A man murdered a woman in rural Pennsylvania after claiming she had cursed him with black magic. How did this region become known as the Hex Belt? And how could such a tragedy occur as recently as 1934? Sources: “A Look Back in History: Practice of witchcraft among PA Dutch rarely accurately portrayed to public.” Reading Eagle. 22 August, 2021. htt…

Edith Thompson faces the death penalty for her lover’s crime. How many deaths will there be before this affair ends? Sources: Blackburn, Jack. “Edith Thompson: posthumous pardon over husband’s murder a step closer.” The Times. 7 March, 2023. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/edith-thompson-posthumous-pardon-over-husband-s-murder-a-step-closer…

A night out on the town turns deadly after a love triangle unravels in 1920s London. Sources: Blackburn, Jack. “Edith Thompson: posthumous pardon over husband’s murder a step closer.” The Times. 7 March, 2023. https://www.thetimes.com/uk/law/article/edith-thompson-posthumous-pardon-over-husband-s-murder-a-step-closer-s729dpg0q Lusher, Adam. “Laid t…

In this episode of Bloods of Old, we sit down with the one and only Warwick Capper – the man who took both the football field and the media spotlight by storm! Known for his incredible high-flying marks and kicking 388 goals over 124 games, Capper’s flamboyant personality made him one of the most iconic figures in Australian rules football during t…

In 1889, a father discovered his daughter dead at the home of Dr. Etienne Deschamps, a dentist-surgeon and hypnotist. Was the death truly an accident? Or was it, as most of New Orleans believed, a murder? Sources: Castellanos, Henry C. New Orleans As it Was: Episodes of Louisiana Life (New Orleans: L. Graham & Son., 1895). Meletio, Donna M. “Leona …

In 1940, a principal snapped and went on a shooting spree at his Southern California junior high school. Who or what was to blame? Sources: Barer, Burl and Frank Giradot Jr.. A Taste For Murder (Denver: Wildblue Press, 2016). Ban, Thomas A. “Bromides” International Network for the History of Neuropsychopharmacology. 24 October 2013. https://inhn.or…

In October of 1789, a search for the owner of an abandoned carriage led to a gruesome discovery in the home of a wealthy merchant. Don Joaquin Dongo and his entire household had been slaughtered. Within days, Mexico City officials had located, arrested, and publically executed the murderers in the same plaza where laborers worked to unearth Aztec r…

The Great Poison Mystery began in 1898 after two people were killed by poison sent to them by mail. The packages were eventually traced back to the ritzy Knickerbocker Athletic Club, and its secretary, the son of a Civil War hero. This is PART II of a two-part episode. Be sure to listen to episode 58 first! Sources: “How the Molineux Rule Permits C…

The Great Poison Mystery began in 1898 after two people were killed by poison sent to them by mail. The packages were eventually traced back to the ritzy Knickerbocker Athletic Club, and its secretary, the son of a Civil War hero. Sources: “How the Molineux Rule Permits Certain Witnesses in the Harvey Weinstein Trial.” NPR. Jonakait, Randolph N., “…

In the summer of 1914, a fire broke out at the love bungalow of Frank Lloyd Wright and his mistress Mamah Borthwick. When the smoke cleared, it became clear that a horrible massacre had taken place, leaving seven dead. Who wanted to kill everyone at Taliesin, and why? For Magic Mind's limited offer that gets you up to 48% off your first subscriptio…

Two actors fled Hollywood for Salt Lake City in 1928. One was bludgeoned to death, and the other would call upon none other than Charlie Chaplin for help. As authorities scrambled to uncover what happened to the murdered Don Solovich, Hollywood’s most famous actors fought to keep their secrets safe. Before long, the tiny Utah town learned that Chap…

In the summer of 1914, someone shot through the window of a Long Island doctor’s office, killing a woman inside. When investigators found a dictaphone installed inside the office, they began to suspect the doctor’s jealous wife, who claimed to have been upstairs the evening in question. When the wife’s alibi changed her testimony, Americans had to …

Before Jack the Ripper, there was the Servant Girl Annihilator. The man who stalked Austin, Texas, in 1885, preying upon the city’s black servant girls. When he targeted two white women in a shocking Christmas Eve attack, all hell broke loose. Who was this servant girl killer, and was he the same man that terrorized London in 1888? Sources: Gallowa…

A widow is found brutally murdered in London's East End in the summer of 1860. Four decades later, Sherlock's creator, Arthur Conan Doyle was still trying and failing to solve the mystery. Can we do better than Sherlock Holmes? Sources: Doyle, Arthur Conan. "The Debatable Case of Mrs. Emsley." Strand Magazine. May, 1901. "JAMES MULLINS. Killing; mu…

A widow is found brutally murdered in London's East End in the summer of 1860. Four decades later, Sherlock's creator, Arthur Conan Doyle was still trying and failing to solve the mystery. Can we do better than Sherlock Holmes? Sources: Doyle, Arthur Conan. "The Debatable Case of Mrs. Emsley." Strand Magazine. May, 1901. "JAMES MULLINS. Killing; mu…

A decade-old murder mystery unravels when a secret is discovered in a Los Angeles attic. Even in 1930, the press declared the mystery of Dolly and the Bat Man Slayer as"Los Angeles' most startling murder story." Sources: Hapsis, Emmanuel. "Meet Walburga, the Married Woman Who Hid a Secret Lover in Her Attic for a Decade." KQED. 29 June, 2016. https…

In the summer of 1933, 18-year-old Violette Noziere poisoned her parents before heading out to enjoy the Parisian nightlife. When she was arrested and gave the motive for her crime, Violette scandalized the country. Sources: Breton, Andre. Violette Nozieres (Brussels: Editions Nicolas Flamel, 1933). Maza, Sarah. Violette Noziere: A Story of Murder …

The Dark Strangler prowled the streets of Jazz Age San Francisco. His murder spree spanned nine states, two countries, and three years, resulting in the murder of anywhere from 22 to 31 women and children. This is the story of America’s most prolific–and forgotten–serial killer, Earl Leonard Nelson. Sources: Esau, Alvin. The Gorilla Man Strangler C…

In the summer of 1874, little Charley Ross disappeared after taking candy from a stranger. This is the story of America’s first kidnapping and the nationwide manhunt that ended in a deadly shoot-out. Sources: “Charlie Ross - Gustave Blair - Nelson Miller” https://charleyross.com/ “Court Identifies ‘Charley Ross’ But Family ‘Disowns’ Him.” Evening s…

In 1897, sausage sales plummeted after the wife of the so-called Sausage King suddenly went missing. Chicago police investigated the factory and a mysterious vat filled with reddish-brown slime. Did the wife run away? Was she ground into sausages? Or perhaps something worse? Sources: Duke, Thomas Samuel. Celebrated Criminal Cases of America (San Fr…

It was nearly midnight in May 1911 when crowds left the theater and gathered at the Brown Palace Hotel barroom. Within minutes, shots rang out and patrons scrambled for cover, but two would not survive. What prompted such a brazen shooting in Denver’s most elegant hotel? Sources: Faulkner, Debra. Ladies of the Brown: A Women’s History of Denver’s M…

In the middle of the American Civil War, a horse trader was found in a south Texas river with his head axed in. Following the discovery, the town sheriff arrested an elderly woman by the name of Chipita Rodriguez. Was justice served? Sources: Abernethy, Francis Edward. Legendary Ladies of Texas (Denton: University of North Texas Press, 1994). Corre…

A killer prowled the streets of London in 1811, 80 years before Jack the Ripper. But in 1811, there were no police to catch the fiend who brutally murdered seven people along Ratcliffe Highway. Would there be a victim eight? Sources: “Chapter 1. The Death of a Linen Draper.” Spitalfields Life. December 7, 2021-December 31, 2021. https://spitalfield…

The Gouffe Affair had attracted international interest by 1890, with the world wondering if Gabrielle’s defense could be true. Could someone really be hypnotized and compelled to commit murder? Sources: Bogousslavsky, Julien and Walusinksi, Olivier. "The forgotten Gilles de la Tourette: Practioner, expert, and victim of criminal hypnotism." Le bâil…

Mysteries collide in 1889 France, as a bailiff goes missing and a bloody trunk is discovered in the countryside. Can Paris’s best detectives solve the case? Sources: Bogousslavsky, Julien and Walusinksi, Olivier. "The forgotten Gilles de la Tourette: Practioner, expert, and victim of criminal hypnotism." Le bâillement. http://baillement.com/recherc…

In 1892, 17-year-old Freda Ward was walking to the river landing when she was attacked with a razor blade and had her throat slit. The ensuing legal battles brought national attention to Memphis, Tennessee, and challenged her society’s views on gender and love. Sources: Abate, Michelle Ann. Tomboys: A Literary and Cultural History. (Philadelphia: T…

In March of 1860, sailors found a bloody ghost ship floating in New York’s East River. The discovery sparked a manhunt for a serial killer who had robbed and killed his way around the globe. This episode is the story of the last pirate and the original gangster, Albert Hicks. Sources: Asbury, Herbert. The Gangs of New York: An Informal History of t…

In 1937, Peking police discovered a British schoolgirl at the bottom of an ancient wall with her heart torn from her chest. The investigation unraveled multiple theories that increased tension between locals and the many foreigners living in China at the dawn of World War II. Sources: Cook, Isham. “Midnight in Peking and true crime fiction.” Isham …

In 1929, the son of oil magnate Edward Doheny was found dead beside his secretary in an apparent murder-suicide. The news exploded onto the papers for three days before the district attorney canceled the inquest and closed the case. When detectives decided there had been foul play, they were silenced, leaving everyone to wonder what truly went on t…

The Blitz in Liverpool, England, unearthed a long-buried cylinder. When a child discovered a corpse inside, it ignited a century-old mystery. Sources: “The Blitz.” The History Place: World War II in Europe. 1998. http://www.historyplace.com/worldwar2/timeline/about-blitz.htm “The Body in the Cylinder: How a Discovery During World War Two Revealed a…

A daughter of the New York elite is accused of orchestrating her husband’s murder after he was shot through a second-story window at the historic Cherry Hill estate. The resulting trial culminated in the state’s last public hanging in 1827. Sources: Please visit oldbloodpodcast.com for a complete list of our sources. Music: Dellasera by Shane Ivers…

A Sydney hard man called him one of toughest AFL players. 129 games, 97 of those as a utility swingman in the red and white! Traded to the Cats at the end of 1998 but unfortunately bad knees shortened his playing career in 2001. Find out what older brother of Cameron is up to now, the final interview for 2021, Jason Mooney. https://bloods-of-old.ca…

Just before the AFL’s 2021 Final Series, I spoke with head coach of Sturt in the SANFL Mr Martin Mattner! 124 games for the red and white. A life member of the Swans, 2012 Premiership hero… forget about Nick Malceski’s goals it’s all about that TACKLE! https://bloods-of-old.captivate.fm/ https://www.facebook.com/BloodsOfOld https://twitter.com/bloo…

A 2015 Swans Hall of famer! Recently announced as vice-captain in the AFL’s greatest Irish Team of all time. The only player to win an AFL premiership medallion and a senior All Ireland Championship. A real Cult hero of the Sydney Swans! This is Tadhg Kennelly!Joel Brown

Peter ‘Spida’ Everitt: A real cult figure of Aussie Rules Footy. 291 games across three clubs, he’s a St Kilda Hall of famer, 3 x All Australian, radio personality and host of ‘The great Australian Doorstep’. The one thing Swans fans want to know is… why didn’t he play for Sydney a year earlier?? We would of won the 2006 flag right??.... YES!!... A…

A journeyman of AFL footy playing 83 games for 3 different clubs. Experiencing the ultimate high being a premiership player for the Sydney Swans and the dramatic lows, suffering crippling anxiety behind the scenes. Hear how Mitch battled with mental health and how he’s now helping others. Learn more about Mr Anxiety: https://www.mranxiety.com.au/…

An absolute legend of Australian Rules Football. 356 games as a player, 268 games as a coach. Australian Football Hall of Famer, Fitzroy Team of the Century (Centre Half Back), Fitzroy Hall of Fame and Coach of the historic 2005 Sydney Swans Premiership.Joel Brown

First Bloods Of Old Episode for 2021 & it’s a big one! 4 Premierships as a player at Hawthorn. Tasmanian Team of the Century. 379 games as a AFL Coach, 152 of those at Sydney (1996 - 2002).Joel Brown

Nine years with the Sydney Swans, 129 senior games and 39 career goals. Sydney’s 2004 Rising Star and member of the historic 2005 premiership team. Hear about Paul’s transition from the footy field to the medical sales game.Joel Brown

Gerrard Bennett is a fantastic story teller, hear about his time at Geelong, Sydney & Adelaide. Find out what he’s up to these days and his unique friendship with Collingwood Legend Dane Swan.Joel Brown

Swans hard man Daryn Cresswell speaks about his stellar AFL career, the dark days at the Swans where the club almost merged with the Brisbane Bears, the now infamous dislocated knee injury and overcoming an gambling addiction post footy.Joel Brown

Joel speaks with Swans Hall of Famer Ryan O’Keefe about his legendary career in the Red & White. Ryan opens up about the loss of his brother, the Bloods culture & being on the outer, retiring prematurely.Joel Brown