It’s a lighthearted nightmare in here, weirdos! Morbid is a true crime, creepy history and all things spooky podcast hosted by an autopsy technician and a hairstylist. Join us for a heavy dose of research with a dash of comedy thrown in for flavor.
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Episode 587: The Hartford Circus Fire
On July 6, 1944, an estimated 7,000 people, mostly women and children, gathered at the Barbour Street fairgrounds in Hartford, Connecticut to see the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Baily Circus. Inside the big top tent, the lion show had just ended, and the Flying Wallendas were getting ready to begin their performance when the tent caught fire, sending the large audience into a panic as the spectators and performers rushed to get to safety. The tent, which had been coated in paraffin wax, was quickly engulfed in flames and by the time the fire was put out, 139 people were dead and hundreds were badly injured. In the weeks that followed, another twenty-eight would die from their injuries. At the time, the Hartford circus fire was one of the worst fires in American history, and it remains one of the biggest tragedies in the state’s history. Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!ReferencesCavanaugh, Jack. 1994. "The Hartford fire, 50 years later." New York Times, July 3: CN1.Daily Boston Globe. 1945. "7 Ringling officials held responsible by coroner for Hartford circus fire." Daily Boston Globe, January 12: 12.—. 1950. "Circus holocaust, 4 N.E. murders laid to N.H. man." Daily Boston Globe, Juky 1: 1.—. 1950. "Psychiatrist to examine youth who thinks he set Hartford circus fire." Daily Boston Globe, May 21: C29.Davis, John. 1944. "Circus Fire is described by witness." Hartford Courant, July 7: 3.Ensworth, Bob. 1944. "Quick-witted show folks saved many, soldier declares." Daily Boston Globe, July 7: 1.Glaberson, William. 1991. "Our towns." New York Times, August 2: B2.Hartford Courant. 1944. "113 children, mothers not yet located." Hartford Courant, July 7: 1.—. 1944. "'Flying Wallendas' on high wire when flames swept through tent." Hartford Courant, July 7: 1.—. 1944. "Negligence facts found says Alcorn." Hartford Courant, July 8: 1.—. 1944. "Panic and blaze trap hundreds." Hartford Courant, July 7: 1.—. 1944. "Thousands attracted by circus here." Hartford Courant, July 6: 1.—. 1944. "Tossed cigarette blamed for fire by ushers, police." Hartford Courant, July 7: 1.Kelley, Robert. 1945. "The strange case of Little Miss No. 1565 still baffles police." Daily Boston Globe, July 16: 1.Linscott, Seymour. 1944. "136 die in circus fire." Daily Boston Globe, July 7: 1.Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. 1950. "Quiz firebug suspect in '44 circus tragedy." Los Angeles Evening Citizen News, May 19: 1.Morning Edition. 2007. Remembering the Horror and Heroes of a Circus Fire. July 6. Accessed July 2, 2024. https://www.npr.org/2007/07/06/11768511/remembering-the-horror-and-heroes-of-a-circus-fire.New York Times. 1950. "Arson killer sane, psychiatrists find." New York Times, November 2: 47.—. 1950. "Arsonist imprisoned; admitted 172 deaths." New York Times, November 4: 34.—. 1944. "Children caught in frenzied mass." New York Times, July 7: 11.—. 1950. "Some doubts raised in arson confession." New York Times, July 2: 27.Ross, Leonora. 1944. "Hartford tragedy leaves cricus artisits staggered." Daily Boston Globe, July 8: 2.Skidgell, Michael. 2019. The Hartford Circus Fire. Mount Pleasant, SC: Arcadia Publishing.Smith, John Henry. 2024. 80 years ago, a gas-soaked roof and WWII created a perfect storm for the Hartford circus tragedy . July 1. Accessed July 1, 2024. https://www.ctpublic.org/news/2024-07-01/80-years-ago-a-gas-soaked-roof-and-wwii-created-a-perfect-storm-for-the-hartford-circus-tragedy.Tuohy, Lynne. 2004. "Back to the circus." Hartford Courant, May 16: 69.United Press. 1942. "Scores of animals killed in $125,000 circus fire." Brooklyn Citizen, August 4: 1.Wallenfeldt, Jeff. 2024. Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. May 31. Accessed July 1, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Ringling-Bros-and-Barnum-and-Bailey-Combined-Shows/Ringling-Bros-and-Barnum-Bailey-Combined-Shows.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 586: The Murder of Bessie Darling
On the morning of October 31, 1933, a gunman burst through the door of Bessie Darling’s home in Foxville, Maryland and shot the woman to death. Police quickly arrested George Schultz, Darling’s boyfriend and business partner, who’d unsuccessfully attempted suicide after shooting Bessie. George confessed to the murder, claiming his actions were motivated by jealousy and a fear that Bessie was seeing other men, and he was sentenced to eighteen years in prison.In many ways, the story of Bessie Darling’s murder is a straightforward and unfortunately common story of domestic violence. Yet beneath the basic facts of the case is another story of rural development and economic inequality at a time when many in the nation were facing serious economic struggles. These aspects of the story, mostly ignored by the press, shaped how Bessie was portrayed by the media and how people have told and retold her story since her death.Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!ReferencesAssociated Press. 1933. "Autopsy is held in Darling case." Baltimore Sun, November 1: 5.—. 1934. "Mrs. Darling's slayer guilty; given 18 years." Baltimore Sun, March 13: 20.—. 1940. "Gov. O'Conor invokes new parole plan." Cumberland Evening Times, May 29: 2.Baltimore Evening Sun. 1934. "2 say Schultz was drinking on day of murder." Baltimore Evening Sun, March 12: 30.—. 1916. "Ax for Kelly man." Baltimore Evening Sun, August 9: 12.—. 1933. "Maid says man shot woman and himself." Baltimore Evening Sun, October 31: 1.Baltimore Sun. 1933. "Alleged slayer admits jealousy." Baltimore Sun, November 2: 5.Bedell, John, Gregory Katz, Jason Shellenhamer, Lisa Kraus, and Sarah Groesbeck. 2011. The People of the Mountain: Archeological Overview, Assessment, Identification, and Evaluation Study of Catoctin Mountain Park Maryland. Historical survey, Washington, DC: National Park Service.Clay, K.C. 2018. Bessie Darling: A Brief Report on the Life of a Catoctin Mountain Proprietress. Historiography , Catoctin Mountain Park, MD: National Park Service.Hagerstown Daily Mail. 1933. "Schultz has good chance of recovery." Hagerstown Daily Mail, November 2: 3.—. 1933. "Schultz says shooting was self-defense." Hagerstown Daily Mail, December 4: 1.National Park History. 2003. A New Deal for the Mountain. November 21. Accessed June 6, 2024. http://npshistory.com/publications/cato/hrs/chap5.htm.—. 2003. Chapter Four: The Eve of Acquisition . November 21. Accessed June 5, 2024. http://npshistory.com/publications/cato/hrs/chap4.htm.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 585: Listener Tales 88
Weirdos! It's Listener Tales, and you know what THAT means! it's brought to you BY you, For you, FROM you, and ALLLLL about you! Today, it's Ash's pick and we've got a batch of tales about signs! We have deceased matchmakers, a traumatic birthday, a story about gut feelings, Ghosts that use MORBID to haunt their loved ones, and a grandmother who sends signs for her granddaughter to stop smoking the devils lettuce. If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Listen Now: Hysterical
Hysterical investigates a mysterious illness that spreads among a group of high school girls in upstate New York. What is causing their sudden, often violent symptoms? Is there something in the water or inside the school? Or is it “all in their head?” The series examines the outbreak in LeRoy, NY, believed by some to be the most severe case of mass hysteria since the Salem Witch Trials. In his search for answers, Dan Taberski (9/12, Missing Richard Simmons, Running from Cops) explores other seemingly inexplicable events of the last few years – CIA officers being crippled with nausea and vertigo; cops OD'ing from exposure to fentanyl – and discovers they’re far more connected than we realize.From Wondery and Pineapple Street Studios, this 7-part series forces us to grapple with the mysteries of our own minds, and reckon with a contagion that we thought was long dead, but may be the defining disorder of our time. Follow Hysterical on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. You can binge all episodes of Hysterical early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery+ at Wondery.fm/Hysterical_Morbid.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 584: Peter Manuel: The Beast of Birkenshaw (Part 2)
When Peter Smart failed to show up for work on the morning of January 6, 1958, officers in Lanarkshire, Scotland were dispatched to Smart’s home to conduct a well-being check. When no one came to the door, the officers forced their way inside, where they found Smart, his wife, and their eleven-year-old son all dead from gunshot wounds to the head. A week later, Peter Manuel was arrested and charged with the murders of the Smart family, but in time the police in Lanarkshire would learn that was only one of Manuel’s horrific crimes.Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!ReferencesBirmingham Post and Gazette. 1958. "3 shot dead: no gun found." Birmingham Post and Gazette, January 7: 1.Coventry Evening Telegraph. 1956. "Three dead in bungalow beds." Coventry Evening Telegraph, September 17: 1.Daily Record. 1956. "Fifth tee murder." Daily Record, January 5: 1.—. 1956. "Fifth tee murder: dramatic appeal." Daily Record, January 6: 1.—. 1957. "Teenager vanishes." Daily Record, December 30: 1.—. 1958. "Two sensations as trial opens." Daily Record, May 13: 7.Daily Telegraph. 1958. "1958." Daily Telegraph, May 15: 15.Evening Sentinel. 1956. "Bloodstains found on bed sheets." Evening Sentinel, September 17: 1.—. 1957. "Tjhick snow hampers moors hunt." Evening Sentinel, December 11: 1.Hull Daily Mail. 1957. "Police seek fresh clues in murder mystery." Hull Daily Mail, December 10: 5.Lundy, Iain. 2007. "Psychopath who brought terror to the west." Evening Times, December 27.MacLeod, Hector. 2009. Peter Manuel, Serial Killer. Edinburgh, Scotland: Mainstream Books.Nottingham Evening News. 1956. "Bungalow riddle: two women and girl dead in bed." Nottingham Evening News, September 17: 4.Silvester, Norman. 2022. The story of Scotland's first known serial killer Peter Manuel. October 10. Accessed June 9, 2024. https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/23034356.story-scotlands-first-known-serial-killer-peter-manuel/.The Times. 1958. "Statement on 8 murders." The Times, May 22: 5.Western Mail. 1958. "Watt denies shooting his wife." Western Mail, May 16: 5.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 583: Peter Manuel: The Beast of Birkenshaw (Part 1)
With a violent criminal history going back to his early teen years, Peter Manuel turned out to be one of Scotland’s worst serial killers. His tumultuous early teenage years were peppered with break-ins and destruction of property, but quickly escalated to horrific acts of brutality.Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!ReferencesBirmingham Post and Gazette. 1958. "3 shot dead: no gun found." Birmingham Post and Gazette, January 7: 1.Coventry Evening Telegraph. 1956. "Three dead in bungalow beds." Coventry Evening Telegraph, September 17: 1.Daily Record. 1956. "Fifth tee murder." Daily Record, January 5: 1.—. 1956. "Fifth tee murder: dramatic appeal." Daily Record, January 6: 1.—. 1957. "Teenager vanishes." Daily Record, December 30: 1.—. 1958. "Two sensations as trial opens." Daily Record, May 13: 7.Daily Telegraph. 1958. "1958." Daily Telegraph, May 15: 15.Evening Sentinel. 1956. "Bloodstains found on bed sheets." Evening Sentinel, September 17: 1.—. 1957. "Tjhick snow hampers moors hunt." Evening Sentinel, December 11: 1.Hull Daily Mail. 1957. "Police seek fresh clues in murder mystery." Hull Daily Mail, December 10: 5.Lundy, Iain. 2007. "Psychopath who brought terror to the west." Evening Times, December 27.MacLeod, Hector. 2009. Peter Manuel, Serial Killer. Edinburgh, Scotland: Mainstream Books.Nottingham Evening News. 1956. "Bungalow riddle: two women and girl dead in bed." Nottingham Evening News, September 17: 4.Silvester, Norman. 2022. The story of Scotland's first known serial killer Peter Manuel. October 10. Accessed June 9, 2024. https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/23034356.story-scotlands-first-known-serial-killer-peter-manuel/.The Times. 1958. "Statement on 8 murders." The Times, May 22: 5.Western Mail. 1958. "Watt denies shooting his wife." Western Mail, May 16: 5.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 582: The Murder of Julia Martha Thomas
In early March 1879, fifty-five-year-old widow Julia Martha Thomas disappeared from her home in southwest London. Julia often travelled by herself on moment’s notice, so neighbors thought nothing of her absence; however, when several female body parts were discovered in the Thames, police uncovered a gruesome crime that not only involved theft and impersonation, but also the ghastly murder of Julia Martha Thomas.Thomas’s maid, Kate Webster, was quickly arrested and charged with Julia’s murder. Through their investigation, detectives discovered that Thomas had recently given Webster notice of termination after only one month. Days before she was to leave Thomas’ home, Webster murdered her employer, then dismembered her body and posed as Julia in order to sell off the murdered woman’s belongings for a quick profit. Although she maintained her innocence, Kate Webster was tried, convicted, and executed for the crime, finally confessing her guilt just hours before she went to the gallows.The ”Richmond Murder,” as it was dubbed by the press, captivated Londoners for months and Webster’s trial and execution became something of a public spectacle. In Victorian-era England, few people believed a woman capable of committing murder, much less dismemberment and rendering of a human body. Given that, and the shocking viciousness of the crime itself, the Richmond Murder remains one of London’s most notorious murders of the late nineteenth century.Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!ReferencesBirmingham Evening Mail. 1879. "Solution of the Barnes mystery." Birmingham Evenign Mail, March 26: 3.Blake, Matt. 2011. Attenborough skull mystery finally solved. July 6. Accessed June 23, 2024. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/attenborough-skull-mystery-finally-solved-2307530.html.Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper. 1879. "The Barnes mystery." Lloyd's Weekly Newspaper, March 16: 5.O'Donnell, Elliot. 2010. The Trial of Kate Webster. New York, NY: Gale, Making of Modern Law.Portsmouth Evening News. 1879. "The Richmond murder." Portsmouth Evening News, July 9: 3.Shaver Hughes, Sarah, and Brady Hughes. 1997. Women in World History: Readings fom 1500 to the Present. London, UK: Routledge.The Citizen. 1879. "The Barnes Mystery." The Citizen, March 13: 3.The Journal. 1879. "The Barnes mystery." The Journal, March 14: 3.The Times. 1879. "TRhe murder and mutilation at Richmond." Reynold's Newspaper, April 6: 6.—. 1879. "The murder at Richmond." The Times, April 1: 5.—. 1879. "The supposed tragedy at Richmond." The Times, April 3: 2.Wood, Walter. 1916. Survivors' Tales of Famous Crimes. London, UK: Cassell.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 581: The Murder of Patricia Lonergan
On the morning of October 25, 1943, the body of twenty-two-year-old Lion Brewery heiress, Patricia Lonergan, was discovered in a locked room in the New York apartment she shared with her infant son. Patrica was nude and had been bludgeoned with a candelabra. Suspicion quickly fell on her estranged husband, Wayne Lonergan, who had fled the country to Canada, where he was serving in the Royal Canadian Air Force.Wayne Lonergan was apprehended a few days later and returned to New York, where he was charged with the murder and two days later confessed to killing Patricia in a jealous rage. Despite his confession, Lonergan’s case went to trial and quickly became one of the most sensational trials of the decade. While the murder itself was a terrible tragedy, the extensive press coverage and intense public interest was on Wayne’s sexual identity and the supposedly scandalous lives of the two high society figures at the center of the case.Wayne was ultimately found guilty of the murder and served more than two decades in prison, after which he was deported back to Canada, where he resided until his death. Few people ever doubted that Wayne had indeed killed his wife; however, to this day many have questioned whether his sexuality and the couple’s nontraditional marriage biased the jury against him and led to an unfair trial.Thank you to the incredible Dave White (of Bring Me the Axe and 99 Cent Rental Podcasts) for research!ReferencesAnderson-Minshall, Diane. 2021. Did this queer man kill his wife? March 24. Accessed June 18, 2024. https://www.advocate.com/crime/2021/3/24/did-queer-man-kill-his-wife#rebelltitem1.Buffalo News. 1943. "Boats grapple for vanished RCAF uniform." Buffalo News, October 28: 1.Dunne, Dominick. 2001. "The Talented Mr. Lonergan." Vanity Fair, July 01.Levine, Allan. 2020. Details Are Unprintable: Wayne Lonergan and the Sensational Cafe Society Murder. Guilford, CT: Lyons Press.New York Times. 1944. "35 years to life given to Lonergan." New York Times, April 18: 1.—. 1942. "Husband is held for questioning in heiress' murder." New York Times, October 26: 1.—. 1944. "Lawyers rebuked in Lonergan case." New York Times, February 17: 20.—. 1944. "Lonergan choked wife, Grumet says." New York Times, March 23: 21.—. 1944. "Lonergan confession read; tells of bluedgeoning wife." New York Times, March 28: 1.—. 1944. "Lonergan defense is ended abruptly." New York Times, March 30: 1.—. 1944. "Lonergan guilty in second degree of slaying wife." New York Times, April 1: 1.—. 1943. "RCAF cadet's wife slain in home here." New York Times, October 25: 1.—. 1944. "State asks death in Lonergan case." New York Times, March 31: 1.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 580: Charles Whitman: The Texas Tower Sniper
On the morning of August 1, 1966, twenty-five-year-old Charles Whitman arrived at the University of Texas Austin campus a little before noon, carrying with him several rifles, pistols, and a shotgun contained within a military footlocker. After talking his way past a guard, Whitman climbed to the twenty eighth floor of the campus clocktower and walked out onto the observation deck, then began firing at the people on the ground below. In the span of a just over an hour and half, Charles Whitman killed fifteen people and wounded thirty-one others before finally being shot and killed by a police officer who’d managed to make his way to the top of the tower. Investigators later learned that, prior to arriving on the UT campus, Whitman had also murdered his mother and his wife.In 1966, mass shootings were virtually unheard of in the United States and Whitman’s spree killing shocked the nation. By most accounts, Charles Whitman was the picture of an all-American man, which made his actions all the more confusing. He was well-liked, had a successful military career, a beautiful wife, and once out of the military, he began pursuing a college degree in preparation for the next phase of his life. But behind the façade of American middle-class success lurked a deeply troubled man whose personal history and acute medical problems would eventually go a long way to explaining his actions on the morning of August 1.Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!ReferencesAustin American-Statesman. 1966. "U.T. sniper shoots 33." Austin American-Statesman, August 1: 1.Colloff, Pamela. 2006. "96 minutes." Texas Monthly, August 1: 104.—. 2016. "Memorial day." Texas Monthly, August 1: 22.Flemmons, Jerry. 1966. "UT tower sniper kills 14, dies in hail of police gunfire." Fort Worth Star-Telegram, August 2: 1.Governor's Committee. 1966. Report to the Governor; Medical Aspects, Charles J. Whitman Catastrophe. Fact-finding report, Houston, TX: Texas Department of Public Safety.Krebs, Albin. 1966. "The Texas killer: Former Florida neighbors recall a nice boy who liked toy guns." New York Times, August 2: 15.Lavergne, Gary. 1997. Sniper in the Tower: The Charles Whitman Murders. Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press.New York Times. 1967. "U. of Texas to reopen ." New York Times, June 18: 25.Stuever, Hank. 1996. "96 minutes, 30 years later." Austin American-Statesman, July 29: 1.Texas Department of Public Safety. 1966. Statement of John and Fran Morgan. Intelligence Report, Houston, TX: State of Texas Department of Public Safety.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 579: The Society Gang Killing
On Thanksgiving Day 1934, police in Tulsa, Oklahoma found the dead body of John Gorrell Jr., a Kansas City dental student, slumped behind the wheel of his car, which had come to a stop at a downtown intersection. Gorrell had been shot in the head twice with his own gun and his wallet and other valuables were missing, leading police to conclude he had been killed in a botched robbery. Just one day later, the residents of Tulsa were shocked to learn that Gorrell hadn’t been killed by a robbery, but by his friend Phil Kennamer, and his motive wasn’t robbery.At the peak of the Great Depression, newspaper reports of violent crime were nothing new. In this case, however, the victim was the son of a prominent local physician and his killer the son of a well-known US District Court judge. The privileged backgrounds of the victim and killer were enough to captivate the residents of Tulsa, but as the strange details of the story slowly emerged in the days that followed, the case quickly grew from local sensation to national fascination. In the weeks and months that followed, countless front pages (and then some) were dedicated to the lurid details of what the press soon dubbed the “Society Gang Killing;” a story of disaffected youth who, bored with their wealth and privilege, turned to crime and violence for the sake of entertainment and excitement.Thank you to the incredible Dave White of Bring Me The Axe Podcast for Research!ReferencesBiscup, Walter. 1935. "Verdict of jury leaves punishment of Gorrell's slayer to Judge Hurst." Tulsa World, February 22: 1.Frates, Kent. 2014. "The Society Gang Killingg." This Land, July 15.Freese, Jim. 2016. Murder in the Name Of Love: The Phil Kennamer Trial. Tulsa, OK: Freese Publishing .Miami Daily News-Record. 1934. "Sheriff refuses to act on Phil Kennamer's version of case, involving associates." Miami Daily News-Record, December 13: 1.—. 1934. "Doubt cast on gang theory in Tulsa slaying." Miami Daiy News-Record, December 3: 1.Morrow, Jason. 2015. Deadly Hero: The High Society Murder that Created Hysteria in the Heartland. Tulsa, OK: Independent.Muskogee Daily Phoenix and Times-Democrat. 1935. "Counsel declares he could not tell right from wrong." Muskogee Daily Phoenix and Times-Democrat, February 15: 1.New York Times. 1934. "Death car driver a suicide in Tulsa." New York Times, December 10: 38.—. 1935. "Girl takes stand to Aid Kennamer." New York Times, February 16: 30.—. 1935. "Kennamer reveals 'extortion letter'." New York Times, January 27: 15.—. 1935. "Kennamer tells of fatal shooting." New York Times, February 19: 10.Phillips, Harmon. 1935. "Kennamer Case goes on aftwer threat of mistrial." Tulsa Tribune, February 13: 1.—. 1935. "Phil Kennamer back to jail with 25 years in prison as penalty for Gorrell killing." Tulsa Tribune, February 24: 1.—. 1935. "State blocks quick opinion by doctor that Kennamer shot youth while insane." Tulsa Tribune, February 16: 1.Tulsa Tribune. 1934. "Anderson tells plan of Kennamer Trial." Tulsa Tribune, December 15: 1.—. 1935. "New clues seen in notes from Phil Kennamer." Tulsa Tribune, January 3: 3.—. 1934. "Phil Kennamer inisists slaying his own actions." Tulsa Tribune, December 2: 5.—. 1934. "Police call Born suicide." Tulsa Tribune, December 10: 1.—. 1935. "Opposing Kennamer case legal batteries promise fiery clash of courtroom tactics." Tulsa Trribune, January 23: 7.Tulsa World. 1935. "Judge Kennamer weeps as he describes Phil's abnormalities." Tulsa World, February 16: 1.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 578: Clementine Barnabet & The Church of the Sacrifice & The Louisiana Axe Murders
From about 1910 to 1912, an alarming number of axe murders were occurring across the American South and Southwest. Though many would speculate as to the identity of perpetrator, including the theory that a single individual was responsible, many of these murders would remain unsolved and contribute to macabre urban legends that endure to this day. In New Orleans, however, the brutal axe murders of at least five Black families in 1911 and 1912 are attributed to Clementine Barnabet, an African American teenager who confessed to the crimes.Despite having confessed to as many as thirty-five murders, and having been convicted and incarcerated for one, the veracity of Barnabet’s claim has long been in doubt. Tried and convicted on very little evidence, Barnabet’s story changed many times following her arrest and eventually came to include sensational and highly questionable claims of her belonging to a Voodoo religious sect that engaged in human sacrifice. Not only were these claims unsupported by any real evidence, but they also suggested the girl may have been suffering from profound mental illness and had nothing whatsoever to do with the murders in and around New Orleans. But if Clementine Barnabet wasn’t the killer, why did she confess to such brutal, wicked crimes?Thank you to the incredible Dave White or Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!ReferencesCrowley Daily Signal. 1911. "Brutal murder of negro family is discovered in West Crowley." Crowley Daily Signal, Janaury 26: 1.—. 1909. "Rayne scene of brutal murder." Crowley Daily Signal, November 13: 1.—. 1911. "Six murdered in Lafayette." Crowley Daily Signal, November 27: 1.Crowley Signal. 1911. "Negro murderer was convicted." Crowley Signal, October 28: 5.Fort Wayne News. 1912. "Seventeen murders were confessed to." Fort Wayne News, October 25: 17.Lafayette Advertiser. 1912. "Clementine Barnabet sane." Lafayette Advertiser, October 22: 4.—. 1911. "Horrible crime." Lafayette Advertiser, February 28: 1.Monroe News-Star. 1911. "Butchery of human beings." Monroe News-Star, November 28: 1.—. 1912. "Sacrifice sext slaughter 26." Monroe News-Star, January 23: 1.New Iberia Enterprise and Independent Observer. 1913. "Blood lust cut out of Clementine Barnabet." New Iberia Enterprise and Independent Observer, August 9: 1.Osborne, Jeffery. 2012. Preventing Lethal Violence Neighborhood by Neighborhood; Proceedings of the 2012 Homicide Research Working Group Annual Symposium. Conference Proceedings, New York, NY: Homicide Research Working Group.The Times. 1912. "Five negroes are murdered in a Lake Charles cottage." The Times, January 22: 1.—. 1912. "Gives names of 3 of "ax gang"." The Times, April 3: 1.—. 1912. "Negro woman confessed to slaying 20." The Times, April 2: 1.The Times-Democrat. 1912. "Amplifies confession." The Times-Democrat, April 4: 6.Times-Democrat. 1912. "Blood and brain from living person spattered girl's clothes." Times-Democrat, January 18: 2.Unknown. 1912. "Voodoo's horrors break out again." Atalanta Journal, March 11: 50.Weekly Iberian. 1912. "Hoodoo doctor arrested and identified by Clementine Burke." Weekly Iberian, April 13: 2.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 577: Listener Tales 87
Well- DAMN SAM! It’s Listener Tales 87! This week’s episode is brought to you by WORST ROOMMATES EVER! Inspired by the show coming back to Netflix on 6/26 for SEASON TWO-We pull stories about creepy cohabitators that are brought to you, BY you, For you, FROM you, and ALLLLL about you! This week we hear about ex-roommate parting curses, previous spectral owners who HATE the updated decor tastes, a roomie who whispers sinister things in the wee hours, a horrifying close call, and the ghost story of two ghouls in love! If you’ve got a listener tale please send it on over to Morbidpodcast@gmail.com with “Listener Tales” somewhere in the subject line :)Sifting through the show notes for "Worst Roommate Ever" information? Check it out on Netflix at https://www.netflix.com/title/81031682?source=35See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 576: Veronica Gedeon & the Easter Sunday Murders (Part 2)
On the afternoon of March 28, 1937, Easter Sunday, Joseph Gedeon and his daughter, Ethel, arrived at the home of Gedeon’s wife, Mary, for a planned Easter dinner. The Gedeon’s had been separated for some time but had agreed to have dinner together as a family, which included their other daughter, Veronica, a moderately successful pulp magazine model. When they entered the apartment, it appeared as though no one was home; however, upon checking the bedroom where his daughter slept, Joseph Gedeon found the nude body of his daughter lying lifeless on the bed and immediately called the police.During an initial search of the apartment, investigators found the body of Mary Gedeon stuffed under her bed; like her daughter, she had been strangled to death. In a third bedroom, police also found the body of Mary’s boarder, Frank Byrnes, who’d been stabbed several times in the head and neck with a long, thin implement. There was no sign of a forced entry, no sign of a struggle, and nothing appeared to be missing from the apartment. Given that Veronica had been found nude, and Mary was clothed but her underwear had been torn away, investigators assumed the murders were a sex crime.Still caught in the grip of the Great Depression, New Yorkers welcomed anything that could distract from the unpleasant realities of daily life and the salacious murder of a pulp magazine model—a sex crime, no less—was exactly what they were looking for. The story dominated the press, as reporters and tabloid journalists dug into Veronica’s personal life and dating history and published lurid photos from her past. But when the killer was finally caught and the motive revealed, the story was far stranger and tragic than anyone had imagined.Thank you to the wonderful David White of the Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!ReferencesBrooklyn Daily Eagle. 1937. "Cops question ex-lodger in triple murder." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 29: 1.—. 1937. "Doubts student is killer." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 6: 1.—. 1938. "Irwin's guilty plea." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, November 15: 10.Buffalo Evening News. 1938. "Irwin, ruled insane, sent to Dannemora." Buffalo Evening News, December 10: 1.2015. A Crime to Remember. Directed by Jeremiah Crowell. Performed by Jeremiah Crowell.New York Daily News. 1937. "3 murdered in model's flat." New York Daily News, March 29: 1.—. 1937. "Gray hair in model's hand chief clue in triple murder." New York Daily News, March 30: 1.—. 1937. "Willful Ronnie 'made fools of men,' dad says." New York Daily News, March 30: 3.New York Times. 1938. "139-year sentence imposed on Irwin." New York Times, November 29: 48.—. 1937. "Fingerprint clues found at scene of triple murder." New York Times, March 31: 1.—. 1937. "Gedeon gets bail." New York Times, April 3: 1.—. 1937. "Gedeon questioned again in murders; solution held near." New York Times, April 1: 1.—. 1937. "Irwin flown here; boasts of killings." New York Times, June 28: 1.—. 1937. "Irwin, wild-eyed, meets reporters." New York Times, September 1: 20.—. 1937. "Women jam court to glimpse Irwin." New York Times, Jukly 1: 56.People v. Robert Irwin. 1938. 166 Misc. 751 (Court of General Sessions of the County of New York, March 24).Schechter, Harold. 2014. The Mad Sculptor: The Maniac, the Model, and the Murder That Shook the Nation. Boston, MA: New Harvest.United Press. 1937. "Sculptor hunted as triple killer in Gedeon cases." Buffalo Evening News, April 5: 1.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 575: Veronica Gedeon & the Easter Sunday Murders (Part 1)
On the afternoon of March 28, 1937, Easter Sunday, Joseph Gedeon and his daughter, Ethel, arrived at the home of Gedeon’s wife, Mary, for a planned Easter dinner. The Gedeon’s had been separated for some time but had agreed to have dinner together as a family, which included their other daughter, Veronica, a moderately successful pulp magazine model. When they entered the apartment, it appeared as though no one was home; however, upon checking the bedroom where his daughter slept, Joseph Gedeon found the nude body of his daughter lying lifeless on the bed and immediately called the police.During an initial search of the apartment, investigators found the body of Mary Gedeon stuffed under her bed; like her daughter, she had been strangled to death. In a third bedroom, police also found the body of Mary’s boarder, Frank Byrnes, who’d been stabbed several times in the head and neck with a long, thin implement. There was no sign of a forced entry, no sign of a struggle, and nothing appeared to be missing from the apartment. Given that Veronica had been found nude, and Mary was clothed but her underwear had been torn away, investigators assumed the murders were a sex crime.Still caught in the grip of the Great Depression, New Yorkers welcomed anything that could distract from the unpleasant realities of daily life and the salacious murder of a pulp magazine model—a sex crime, no less—was exactly what they were looking for. The story dominated the press, as reporters and tabloid journalists dug into Veronica’s personal life and dating history and published lurid photos from her past. But when the killer was finally caught and the motive revealed, the story was far stranger and tragic than anyone had imagined.Thank you to the wonderful David White of the Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research!ReferencesBrooklyn Daily Eagle. 1937. "Cops question ex-lodger in triple murder." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 29: 1.—. 1937. "Doubts student is killer." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 6: 1.—. 1938. "Irwin's guilty plea." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, November 15: 10.Buffalo Evening News. 1938. "Irwin, ruled insane, sent to Dannemora." Buffalo Evening News, December 10: 1.2015. A Crime to Remember. Directed by Jeremiah Crowell. Performed by Jeremiah Crowell.New York Daily News. 1937. "3 murdered in model's flat." New York Daily News, March 29: 1.—. 1937. "Gray hair in model's hand chief clue in triple murder." New York Daily News, March 30: 1.—. 1937. "Willful Ronnie 'made fools of men,' dad says." New York Daily News, March 30: 3.New York Times. 1938. "139-year sentence imposed on Irwin." New York Times, November 29: 48.—. 1937. "Fingerprint clues found at scene of triple murder." New York Times, March 31: 1.—. 1937. "Gedeon gets bail." New York Times, April 3: 1.—. 1937. "Gedeon questioned again in murders; solution held near." New York Times, April 1: 1.—. 1937. "Irwin flown here; boasts of killings." New York Times, June 28: 1.—. 1937. "Irwin, wild-eyed, meets reporters." New York Times, September 1: 20.—. 1937. "Women jam court to glimpse Irwin." New York Times, Jukly 1: 56.People v. Robert Irwin. 1938. 166 Misc. 751 (Court of General Sessions of the County of New York, March 24).Schechter, Harold. 2014. The Mad Sculptor: The Maniac, the Model, and the Murder That Shook the Nation. Boston, MA: New Harvest.United Press. 1937. "Sculptor hunted as triple killer in Gedeon cases." Buffalo Evening News, April 5: 1.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Episode 574: The Kidnapping & Murder of Marion Parker (Part 2)
A massive interstate search was launched to find Marion’s killer and within a few days, police arrested nineteen-year-old William Edward Hickman, a former co-worker of Perry Parker. During his interrogation, Hickman confessed to kidnapping and murdering Marion, claiming that a god he referred to as “Providence” had instructed him to do it. That confession prompted Hickman’s attorneys to take advantage of the state’s new law accepting a legal defense of not guilty by reason of insanity; however, a jury disagreed, and Hickman was found guilty and executed at San Quentin Prison the following year.Because of the shocking cruelty and brutality of the murder, the well documented and exciting search for the killer, and the sensational nature of the defense, the story of Marion Parker’s murder and the trial that followed dominated the media and occupied several pages of all the major papers across the state for months. For these reasons and more, it remains one of the most notorious murders in California history.ReferencesAssociated Press. 1928. "Hickman to have new judge." Fresno Bee, January 25: 1.—. 1927. "Confession stuns mother." Los Angeles Times, December 23: 4.Berger, Jackson. 1927. "Kidnapper tries to dash out brains in frenzy." Los Angeles Times, December 25: 1.Los Angeles Record. 1927. "Hunt kidnappers of girl." Los Angeles Record, December 16: 1.Los Angeles Times. 1927. "'Fox' ponders 'crazy' plea." Los Angeles Times, December 24: 1.—. 1927. "Fugitive caught in breakneck race with Oregon officers." Los Angeles Times, December 23: 1.—. 1927. "Hickman believed in Seattle." Los Angeles Times, December 22: 1.—. 1927. "Hickman pronounced sane." Los Angeles Times, December 24: 1.—. 1927. "Hickman's finger-prints found in apartment." Los Angeles Times, December 21: 1.—. 1927. "'I liked her' declares youth while he sobs." Los Angeles Times, December 23: 1.—. 1927. "Kidnapper grows sullen when 'pal' proves alibi." Los Angeles Times, December 24: 1.—. 1928. "New crimes confessed by Hickman." Los Angeles Times, October 14: 3.—. 1928. "New horror in Hickman case." Los Angeles Times, February 2: 1.—. 1928. "Slayer makes self-analysis." Los Angeles Times, February 2: 2.Neibaur, James. 2016. Butterfly in the Rain: The 1927 Abduction and Murder of Marion Parker. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.New York Times. 1928. "Hickman sentenced to hang April 27." New York Times, February 15: 25.—. 1928. "Hickman's father goes to his aid." New York Times, February 1: 13.—. 1927. "Youth arrested in child slaying at Los Angeles." New York Times, December 19: 1.Overton, Gerald. 1928. "Hickman goes to death on gibbet." Fresno Bee, October 19: 1.Rasmussen, Cecilia. 2001. "Girl's grisly killing had city residents up in arms." Los Angeles Times, February 4.San Francisco Examiner. 1927. "Kidnapped girl's body tossed omn lawn." San Francisco Examiner, December 18: 1.State of California v William Edward Hickman. 1928. 204 Cal. 470 (Supreme Court of California, July 5).See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.