True Crime Historian

YESTERDAY’S NEWS --Tales of classic scandals, scoundrels and scourges told from historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism...AKA The Lipstick Killer And His Imaginary AccompliceHang onto your seats, folks, this one is another wild ride down psychopath lane. Folks in a nice Chicago neighborhood are scandalized when a string of murders go from fearsome to gruesome. Police get their man--or men, depending on how you look at it--almost by accident when the culprit is arrested for another crime. His crimes are heinous and involve a child, so tread carefully if your sensitive to that stuff, but I will tell you that the reporting isn’t overly graphic.Culled from the historic pages of the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers of the era.***A creation Of Pulpular MediaSupport your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require.Get pre-measured food to make your meals straight to your door with Hello Fresh! www.hellofresh.com/TRUE60. Get six meals free with the promotional code TRUE60 when you check out.If you like hearing about historical scoundrels here, you’ll also like The Gray Mask, a true spy podcast.***Opening theme by Nico Vitesse.Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com.Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music.Media management by Sean R. Miller-JonesRichard O Jones, Executive Producer

Escape From The AsylumYESTERDAY’S NEWS --Tales of classic scandals, scoundrels and scourges told from historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism...The Pearce Insanity PlotEpisode 289 is a scandalous story that shook two Midwestern cities in the late 1930s when a woman came forward with a bizarre tale of abduction, adultery, assault, addiction and absconsion. That’s why I’m putting this story on my A-list.***A creation Of Pulpular MediaSupport your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require.Get pre-measured food to make your meals straight to your door with Hello Fresh! www.hellofresh.com/TRUE60. Get six meals free with the promotional code TRUE60 when you check out.0***Opening theme by Nico Vitesse.Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com.Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music.Media management by Sean R. JonesRichard O Jones, Executive Producer

YESTERDAY’S NEWS --Tales of classic scandals, scoundrels and scourges told from historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism...Murder Of The Mythical Helen JohnsonEpisode 288 goes out to True Crime Historian patron Aisha B., who requested a murder from her hometown of Pleasanton, California. Although a lot of these historic stories have humorous elements when considered in modern light, I don’t normally treat them as comedies. There may or may not be any actual murders in this one, but there are plenty of accusations and much ado about Mrs. Amador’s allegations that makes it a comedy of errors that would make Shakespeare proud. Wait ‘til they get to the bones.Also, since this story came up a little shorter on time than most episodes, stay tuned after the credits for a bonus short short story.***A creation Of Pulpular MediaSupport your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to commercial free editions of all new episodes, exclusive content and whatever personal services you require.***Opening theme by Nico Vitesse.Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com.Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music.Media management by Sean R. JonesRichard O Jones, Executive Producer

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...The Heinous Crime Of Carl WandererEpisode 286 relates one of the most reprehensible double murders we’ve yet to encounter. They’re all reprehensible, but there’s no question that the act of Carl Wanderer was spawned by truly evil intent.Culled from the historic pages of the Chicago Tribune and other newspapers of the era.***A creation Of Pulpular MediaSupport your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require.ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire.***Opening theme by Nico Vitesse.Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com.Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music.Media management by Sean R. JonesRichard O Jones, Executive Producer

YESTERDAY’S NEWS --Tales of classic scandals, scoundrels and scourges told from historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism...The Rosewood MassacreEpisode 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.***A creation Of Pulpular MediaSupport your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require.ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire.***Opening theme by Nico Vitesse.Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com.Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music.Media management by Sean R. JonesRichard O Jones, Executive Producer

UNSOLVED: A special edition of Yesterday’s News exploring one of history’s most baffling murder mysteries.Who Killed Lettie Whitehall?Episode 282 is dedicated to True Crime Historian patron Vivia Boe, who requested an episode from her hometown, Bothell, Washington. In scouring the archives, I found this tragic story that takes place in the vicinity. It’s usually hard to get a full episode from an unsolved case as there’s usually no resolution and a good story needs an ending. This one has a lot of middle, to be sure, as law enforcement thrashes around and blames every man in town for the poor girl’s death. They finally charge a guy, but the evidence is thin. One clue still bugs me, tho. How do you explain the missing tooth?***Culled from the historic pages of the Seattle Daily Times and other newspapers of the era.***A creation Of Pulpular MediaSupport your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require.ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire.***Opening theme by Nico Vitesse.Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com.Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music.Media management by Sean R. JonesRichard O Jones, Executive Producer

YESTERDAY’S NEWS --Tales of classic scandals, scoundrels and scourges told from historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism...The Deadly Trout Creek Land SquabbleEpisode 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.***Culled from the historic pages of the Salt Lake City Herald Republican, the Salt Lake City Tribune, the Ogden Standard, and other newspapers of the era.***A creation Of Pulpular MediaSupport your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require.ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire.***Opening theme by Nico Vitesse.Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com.Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music.Media management by Sean R. JonesRichard O Jones, Executive Producer

The Kidnapping Of Brooke L. Hart YESTERDAY’S NEWS -- Tales of classic scandals, scoundrels and scourges told from historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism... Mob 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. *** A creation Of Pulpular Media Support your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require. ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire. *** Opening theme by Nico Vitesse. Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com. Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music. Media management by Sean R. Jones Production assistance by Emily Simer Braun Richard O Jones, Executive Producer

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... The End Of Gordon Fawcett Hamby Episode 277 is a fascinating portrait of a cold-blooded psychopath and sociopath, an erudite Canadian seaman who allegedly traveled the world committing the most dastardly robberies. But when he goes too far and murders a friend, his conscience finally gets to him and his eight year career comes to a crashing halt and the light of day. Culled from the historic pages of the New York Herald and other newspapers of the era. *** A creation Of Pulpular Media Support your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require. ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire. *** Opening theme by Nico Vitesse. Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com. Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music. Media management by Sean R. Jones Production assistance by Emily Simer Braun Richard O Jones, Executive Producer

Pregnant Church Worker Found Dead In Harvey’s Lake If the tropes in Episode 275 sound a bit like Episode 96, “The Body In Big Moose Lake,” the familiarity was not lost on the people of the day, either. The 1906 murder of Grace Brown in Big Moose Lake inspired novelist Theodore Dreiser to write “An American Tragedy,” which became an instant classic when it was published in 1925. The story you are about to hear struck such a familiar chord that the press made many comparisons and headlines described the murder of Freda McKechnie and the trial of Bobby Edwards in the same terms. Theodore Dreiser was called upon by the New York Post to cover the trial, and he makes a brief appearance in our story when he receives an admonition from the bench. *** Culled from the historic pages of the Wilkes-Barre Record, Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, the Wilkes-Barre Evening News and other newspapers of the era. *** A creation Of Pulpular Media Support your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require. ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire. *** Opening theme by Nico Vitesse. Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com. Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music. Media management by Sean R. Jones Production assistance by Emily Simer Braun Richard O Jones, Executive Producer

YESTERDAY’S NEWS -- Tales of classic scandals, scoundrels and scourges told from historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism... A Bad Year For The Crabbs Episode 274 tells the tragic story of the Crabb family of Delavan, Illinois. One minute, they were well-respected bankers, pillars of the community. But the aftermath of a tragic death in the family mansion led to charges of manslaughter, perjury, and embezzlement, and another untimely death. Culled from the historic pages of the Bloomington, Illinois, Pantagraph and other newspapers of the era. *** A creation Of Pulpular Media Support your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require. ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire. *** Opening theme by Nico Vitesse. Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com. Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music. Media management by Sean R. Jones Production assistance by Emily Simer Braun Richard O Jones, Executive Producer

The Meat Cutter’s Madness A Safe House Special The main source document for Episode 273 comes from my personal files, something I dug out after doing last week’s regular episode about the professor that decapitated his wife and spent the rest of his life in a hospital for the criminally insane. Although I was an arts/entertainment writer for most of my journalism career, I actually started on the hard news side as an editor and bureau chief, supervising three reporters in the Cincinnati suburb of Fairfield, Ohio. In 1990, one of my reporters covered a murder that took place on Valentine’s Day, when a man decapitated his wife in a psychotic rage. That summer, the reporter came back from a hearing with a copy of the psychiatrist’s report filed with the court, and it was so dramatic and bizarre that I made a copy and stashed it away without any plan, just a writer’s need to have it, little realizing that I would someday be True Crime Historian. So after the last show, I remembered this case and I rooted around my storage unit, broke open a filing cabinet that I’d lost the key to, and found the file. So this story is only about 28 years old, the freshest episode yet! Unlike the deranged professor of Episode 272, however, this mad decapitator did not spend the rest of his life locked up. He’s out there somewhere today, declared sane and walking free. The fact that this happened on Valentine’s Day is even richer when reminded that the holiday actually commemorates a beheading: https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/st-valentine-beheaded To hear the doctor’s report and learn what drove the meat cutter to such a gruesome task, please visit www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. This episode will be available to patrons at all levels.

YESTERDAY’S NEWS -- Tales of classic scandals, scoundrels and scourges told from historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism... Why I Decapitated My Wife When I first encountered the headlines that led me to episode 272, they had me at wife decapitation, but it turns out to be so much more: a trunk murder, a sordid love triangle, a broken-hearted aged father and two poor waifs left without a mother. Plus some of the most spirited and detailed reporting you’ll find. *** Culled from the historic pages of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and other newspapers of the era. *** A creation Of Pulpular Media Support your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require. ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire. *** Opening theme by Nico Vitesse. Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com. Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music. Media management by Sean R. Jones Production assistance by Emily Simer Braun Richard O Jones, Executive Producer

YESTERDAY’S NEWS -- Tales of classic scandals, scoundrels and scourges told from historic newspapers in the golden age of yellow journalism... It Happened In A Fargo Hotel Episode 270 examines a case that baffled police then, and still today, there is some doubt cast on the verdict. But at the time, when the body of an innocent young farm girl turns up brutally raped and murdered in a Fargo, North Dakota, hotel room, fingers turn toward the night clerk, admittedly the town Lothario. *** A creation Of Pulpular Media Support your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require. ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire. *** Opening theme by Nico Vitesse. Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com. Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music. Media management by Sean R. Jones Production assistance by Emily Simer Braun Richard O Jones, Executive Producer

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... Executed For A Worthless Haul Episode 268 takes us back to the years just after Prohibition when gangsters no longer had illegal alcohol to excite their purpose. This gang terrorized three states until their number came up, as it always does, and their story not only contains some daring and ill-conceived heists, but internal strife and a flight from justice. This episode comes from the suggestion of listener Bill Murray. I don’t know if it’s the same Bill Murray of film and television fame, but I’m not saying it’s not. Culled from the historic pages of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Baltimore Sun, the Newport News Daily News, and other newspapers of the era. *** A creation Of Pulpular Media Support your favorite podcaster at www.patreon.com/truecrimehistorian. Just a dollar a month reserves your bunk at the safe house and access to exclusive content and whatever personal services you require. ZipRecruiter. The smartest way to hire. *** Opening theme by Nico Vitesse. Some music and sound effects licensed from podcastmusic.com. Closing theme by Dave Sams and Rachel Schott, engineered by David Hisch at Third Street Music. Media management by Sean R. Jones Production assistance by Emily Simer Braun Richard O Jones, Executive Producer