True Crime Historian

The Deadly Trout Creek Land SquabbleAd-Free Safe House EditionEpisode 281 is dedicated to listener and patron Kimberlee Anderson, who shares a hometown with the defendants in this case. Although first reports said that Mrs. Alice Harris was a widow, it turns out she was a divorcee whose ex-husband was of THE Harris family of Harrisville, Utah. This story seems like it could’ve been a classic John Ford western, a land dispute in the Utah desert that turns deadly. I think maybe Maureen O’Hara as Alice Harris and Robert Mitchum as the wisecracking Tackman.More True Crime WesternsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Episode 218 journeys across three continents as we hear the stories of wiley police officers outwitting some very clever criminals.Ad-Free Safe House Edition"Strange Murder Of An Aged Romeo" by Peter Levins heads down Argentina way as a family feud gets settled in a grisly way. "A Black Cat Doomed" by Fred Menagh, travel to England and France as Scotland Yard attempts to track down gangsters that seem to have been taking lessons from their American colleagues."Saskatchewan Ki ller" by Maurice Mills, a chase back and forth across the Canadian/American border as a lieutenant in the Royal Mounted Police begins to wonder if he can live up to their motto.More ManhuntsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Episode 147Ad-Free Safe House EditionSpider Attic Ghost Killer: The truly bizarre tale of a man who stalked an elderly couple by living in their attic, sneaking down to forage meals from their fridge.The Texas Candybar Murder: The justice of the peace called it suicide, but others question how the young mother-to-be came to shoot herself in the back of the head.The Nurse and Her Nagging Auntie: A botched suicide in which the suicide is not the person who ends up dead.The Dissection of Antoine DuBlanc: The story of an immigrant who plots a murder before he even gets off the boat. He was from France. Or Switzerland. Or somewhere like that.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Episode 280 is a reading of "The Black Negligee Murder" By Frederic HolmesAdapted from True Detective, v.43 no.1Ad-Free Safe House EditionThere’s a lot going on in this story. The seams show in the author’s reporting as he occasionally allows glimpses into his process, but at the same time, he makes it seem like he’s telling story from the point of view of the bad guy for most of the first two thirds of the narrative. The really cool nerdy part for me as a writer and a fan of pulp, is that you can hear the author’s disdain and sympathy both for the character as well as his determination to be fair and to let the story unfold no matter how disagreeable he may find it. So this tells me that he might have had a frank, lengthy, detailed interview with Dahlbender, was maybe even charmed by him a little, just as Rose Whitmore was, but also repulsed by his plotting and despicable actions. Still, the author seems to get in Dahlbender’s head and lets him have his say, but his self-pity doesn’t make his actions any less reprehensible. I checked with some of the newspaper articles of the day, and this story seems to be sticking to the gist of what reporting I found. Dahlbender was quite contrite when he was caught and his confession seemingly heart-felt. True crime magazines have a terrible reputation for not being totally committed to the “true” in the interest of sensationalizing the stories. The do typically veer from newspaper journalism in a lot of ways, such as inventing dialogue and giving people intentions they can’t possibly know, but I have found them to be relatively reliable, at least as reliable as daily newspaper reporting, as far as the general facts of the case go. Before I share a story from the old pulps, I always do at least a cursory check against newspaper reporting to make sure there really was such a case and that the basic facts are accurate if not the details. There’s a big difference between a true story and a story based on a true story, and I try to lean toward the former in my curation. I’ve got some really well-told stories in my back pocket that I can’t yet prove their veracity, mainly because they’re about really old cases and I don’t have access to the right archives to give adequate confirmation. At least not yet. I’ll keep them in my pocket for now.I’ve known some guys who did this kind of magazine work, and they were always meticulous in their reporting and had an advantage of time that daily newspaper reporters don’t have. This story was written three years after the trial and covers the case not only from the reporter’s and the perpetrator’s points of view, but the last third switches over to the police investigation, which is usually the sole perspective in most pulp stories. So I believe the author did his homework for us and presents us with an interesting, somewhat sympathetic portrait of a sleazy opportunist.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Episode 252 tells two stories of when the wheels of justice had a blow-out and people were convicted of crimes they didn't commit.Ad-Free Safe House Edition"Uncle Amos Dreams a Dream," by Edmund Pearson, the story of two brothers accused of murder after the discovery of two clipped toenails."Twenty-Three Years Skidoo: What Was Justice In This Case," by Peter Levins, about how a deathbed confession made liars out of a whole bunch of witnesses and law enforcement officials.More stories from Edmund Pearson, True Crime PioneerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

The Kidnapping Of Brooke L. Hart Ad Free Safe House EditionMob rule threatens the city of San Jose, California in Episode 279 when the scion of a beloved wealthy family, the owners of the town’s biggest department store, is kidnapped by a pair of opportunistic thugs. When the young man’s body is recovered from the waters of the San Francisco Bay, the crowd gathers around the Santa Clara County jail, and the governor of California lets popular justice take its course.More stories of Mobs & RiotsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

The Tri-State Head and Hands Murder PlotThe cast of characters in Episode 147 includes a previously convicted murderer who works as a driver and a “sort of secretary” for an eccentric former opera singer, three thugs that he met in prison, and a fire captain who often bragged of his success in the stock market after his retirement, amassing a fortune of more than $2 million (in today’s money). The inept plot to murder for his papers covers three states and a nationwide manhunt.Ad-Free EditionMore ManhuntsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

The Atrocities Of Albert FishI'D TURN BACK IF I WERE YOU!!!Episode 191 is without a doubt the vilest case you'll ever hear on this program because I don't think I could find a worse one if I tried. There's a lot of evil discussed here: torture, cannibalism, and more. Consider this your trigger warning: I'd turn back if I were you! Or at least put the kids to bed and plug in your ear buds. Keep this between us.Ad-Free EditionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

The Murder Of Mary PhaganEpisode 183 tells of one of the most infamous cases of an innocent man wrongly accused. When a teenage factory girl is found dead in the basement of an Atlanta pencil manufacturer, blame falls on the mild-mannered Jewish superintendent of the plant, and the jury takes the word of a drunken janitor. It’ll take 70 years for the truth to come out.Ad-Free EditionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

The Reily Mattock MurderEpisode 198 is centered on one of my favorite murder tropes, the so-called “eternal triangle,” between the cranky old farmer, his fading wife, and the handsome young farmhand. Yeah, that’s not going to end well, but they might have gotten away with it if they had just put the body across the tracks. It’s all in the details.Culled from the historic pages of the Hamilton Journal-News and other newspapers of the era.Ad-Free EditionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

The Real ‘Chicago’ MurdersEpisode 352 explores the two murders that inspired the hit musical “Chicago,” which was based on a play by Maurine Watkins, who did some reporting on both cases as a reporter for the Chicago Tribune. I’ll be joined by my colleague Susan Ferman, whose own podcast Catastrophic Calamities, will premiere next week on the Pulpular Media network. Susan will read about the case of Beulah Annan, who became Roxy Hart on stage. I will read the case of Belva Gaertner, who became Velma Kelly.Culled from the historic pages of the Chicago Tribune, the New York Daily News, and other newspapers of the era.This episode includes a reference to a fellow murderess Sabela Nitti, whose story you can hear about in True Crime Historian 230, The Ugly Duckling Murderess.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

The Trial Of Rattlesnake James, The Red-Headed BluebeardEpisode 192 gets a bit epic, but it’s the story that keeps on giving, with two botched murders and moral charges to boot, and things go from crazy to crazier when they bring a pair of rattlers named Lethal and Lightning into the courtroom.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

A Litany of HorrorEpisode 12 is a reading of the chilling confession of Herman Webster Mudgett, better known as H.H. Holmes, one of the most remarkable serial killers in American History. The whole nation was shocked and outraged in the waning years of the nineteenth century by the gruesome deeds of one Herman Mudgett, the arch fiend who took on the pseudonym H.H. Holmes as he prepared his famous "Castle of Death" in downtown Chicago. He was arrested for an insurance fraud in November 1894, but his string of murders, perhaps 200 in all, were soon revealed. He was convicted of one capital crime in Philadelphia, and while he awaited execution, he penned a confession detailing 27 murders that was published in newspapers across the country. He would recant this confession before he hanged, but really, you can't make this stuff up.Ad free Patreon edition with subscriptionBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

A Terrible Reign of MurderAbout the murders that inspired Martin Scorsese's "Killers of the Flower Moon"Episode 214 digs deep into the files of the FBI and one of its early successful investigations during the tenure of J.Edgar Hoover, when the Bureau of Investigations looked into the murder of as many as 60 to 70 Osage Indians. The file includes a report by Agent Frank Smith as well as statements by informants who helped break the conspiracy. True Crime Historian welcomes guest reader Susan Ferman as Katherine Cole, one of these informants.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

YESTERDAY’S NEWS -- Tales of classic scandals, scoundrels and scourges told through vintage newspaper accounts from the golden age of yellow journalism...The Gillooly/Lannon AffrayEpisode 443 tells the story of the first officer to be killed in the line of duty in Kokomo, Indiana. But was the violent action against him provoked, or spurred on by a notorious local gang? The question divided the growing Indiana town.Culled from the historic pages of the Kokomo Saturday Tribune, the 1882 History of Howard County, and Jackson Morrow’s 1909 History of Howard County.We offer a special thanks to the staff at the Howard County Library’s genealogy room and listener Anthony R Jones, no relation, who saw the mobile production unit outside that library, where I was engaged in research on another matter. After I got his message telling me to look into the Mollihan gang, I dug around and came up with this episode.Residents of the Safe House can take a deeper dive into Kokomo’s criminal past in the case file posted at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. ***A creation Of Pulpular MediaAlso from Pulpular Media:Portals to Possibility, an improvised mock-talk show that proves you don’t have to be human to be good people. Visit pulpular.com/portals2 for a brand-new episode.Catastrophic Calamaties, Exploring the famous and forgotten disasters of the 19th and 20th centuries. What could go wrong? Everything! Some listeners choose to support this podcast by checking in at the Safe House at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian, to get early access, exclusive content, and whatever personal services you require.Some listeners don’t want to pledge monthly support but just want to send a few bucks this way. You can do that at www.buymeacoffee.com/crimehistorian. You can also subscribe to a $5 monthly or $50 annual membership!***Musical contributors include Nico Vitesse, Lucia La Rezza, Joyie, Danielle Mo, Dave Sams, Rachel Schott and David Hisch.Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com.Media management by Sean Miller-JonesRichard O Jones, Executive ProducerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

The Mysteries Of Belle GunnessEpisode 308 examines the strange story of Belle Gunness, which came to light only after her house burned down with her body presumably inside and a dozen or so bodies buried in the yard. There’s a lot of conjecture and debate about this case still going on today.Culled from the historic pages of the Chicago Tribune, the St. Louis Post Dispatch, and other newspapers of the era. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

YESTERDAY’S NEWS --Tales of classic scandals, scoundrels and scourges told from historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism...The First Mrs. KinkeadEpisode 258 tells the sad story of a nurse who fell in love with her patient. If you can believe her story, she may have been led on a bit, maybe outright deceived by his promises of marriage. But then, he marries another and the nurse turns stalker.For your delight and indignation***Opening theme by Nico Vitesse.Incidental music by Nico Vitesse.Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music.Media management by Sean R. JonesProduction assistance by Emily Simer BraunRichard O Jones, Executive ProducerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Episode 256 we return to the mother of all murder mysteries, the case of Lizzie Borden in commemoration of the 125th anniversary of the verdict in her sensational trial, June 20, 1893. We again turn to the godfather of American True Crime, Edmund Pearson, the librarian who wrote slyly humorous takes of famous murder cases. His landmark essay, simply titled The Borden Case, makes up the first 119 pages of Pearson’s Studies in Murder, from which this episode is adapted.Bewilderment and indignation***A creation Of Pulpular MediaOpening theme by Nico Vitesse.Incidental music by Nico Vitesse.Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music.Media management by Sean R. JonesProduction assistance by Emily Simer BraunRichard O Jones, Executive ProducerBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

The Avondale HorrorEpisode 231 is a dark, dark tale of what happens when the population doesn’t die fast enough to keep the medical schools supplied with cadavers for dissecting: The resurrectionists start hitting people over the head to hasten the process and get their points. The reporting also includes some interesting stories about the craft of the grave robber.Culled from the historic pages of the Cincinnati Enquirer and other newspapers of the era.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

A Foul Deed In Ft. ThomasIn celebration of our 200th episode, I’m going to share one of my favorite local stories. The murder itself took place a state over, but one of the convicted murderers lived for a time in my hometown, and the sad story of Pearl Bryan is well-known in the three states involved, with many dubious legends and rumors abounding, and it’s said that her spirit haunts a Northern Kentucky nightclub. But what I really like about this story is that it has one of the most remarkable descriptions of an execution that I’ve come across. Enjoy.***Incidental music by Nico VetteseTheme music performed by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music.Media management by Sean R. JonesProduction assistance by Emily Simer BraunBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

UNSOLVEDA special edition of Yesterday’s News exploring one of history’s most baffling murder mysteries.The Murder Of Elizabeth ShortBy listener request, Episode 196 follows the first month of the investigation of one of Hollywood’s most celebrated murder mysteries that begins when of a 22-year-old party girl turns up tortured, murdered, and mutilated by the side of a busy boulevard. She was such a runabout that when her body was identified by fingerprints, no one had realized she hadn’t been seen in five days. But the body was fresh.***Hosted by Wondery. @wonderymediaMember of the BombPod Media Network. @bombpod***Theme music performed by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music.Some incidental music by Chuck WigginsMedia management by Sean R. JonesProduction assistance by Emily Simer BraunBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

The Great Borden Hearing Begun.While Lizzie Borden waits in the Taunton jail for her preliminary hearing to see if she is to go on trial for the murder of her father and stepmother, the community’s sympathy is expressed in interviews to people close to her and the appearance of “a wild-eyed man” ready to take the blame from her shoulders.We will continue “The Lizzie Edition” in June 2018, the 125th anniversary of the famous trial of Lizzie Borden.***Theme music “My Ain Countrie” by Mary Lee Demarest, 1861, performed by Davide Severi with Plava Kuca on Violin.Media Management by Sean R. JonesProduction assistance by Emily Simer BraunDedicated to Rachel Michelle Jones, whose enthusiasm for the case prompted this monumental treatment.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Still in the middle of the inquest, Fall River officials finally feel as though they have enough evidence to make an arrest for the murder of Andrew J. Borden. She is sent to the jail in Taunton, Mass., where the matron turns out to be an old family friend.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Part II: The Hunt Progresses. The surviving members of the Borden household are being held as prisoners in their own home, even while officials literally take it apart searching for clues. Yet they remain mum on the contents of the ongoing inquest, leaving ample room for speculation.Theme music “My Ain Countrie” by Mary Lee Demarest, 1861, performed by Davide Severi with Plava Kuca on Violin.Media Management by Sean R. JonesProduction assistance by Emily Simer BraunDedicated to Rachel Michelle Jones, whose enthusiasm for the case prompted this monumental treatment.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Butchered in Broad Day --Episode 166...In commemoration of the 125th anniversary of America’s greatest murder mystery, True Crime Historian brings you “The Lizzie Edition,” and in-depth look at the murder of Andrew J. Borden in Fall River, Massachusetts, on August 4, 1892, and the trial of his daughter Lizzie Borden the following June....Theme music “My Ain Countrie” by Mary Lee Demarest, 1861, performed by Davide Severi with Plava Kuca on Violin....Media Management by Sean R. Jones...Production assistance by Emily Simer Braun...Dedicated to Rachel Michelle Jones, whose enthusiasm for the case prompted this monumental treatment.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Crane Neck Nugent, Prohibition TriggerThe Gangster ChroniclesBook Two, Chapter Six__Crane Neck gets arrested in a Florida speakeasy, then is quickly in the wind again. Meanwhile, the hunt for his former partner and archenemy Bob Zwick continues. When Zwick’s reign of terror finally ends, details of their worst exploits are revealed in court.__Music by Dave Samswww.truecrimehistorian.com/1925nugentBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Crane Neck Nugent, Prohibition AssassinThe Gangster Chronicles 2.5Crane Neck returns to Cincinnati to do a favor for his old boss, Fat Wrassman: Even the score for the hit on George Murphy. But it means going after his partner, Bob “The Fox” Zwick. You don’t want to miss the showdown in the streets of Cincinnati between Fat Wrassman and Detective Dutch Schafer.- Music by Dave Sams-www.truecrimehistorian.com/1925nugentBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Crane Neck Nugent, Prohibition TriggerThe Gangster Chronicles 2.4-Crane Neck Nugent’s career included work with the gang of Fred “Killer” Burke of St. Louis, whom he got to know when they served together as machine gunners in World War I. While no one was ever charged with the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, it is generally agreed that Al Capone hired the Burke gang, whom he called his “American Boys,” to take down his rival Bugs Moran. In this episode, we’ll also hear about Burke’s murder of a policeman in Michigan a few months after the massacre, his capture two years later when some of this information came to light.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Crane Neck Nugent: Prohibition Trigger -The Gangster Chronicles 2.3 -With the heat turned up high in Ohio, Crane Neck retreats to Kansas City to join the gang of his Army mentor Fred “Killer” Burke, the leader of his own gang there. A Toledo job goes south on the Burke gang, and a patrolman ends up dead from machine gun fire. Meanwhile Jack Parker, Todd Messner, Breck Lutes, Rodney Ford, and Bob Zwick hold up a craps game at the Pelican Club in North College Hill, killing the town marshal who stopped in to chew the fat. Later, Jack Parker is found dead outside Lebanon, Ohio. When the state’s chief witness in the first trial for the marshal’s murder turns up charred in an abandoned barbecue shack, police enhance their search for Crane Neck and Bob the Fox, while the surviving Dumele killers face the music.- Chapter 4: The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre -Music by Dave SamsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

The Gangster Chronicles 2.2.2-George "Fat" Wrassman figures heavily (so to speak) in the saga of Crane Neck Nugent. While this case doesn't bear directly on Nugent's story, it tells you the kind of man that Fat was, and will help inform some of the action in a later episode, so I offer this as a bonus to The Gangster Chronicles Book Two at no extra charge.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Crane Neck Nugent: Prohibition Trigger-The Gangster Chronicles 2.2.1-YESTERDAY'S NEWS-The murders of Gus Fitch, Bob Sollick, Glenn Hiatt, Martin Dailey and Buddy Ryan. Crane Neck Nugent was involved in four of these, and will soon avenge a fifth.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Crane Neck Nugent, Prohibition Trigger -The Gangster Chronicles 2.1-YESTERDAY'S NEWS-A reading from historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalismThe second volume of The Gangster Chronicles explores one of the many side effects of the Great Experiment, America's Prohibition on alcohol.I’ve often contended that Prohibition made criminals out of a lot of ordinary people who just wanted to drink and serve drinks. But it also gave some truly bad men an opportunity to misbehave.Although he had one of the worst nicknames names ever, Raymond "Crane Neck" Nugent, was one of the most ruthless of the era's gangsters.At 25, he went to trial for the murder of a bootlegger, and when the witness who came forward right after the event changed his mind at the trial -- well, we’ll look at that here in Chapter One.Before his own demise, Nugent would be suspected in at least 15 high-profile murders, including the most famous gangland massacre of the Prohibition era. Yeah, he was probably one of the guns at the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.-Musical direction by Dave SamsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Murder Under the Crab Apple Tree By Damon RunyonWhen a friend of mine started pitching Hall-Mills murder to me as a potential episode, I was immediately enthralled by the tale of an Episcopalian rector and his tragic affair with the choir singer, but when he told me the case hinged on the eyewitness testimony of “the pig woman,” I knew this was a story for True Crime Historian. But it gets even better. I started looking into it and discovered that the famed sportswriter Damon Runyon covered the trial with the same breezy prose he used in the short stories he wrote that inspired the musical “Guys and Dolls,” with daily dispatches drawing vivid word pictures of the trial and its participants. I felt it worthy of in depth exploration, so we’ll be doing a six episode series released on consecutive Sundays to hear all about the case and its cast of characters as told by one of America’s premier storytellers, who turns out to also be a Pioneer of True Crime. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

Panic at the Italian HallThis episode comes from the request of a listener in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan who wanted to know more about the panic disaster that took place at the Calumet Italian Hall in 1913. We just took nice camping trip to the Keneewah Peninsula, Michigan's upper Upper Peninsula. You'd be hard pressed to find a more beautiful place in the world. The weather was sublime and Lake Superior is one of my favorite bodies of water--crystal clear, unsalted and shark-free. My girlfriend wants to move up there, at least for the summers, and I'm not opposed.While we were there, we took the time to stop at Calumet and visited the memorial to the the Italian Hall. I'm usually a pretty cynical person, but I was truly moved to tears thinking about how horrible a person it took to instigate this tragedy, especially when most of the victims were little children. I took some pictures of the memorial and that evening, dug Episode 67 out of the vault, made a few edits, enhanced some of the audio, and while listening to it, found myself with the sniffles all over again. It’s a sad story, folks, but I think it’s an important one to remember because it’s all about what happens when we lose our civility. Theme music by Dave Sams Some incidental music via musopen.org Creative Commons license Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

AN EYE FOR AN EYE-A special edition of Yesterday’s News exploring the criminal justice system at its most extreme: Inflicting the Death Penalty.-This episode comes at the request of a faithful listener in Cincinnati who wanted to hear more about Anna Marie Hahn, the first woman to be executed in Ohio's electric chair.-Although ‘Arsenic Annie’ had stoically proclaimed her innocence right up until her dying day, Anna Marie Hahn left a handwritten 20-page confession in her death row cell on December 7, 1938, when they led her to Ohio’s electric chair, literally kicking and screaming.-In the letter, she not only takes responsibility for six murders, she denies other poisoning attempts and goes into details about her life and how she began her series what the governor called cold-blooded and horrifying crimes when he made the final decision to take her to the chair.-The letter is such a remarkable and revealing self-portrait, more entertaining than her pathetic execution, that I gave it to a professional actress, my friend and colleague Emily Simer Braun, to help bring out some of the nuances in this rare insight into the mind of a mass murderer.-Music by Dave Sams-www.truecrimehistorian.com/1938hahnBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

THE GANGSTER CHRONICLES A special edition of Yesterday’s News focusing on the notorious scoundrels of the Prohibition and Depression eras.The Final Chapter of the Dillinger Saga-The first volume of this this series has been devoted to the exploration of newspaper accounts of the trail of terror blazed by one of America’s most famous, dare I say most beloved, gangsters, John Dillinger.-From the time he was paroled from the Michigan City prison in May, 1933, to the time he was gunned down by police on a Chicago sidewalk 14 months later, John Herbert Dillinger was one of America’s most notorious scoundrels.-In previous chapters, we read the newspaper accounts of the escape of ten convicts from the Indiana penitentiary at Michigan City and the bloody delivery of Dillinger from the Lima, Ohio, jail; how Dillinger and his new gang blazed a trail of terror across the Midwest until he was captured in Tuscon, his second daring escape using a gun he made from broomstick, and his continuing reign of terror. Last month, we heard about one more narrow escape from the clutches of the law and one final bank robbery.-The narration for this episode was recorded on the main stage of the Biograph Theatre in Chicago, where Dillinger saw his last film just minutes before meeting his fate on the sidewalks of the Windy City. It was a movie theater then, and Dillinger, his hair dyed black, came here with two women to see Clark Gable in “Manhattan Melodrama,” and on the way out… Well, listen to this episode to see how it all shakes out.-Music by Chuck Wiggins-www.truecrimehistorian.com/1934dillingers0106Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

YESTERDAY'S NEWSA reading from America's historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism.Luke Brannon Thwarts a Lynching-The Classic Village of Oxford, Ohio, got so riled up over a shooting in a local saloon, that they bust open the jails and drag the culprits to the local hanging tree. The tree had been  used once before, and if you go to my archives, you can hear about that tale in the episode two, "An Outrageous Murder in Oxford," in which the town got so outraged over the apparent murder of one of the town matrons that they hung a dead man. A decade later, another Oxford mob attempts another lynching, but it doesn’t really go any better for them, not when brave Deputy Luke Brannon swoops in just in the nick of time.-Music by Chuck WigginsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

THE GANGSTER CHRONICLES 1.5A special edition of Yesterday's News focusing on the notorious scoundrels of the Prohibition and Depression eras.-We're beginning this series with newspaper accounts of the trail of terror blazed by one of America's most famous, dare I say most beloved, gangsters, John Dillinger.-From the time he was paroled from the Michigan City prison in May, 1933, to the time he was gunned down by police on a Chicago sidewalk 14 months later, John Herbert Dillinger was one of America's most notorious scoundrels.-In previous chapters, we read the newspaper accounts of the escape of ten convicts from the Indiana penitentiary at Michigan City and the bloody delivery of Dillinger from the Lima, Ohio, jail; how Dillinger and his new gang blazed a trail of terror across the Midwest until he was captured in Tuscon, his second daring escape using a gun he made from broomstick, and his continuing reign of terror. In this chapter, we’ll hear about one more narrow escape from the clutches of the law and one final bank robbery.I’m pleased to announce that on Sunday, May 8, I will be recording the final chapter of the Dillinger saga from the main stage of the Biograph Theatre in Chicago, where Dillinger saw his last film just minutes before meeting his fate on the sidewalks of the Windy City. Please visit my website, www.truecrimehistorian.com, for updates on that event.-Musical Direction by Chuck WigginsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

TRUE CRIME STORY TIMEThe Sad Tale of Anna May Gamble Knapp-Around the jails and the Indiana and Ohio neighborhoods where he lived, Alfred Knapp carried the nickname “Looney” Knapp for his bizarre, often childish behavior. He spent half of his adult life in prison for petty larcenies and attacks upon young women. When he was released from the Michigan City Penitentiary in the summer of 1902, he joined his third wife, Hannah, in her hometown of Hamilton, Ohio. Three days before Christmas that year, Knapp strangled his wife in the early morning hours and put her body in a box and put the box in the Great Miami River, then told everyone that Hannah had left him. Some in his family became suspicious, and when he remarried two months later, they had him arrested for bigamy. Alfred Knapp then not only confessed to killing his wife, but four other women in Cincinnati and Indianapolis, including his second wife. Consequently, “The Strangler Knapp” became a Midwest sensation and dozens of newspapers sent reporters to cover the case.-One of the many things that makes the Knapp case a remarkable story worth telling is the intense family and courtroom drama that was chronicled in the extensive press coverage. One of the most colorful real-life characters in this tale is the young, simple-minded fourth wife, from whose bed he was arrested for bigamy at four in the morning. So I want to tell you her story in a series of excerpts from my latest book, The First Celebrity Serial Killer: Confessions of the Strangler Alfred Knapp.-I invite you to visit my website, www.truecrimehistorian.com, for source information and instructions on how you can buy an inscribed edition of “The First Celebrity Serial Killer.”Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

TRUE CRIME STORY TIMEThe Saga of the Scoundrel Thomas McGehanA true crime short story by Richard O Jones-On Christmas eve, 1870, three men attack a local politician with boulders and slungshots, and at least a dozen men scramble for the door while five shots pepper the faro room at the American Saloon in Hamilton, Ohio. One of bullets kills the politician, Thomas Myers, but in their haste, none of the gamblers see who fired the gun. The blame falls on the leader of the gang of thugs who attacked Myers, his political rival Thomas McGehan. At his trial the famed former Congressman, exiled Copperhead and gubernatorial candidate Clem Vallandigham, who literally gives his life to McGehan’s defense.-For a complete list of sources for this podcast, please visit www.truecrimehistorian.com, where you can also find newspaper clippings and drawings from this case, including a diagram of the layout of the American saloon, as well as more stories about the scandals, scoundrels and scourges of America’s past, along with information about my true crime books and my Two-Dollar Terror series of historical crime novellas.-Music by Chuck WigginsBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

THE GANGSTER CHRONICLES 1.4-The Gangster Chronicles is a special edition of Yesterday's News focusing on the notorious scoundrels of the Prohibition and Depression eras.-We're beginning this series with newspaper accounts of the trail of terror blazed by one of America's most famous, dare I say most beloved, gangsters, John Dillinger.-From the time he was paroled from the Michigan City prison in May, 1933, to the time he was gunned down by police on a Chicago sidewalk 14 months later, John Herbert Dillinger was one of America's most notorious scoundrels.-In chapter one, we looked at the escape of ten convicts from the Indiana penitentiary at Michigan City and the bloody delivery of Dillinger from the Lima, Ohio. In Chapter Two, Dillinger and his new gang blazed a trail of terror across the Midwest. In chapter three, Dillinger gets quietly captured in Tuscon, but makes another daring escape, this time, using a gun he made from broomstick.-With Dillinger again in the wind, state and now federal police launch a desperate manhunt while the gangster continues his trail of terror.-For source information and clips related to this installment of the Gangster Chronicles, visit www.truecrimehistorian.com, where you can also find additional stories about the scandals, scoundrels and scourges of America's past, as well as information about my books and my TwoDollar Terror series of true crime novellas.-And come back here next month for Chapter 5 in the Dillinger saga when the notorious scoundrel once more narrowly escape arrest in a deadly police raid at Little Bohemia.Lodge in Wisconsin.-Musical direction by Chuck Wiggins.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

THE GANGSTER CHRONICLES 1.3Yesterday's NewsA reading from America's historic newspapers-From the time he was paroled from the Michigan City prison in May, 1933, to the time he was gunned down by police on a Chicago sidewalk 14 months later, John Herbert Dillinger was one of America's most notorious scoundrels.-In chapter one, we looked at the escape of ten convicts from the Indiana penitentiary at Michigan City and the subsequent delivery of Dillinger from the Lima, Ohio, jail that led to the death of Sheriff Jesse Sarber. In Chapter Two, Dillinger and his new gang blazed a trail of terror across the Midwest.-Now, the wanted desperados have made their way to Tuscon, Arizona, to escape the heat of Chicago, but a hotel fire spells the beginning of the end for most of the outlaw gang.-Musical direction by Chuck Wiggins.-Produced by Richard O JonesBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

THE GANGSTER CHRONICLES 1.2A reading from America’s historic newspapers from the golden age of yellow journalism-Law enforcement officials and fellow bandits alike lose their lives in the hunt for the desperate criminals who escaped from the Michigan City prison and murdered a sheriff in getting John Dillinger out of jail. In the meantime, Dillinger and his companions continue their spree of mayhem across the Mid [...]Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.

THE GANGSTER CHRONICLES 1.1Yesterday's NewsA Reading from America’s Historic Newspapers-In this first volume of "The Gangster Chronicles," we will follow the trail of terror blazed by one of America's most famous, perhaps most beloved, gangsters, John Dillinger. From the time he was paroled from the Michigan City prison in May, 1933, to the time he was gunned down by police on a Chicago sidewalk in front of the Biograph Theater 14 months later, John Herbert Dillinger was one of America's most notorious scoundrels. Chapter One will detail some of Dillinger's earliest known robberies and his murderous escape from the Lima jail. We plan to tell the Dillinger saga in five chapters. After this first one, you can expect a new installment at 7 p.m. on the first Sunday of the month. We're considering the options for Volume 2 and are welcome to suggestions. Please email us at truecrimehistorian@outlook.com with your thoughts.-Music by Audionautix. Theme song by Josh Woodward.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/true-crime-historian--2909311/support.