True Crime Historian

The Tribulation Of Meda Dudgeon Hodell Episode 229 is a rich tale from the swamp lands of Michigan, an ever-changing story that includes a fake suicide, a pair of murders, confessions out the wazoo, as well as charges of police corruption and coersion--even a couple of ghost stories--all centered on a simple 20-year-old country girl, the bride of a much older man. Yeah, it's that kinda country. Ad-Free Edition

Mystery Of The Pyjama Girl Episode 432 comes from a request from a listener Down Under, the story of a mysterious body found smoldering in a country culvert. It takes ten years to identify the body and name a suspect, but one interested physician claims they misidentified the victim and pinned the crime on the wrong man. Weigh the evidence yourself, and let me know your verdict. Ad-Free Edition

Kid McCoy Down For The Count Episode 427 documents a dramatic fall from grace when a beloved American prizefighter and silent film star falls for a married woman, who seemed destined to be his ninth or tenth wife. His marital history is as complicated and murky as her business dealings, and their affair takes a tragic turn late one hot august night. Culled from the historic pages of the Los Angeles Times and other newspapers of the era. Ad-Free Edition

Life And Confession of Stephen Dee Richards Episode 223 takes us to the prairies of Nebraska to explore the state's first serial killer, Stephen Dee Richards. His confession and the reporting of his murder come from a sensational trial pamphlet published shortly after his death, the 19th century version of a true crime podcast. Ad-Free Edition

The Reily Mattock Murder Episode 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 Edition

Jealous Husband Murders Rival, Wounds Wife Episode 232 is really just your average love triangle gone awry, but there are mysteries to be solved here, and the real reason I like this story is that the bad girl in this case is not the instigator, but a survivor, the victim of a jealous husband, a strong Southern woman with flair and flaws of her own. Ad free edition

Case File For The Scoundrel Lingo Episode 428 describes two violent murders in the rural areas around Merchantville, New Jersey, in the 1890s. A rough farm-hand is the first suspect in the first case, but suspicion suddenly turns to the victim’s uncle/husband and attention to a trial full of courtroom theatrics. Then a nearly identical murder a year later adds a new wrinkle to the case. But that’s still not all. Culled from the historic pages of the New York Daily World, the Philadelphia Inquirer and other newspapers of the era.

A Deadly Package At Seat Pleasant Episode 430 tells of another holiday celebration ending in tragedy, when a mysterious package makes its way to the home of a young recently secretly married expectant mother. Suspicion falls at once to the family of her secret husband, and the husband himself. Ad-free edition

The Trial Of The Mother Of Dolls Episode 240 is one of those cases where you just know that somebody's off their rocker, but it's hard to figure out exactly who. Things get weird when a husband charges his wife with murdering their twin babies. That he never saw. So what was he pushing around in the stroller the last couple of months? Ad-free edition

The End Of The Skinny And Stumpy Affair Episode 429 is our very special holiday episode, in which a disenchanted housewife pulls the trigger on her lover and claims self-defense. Let’s see how that works out for her.Culled from the historic pages of the Louisville Courier-Journal and other newspapers of the era. Ad-Free version

The Michigan School House Massacre Episode 48 looks at the most tragic school massacre in American history, this one perpetrated by the school district’s treasurer, upset over a recent rise in his property taxes to build a new school. So he decides to blow up his own house and take the school down, too, claiming 45 lives, including his own. If not for a faulty wiring plan, it could have been worse. Much worse.Music by Chuck Wiggins

The Boston Broker Bomber's Attack on Wall Street Episode 238 takes an inside look at the mad business of stock trading during the boom of the late 1800s as we hear the news of a bombing attack on the offices of one of the titans of Wall Street, the second-richest man in the world. The dust is barely settled as the lawsuits begin. I think you'll get a kick out of the reason why. Ad-Free Version

The Saga Of Ruth Freed’s Itchy Trigger Finger Episode 222 tells of the unsolved murder of a professional party girl in post-Prohibition Chicago. Well, technically it’s unsolved because no one was ever tried and convicted, but I think it’s pretty clear who the culprit is.

The Real ‘Chicago’ Murders Episode 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.

Sabella Nitti Gets Almost Pretty Episode 230 is a story that turned out to be the exception to the rule in the 1920s, because a woman not only gets convicted of murder, but also faces execution for her alleged crime. Public indignation and sympathy for the homely defendant was so inflamed that it became part of the story. Culled from the historic pages of the Chicago Tribune, this story features reporting and commentary from legendary Chicago journalist Genevieve Forbes Herrick whose contributions will be read by guest voice Susan Ferman.

A Broadway Moth, Her Overweight Date, And The Half-Pint Gangster Episode 412 is an action-packed adventure that begins with the body of a pretty girl on a dark lonely road and includes a policeman killed in the line of duty, more than a thousand shots fired in a showdown with the villains, a couple of attempted jailbreaks, and a double-dose of lethal justice. Add in a broken-hearted mother and a moll who turns the tables, then see where it goes. The newspapers at the time compared this to a similar murder that had just taken place, the story of Vivian Gordon’s last ride. It was the subject of True Crime Historian Episode 228 and you can listen to it at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Culled from the historic pages of the New York Daily News and other newspapers of the era.

The Reverend Executioner Episode 239 not only gives you two executions for the price of one, but also an executioner who has to choose between his moral convictions and his duty under the law. What I like most about this story, though, is the fierce teenage daughter who shows no fear when it comes to facing down these half-witted bandits. If the final scene doesn't raise the hair on your neck, I don't know what will.

The Trial Of Rattlesnake James, The Red-Headed Bluebeard Episode 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.

The Horror in the Slaughter Garage Episode 243 is the sordid tale of a man who pursued women he presumed were wealthy with long distance love letters in order to swindle them of their money. Yeah, that’s a story we’ve heard before, but this one goes an extra step darker with a gruesome murder of women and children. Consider that your trigger warning. The West Virginia community was so outraged by the crime that the lingering crowds began to worry the police. And for good reason. You’ll want to join them. There are some excellent first-hand accounts of the events of this story, and because the victim was from Chicago, the Tribune sent their ace reporter Genevieve Forbes Herrick to West Virginia to interview the principals. We welcome back Susan Ferman to read Ms. Herrick’s reports. Culled from the historic pages of the Chicago Tribune, Pittsburgh Press and other newspapers of the era.

The Rosewood Massacr Episode 284 is dedicated to True Crime Historian patron Mary Virginia Avery who lives near what used to be Rosewood, Florida, where the probably unfounded accusation of a black man for assaulting a white woman led to the destruction of the town and the banishment from Levy County of all of its citizens. Because incidents like this were numerous and under-reported, I’ve included accounts of some of the racial unrest in that area that researchers believe contributed to the rage that was exhibited that night, and also some passages from a report produced in 1993 based on interviews with survivors. Although I’ve edited the news reports to lighten the obvious racial bias, there are times when I felt it important to read them as written, so be aware that the language may be strong at times. History is not always pretty, and I don’t think it endorses the racism of the day to bring it into light. I believe that all of my stories are cautionary tales, and it’s too easy to see echoes of these events in modern America. Ad free edition