePastLane The author on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InThePastLanePodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Phebe Wise was believed to be a witch by many locals in late 19th and early 20th century Mansfield, Ohio. Bucking societal norms, she lived alone on a large piece of property and would often march into town wearing her deceased mother's antique Civil War gowns. She also had her share of adversity, which included being the target of violent robbers and an obsessed stalker.  And her showdown with her stalker would lead to gunfire and death. My guest this week is Mark Sebastian Jordan, author of "The Witch of Mansfield: The Tetched Life of Phebe Wise." He shares stories from the life of this remarkable and eccentric woman.  The author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mark.jordan.794 The author's publisher page: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/products/9781467155212/ Buy the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Witch-Mansfield-Tetched-Phebe-Generic/dp/1467155217/ The author's Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/MarkSebastianJordan This episode is sponsored by Factor. Go to https://factormeals.com/notorious50 to get 50% off! Use code notorious50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

William J. Flynn, nicknamed "The Bulldog Detective", had a fascinating and accomplished career in law enforcement. While in the Secret Service he not only battled the Mafia in New York City, but also uncovered a sophisticated German spy ring on the cusp of America's entry into World War I.  As Director of the Bureau of Investigation, he devised the first counterterrorist strategy in United States history. He was a writer as well, contributing articles both to journals and to a true crime detective magazine which bore his name.  My guest is author and terrorism expert Jeffrey D. Simon, and his recently published book is called "The Bulldog Detective: William J. Flynn and America's First War against the Mafia, Spies, and Terrorists." He shares highlights from Flynn's riveting life and career.  Jeffrey Simon's website:  https://www.futureterrorism.com/ This episode is sponsored by Factor. Go to https://factormeals.com/notorious50 to get 50% off! Use code notorious50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is bestselling author Lou Ferrante. He was an associate in the Gambino crime family before going to prison, where he studied history and began writing books. He joins us to talk about the origins of the Sicilian Mafia and how they followed Italian immigrants to the United States, initially establishing themselves in crime-ridden New Orleans alongside a corrupt police force.  His new book is called "Borgata: Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia", the first volume of his Mafia trilogy.  More about Lou Ferrante and his work on his website: https://louisferrante.com/ Lou Ferrante's Simon & Schuster Publisher Page: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Borgata/Louis-Ferrante/Borgata-Trilogy/9781639366019 Lou Ferrante on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/louferrante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lana Turner's meteoric rise to fame after being discovered at a soda fountain by a talent scout in 1936 is a legendary Hollywood story. From that point forward, the starlet's life had been a series of exhilarating highs - including award-worthy performances in critically acclaimed films, and terrifying lows - as she suffered abuse by multiple men over the years. Among the men who terrorized her was her gangster boyfriend Johnny Stompanato, a bodyguard for Los Angeles crime boss Mickey Cohen. Cohen and Stompanato had been working together to extort money from Lana, but on April 4, 1958, that partnership ended when Stompanato was stabbed to death in Lana's home. Her daughter, Cheryl, would ultimately be tried for the killing.  My guest is New York Times bestselling author Casey Sherman. He shares details from his new book "A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime".  Casey Sherman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseyshermanwrites Casey Sherman on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/caseysherman123 Casey Sherman on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casey.sherman/ Help the show out by filling out this brief survey. A big thank you from Erik!  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mostnotorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Vivian Gordon went out before midnight in a velvet dress and mink coat. Her body turned up the next morning in a desolate Bronx park, a dirty clothesline wrapped around her neck. At her stylish Manhattan apartment, detectives discovered notebooks full of names—businessmen, socialites, gangsters. And something else: a letter from an anti-corruption commission established by Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Led by the imperious Judge Samuel Seabury, the commission had uncovered a police conspiracy to frame women as prostitutes. Had Vivian Gordon been executed to bury her secrets? As FDR pressed the police to solve her murder, Judge Seabury pursued the trail of corruption to the top of Gotham’s powerful political machine—the infamous Tammany Hall. My guest is author Michael Wolraich, and his brand-new book is called "The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age". He shares the story of Vivian Gordon, her 1931 murder, and the dramatic effect it had on New York City politics. More about the author here: https://michaelwolraich.com/ This episode is sponsored by Factor. Go to https://factormeals.com/notorious50 to get 50% off! Use code notorious50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On August 17th, 1849, London police officers made a grisly discovery at the home of George and Maria (born Marie de Roux) Manning. Her former beau, Patrick O'Connor, had been buried under the floor. A nationwide hunt for the couple would follow, and after that a trial and executions. The murder case would grip London so fervently that Madame Tussaud would later add wax versions of the couple to her infamous Chamber of Horrors.  My guest today is Gavin Whitehead, creator, writer and narrator of The Art of Crime podcast, which is currently in its third season.  More about The Art of Crime here:  https://www.artofcrimepodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gille de Rais is a complicated historical figure. On one hand he was a French military hero - a man who fought side by side with Joan of Arc - and revered for his service to church and state. On the other he was an accused heretic, an occultist, and the self-confessed serial killer of hundreds of children.  My guest is Margot K. Juby, author of "The Martyrdom of Gilles de Rais". She believes that there is not enough evidence to prove that de Rais committed the monstrous crimes he has been accused of, and argues her case on this latest episode of Most Notorious.  A short animated film about the author and her book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBYgr7L-NSk The author's blog: http://www.gillesderaiswasinnocent.co.uk/ The author's Twitter/X handle: https://twitter.com/MorbidMorag Buy her book on US Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Martyrdom-Gilles-Rais-Margot-Juby/dp/1729561357 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a well-to-do couple named Charles and Lois Hitchcock are discovered hacked to death on their fruit farm in Garden Grove, California in January of 1888, suspicions quickly turn to an itinerant German, who has been looking to buy a property in the area.   This is a special "this day in true crime history" episode of Most Notorious, narrated by Erik Rivenes.  References:   Los Angeles Evening Express, 1/27/1888, p. 5. Los Angeles Times, 1/27/1888 p. 4.  Los Angeles Evening Express, 1/28/1888 p. 5 Los Angeles Times, 1/28/1888 p. 4 Los Angeles Herald, 2/1/1888 p. 2, 4. Los Angeles Evening Express, 2/18/1888 p. 5 Los Angeles Herald, 2/19/1888 p. 2 Los Angeles Herald 3/16/88 p. 4 Los Angeles Evening Express, 10/22/1888 p. 8 Los Angeles Evening Express, 11/2/1888 p. 1 Los Angeles Evening Express, 11/15/1888 p. 1  Los Angeles Herald 11/15/1888 p. 1 Orange County history: http://www.ocalmanac.com/History/hi01d.htm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Creek War is one of the most tragic episodes in American history, leading to the greatest loss of Native American life on what is now U.S. soil. What began as a vicious internal conflict among the Creek Indians metastasized like a cancer. The ensuing Creek War of 1813-1814 shattered Native American control of the Deep South and led to the infamous Trail of Tears, in which the government forcibly removed the southeastern Indians from their homeland. The war also gave Andrew Jackson his first combat leadership role, and his newfound popularity after defeating the Creeks would set him on the path to the White House. My guest is international award-winning author Peter Cozzens. His book "A Brutal Reckoning: Andrew Jackson, the Creek Indians, and the Epic War for the American South" is the third in his trilogy about America's westward expansion. Visit the author's website here: https://www.petercozzens.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prolific Australian crime writer Roy Maloy is my guest this week. He gives us the scoop on the complex and violent legacy of Melbourne gangster Squizzy Taylor. Highlights include Squizzy's marriage to notorious madam Dolly Gray, the infamous 1919 Fitzroy Vendetta, and his own bloody death at the hands of his rivals.  His book is called "Squizzy - The Biography: The Forensics - The Man - The Vendetta."  The author's Linktree page: https://linktr.ee/RoyMaloy The author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/roymaloy The author's TikTok account: https://www.tiktok.com/@roymaloy4 Readers in the United States can buy the book through Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Squizzy-Biography-Forensics-Man-Vendetta/dp/1716377986/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Four-time guest and author Kimberly Tilley joins me once again, this time to talk about two unsolved historical mysteries. First, she tells the story of nineteen-year-old Lillian Hawkins, who was harassed by a murderous stalker in turn-of-the-twentieth century Ohio. Then we're off to 1920 Los Angeles, where a bit-part Hollywood actress named Ruby Reed was brutally slain in her home.  More about Lillian Hawkins' wild story here: https://oldspirituals.com/2023/06/29/mysterious-persecution-1/ More about Ruby Reed's murder and investigation here:   https://oldspirituals.com/2023/08/13/ruby-murder-1/ "Love's Old Sweet Song" by Irene Pavloska: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIvz5zEaRBw&t=17s This episode is sponsored by HelloFresh. Go to https://www.hellofresh.com/notoriousfree to get free breakfast for life! (One breakfast item per box while subscription is active.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Most Notorious holiday re-release, we revisit an interview that got a lot of attention when it first aired. This is my interview with Lise Pearlman about the fascinating research she did in the infamous 1932 Lindbergh kidnapping, and her jaw-dropping conclusions about who was really behind it all. More information on Lise and her books can be found at her website here: www.lisepearlman.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the most colorful criminals in 19th-century California history was a man that you may not have ever heard of - Charley Flynn, aka Charles Mortimer. Flynn was a charmer and a ne'er-do-well whose life was something right out of a movie - a seemingly non-stop series of dramatic robberies and daring escapes. Flynn's activities turned terribly violent, however, after partnering with fellow criminal Carrie Jones, and culminated in two horrific murders and his eventual execution. My guest is author and editor of the Wild West History Association Journal, Matthew Bernstein. He joins me to talk about his book "Hanging Charley Flynn: The Short and Violent Life of the Boldest Criminal in Frontier California". More about the author and his work here: https://www.unmpress.com/9780826365040/hanging-charley-flinn/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It was a chilly December night in 1956 when young Barbara and Patricia Grimes, dedicated fans of Elvis Presley, set out to watch "Love Me Tender" for the eleventh time. Their disappearance sparked a desperate search, fueled by countless sightings and reports. Yet, despite the intense media frenzy and police efforts, the case was riddled by confusion, misinformation, and potential corruption that have obscured the truth for decades. In this episode, we discuss the web of possible suspects, including the enigmatic figure of Benny Bedwell, the rumors of sex trafficking rings, and the disturbing confessions that only added layers to this mystery. Author and historian Troy Taylor is my guest, and he offers his insights from his book "The Two Lost Girls: The Mystery of the Grimes Sisters". The author's website: https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Monday, February 13, 1905, eight- year-old Kenneth Beasley walked to the back of his school’s playground and into the melting snow of the woods beyond. He never returned. A massive search was undertaken for the North Carolina state senator’s son, and a reward was offered. Despite clues, rumors and even a ransom note, he was never found. A year and a half later, a political rival hurriedly was charged. Accused of the most bizarre and twisted of plots, he faced a courtroom overflowing with jurors, star lawyers, spectators and newspaper reporters. The eventual verdict and stunning aftermath would rip apart two families and shock a state ... yet leave a mystery unsolved. My guest is former criminal defense attorney Charles Oldham, author of "THE SENATORS SON: The Shocking Disappearance, The Celebrated Trial, and The Mystery That Remains A Century Later."  More about the author and his work here:  https://beachglassbooks.com/books/the-senators-son This episode is sponsored by HelloFresh. Go to https://www.hellofresh.com/notoriousfree to get free breakfast for life! (One breakfast item per box while subscription is active.) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Few American criminals have captured the imagination of Hollywood like Charles Starkweather, a red-haired James Dean wannabe who murdered eleven people in 1957 and 58.  With him during most of his killing spree was his girlfriend (and possible accomplice) Caril Ann Fugate. Among the victims were Caril's own mother, step-father and little sister. My guest, Edgar award winner and bestselling author Harry N. MacLean, knew the Starkweather family as a boy in Lincoln, Nebraska. One of his main goals in writing his book, "Starkweather: The Untold Story of the Killing Spree that Changed America", was to examine more closely the question of whether 14-year-old Caril was complicit in the murders, or instead coerced by Starkweather to participate. The author's website:   https://www.harrymaclean.com/ This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Brighten the season and go to https://www.betterhelp.com/notorious to get 10% off of your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In my final interview of this Ripper series, I chat with Sarah Bax Horton, author of a recently published book called "One-Armed Jack: Uncovering the Real Jack the Ripper". Her prime suspect is Hyam Hyams, whose distinctive physical characteristics (including a stiff arm) match period eye-witness descriptions of the killer. She also has a personal connection to the story - her great-great grandfather was a police sergeant in Whitechapel during the Ripper murders. The U.S. Amazon link to the author's book:  https://www.amazon.com/One-Armed-Jack-Uncovering-Real-Ripper/dp/178929536X More about the author and her book here:  https://www.mombooks.com/book/one-armed-jack/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Was the real identity of Jack the Ripper a Whitechapel horse slaughterer named James Hardiman? And if so, could he have committed the Thames Torso Murders as well?  My guest is Dr. Drew Gray, who along with Andrew Wise wrote the book "Jack and the Thames Torso Murders: A New Ripper?" He makes the case for Hardiman as our Jack the Ripper limited series continues.  Drew Gray's blog: https://thepolicemagistrate.blog/ Amazon link to his Jack the Ripper book: https://www.amazon.com/Jack-Thames-Torso-Murders-Ripper/dp/1445687763/ Amazon link to his book "Murder Maps": https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Maps-Revisited-Phrenology-Fingerprint/dp/0500252459/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Historian James L. Neibaur, author of "Butterfly in the Rain: The 1927 Abduction and Murder of Marion Parker", talks about the horrific kidnapping and murder of little Marion Parker in Jazz-age Los Angeles. Also, Mark Lee Gardner joins me for a chat about the latest rash of Billy the Kid photographs that have surfaced and their legitimacy. Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MostNotorious1 Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aaron Kosminski is one of the more well known suspects in the Whitechapel murders. Some of the major police officials of the era, in fact, were seriously concerned about his potential involvement in the brutal Autumn of Terror slayings. My guest, Robert House, has studied Aaron Kosminski for years, and shares details of his investigation with us. He is the author of "Jack the Ripper and the Case for Scotland Yard's Prime Suspect". The author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100051505763425 You can purchase the book here:  https://www.amazon.com/Ripper-Scotland-Yards-Prime-Suspect/dp/0470938994 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Prolific author M.J. Trow returns to Most Notorious to kick off a series of interviews about the Jack the Ripper. In his 2009 book "Jack the Ripper: Quest for a Killer", he argues that a mortuary attendant named Robert Mann stalked Whitechapel during the Autumn of Terror, and presents his case that Mann had motive, means and opportunity to murder.  M.J. Trow's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/M.-J.-Trow/author/B001H9U1B6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is my favorite John Dillinger expert, Ellen Poulsen. She returns to regale us with a colorful account of the Dillinger Gang's ill-fated Tucson, Arizona vacation in January of 1934. Ellen is the author of "Chasing Dillinger", "Don't Call Us Molls" and "The Case Against Lucky Luciano", and is back for her fourth visit to Most Notorious.  More about Ellen and her books here: https://www.ellenpoulsen.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 16, 1900, a bitter feud between a former Kentucky congressman and colonel named David Grant Colson and a fellow officer, Ethelbert Dudley Scott, reached its bloody climax as they fought it out with pistols in a crowded hotel lobby in Frankfort. Both believed their honor had been besmirched by the other, and that the death of one of them was the inevitable outcome. My guest is Thomas E. Stephens, who has a personal connection to this story, and wrote about it in the Register of the Kentucky Historical Society in 2000. More about the author and his work at his Amazon page here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Thomas-E.-Stephens/author/B003D8MHKW The author's article: Stephens, Thomas E.  Congressman David Grant Colson and the Tragedy of the Fourth Kentucky Volunteer Infantry. The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society. Vol. 98, No. 1 (Winter 2000), pp. 43-102 This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit https://www.betterhelp.com/notorious to get 10% off your first month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a lot of buzz about Taylor Sheridan's newest television series Lawmen: Bass Reeves, and this week's guest, Old West author and historian Art T. Burton, is here to separate fact from fiction. He tells us about the exploits of this legendary Deputy U.S. Marshal, not only one of the first African-American marshals in United States history, but arguably the greatest lawman of his era.  Art Burton's book is called "Black Gun, Silver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves".  More about the author and his book can be found at his website here: https://www.artburton.com/ The author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004081261210 This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh. Order here and get 50% off plus free shipping! http://www.hellofresh.com/50notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mackinac Island, Michigan is a special place. Summers there are always bustling with tourists, who come in droves to enjoy its history, beauty and charm. However on July 24, 1960 a horrific event shook the residents of the peaceful island. A 49-year-old widow named Francis Lacey was viciously murdered at the end of a morning walk. Law enforcement officers from across Michigan joined the hunt to find her killer, but the case still remains unsolved today.  My guest is Rod Sadler, author and retired police officer. He shares details about the case and discusses some of the many suspects that kept police very busy that summer. His book is called "GRIM PARADISE: The Cold Case Search for the Mackinac Island Killer".  The author's website: https://www.rodsadler.com/ His Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/RodSadlerAuthor/ His Twitter/X handle: https://twitter.com/RMSauthor His Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/therodsadler/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From the 1930s to the 1950s, Irish altar-boy turned gangster Eddie McGrath ruled New York City's West Side waterfront. Not only did he provide union muscle for the International Longshoreman's Association, but he was also involved in dozens of gangland shootings and murders. My guest, Neil G. Clark, is the author of "Dock Boss: Eddie McGrath and the West Side Waterfront". He tells the story of McGrath's violent rise to power as the leader of New York City's Irish Mob and some of the terrible acts he committed to keep it. The author's website: https://www.neilgclark.com/ This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh. Order here and get 50% off plus free shipping! http://www.hellofresh.com/50notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When two General Motors executives drove into Crater Lake National Park in July 1952, no one could predict they would be dead within an hour—not even their killers. It was a crime of opportunity, a botched robbery during the middle of summer in a crowded national park. When Albert Jones and Charles Culhane were found shot to death two days later, the story became a national obsession. The FBI used every resource and available agent but, as time wore on, the investigation ran out of steam. A lack of evidence worked to the killer’s advantage. He had committed a perfect crime. My guest is Monty Orrick, author of "The Crater Lake Murders: The story of the 1952 murders of two General Motors executives and the search for a killer hiding in plain sight." He not only shares details about the crime and its aftermath, but also offers his own theory on who he believes murdered Albert Jones and Charles Culhane on that fateful summer day.  The author's page at Genius Books: https://geniusbookpublishing.com/products/the-crater-lake-murders?variant=46302290870551 The author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100093321581643 This episode is also sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp and get 10% off your first month! https://www.betterhelp.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Born in Texas to immigrant parents in 1855, Charles Siringo lived a fascinating life from the very start. At the age of twelve Charlie went on his first cattle drive, and then spent decades working as a cowboy. Along the way crossed paths with legendary Old West figures like Bat Masterson, Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett. He was in Chicago during the Haymarket Riot, protected famed attorney Clarence Darrow from a lynch mob, and as a Pinkerton detective pursued Butch Cassidy and the Wild Bunch for years. And he was also an author, writing multiple books about his many adventures. In the last years of his life he went to Hollywood, where he acted as as advisor to filmmakers churning out early 1920s westerns. My guest is Nathan Ward, who has written the definitive biography of Charlie Siringo, called "Son of the Old West: The Odyssey of Charlie Siringo: Cowboy, Detective, Writer of the Wild Frontier." More about the author here: https://www.nathanwardwriter.com/ This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh. Order here and get 50% off plus free shipping! http://www.hellofresh.com/50notorious This episode is also sponsored by BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp and get 10% off your first month! https://www.betterhelp.com/notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On August 4, 1933, Eleanor Jarman, her boyfriend George Dale and another accomplice attempted to rob a Chicago clothing store owner, Gustav Hoeh. Hoeh fought back and was murdered by Dale. Eleanor still received a 199 year prison sentence for her part in the crime, but after serving just seven years she escaped with a fellow inmate. From that point on she became a fugitive (never caught) and likely holds the distinction of being the longest-running female fugitive in American history. My guest, Silvia Pettem, is a Colorado author who specializes in cold cases. She not only walks us through Eleanor's interesting life, but also shares with us where she believes Eleanor (nicknamed "the Blonde Tigress by the Chicago Press) eventually ended up. Her book is called "In Search of the Blonde Tigress: The Untold Story of Eleanor Jarman". More about the author and her work here:  http://www.silviapettem.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 14, 1858, Felice Orsini and his fellow Italian revolutionaries tossed his newly designed bombs at the carriage of Emperor Napoleon III, outside of the Paris Opera House. This frightening new form of terrorism would have global ramifications, inspiring nihilists, anarchists, nationalists and others, angry about a wide range of injustices both real and perceived, to create chaos around the world. My guest is Dr. James Crossland, author of "The Rise of Devils: Fear and the Origins of Modern Terrorism". He walks us through the evolution of terrorism in the second half of the nineteenth century and talks about some of the events historically associated with terrorism in this period, including the assassinations of President William McKinley and Tsar Alexander II and Chicago's Haymarket Riot. More about the author here: https://www.ljmu.ac.uk/about-us/staff-profiles/faculty-of-arts-professional-and-social-studies/humanities-and-social-science/james-crossland You can purchase the book through Amazon here:  https://www.amazon.com/rise-devils-origins-modern-terrorism/dp/1526160676/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In February of 1959, Albert Lepard brutally murdered his seventy-four-year-old great-aunt Mary Young and was tried, convicted and given a life sentence at Mississippi's Parchman Penitentiary. Lepard would escape six times over fourteen years. In 1968, my guest Lovejoy Boteler, then eighteen years old, was kidnapped by Lepard during his fifth escape. He shares details about the research he has done over the years on the notorious Lepard, and tells the story of his own abduction. Lovejoy Boteler is the author of "Crooked Snake: The Life and Crimes of Albert Lepard." The book is available through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Crooked-Snake-Crimes-Albert-Lepard-ebook/dp/B07PNRCP84. You can listen to the audio version on Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Crooked-Snake-Audiobook/1494548844 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Most Notorious, we examine one of the most infamous true crime cases in North Carolina history. On a cold autumn evening in 1901 a young woman named Nell Cropsey stepped out of her house with her spurned suitor, Jim Wilcox. She was never seen alive again. Wilcox later told police that he had broken up with her, leaving her crying on her porch, and then gone home. Over a month later her body (in pristine condition according to the coroner) was pulled out of the Pasquotank River. My guest, Dr. William Dunstan, grew up in Elizabeth City where Nell's murder took place, and has been interested in this case since he was a boy. He believes that Jim Wilcox was innocent and has his own theory on what might have happened to her - and it includes a fascinating family connection. He is the author of "Nell Cropsey and Jim Wilcox: The Chill of Destiny." Purchase Dr. Dunstan's book through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nell-Cropsey-Jim-Wilcox-Destiny/dp/1530121671 This episode is sponsored by Hello Fresh. Order here and support the show with 50% off plus free shipping! http://www.hellofresh.com/50notorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Built in 1927, the German ocean liner SS Cap Arcona was the greatest ship since the RMS Titanic and one of the most celebrated luxury liners in the world. When the Nazis seized control in Germany, she was stripped down for use as a floating barracks and troop transport. Later, during the war, Hitler's minister, Joseph Goebbels, cast her as the "star" in his epic propaganda film about the sinking of the legendary Titanic. Following the film's enormous failure, the German navy used the Cap Arcona to transport German soldiers and civilians across the Baltic, away from the Red Army's advance. In the Third Reich's final days, the ill-fated ship was packed with thousands of concentration camp prisoners. Without adequate water, food, or sanitary facilities, the prisoners suffered as they waited for the end of the war. Just days before Germany surrendered, the Cap Arcona was mistakenly bombed by the British Royal Air Force, and nearly all of the prisoners were killed in the last major tragedy of the Holocaust and one of history's worst maritime disasters. Prolific author Robert Watson returns as my guest on this week's episode of Most Notorious. He is the author of "The Nazi Titanic: The Incredible Untold Story of a Doomed Ship in World War II".  More about the author and his work at his website: http://robertwatson.net/ This episode is sponsored by ZocDoc. Go here to download the Zocdoc app for free to find a top-rated doctor (and support the show) https://www.zocdoc.com/most Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the early morning of January 21st, 1935 two employees of the Capital Transit Company in Chevy Chase, Maryland were cold-bloodedly gunned down. One of the men murdered was my guest's great-great uncle Emory Smith. As the police investigated the list of compelling suspects grew, but a powerful cover-up appeared to be in play, ultimately preventing the perpetrators from facing justice.  Former forensic detective Karen Smith joins me today to talk about her extensive personal investigation into this 88-year-old cold case, and she shares some of the shocking evidence she uncovered during her research. Karen is the host of the popular podcast "Shattered Souls", available wherever podcasts are heard.  Shattered Souls at Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shattered-souls/id679462887 Shattered Souls at Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ny3a6GvvVkMGPz0TTZRpP This episode is sponsored by ZocDoc. Go here to download the Zocdoc app for free to find a top-rated doctor (and support the show) https://www.zocdoc.com/most Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Award-winning author and historian Robert Watson is my guest this week. He talks about the Confederacy's notorious Libby Prison, located in Richmond, Virginia during the Civil War. Resourceful Union officers, held captive under extraordinarily brutal conditions, managed to pull off a daring prison break in February of 1864. The manhunt that followed would be one of the largest in American history.  His book is called "Escape!: The Story of the Confederacy's Infamous Libby Prison and the Civil War's Largest Jail Break".  More about the author and his work at his website: http://robertwatson.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is Bill Cassara, author of "Nobody's Stooge: Ted Healy". First he walks us through vaudeville performer Ted Healy's rise to Hollywood stardom, including his creation of the Three Stooges, up to his untimely death in 1937. Then he addresses the longstanding rumors that Healy was murdered - either by the mob or by a fellow actor. Note: please listen to the very end - I do a follow up call with Bill to ask a few more questions. Here is a link to the author's books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=bill+cassara&ref=nb_sb_noss The author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/BillCassaraBooks Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On January 7th, 1872, "Jubilee Jim" Fisk was murdered on a staircase in New York City's Grand Central Hotel. His killer (the lover of Fisk's former girlfriend Josie Mansfield) was furious at being targeted by the financier as the two parties battled in the courts. My guest this week is bestselling historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist H.W. Brands, author of "The Murder of Jim Fisk for the Love of Josie Mansfield". He not only talks about Fisk's sensational murder, but he also explains some of the outrageous financial schemes Fisk and his partner Jay Gould were involved in, including attempts to take control of the Erie Railroad and to corner the gold market. More about the author and his book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/209467/the-murder-of-jim-fisk-for-the-love-of-josie-mansfield-by-hw-brands/ H.W. Brands' Twitter handle: https://twitter.com/hwbrands Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

David "Stringbean" Akeman was a singer, clawhammer banjo player and an early Grand Ole Opry star, known for his lanky build and comedic personality. And as a cast member of the nationwide television show Hee-Haw, he was at the height of his popularity when he and his wife Estelle were murdered in their rural Tennessee home in November of 1973. My guest this week is Professor Taylor Hagood, author of "Stringbean: The Life and Murder of a Country Music Legend". He walks us through the fascinating life of this unique musician, the murders that left the nation reeling, and the investigation that led police to the killers. The author's website: https://www.taylorhagood.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dick Turpin is one Britain's most famous criminals, a murderous highwayman whose nefarious deeds became romanticized decades after his execution. My guest is James Sharpe, who shares Turpin's story and dispels some of the myths that have grown around the outlaw over the years. His book is called "Dick Turpin: The Myth of the English Highwayman". More about the author here: https://www.york.ac.uk/history/people/honorary/sharpe Go here to download the Zocdoc app for free to find a top-rated doctor (and support the show) https://www.zocdoc.com/most Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Independence Day to all of my American listeners, as we finally reach episode 300! A slight deviation this week from the typical true crime tragedy and disaster content - my guest is best-selling historian Eric Jay Dolin, author of "Rebels at Sea: Privateering in the American Revolution". America's new government, in an effort to stand up against Britain's formidable navy, issued letters of marque to privately owned ships, allowing them to seize British merchant vessels and men of war. Eric Jay Dolin explains the importance of privateering to the American cause and shares stories of some of the men who served on these privateers, including Captain Jonathan Haradan, whose heroic exploits helped shape the war's outcome, and free-born African-American sailor James Forten, who would become a British prisoner of war and later in life a wealthy businessman and abolitionist. The author's website: https://www.ericjaydolin.com/ Go here to download the Zocdoc app for free to find a top-rated doctor (and support the show) https://www.zocdoc.com/most Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this first ever episode re-release, Erik revisits his 2016 interview with New York Times Bestselling author Steve Hodel, author of "The Black Dahlia Avenger". Hodel explains why he believes that the 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short, aka the Black Dahlia, was committed by his father, physician George Hodel. More about Steve Hodel and his work here: https://stevehodel.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is bestselling author Anthony M. Amore, director of security and chief investigator at Boston's Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. He shares the story of Rose Dugdale, an Oxford educated former debutante who rejected her wealthy and privileged life and joined the ranks of the Irish Republican Army in the early 1970s. Included in her notorious exploits was the attempted aerial bombing of a police station and the biggest art theft of her era. Anthony Amore's book is called "The Woman Who Stole Vermeer: The True Story of Rose Dugdale and the Russborough House Art Heist." More the author and his work can be found at his website: http://www.anthonyamore.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a chilly January night in 1932, a wealthy industrialist named Howard Woolverton was snatched from his car by kidnappers. When he was released unharmed the next day, his apparent lack of concern for the capture of his abductors led many to believe he was attempting to halt the investigation. J. Edgar Hoover would later name George Kelly Barnes, aka "Machine Gun Kelly" and his wife Kathryn as participants in his abduction, but evidence suggests other notorious gangsters were also involved, and the case itself has never officially been solved. My guest Kevin Meredith collaborated with Woolverton's grandson David W. Hendry to write “Under Penalty of Death: The Untold Story of Machine Gun Kelly's First Kidnapping.” In this interview he theorizes about why Hoover might have ignored other possible suspects, including Verne Miller and Frank "Jelly" Nash, and explains how this little-known kidnapping, along with the Lindbergh kidnapping that followed closely on its heels, helped usher in the 1932 Federal Kidnapping Act. The author's publisher page: https://iupress.org/9781684351992/under-penalty-of-death/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At about 11 pm on July 18, 1959, Dr. Bernard Finch and his girlfriend Carole Ann Tregoff arrived at the Finch home in West Covina, California with a plan to murder his wife Barbara and make her death look like an accident. Things did not go as planned, however, and after a struggle Finch ended up shooting her dead. From there he fled, ultimately leading police on a high speed chase through the city. And he escaped - at least temporarily. My guest is Steve Kosareff, author of "Satin Pumps: The Moonlit Murder That Mesmerized The Nation", and he has a personal connection to Dr. Finch. He explains the connection, along with other interesting details of this sordid and sensational case. The author's Twitter handle: @SatinPumps A YouTube video posted by the author with photographs of the case. Satin Pumps available on Amazon. Information about the book from the publisher. The author's website. Go here to download the Zocdoc app for free to find a top-rated doctor (and support the show) https://www.zocdoc.com/most Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the years following the 1906 Atlanta Race Riot, a wave of terror rocked the city. Over twenty black women were brutally murdered, often in a fashion that mimicked the infamous Jack the Ripper murders twenty years earlier. My guest is Dr. Jeffery Wells, author of "The Atlanta Ripper: The Unsolved Case of the Gate City's Most Infamous Murders". He talks about the racially-charged atmosphere of Atlanta in the 1910s, the likelihood that the rash of murders were committed by multiple people and the connection between the Atlanta Ripper killings and the sensational Mary Phagan murder case. More about the author and his book here: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/9781609493813/The-Atlanta-Ripper-The-Unsolved-Case-of-the-Gate-Citys-Most-Infamous-Murders Dr. Wells' Georgia history blog: http://georgiamysteries.blogspot.com/ For a list of victims attributed to the Atlanta Murderer or Murderers, click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1906. When a young white woman is assaulted in a dark cemetery, the town erupts. Despite questionable evidence and a flawed trial, a black man named Ed Johnson is convicted of the crime and sentenced to death. Before he can be executed, the U.S. Supreme Court intervenes. Despite their order, a bloodthirsty mob attacks the county jail, and lynches Johnson. The infuriated high court is determined Ed Johnson's murder will not go unpunished, and they charge Joseph Shipp, the county sheriff, with contempt. Desperate to save his political career and fearful of the reckoning he faces, the ambitious sheriff deteriorates under the strain of the case against him. After failing to solve another shocking crime, Shipp does the unthinkable. He gambles on the ability of Dave Edwards, a notoriously violent inmate in his jail, to solve the high-profile cold case. Despite a pending trial for first-degree murder, the sheriff releases Edwards. It's not long until Dave's madness manifests itself, with dreadful consequences. My guest is Kimberly Tilley, back for the fourth time to Most Notorious, this time to talk about her fascinating new book called "Grievous Deeds: The True Story of Four Years of Fury in Chattanooga, Tennessee". More about Kimberly's historical research and writing here: https://oldspirituals.com/ Kimberly is also a co-founder of Pivot Discovery Career Services. If you're thinking about making changes to your work life, connect with Kimberly here: https://pivotdisc.com/ Our "The Poisoned Glass" interview from 9/5/19. Our "Cold Heart" interview from 12/9/20. Our "Has It Come to This?" interview from 4/3/22. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My guest this week is award-winning writer David Grann, whose new book, "The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder", is currently number one on the New York Times Hardcover Non-Fiction Best Sellers list. It's the tale of HMS Wager, a British warship that gets separated from the rest of its squadron while in pursuit of a treasure-filled Spanish galleon. The ship wrecks off the coast of Chile and the surviving crew members face off against each other amidst disease, cold and starvation - with deadly results. The author's website: https://www.davidgrann.com/ Our previous interview about his book "Killers of the Flower Moon": https://www.mostnotorious.com/2022/04/14/mono-classics-oklahomas-osage-murders-w-david-grann/ Go here to download the Zocdoc app for free to find a top-rated doctor (and support the show) https://www.zocdoc.com/most Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the 1870s and 80s the nation was embroiled in a sensational scandal. Corrupt politicians, post office officials and others conspired to defraud the United States Post Office out of millions of dollars. It was only under the watchful eye of newly elected President James Garfield that an in-depth investigation began. My guest is Shawn Francis Peters, author of "When Bad Men Combine: The Star Route Scandal and the Twilight of Gilded Age Politics." He not only explains the graft and its consequences, but also shares his thoughts about the theory that Garfield's assassination was in fact connected to the scandal. More about the book here: https://lsupress.org/books/detail/when-bad-men-combine/ If you haven't done so already, listen to my prior conversation with Shawn about Gilded-Age murderer Harry Hayward at Minnesota's Most Notorious: Where Blood Runs Cold. Go here to download the Zocdoc app for free to find a top-rated doctor (and support the show) https://www.zocdoc.com/most Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Philip Van Cise faced a double threat when he became Denver's district attorney in 1921. He quickly discovered that a massive bunco ring was operating unimpeded in downtown Denver, fleecing unsuspecting rubes out of enormous amounts of money. In addition, the Ku Klux Klan was gaining popularity across the state - winning key elections as it encouraged vigilantism and threatened many Denver citizens. My guest, Alan Prendergast, tells Van Cise's story in his new book, "Gangbuster: One Man's Battle Against Crime, Corruption, and the Klan". The author's website: https://alanprendergast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For decades following the horrific 1918 execution of the Romanov family, many hoped against hope that one or more of the children had escaped the bullets and bayonets of the Bolsheviks. And when a young woman came forward with an incredible story - that she was the real Grand Duchess Anastasia and had in fact survived the massacre - it sent shock waves around the world.My returning guests are Penny Wilson and Greg King, co-authors of "The Resurrection of the Romanovs: Anastasia, Anna Anderson, and the World's Greatest Royal Mystery". They present to us the evidence that proves that Anna Anderson was one of history's greatest imposters.Their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kingandwilsonFollow them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AtlantisMagazinMore about their book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Resurrection-Romanovs-Anastasia-Anderson-Greatest/dp/0470444983This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4698315/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On June 25, 1876, in the valley of the Little Big Horn, Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, and the warriors who were inspired to follow them, fought the last stand of the Sioux, a fierce and proud nation that had ruled the Great Plains for decades. It was their greatest victory, but it was also the beginning of the end for their treasured and sacred way of life. And in the years to come, both Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull, defiant to the end, would meet violent—and eerily similar—fates. Award-winning historian and author Mark Lee Gardner joins me once again, and it's been a while! He is the author of "The Earth Is All That Lasts: Crazy Horse, Sitting Bull, and the Last Stand of the Great Sioux Nation", which True West Magazine declared the best non-fiction book of 2022. It is both a dual biography of two iconic Lakota leaders and also a detailed account of arguably the most famous battle in the history of the American West. Mark's website: https://songofthewest.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the summer of 1483 Edward and Richard, sons of the deceased King Edward IV, disappeared from the Tower of London, where they were being held by the recently crowned Richard III. There are countless theories about their fate. Some believe that were secretly whisked away and survived into adulthood. Some are convinced that Richard III had them murdered, a theory perpetuated by Sir Thomas More and William Shakespeare. But other suspects linger in the background as well. My guest, M.J. Trow, believes he knows who killed the Princes in the Tower, and he shares his thoughts on this week's episode of Most Notorious. His book is called "The Killer of the Princes in the Tower: A New Suspect Revealed". For more on M.J. Trow's books, visit his Amazon page here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

From World War I through the 1920s a midwife known as Auntie Suzy readily supplied arsenic to women in a small Hungarian village. The women, who would become known as "the Angel Makers", used the poison to murder their husbands and other relatives. As the years passed and no punishment followed the killers became more emboldened, leaving hundreds of victims in their wake before they were finally caught and their crimes brought to light in 1929. My guest is award-winning journalist Patti McCracken, author of "The Angel Makers: Arsenic, a Midwife, and Modern History's Most Astonishing Murder Ring." The author's website: https://www.pattimccracken.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1912, four-year-old Bobby Dunbar went missing in the Louisiana swamps. After an eight-month search that electrified the country and destroyed Bobby’s parents, the boy was found, filthy and hardly recogniz­able. A wandering piano tuner was arrested and charged with kidnapping— a crime then punishable by death. But when a destitute single mother came forward from North Carolina to claim the boy as her son, not the lost Bobby Dunbar, the case became a high-pitched battle over custody—and identity—that divided the South. My guest, Tal McThenia,first introduced listeners of NPR's This American Life to this case in 2008. A few years later he co-wrote, along with Margaret Dunbar Cutright (the granddaughter of Bobby Dunbar) the definitive book about this historical whodunnit, called "A Case for Solomon: Bobby Dunbar and the Kidnapping That Haunted a Nation". The author's website: https://www.talmcthenia.com/ Listen to This American Life's "The Ghost of Bobby Dunbar" here: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/352/transcript The author's recent Audubon article: https://www.audubon.org/magazine/fall-2021/the-strange-true-story-john-williams-and-charles Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the third season of the acclaimed HBO series Deadwood, one of the most villainous characters in a show full of villains was introduced. Ruthless mining magnate George Hearst arrived, eager to seize control of the richest mine in town - no matter what the cost. But was he really as rotten as the show suggested he was? My guest is Matthew Bernstein, author of "George Hearst: Silver King of the Gilded Age". He talks about the rise and fall and rise again of a man who made millions sniffing out gold, silver and copper mines across the country, and who fathered one of the most controversial characters of his era, newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst. More about the author and his book here: https://www.oupress.com/author/matthew-bernstein/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the summer of 1913, the wooden-hulled brigantine Karluk departed Canada for the Arctic Ocean. At the helm was Captain Bob Bartlett, considered the world’s greatest living ice navigator. The expedition’s visionary leader was a flamboyant impresario named Vilhjalmur Stefansson hungry for fame. Just six weeks after the Karluk departed, giant ice floes closed in around her. As the ship became icebound, Stefansson disembarked with five companions and struck out on what he claimed was a 10-day caribou hunting trip. Most on board would never see him again. Twenty-two men and an Inuit woman with two small daughters now stood on a mile-square ice floe, their ship and their original leader gone. Under Bartlett’s leadership they built make-shift shelters, surviving the freezing darkness of Polar night. Captain Bartlett now made a difficult and courageous decision. He would take one of the young Inuit hunters and attempt a 1000-mile journey to save the shipwrecked survivors. It was their only hope. My guest, is Buddy Levy, the award-winning bestselling author of "Empire of Ice and Stone: The Disastrous and Heroic Voyage of the Karluk". He joins me to talk about this remarkable story of disaster, death and survival in a frigid and desolate polar landscape. Buddy's website: https://buddylevy.com/ Go here to download the Zocdoc app for free to find a top-rated doctor (and support the show) https://www.zocdoc.com/most Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the afternoon of March 21st, 1924 a horrific crime shook the city of Chicago (and the entire country). Bobbie Franks, on his way home from school, was kidnapped and murdered by two teenage boy geniuses named Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb. It has long been believed that Loeb was the mastermind behind the plan, while Leopold, in love with him, followed his orders. But my guests believe otherwise. Greg King and Penny Wilson, authors of "Nothing but the Night: Leopold & Loeb and the Truth Behind the Murder That Rocked 1920s America" reveal some of the fascinating information they uncovered while researching this case, including details of other murders Leopold and Loeb might have committed before they killed Bobby. Their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/kingandwilson Follow them on Twitter: https://twitter.com/AtlantisMagazin More about the book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Nothing-but-Night-Leopold-America/dp/1250272661 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've combined two of my shorter interviews into one episode this week. First up, Kelly Sullivan, author of "Murder at Rocky Point Park: Tragedy in Rhode Island's Summer Paradise" joins me to talk about the 1893 murder of little Maggie Sheffield by her father at a Rhode Island amusement park. Then, Paul Kahan returns to give a rousing summary of the notorious Homestead Strike. In July of 1892 Andrew Carnegie and Henry Clay Frick hired Pinkerton agents to occupy the Homestead steel mill near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, but striking workers rushed to prevent their arrival and a violent battle ensued. His book is called "The Homestead Strike: Labor, Violence, and American Industry." More about Kelly Sullivan here: https://authorkellysullivan.weebly.com/ More about Paul Kahan here: https://www.paulkahan.com/ Interested in seeing how many historical true crimes, disasters or tragedies have been covered by your state or country on Most Notorious? Check it out here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Edgar Allan Poe is, of course, one of America's most iconic writers. Many credit him with inventing or popularizing multiple literary genres, including mystery, horror and detective fiction. But the real Poe has become distorted over the years - transformed by fans into a dark and tortured soul obsessed with alcohol and death. My guest is author Mark Dawidziak, and his new book is called "A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe". He not only shares with us what Poe was really like, but also walks us through some of the many theories surrounding Poe's agonizing death in a Baltimore hospital in October of 1849. He also talks about possible explanations for Poe's mysterious three missing days - just before he was discovered, delirious and in another man's clothes, at a Baltimore polling-place. More about the author's prolific work at his website, here: https://www.markdawidziak.com/ Connect with the author through Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mark.dawidziak Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In early 1922, Hollywood was in damage control. The recent "Fatty" Arbuckle manslaughter and rape case had brought unwanted scandal to the motion picture industry, so when Paramount Pictures director William Desmond Taylor was found murdered in his home on February 1st, the studio tried its best to cover it up. Despite this, the murder case became a national sensation with attention falling on multiple suspects, including a valet who had been blackmailing Taylor, comedy star Mabel Normand and film ingenue Mary Miles Minter. My guest is William J. Mann, New York Times bestselling author of Tinseltown: Murder, Morphine and Madness at the Dawn of Hollywood". He shares details from the book that won the 2015 Edgar Award and offers his own theory on who murdered the famous director. The author's website: http://williamjmann.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On a cold winter night in January of 1833, a teenage farmhand named Abraham Prescott crept into the bedroom of his employers, Chauncey and Sally Cochran, and smashed their heads with an ax. Their neighbors in the town of Pembroke, New Hampshire was astonished when the boy explained that he had been sleepwalking and hadn't purposely attacked them. They were even more shocked when the Cochrans, who had both miraculously recovered, allowed him to continue to work for them. A few months later however, that decision would come back to haunt the family. After inviting Sally Cochran out to pick strawberries with him in a secluded area behind their farm, Prescott murdered her with a fence post. Again, he told Chauncey that only done it after he'd fallen asleep. Soon he would face trial and his attorneys would attempt to defend him both with a sleepwalking claim and an insanity plea. My guest is Leslie Lambert Rounds, executive director of the Dyer Library and the Saco Museum in Saco, Maine and author of "I Have Struck Mrs. Cochran with a Stake: Sleepwalking, Insanity, and the Trial of Abraham Prescott". She not only walks us through the story of the murder and its aftermath, but also explains the difficulties authorities in 1830s New Hampshire faced when dealing with criminals who suffered from mental illness. More about the author at Kent State University Press. If you'd like to reach out to her directly, you can do so here: lrounds@dyer.lib.me.us Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christopher "Kit" Marlowe is considered one of the greatest playwrights of the Elizabethan era, but was also known as a hothead, a scoundrel and a member of the secretive School of Night. When he was stabbed through the eye at the age of twenty-nine in 1593, those who had it in for him were no doubt relieved to hear of his death. He had worked as an agent under Queen Elizabeth's legendary spymaster Sir Francis Walsingham and had very likely taken some reputation-destroying secrets to his grave. Many, however, believed that he was murdered, and theories swirl around his demise to this day. Did the man who stabbed Marlowe do it in self-defense, or was it really to get rid of him? Or did Marlowe actually fake his own death and go on to ghost write for William Shakespeare? My guest is M.J. Trow, and his book is called "Who Killed Kit Marlowe?: A Contract to Murder in Elizabethan England". He shares the story of this complex figure and offers his own theory on who he believes was behind Marlowe's unfortunate end. Amazon's M. J. Trow page is here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The July 1926 murder of the editor of the Canton, Ohio, Daily News, Don R. Mellett, was one of the most publicized crimes in the 1920s. For less than a year, Mellett was the editor of the Daily News, owned by former Ohio governor and Democrat presidential candidate James Cox. Having promised Cox he would turn the unprofitable News into a success, Mellett combined personal conviction with marketing savvy and in 1925 embarked on an antivice, anticorruption editorial campaign. The following year, the Daily News and Mellett, posthumously, received the Pulitzer Prize for his columns. His editorials were often aimed at the Canton police chief, S. A. Lengel, making the News law and order crusade personal. An unholy alliance of bootleggers and corrupt police, angered at Mellett’s interference with business as usual, hired an ex-con from Pennsylvania, Patrick McDermott, to attack and scare the editor. When the intended assault spiraled out of control and Mellett was murdered, the national press became outraged and saw this situation as an attack on the First Amendment, demanding justice in editorials appearing on the front pages of newspapers throughout the country. My guest is Thomas Crowl, author of "Murder of a Journalist: The True Story of the Death of Donald Ring Mellett". He shares this largely forgotten but very important case with us on this latest episode of Most Notorious. More about the author and his work can be found here: https://www.kentstateuniversitypress.com/author/crowlt/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In January 1953, a New York City musician named Christopher “ Manny” Balestrero was wrongly arrested for armed robbery, misidentified by eye witnesses. What followed was a nightmarish ordeal that completely devastated him and his family. Alfred Hitchcock was so moved by the miscarriage of justice that he made the case the focus of his underrated, classic 1956 film "The Wrong Man". My guest is Jason Isralowitz, author of "Nothing To Fear: Alfred Hitchcock And The Wrong Men". He shares details of the true crime case that revealed some concerning flaws in the American criminal justice system. The author's website: https://www.nothingtofearbook.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the late 19th century, inventors were rushing to perfect and patent motion picture devices, and leading the race was a Frenchman named Louis Le Prince. In September of 1890 Le Prince said farewell to his brother in Dijon and boarded a train bound for Paris. His final destination would be the United States, where he planned to unveil his movie camera and projector to the world. Unfortunately he was never seen again. There are many theories regarding Le Prince's disappearance. Did he run away with a mistress, or was he murdered? If murdered, then by who? Was it his brother, who he shared an inheritance with? Was it a stranger in a dark Paris alley? Or was Thomas Edison behind it, the famed American inventor who announced the creation of his own motion picture camera just months after Le Prince disappeared? My guest is Paul Fischer, author of "The Man Who Invented Motion Pictures: A True Tale of Obsession, Murder, and the Movies". He tells the story of Louis Le Prince, his quest to invent and patent the first movie camera and projector, and the tragedy that followed. More about the author and his work can be found at his website: https://www.paulfischerauthor.com/ The Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On October 24th, 1961, one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in Massachusetts history began when housewife and mother Joan Risch vanished from her home. Investigators were perplexed by a kitchen floor smeared with blood, a telephone receiver ripped from the wall and placed gently on the edge of a trash basket, and a bloodhound who traced her scent to the middle of her driveway. Later, drivers would report seeing someone resembling Joan stumbling along local highways, apparently dazed and injured. My guest, Stephen Ahern, is author of "A Kitchen Painted in Blood: The Unsolved Disappearance of Joan Risch". He teamed up with a retired FBI profiler and a cold case detective to try and piece together a possible explanation of what happened to Joan that fateful day. More about the author and his book here: https://expositbooks.com/product/a-kitchen-painted-in-blood/ Buy it through Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kitchen-Painted-Blood-Unsolved-Disappearance/dp/1476681848/ Become a Most Notorious Patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Visit the Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the morning of May 27, 1896, the peaceful township of Campbell awoke to shocking news. Six people were brutally murdered at the home of Colonel Richard P. McGlincy, one of the town’s most respected citizens. The suspect, James Dunham—the colonel’s son-in-law—fled the scene and disappeared into the hills of Mount Hamilton overlooking Santa Clara County. This heinous crime triggered a massive, nationwide manhunt while investigators pieced together the details. My guest is Tobin Gilman, author of "The McGlincy Killings in Campbell, California: An 1896 Unsolved Mystery". He not only summarizes the case for us, but offers his theory on what might have happened to Dunham once he fled the bloody crime scene. For more information on books by Tobin Gilman, visit https://www.facebook.com/19thCenturySanJoseInABottle To order a signed copy by author, email tobingilman@hotmail.com Visit the Most Notorious website at https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On December 30th, 1903, over two thousand people were packed into Chicago's brand new Iroquois Theater for a matinee performance of Mr. Bluebeard, starring comedian Eddie Foy. Little did theatergoers know, however, that the owners of the theater cut corners in fire safety measures in an effort to open as quickly as possible. Despite billing itself as "absolutely fireproof" there were no sprinklers or fire alarms installed, the fire escapes weren't finished and some of the exit doors had been locked during the performance. When fire struck on stage in the second act, the interior of the theater became a hellish death trap, killing close to six hundred people. My guest is Troy Taylor, author of the book, "One Afternoon at the Iroquois: America's Deadliest Theater Fire". He is a podcaster, historian, tour operator and an expert on the paranormal. Troy's website: http://americanhauntings.net A link to his podcast page (the American Hauntings Podcast): http://americanhauntingspodcast.com Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For almost sixty years, the Kennedy assassination has occupied the hearts and minds of Americans. Hundreds of books have been written about the fateful day at Dealey Plaza in November of 1963, often offering elaborate and convoluted conspiracy theories about government plots, the Mafia, Cuba and the KGB. My guest is investigative journalist and bestselling author Gerald Posner. He believes that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in murdering President Kennedy. His critically acclaimed book, "Case Closed: Lee Harvey Oswald and the Assassination of JFK" was a 1994 Pulitzer Prize Finalist for History. Gerald Posner's website: https://www.posner.com/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4698315/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the years following World War II, serial killer John George Haigh committed five perfect murders, using sulphuric acid to dissolve his victims into soup. His sixth murder, however, was hastily done, and led to his arrest, a trial and eventual execution. The case captivated the United Kingdom, especially when Haigh claimed he had drunk a glass of each victim's blood before disposing of their bodies. My guest is Gordon Lowe, author of "The Acid Bath Murders: The Trials and Liquidations of John George Haigh". He walks us through Lowe's murderous life and eventual death at the hands of one of Britain's most famous executioners. More about the author can be discovered at his website: http://www.gordonloweauthor.co.uk/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On May 30, 1899, history was made when Pearl Hart, disguised as a man, held up a stagecoach in Arizona and robbed the passengers at gunpoint. A manhunt ensued as word of her heist spread, and Pearl Hart went on to become a media sensation and the most notorious female outlaw on the Western frontier. Hailed by many as “The Bandit Queen,” her epic life of crime and legacy as a female trailblazer provide a crucial lens into the lives of the rare women who made their mark in the American West. My guest, New York Times bestselling author and Old West historian John Boessenecker shares incredible stories from the life of Lily Davy (aka Pearl Hart) and her equally fascinating sister Katy Davy. His book is called "Wildcat: The Untold Story of Pearl Hart, the Wild West's Most Notorious Woman Bandit". More information can be found on John Boessenecker's author's page: https://www.harpercollins.com/blogs/authors/john-boessenecker-202012295846868 Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1934 South Australian policeman Bill McKinnon is sent to investigate a murder and make arrests in the so-called "dead heart" of the country. After some of his Aboriginal prisoners escape, he tracks one of the unarmed men to a sacred rock formation called Uluru, traps him in a cave, and shoots and kills him. My guest is University of Sydney history professor Mark McKenna, author of "Return to Uluru: The Hidden History of a Murder in Outback Australia". He discusses not only the specifics of the case, but the history of colonization of the Australian outback, and the impact it has had on this eighty-five-year-old tragedy. More about the book here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/678067/return-to-uluru-by-mark-mckenna/ This episode is sponsored by Wondery's new podcast SUSPECT: Vanished in the Snow. Download the app in the Amazon Music App today. Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1931 a young woman named Helen Spence, part of a houseboat community along Arkansas' White River, shocked everyone when she stood up in a local courtroom and shot to death the man on trial for murdering her father and step-mother. What followed for Helen would be a nightmare journey of incarceration, torture and more murder. My guest, Denise White Parkinson, has made it her mission to tell Helen Spence's story, and she shares details of it this week on Most Notorious. Her book is called "Daughter of the White River: Depression-Era Treachery and Vengeance in the Arkansas Delta". The author's website here: http://dwparkinson.com/ Her Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/HelenSpenceofArkansas The audio book version of her story here: https://tinyurl.com/Riversisters The teaser trailer for her documentary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90R312WmghA This episode is sponsored by the Generation Why Podcast. Go to Amazon Music or listen early and ad-free by joining Wondery Plus on Apple Podcasts, or the Wondery app. Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MostNotorious1 Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the winter of 1974 Athalia Ponsell Lindsley was in the midst of a bitter feud with her neighbor, Alan Stanford. The feud ended in brutal fashion on January 23rd when she was murdered in broad daylight on the front doorstep of her St. Augustine, Florida mansion with a machete. Suspects included both Stanford and her husband, James "Jinx" Lindsley. Elizabeth Randall, author of the book "Murder in St. Augustine: The Mysterious Death of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley" is my guest this week. She walks us through the evidence against Stanford and theorizes on why the case has never been resolved. More information about the author and her work can be found here: https://www.elizabethrandallauthor.com/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Nov. 28, 1969, Betsy Aardsma, a 22-year-old Penn State graduate student, was stabbed to death in the stacks of Pattee Library. The case remains officially unsolved, but my guest David DeKok thinks that he knows who murdered Betsy. He believes it was a troubled and hot-tempered fellow grad student named Richard Haefner, and lays out the evidence to make his argument. His book is called "Murder in the Stacks: Penn State, Betsy Aardsma, and the Killer Who Got Away". More information on the author and the book can be found at his website: https://daviddekok.com/ More from the publisher: http://www.globepequot.com/books/9781493013890 Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In November of 1958 a pregnant nurse named Olga Duncan disappeared from her suburban California apartment. Police quickly suspected Olga's mother in-law Elizabeth Duncan, a domineering and manipulative woman who was incensed that her son Frank had married Olga without her approval. When Olga's badly beaten body was found buried in a shallow grave, Elizabeth was arrested, along with two hired hitmen, for murder. My guest Deborah Holt Larkin is the author of "A Lovely Girl: The Tragedy of Olga Duncan and the Trial of One of California's Most Notorious Killers". She has a personal connection to the case - her father was a court reporter who covered Elizabeth Duncan's trial - and she followed the case closely as a girl as it all unfolded. The author's website: https://deborahholtlarkin.com/ Buy the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Lovely-Girl-Tragedy-Californias-Notorious/dp/1639362444 Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A. Brad Schwartz, who entertained us with Eliot Ness stories in back-to-back episodes earlier this year, returns to talk about the notorious October 30, 1938 radio broadcast of War of the Worlds, directed by Orson Wells. The young and up-and-coming Orson Wells shocked and frightened listeners who tuned in late to his radio adaptation of H.G. Wells' science fiction novel, which tells the story of an invasion of Earth by tentacled aliens. The broadcast was delivered in a news story style so realistic that those who weren't aware it was a Mercury Theater production panicked. The extent and nature of the panic, however, is disputed, and my guest sets the record straight (as best as primary sources allow) about what really happened. His book is called "Broadcast Hysteria: Orson Welles’s War of the Worlds and the Art of Fake News", and more information about his work can be found here: https://abradschwartz.com/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1944 a battalion of African-American soldiers were tasked with the horrific job of building a road through the heart of the Indo-Burmese jungle during World War II. One of the men, a private named Herman Perry, had been having an especially difficult time of it. He’d suffered abuse while serving a stint in the local military prison, and eventually turned to opium and marijuana to escape from reality. On one fateful day, in the midst of an emotional collapse, Perry murdered an unarmed white lieutenant trying to apprehend him for dereliction of duty. Perry then fled into the jungle, where he became a fugitive in an intense manhunt. My guest is Brendan Koerner, author of “Now the Hell Will Start: One Soldier’s Flight from the Greatest Manhunt of World War II”. He talks about the poor conditions faced by black soldiers in a segregated army and shares details of Herman Perry’s wild escape into the wilderness, where he assimilated into a local tribe to avoid capture. Connect with the author via Twitter here: https://twitter.com/brendankoerner Purchase the book through the publisher's website here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/300974/now-the-hell-will-start-by-brendan-i-koerner/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On September 16, 1922, the bodies of Reverend Edward Hall and Eleanor Mills were found beneath a crabapple tree on an abandoned farm outside of New Brunswick, New Jersey. The killer had arranged the bodies in a pose conveying intimacy. The murder of Hall, a prominent clergyman whose wife, Frances Hall, was a proud heiress with illustrious ancestors and ties to the Johnson & Johnson dynasty, would have made headlines on its own. But when authorities identified Eleanor Mills as a choir singer from his church married to the church sexton, the story shocked locals and sent the scandal ricocheting around the country, fueling the nascent tabloid industry. This provincial double murder on a lonely lover’s lane would soon become one of the most famous killings in American history—a veritable crime of the century. My guest is Joe Pompeo, author of "Blood & Ink: The Scandalous Jazz Age Double Murder That Hooked America on True Crime". He walks us through this titillating murder case, including a clumsy police investigation that produced a number of suspects but ultimately no convictions. Buy the book through the publisher's website here: https://www.harpercollins.com/products/blood-ink-joe-pompeo?variant=40161327480866 The author's website: https://bloodand.ink The author's Twitter account: https://twitter.com/joepompeo Get bonus content and updates from the author by subscribing here: https://joepompeo.substack.com/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paris, 1889: Margeurite Steinheil is a woman with ambition. But having been born into a middle-class family and trapped in a marriage to a failed artist twenty years her senior, she knows her options are limited. Determined to fashion herself into a new woman, Meg orchestrates a scandalous plan with her most powerful resource: her body. Amid the dazzling glamor, art, and romance of bourgeois Paris, she takes elite men as her lovers, charming her way into the good graces of the rich and powerful. Her ambitions, though, go far beyond becoming the most desirable woman in Paris; at her core, she is a woman determined to conquer French high society. But the game she plays is a perilous one: navigating misogynistic double-standards, public scrutiny, and political intrigue, she is soon vaulted into infamy in the most dangerous way possible. A real-life femme fatale, Meg influences government positions and resorts to blackmail―and maybe even poisoning―to get her way. Leaving a trail of death and disaster in her wake, she earns the name the "Red Widow" for mysteriously surviving a home invasion that leaves both her husband and mother dead. With the police baffled and the public enraged, Meg breaks every rule in the bourgeois handbook and becomes the most notorious woman in Paris. My guest is Sarah E. Horowitz, professor of history at Washington and Lee University. Her book is called: "The Red Widow: The Scandal that Shook Paris and the Woman Behind it All". More about the author and her work here: https://sarahehorowitz.com/ "The Red Widow" can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/Red-Widow-Scandal-Shook-Behind/dp/1728226325 The wedding video mentioned in the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsAmtvGVeXs Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Robert Ray Hamilton, great-grandson of Alexander Hamilton, was a successful man in the late 1880s. Powered by family money and fame, he spent his time developing real estate and serving in the New York State Assembly. But his life came crashing down on him in 1889 when his wife Eva (whom he'd met at a brothel) was arrested for stabbing their baby's nursemaid in a violent argument. Soon famed New York City police detective Thomas Byrnes would dig up tawdry details on Eva's plot to con her husband out of his fortune. My guest is Bill Shaffer, author of "The Scandalous Hamiltons: A Gilded Age Grifter, a Founding Father's Disgraced Descendant, and a Trial at the Dawn of Tabloid Journalism". He shares some of the twists and turns in this truly unbelievable Gilded Age tale of baby farms and fraudsters. More information about the author and his work can be found at his website here: https://www.billshafferbooks.com/ Purchase the book here: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com/9780806542256/the-scandalous-hamiltons/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the morning of September 6th, 1949, a twenty-eight-year-old WWII veteran and loner named Howard Unruh stepped out of his East Camden, New Jersey apartment and shot and killed thirteen people in less than twelve minutes. It was a story that absolutely shocked America, which hadn't seen a spree killing like this in its history before. My guest is Ellen J. Green, author of "Murder in the Neighborhood: The true story of America’s first recorded mass shooting". She walks us through Unruh's murderous rampage and reveals possible reasons why he did what he did that terrible day. More information can be found at the author's website here: https://ellenjgreen.com/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On the morning of July 16, 1936, the crumpled body of nineteen-year-old college student Helen Clevenger was found by her uncle in her room at Asheville, North Carolina’s Battery Park Hotel. She’d been shot in the chest and her face had been cut. A black bell hop named Martin Moore would ultimately confess after the murder weapon was found under his porch, but eyewitnesses reported seeing a white man flee the scene of the crime, and questions of police coercion linger to this day. My guest is Anne Chesky Smith, author of “Murder at Asheville’s Battery Park Hotel: The Search for Helen Clevenger’s Killer”. She walks us through the details of the case, clouded by politics in the era of Jim Crow. Photos and more about the story can be found at the Western North Carolina Historical Association’s website: https://www.wnchistory.org/wnc-history-story-behind-the-accused-murderer-in-1936-battery-park-hotel-homicide/ The book is available to purchase here: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467145602 Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Texas Rangers in the late 1880s were a tough and colorful lot, especially the members of Company F. And while they made their livings hunting down outlaws, none proved more cunning than Willis Conner and his sons, a fugitive family accused of murdering two neighbors in a business dispute over pigs. My guest is Joe Pappalardo, author of "Red Sky Morning: The Epic True Story of Texas Ranger Company F". He not only shares details of the events leading to the showdown between the Rangers and the Conners, but talks about one of the most vaunted members of Company F, James Brooks, and a fatal gunfight that got him indicted for murder. More about the book and the author can be discovered here: https://www.joe-pappalardo.com/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Between July 1st and 12th, 1916, a sensational series of shark attacks terrorized seaside resorts and communities along the Jersey Shore. Four people would ultimately die before the shark thought responsible was found and killed. My guest, Dr. Richard Fernicola, is the world's foremost expert on the subject. He not only tells the story of how the attacks unfolded, but explains why they might have happened. His book is called "Twelve Days of Terror: Inside the Shocking 1916 New Jersey Shark Attacks". His book can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01H4D157M Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4698315/advertisement Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In September of 1916 a mysterious fire consumed a cottage nestled on Ossipee Lake in New Hampshire, and when local law enforcement searched the wreckage they made a horrifying discovery. The smoldering body of Florence Small was pulled out of the basement, partially preserved by rainwater. The immediate suspect was her husband, Frederick Small, who was known to have abused Florence on a number of occasions. He seemed to have a rock solid alibi, however. He'd been in Boston, selling insurance, when the fire had started. My guest is author Janice S. C. Petrie. She has a personal connection to the story, which has driven her research into the case for decades. Her book is called "Perfection To A Fault: A Small Murder in Ossipee, New Hampshire, 1916". More information about the author and her work can be found at her website: https://janicepetrie.com/ To purchase her book through Amazon, click here: https://www.amazon.com/Perfection-Fault-Murder-Ossipee-Hampshire-ebook/dp/B002A9K4DW Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In August of 1892, one of the most famous double murders in American history was committed in brutal fashion. Andrew and Abby Borden were hacked to death in their Fall River house, and their daughter Lizzie, home at the time, became the number one suspect. What followed was a spectacular trial, fought by brilliant attorneys, in a courtroom packed with fascinated spectators and reporters. My guest is Cara Robertson, author of "The Trial of Lizzie Borden: A True Story". She summarizes this sensational Gilded Age true crime story with a unique legal perspective. More about the author and her work can be found here: https://www.carawrobertson.com/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Wyatt, Virgil and Morgan Earp and their wives united in Tombstone, Arizona in 1879 with the intent to make their fortunes, but along the way crossed paths with a gang of lawless cowboys that included Ike Clanton, Curly Bill Brocius and Johnny Ringo. In October of 1881, tensions between the Earps and their adversaries climaxed with a shootout in a Tombstone alley, forever known as the "Gunfight at the O.K. Corral", which left three cowboys dead. But the animosity didn't end there. The cowboys would get their revenge on the Earp family, and Wyatt and Doc Holliday in turn would seek vengeance on remaining members of the gang. My guest is New York Times Bestselling author Tom Clavin. He returns to the show to talk about his epic book "Tombstone: The Earp Brothers, Doc Holliday, and the Vendetta Ride from Hell". More about the author, including his books about Dodge City and Wild Bill Hickok can be found here: https://www.tomclavin.com/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The tranquility of Ohio's Pleasant Valley was forever scarred in June of 1896 when tragedy struck the Rose family. Twenty-three-year-old Ceely Rose was infatuated with neighbor boy Guy Berry. When he did not reciprocate her feelings, her family ordered her to stop following him, and she in turn used rat poison to murder them. A trial would follow, with much of the focus on her sanity and mental capacity. My guest is Mark Sebastian Jordan, author of "The Ceely Rose Murders at Malabar Farm". He's been fascinated with this story since childhood, and not only shares details of his decades long research into the murders, but also explains how the case has reached folkloric status over the years. The author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mark.jordan.794 The author's publisher page: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467146180 Buy it on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094XCCD8 The author's Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/MarkSebastianJordan Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the summer of 1932, with the Cubs in the thick of the pennant race, Billy Jurges broke off his relationship with Violet Popovich to focus on baseball. The famously beautiful showgirl took it poorly, marching into his hotel room with a revolver in her purse. Both were wounded in the ensuing struggle, but Jurges refused to press charges. Even without their star shortstop, Chicago made it to the World Series, only to be on the wrong end of Babe Ruth's legendary Called Shot. My guest is Jack Bales, author of "The Chicago Cub Shot For Love: A Showgirl’s Crime of Passion and the 1932 World Series". He shares details from his book, just in time for the 70th anniversary of this infamous intersection of baseball and true crime (which happened on July 6th, 1932). The author's website: http://WrigleyIvy.com/ The author's publisher page: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781467148481 You can also buy the book on Amazon, here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B094X2TFYQ/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0 Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the early morning hours of October 17, 1953, a frightened, battered woman named Diane Wells told a horrific tale to police. She said intruders had broken into the top-floor penthouse apartment she shared with her husband Cecil, murdered him, beat her, and then made their escape. It was an especially sensational story because 31-year-old "blonde bombshell" Diane Wells was nicknamed "the most beautiful woman in Alaska", and Cecil (twenty years her senior) was a wealthy and well-known Fairbanks businessman. There were suspicions, however, that Diane was lying. It was soon learned that she was having an affair with a local musician and also being comforted by a dance instructor who worked downstairs. My guest is James T. Bartlett, author of "The Alaskan Blonde: Sex, Secrets, and the Hollywood Story that Shocked America". He shares details from his research into the almost 70 year old cold case, including an account of Diane's own tragic end. More information about the author can be found at these links: https://www.thealaskanblonde.com https://www.facebook.com/thealaskanblonde https://www.instagram.com/thealaskanblonde https://www.twitter.com/alaskanblonde53 Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1835 Marcus and Narcissa Whitman arrived to the Pacific Northwest, building a mission on Cayuse land near the present day Washington/Oregon border with hopes of converting members of the Cayuse tribe to Christianity. However when a deadly measles outbreak devastated the area, it disproportionally killed Cayuse over whites, leading tribal leaders to believe Dr. Whitman was purposely poisoning them. This (along with other reasons) drove tensions so high that on November 29th, 1847, the Cayuse murdered the Whitmans and eleven others living at the mission. My guest is New York Times bestselling author Blaine Harden, and his book is called "Murder at the Mission: A Frontier Killing, Its Legacy of Lies, and the Taking of the American West". He explains the volatile situation that led to the massacre, and how the murders created a ripple effect that led to an explosion of white migration into the Pacific Northwest. He also dismantles a lie created by the Reverend Henry Spaulding that recast fellow missionary Marcus Whitman as the hero who "saved Oregon". More can be found at the author's website here: https://blaineharden.com/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In February of 1896 the decapitated corpse of a young woman, who would later be identified as Pearl Bryan, was discovered in the woods of Northern Kentucky. Evidence would lead investigators to two dental students in Cincinnati, Ohio named Scott Jackson and Alonzo Walling. My guest is Robert Wilhelm, creator of Murder by Gaslight, an online compendium of notable 19th century American murders. He is the author of "So Far From Home: The Pearl Bryan Murder", and joins me to discuss the case in detail. More information about the murder can be found at his website, Murder By Gaslight: http://www.murderbygaslight.com/ Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices