Episodes
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The Koreshan State Historic Site in Estero, Florida is one of the most peculiar historic sites in the American South. This state park showcases the life of Dr. Cyrus Teed, the founder of Koreshanity. Those who joined this religious and scientific movement sought immortality through celibacy and believed the entire universe existed within a giant, hollow sphere. The Koreshan Unity has been dubbed “one of the most bizarre” communal utopian societies organized in the 19th century. They were forced to relocate several times until they found a permanent home in the swamplands of southwest Florida.
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Recommended ReadingThe Allure of Immortality: An American Cult, a Florida Swamp, and a Renegade Prophet by Lyn MillnerWaco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and A Legacy of Rage by Jeff GuinnEpisode Sources
WGCU Gulf Coast Life: The connection between Cyrus Teed and the Koreshans and David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. March 14, 2023.The Koreshnans: Archives of former holdings of the Koreshan State Historic Site.Florida State Parks: Koreshan State Historic SiteWorld Religious and Spirituality Project: Koreshans by Lyn MillnerWGCU: Florida History: Koreshan Unity: A Quest for Utopia | Untold Stories | Florida HistoryUS Department of the Interior: Preserving America’s Utopian Dream, 2001. “Dr. Cyrus Teed and the Koreshan Unity Movement” by Catherine Anthony Ohnemus.Florida Rambler: Koreshan State Park is Florida’s strangest historic site. August 3, 2024.Episode Music
Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.
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In May 1904, the residents of Yazoo City, Mississippi witnessed a devastating fire that destroyed half of their town. This fire was believed to be the result of a curse spoken by a woman known as the Witch of Yazoo, just before her death two decades earlier. Willie Morris, a writer and native of Mississippi, shared the legend in his book, "Good Old Boy." Following his passing in 1999, he was buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Yazoo City, 13 paces due south of the Witch of Yazoo's grave. Many mysteries surround this tale: Was the witch a historical figure, a character inspired by a resident, or a legend passed down through generations? Who rests beneath the marker commemorating one of the South's most famous witches?
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Episode Sources
The Times-Democrat: Mississippi Matters, Yazoo City Fire. May 27, 1904Jackson Daily-News: Committees are active today for the Yazoo City Fire Sufferers. May 27, 1904. The Yazoo Herald: Chained Grave Holds Jealous Wife, Says Longtime Yazoo City Resident. July 5, 1978.Yazoo Herald: Letters to The Editor, Vay McGraw. November 23, 1991. Yazoo Herald: It’s Time To Bury The Witch of Yazoo for Good. April 4, 1998 Yazoo Herald: Letters to the Editor, Willie Morris, April 11, 1998. The Clarion-Ledger: Willie Morris to be buried near witches grave. August 5, 1999.The Delta Statement: Into the Fire, March 2, 2022.Yazoo County Convention and Visitors Bureau: Witch of YazooClarion Ledger: The Witch of Yazoo still haunts the town she burned. October 28, 2014.National Park Service: Nehemiah “Skip” James, October 2017.McElreath, Leisa & Lindsley, Ashley. (2018). 1904 DESTRUCTION OF YAZOO CITY: A CASE STUDY OF COMMUNITY RESILANCE. 10.13140/RG.2.2.13079.68002.City of Yazoo: The History of Yazoo City, Visit Yazoo: 10 Can’t Miss SpotsIndependent Order of Oddfellows: History of American Odd FellowsYazoo Herald: Vay Gregory McGraw. May 9, 2023.The ParaInvestigator YouTube: According to Local Legend: The Mystery of the Yazoo Witch. January 5, 2024Episode Music
Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.
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State Solicitor George Bailes described the murder of Faye New as the most heinous crime ever committed in Jefferson County, Alabama. Faye New's story is shrouded in mystery and sorrow. She was a lively young woman, renowned for her warm smile and compassionate nature. In 1934, tragedy struck when she disappeared after agreeing to accompany a young man for a car ride on a summer evening. Search parties were organized, and the next day, Faye's lifeless body was discovered in a ditch at the edge of a cornfield. For months, local newspapers extensively covered every aspect of this murder mystery. Was it a crime of passion committed by a young man who professed his love for her? Or did the man who offered her a ride bring an end to a promising young life?
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Episode Sources
Encyclopedia Alabama: Irondale, AlabamaBhamWiki: WoodlawnFindagrave: Faye NewsFindagrave: Ashley CainFindagrave: Dorsie NewFindagrave: Lonnie NewThe Birmingham News: Woodlawn High Senior Faye New. February 9, 1930The Birmingham Post-Herald: Co Ed Missing; 2 Men Quizzed. August 22, 1934. The Birmingham News: Girl Found Dead. August 22, 1934.The Birmingham Age-Herald: Taylor is Jailed in Co-ed Death. August 23, 1934The Birmingham News: Police, Solicitor, Increase Activity in Taylor’s Case. August 25, 1934.The Birmingham News: Special Jury Probes Murder of Faye New. August 27, 1934.The Birmingham Post-Herald: Co Ed Death Jury Indicts Taylor. August 28, 1934.The Birmingham News: 34 to be Called in Taylor Trial. August 28, 1934.The Birmingham News: Jury is selected with hearing of witnesses next. September 4, 1934The Birmingham News: Cain is calm as lawyer charges him with killing. September 6, 1934The Birmingham News: Harold Taylor Gives His Version of Fatal Ride with Faye New. September 7, 1934.The Birmingham News: Taylor Repeats Denial of Guilt. September 7, 1934.The Birmingham News: Taylor’s Fate Now in Jury’s Hands.September 8, 1934The Birmingham News: Faye New’s Death is still a baffling puzzle to police. September 10, 1934The Birmingham News: Mother of Slain Faye New Weeps. September 10, 1934.The Atlanta Constitution: Taylor is Cleared of Attack Charge. September 11, 1934The Birmingham Post: Detectives Back on Co-Ed Murder. September 12, 1934The Birmingham Post-Herald: Taylor, Freed, Is Happy at Home. September 10, 1934.The Birmingham Post: Harold Taylor Fined as Drunk. June 12, 1935The Birmingham Post: Father and Son Will Face Peace Warrants. October 23, 1935.The Birmingham Post: Charges dropped against father and son. November 2, 1935The Birmingham News: Faye New’s Diary Is Buried with Slain Co-ed. August 25, 1936.The Birmingham Post: Faye New Father Succombs. December 31, 1936.The Birmingham Post: Faye New Slaying, Six Years Old, Still Unsolved. August 19, 1940.Episode Music
Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.
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In this episode of Southern Mysteries, host Shannon Ballard delves into the perplexing case of David Glenn Lewis, a well-respected lawyer from Amarillo, Texas, who vanished under mysterious circumstances in January 1993. Despite being a beloved family man and community leader, David's disappearance left his family and law enforcement with more questions than answers.
David's body was found 1,600 miles away in Washington State, identified only years later through the use of Google by a determined detective. The discovery solved one mystery but deepened another: how did David end up in Washington, and what led to his tragic death by a hit-and-run driver?
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Episode Sources
Fort Worth Telegram Star: Amarillo Police Are Stumped in Search for Missing Lawyer. June 27, 1993. Juneau Empire: Experts say that Roberts may indeed have amnesia. July, 17, 1997NBC News: Google used to identify long-lost victim. October 8, 2004. The Crime Wire: The Strange Disappearance and Death of David Glenn Lewis. June 23, 2024Seattle Post-Intelligence Reporter: 1993 hit-run victim is finally identified. October 9, 2004NPR Morning Edition: For Man With Amnesia, Love Repeats Itself. December 13, 2012Episode Music
Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.
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The death of Mary Ravenel remains one of Charleston’s most baffling mysteries. The 64 year old widow was found slumped on the sidewalk near her home on November 1, 1933. People stopped to help and transported Mary to the hospital. She complained of unbearable pain but doctors were unable to determine the source of her injuries and Mary died. Investigators struggled to answer the question of how Mary Ravenel died? Was it accidental? Or cold blooded murder?
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Episode Sources
South Carolina Bandits, Bushwackers, Outlaws, Crooks, Devils, Ghosts and other assorted characters By Carole MarshSouth Carolina Killers: Crimes of Passion by Mark JonesCharleston Historical Exhibits and Information: The Mysterious Death of Mary Ravenel, 1933South Carolina Encyclopedia: Ravenel, St. JulienSC Picture Project: Palmer HomeCharleston Raconteurs: William Ravenel HouseThe Asheville Times: Bullet Pierced Body of Woman Found in Street, November 2, 1933Greensboro Record: Strange Death of Charleston Woman Is Veiled in Mystery, November 3, 1933The Charlotte Observer: Stray Bullet Kills Woman, November 3, 1933The State: Mrs. Ravenel Told Hospital ‘A Man Hit Me’, November 3, 1933Florence Morning News: Woman’s Death Still Mystery, November 4, 1933The Gazette: Mrs. Ravenel’s Slayer Never Apprehended, October 4, 1936The State: Ravenel Death Still Unsolved, April 5, 1938The Columbia Record: Charlotte Storm Kills 30, September 29, 1938Episode Music
Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.
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In 1931, 18 year old Helen Spence became a household name, and Arkansas folk hero, after she sought vengeance for the death of her father and stepmother. Over the next three years, the media followed Helen’s trial, imprisonment, second murder charge, prison escapes, and her murder at the age of 22.
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Episode Sources
Encyclopedia of Arkansas: Helen Spence (1912–1934)People’s River History Project: A Secret History of American River People Denise White Parkinson: Daughter of the White River: Depression-Era Treachery and Vengeance in the Arkansas DeltaOnly In Arkansas: River of Redemption: The Helen Spence StoryThe Daily World: Decisions of the Arkansas Supreme Court, January 13, 1930The Shreveport Journal: Wounded Man is Thrown in River, April 24, 1930 Hope Star: Body of Timber Worker, Drowned in River, Found, June 5, 1930The Columbus Ledger: Girl Kills Accused Slayer of Father in Courtroom, January 20,1931The Barre Daily Times: Young Woman Didn’t Trust Jury with Trial, January 20, 1931Sun Herald: Courtroom Slayer Gets Five Year Term, April 2, 1931Reading Times: Arrest Trusty for Killing Girl Who Fled Prison, July 13, 1934Daily News: Tragedy of Helen Spence Eaton, July 22, 1934Hope Star: Martin Acquitted in Eaton Slaying, September 28, 1934Arkansas Times: The river people, August 17, 2006Fox 16 TV: River Justice: pardon sought for Delta folk heroMalvern Daily Record: Helen Spence: An Arkansas Folk Hero for the Ages, March 6, 2023Episode Music
Impromptu, Traveler and Unanswered Questions by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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Dr. Jacob Herman Feist was one of Nashville’s most eligible bachelors when he was accused of murder following the disappearance of his lover, Mrs. Mangrum. Was one of the city’s most prominent citizens one of its earliest known serial killers or a womanizer who was destroyed by accusations and gossip?
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Episode Sources
The Tennessean Sadie Goldstein Obituary, May 11, 1903The Tennessean Dr. Feist’s Denial, May 16, 1903Grundy News Sadie Goldstein, May 21, 1903Feist Court Case J. Herman Feist vs. The StateKnoxville Sentinel Saw Dr. Feist Embrace Woman, January 29, 1907The Journal and Tribune Morbid Crowd Fed Salacious Morsels, Jan 30, 1907The Tennessean May Not Go On Witness Stand, Jan 31, 1907Nashville Banner Dr. Feist Witnesses Last Scene of the Trial with no Visible Emotion, Feb 16, 1907Nashville Banner Defense Asks for Adjournment, March 26, 1907The Tennessean Treatment of Dr. J. H. Feist The Tennessean The Feist Case, April 4, 1978The Baldwin Times Dr. Feist Dies at Tensaw Home, October 23, 1952Genealogy Trails Davidson County J. Herman Feist BioNotorious Nashville Scoundrels, Rogues and Outlaws, By Brian AllisonFind a Grave Dr. Jacob Herman Feist (1873-1952)Episode Music
Impromptu and Unanswered Questions by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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On May 4, 1931, William and Mamie Wagner were murdered at their home in northwest Mississippi. The Jackson Clarion-Ledger called the murders of one of the most prominent couples in the area, “the most brutal tragedy that has ever happened in this section of Mississippi”.
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Episode Sources
The Commercial Appeal Mass Meeting on Charges Relative to Death of Rev H.P. Gibbs, May 6, 1899State Historical Society Archives Anti-Lynching Bill, 1921The Greenwood Commonwealth Water Valley Merchant and Wife Slain, May 5, 1931Biloxi Sun Herald Sheriff Gets Confession in Wagner Crime, May 6, 1931The Clarion-Ledger Atrocities in Northern Part of State Bringing Intense Police Efforts, May 7, 1931The Clarion-Ledger Murder Victims Are Laid to Rest, May 8, 1931The Clarion-Ledger Verdict Carries Dealth Penalty For Whitaker in Wagner Slayings, June 12, 1931North Mississippi Herald The Infamous History of Water Valley, May 14, 2008North Mississippi Herald Century Old Jail Is Piece Of History, April 6, 2011Hill Country History Water Valley (1858)Ancestry.com William Buford Wagner, Jr.Water Valley Chamber of Commerce Attractions - Carnival InfoEpisode Music
Impromptu and Unanswered Questions by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
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The Nelms Sisters Mystery is one of the most sensational mysteries of the early 20th century, that most people have never heard of. In the summer of 1914, Eloise Nelms was in love with an attorney she planned to marry. Her sister Beatrice questioned the attorney’s motives and wanted proof that he had her sister's best interest at heart. The sisters took a train from Atlanta, headed to Texas to meet the attorney. They were never seen alive again.
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Episode Sources
An Old Coot’s Essays About An Earlier Georgia and Other Topics by Eddie RollinsForgotten Stories: The World’s Worst Divorce AttorneyAtlanta West End: Historic West EndThe Atlanta Constitution: Death Claims Him, March 1, 1911Oakland Tribune: Mystery of Two Sisters Deepens, July 10, 1914Charlotte Daily Observer: Search for Women Makes No Progress, July 11, 1914Tampa Journal: Atlanta Quivers with Excitement in Letter Puzzle, July 12, 1914The Atlanta Journal: Mother, Heartbroken, Tells of Power Innes Had Over Daughter, July 12, 1914 San Francisco Examiner: Mrs. Nelms Bares Daughters Tragic Love, July 13, 1914The Atlanta Journal: Womans Clubs Urged to Aid Nelms Search, July 13,1914The Atlanta Journal: Evidence Sought to Hold Innes, July 16, 1914The Eugene Guard: Former US District Attorney Arrested in Eugene, August 19, 1914The Atlanta Journal: Strange Letters to Aid in Solving Nelms Mystery Case, August 21, 1914The Macon Telegraph: Bones Found in Connect with Nelms Mystery Are Positively Identified As Human, September 9, 1914The Americus Times Daily Recorder: Speculation Made in Case of INnes and wife, April 4, 1916The Atlanta Constitution: Finger of Death Inscribes ‘Finis’ on Final Chapter of Nelms Case, April 1, 1936Episode Music
Northern Lights by Chris Hauge. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Deep Haze by Kevin McLeod. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: http://incompetech.com
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The Battle of Blair Mountain, in the summer of 1921, was one of the largest civil uprisings in American History. Violent attacks on Appalachian miners and their families, dangerous working conditions and a forced debt system in company towns contributed to the largest and bloodiest armed uprising since the Civil War.
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Episode Sources
The Road to Blair Mountain by Charles KeeneyOn Dark and Bloody Ground by Anne LawrenceNational Park Service: Introduction to the West Virginia Mine WarsSmithsonian Magazine: What Made the Battle of Blair Mountain the Largest Labor Uprising in American HistoryZinn Education Project: The Devil Is Here in These HillsReImagine Appalachia: The Battle of Blair MountainWest Virginia Archives & HistoryUnited Mine Workers of America: Standing United, Living Divided: Black coal miners and their fight for justiceWest Virginia Mine Wars MuseumJSTOR Daily: Rednecks: A Brief History.Episode Music
Out of the Mines by Ross Gentry. Used with permission of artist.
Resolution by Kevin McLeod. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: http://incompetech.com
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The disappearance of 67 year old Ruth Dorsey has perplexed her family, friends and Lee County, Alabama law enforcement for half a century. In the summer of 1974 investigators launched what would become one of the most extensive searches to date in the east central part of the state. Ruth’s disappearance remains one of Alabama’s most baffling mysteries.
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Episode Sources
The Charley Project: Ruth Purcell Murphree DorseyEncyclopedia of Alabama: OpelikaOpelika-Auburn News: Dorsey Family Needs Closure After 30 Years, April 16, 2006Opelika-Auburn News: Only Spooky May Know What Happened, Aug 17, 1975Opelika-Auburn News: Ruth Dorsey Still Missing After Seven Years, Aug 16, 1981Opelika-Auburn News: E.S. (Pete) Dorsey, Lee Cattleman Dies at Home, June 22, 1965Opelika-Auburn News: Opelika Missing After Car Found, Aug 19, 1974Opelika-Auburn News: Helicopter Used to Search Area for Mrs. Dorsey, Aug 27, 1974 Opelika-Auburn News: Aerial Search for Proves Fruitless In Search for Missing OpelikanOpelika-Auburn News: Ruth Dorsey’s Disappearance, Aug 21, 1977Opelika-Auburn News: After 3 Month Search, Dorsey Case Unsolved, Dec 3, 1974Opelika-Auburn News: Reward Up to $1400, Aug. 30, 1974RootsWeb: Dorsey AncestryEpisode Music
Not Forgotten by Dan Lebowitz. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
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The New Orleans Trunk Murders are a long forgotten dark chapter in the city's history. The gruesome discovery of two dismembered bodies in the French Quarter in October 1927 was one of the most violent crimes reported in the city in the 1920s.
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Episode Sources
The Historical New Orleans Collection: Amid Roaring Twenties New Orleans, a brutal French Quarter murder shocked the cityBayou Justice: New Orleans’ infamous trunk murders revisitedAtlas Obscura: The Trunk Murders and ‘Sausage Ghost’ of 1920s New OrleansSouthern Spirit Guide: A Block of Death and Dismemberment – New OrleansFrench Quarter Mangement District: History of French QuarterVieux Carré Digital Survey: 715 Ursulines St.Find A Grave: Henry MoityFind A Grave: Joseph MoityFind A Grave: Theresa Alfano MoityThe Evergreen Courant: Henry Moity CapturedOrlando Evening Star: How Jealousy Turned a Devoted Husband into a DemonDaily Advertiser: Be Careful in Marrying,Is Advice in Story Written by Woman Found Slain at N.O.Episode Music
Dark Times and Long Note Two by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: http://incompetech.com
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William and Ellen Craft escaped slavery in Macon, Georgia by traveling to Philadelphia in 1848. Ellen, the light skinned daughter of her mixed race mother and their enslaver, posed as a young white male planter and William posed as her slave.Their daring escape made international headlines and the Crafts became two of the most famous emancipated people in American history.
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Episode Sources
Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom: Or, the Escape of William and Ellen Craft from Slavery (Dover Thrift Editions: Black History) Time Magazine: The Remarkable True Story of the Couple Who Posed as Master and Slave to Escape BondageSmithsonian Magazine: The Great Escape From Slavery of Ellen and William CraftNational Park Service: "A Desperate Leap for Liberty": The Escape of William and Ellen CraftHistory: The Daring Disguise that Helped One Enslaved Couple Escape to FreedomGeorgia Women of Achievement: Ellen Smith CraftBBC: Ellen and William Craft: Blue plaque for abolitionists who fled slaveryEpisode Music
Traveller by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: http://incompetech.com
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Betty Gail Brown was a sophomore at Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky when she was murdered on campus in 1961.Betty Gail’s murder has haunted Central Kentucky for six decades. Who killed Betty Gail and why? The case remains unsolved despite the police file noting the case was closed due to an arrest.
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Episode Sources
Recommended Read: Who Killed Betty Gail Brown?: Murder, Mistrial, and Mystery by Robert G. Lawson. Daily News August 1966: The Coed Parked with DeathFind A Grave: Betty Gail Brown (1942-1961)Indianapolis Star October 1961: Co-Ed Slain on Kentucky CampusLexington Herald-Leader January 1965: Man held in West says he killed Miss BrownLexington Herald-Leader December 1984: Police still seeking answers to unsolved murderLexington Herald-Leader November 2017: Inside the Police File of City’s Most Notorious Slaying that has gone unsolved for 56 yearsThe Rambler: Kentucky Cold Case: Who killed Betty Gail Brown?The Rambler: Cold Case Heats Up: Police Department Reopens Transy Student’s Murder CaseVice: The Bizarre Unsolved Murder of Harry Dean Stanton's NieceEpisode Music
Surrender by Dan Lebowitz. Licensed under Creative Commons
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On September 4, 1904, Fannie McCue was found dead in a bathtub at the McCue home in Charlottesville, Virginia. Within months a man was arrested, convicted of murder and executed. Doubts linger over his guilt and some believe his execution was staged. What happened in the McCue home the night Fannie was killed?
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Episode Sources
The McCue Murder: The complete story of the crime and the famous trial of the ex-mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia. Lindsay, James H. (1862-1933). https://xtf.lib.virginia.edu/xtf/view?docId=2007_01/uvaBook/tei/b000449357.xml;brand=default;History of the McCue Case: Full Particulars of the Crime, Inquest, Trial and Conviction with Argument of Counsel by Evan Ragland Chesterman, Joseph Francis Geisinger https://books.google.com/books?id=T3NIdLR8VF4C&pg=PA3#v=onepage&q&f=falseMurder trial of J. Samuel McCue. Cvillepedia. Retrieved January 13, 2024. <https://www.cvillepedia.org/Murder_trial_of_J._Samuel_McCue>The Case of the “Not-So-Common” Comyn Hall. Albemarle + Charlottesville History. Retrieved January 12, 2024 <https://charlottesvillealbemarlehistory.wordpress.com/2012/03/16/the-case-of-the-not-so-common-comyn-hall>Charlottesville. Cvillepedia. Retrieved January 12, 2024 <https://www.cvillepedia.org/Charlottesville>McCue Believes He Will Be Free. The Greenville News. December 22, 1904. Retrieved January 12, 2024. <https://www.newspapers.com/image/187932715>J Samuel McCue Dies on Gallows. The Roanoke Times, February 11, 1905. Retrieved January 15, 2024 <https://www.newspapers.com/image/911640060>Episode Music
Theme Song “Dark & Troubled” by Pantherburn. Special thanks to Phillip St Ours for permission for use. Evening Fall Piani by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons.
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The Great Gaines Case remains the longest civil litigation in US History. The nearly six decade long court battle involved a wealthy Louisiana politician and merchant’s vast fortune, a hidden marriage and child and property in the heart of New Orleans business district.
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Episode Sources
The New Orleans woman who fought the longest court battle in US history, The Historic New Orleans Collection. (Viewed November 2023) https://www.hnoc.org/publications/first-draft/new-orleans-woman-who-fought-longest-court-battle-us-historyNotorious Woman: The Celebrated Case of Myra Clark Gaines by Elizabeth Urban Alexander https://lsupress.org/9780807130247/Myra Clark Gaines: The Longest-Running Civil Lawsuit in America. Law Library of Louisiana (Viewed November 2023) https://lasc.libguides.com/c.php?g=560377&p=3854854Gaines v. Relf, 53 U.S. 472 (1851). Justia US Supreme Court (Viewed November 2023) https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/53/472/The Gaines Case Settled; Some of the Claims to be at Once Paid by the Administrator, New York Times, July 27, 1892A man in shadow: the life of Daniel Clark, Tulane University Digital Library. (Viewed November 2023). https://digitallibrary.tulane.edu/islandora/object/tulane%3A27489Episode Music
Theme Song “Dark & Troubled” by Pantherburn. Special thanks to Phillip St Ours for permission for use. Meditation Impromptu One by Kevin MacLeod Licensed under Creative Commons.
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One of the biggest news stories in October 1934 was the kidnapping of Alice Speed Stoll from her home in Louisville, Kentucky. Seven days later she was set free but her kidnapper remained on the run. Who kidnapped Alice and why?
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Episode Sources
Money for Mrs. Stoll Is Ready Authorities Refuse to Reveal ‘Definite Leads’. Healdsburg Tribune, Number 290, 11 October 1934. (Viewed April 2020) <https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=HT19341011.2.4&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1> Robinson v. United States, 144 F.2d 392 (6th Cir. 1944). US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit - 144 F.2d 392 (6th Cir. 1944), July 31, 1944 (Viewed April 2020) <https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/144/392/1547644/>The bizarre story of a kidnapped Louisville heiress held captive in Indianapolis, IndyStar.com. (Viewed April 2020) <https://www.indystar.com/story/news/history/retroindy/2019/12/20/alice-speed-stoll-kidnapping-went-louisville-indianapolis/2674240001/>Video out takes with family spokesperson, University of South Carolina Libraries Digital Collections. (Viewed April 2020) <https://mirc.sc.edu/islandora/object/usc%3A26483>Robinson, Stoll, Kidnapper, Caught, The Indianapolis times. October 17, 1934 (Viewed April 2020) <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82015313/1934-10-17/ed-1/seq-3/>Joyful After Kidnap Acquittal, Healdsburg Tribune, October 24, 1935. (Viewed April 2020) <https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc?a=d&d=HT19351024&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------1>Episode Music
Alone with My Thoughts by Esther Abrami. Licensed under Creative Commons
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David Stringbean Akeman was one of the biggest stars on the Grand Ole Opry throughout the 1950s. The accomplished banjo player rose to national fame thanks to his appearances on the country variety show Hee Haw. In November 1973, Stringbean and his wife Estelle were murdered at their cabin just outside Nashville. Their deaths forever changed Music City.
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Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries
Connect
Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTwitter: @southernpod_Instagram: @shannonballard_Email: [email protected]
Episode Sources
Stringbean: The Life and Murder of a Country Music Legend by Taylor Hagood. University Press of MS (May 2023). https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p087110Birthplace of Country Music Museum. (2023, May 16). BCM Museum Speaker Sessions - Stringbean: The Life & Murder with Taylor Hagood. Youtube. (https://youtu.be/xYGB3f1ZRM0?si=XKRfNATk4xo9rbv4). Nashville Bar Association. (2019, June 6). The Stringbean Murders: Death in Baker Holler | Part 1.Youtube. (https://youtu.be/8-lAR_lHeG0?si=TtXFat3yJ4GQAC6h). Nashville Bar Association. (2019, June 6). The Stringbean Murders: Death in Baker Holler | Part 2.Youtube. (https://youtu.be/QK9JVZdm1_M?si=nqaQTf-HNAohFC1_). Bluegrass Baseball: Barnstorming Band and Ball Club, Society for American Baseball Research. (Viewed November 1, 2023) <http://research.sabr.org/journals/bluegrass-baseball-barnstorming-band-and-ball-club>Stringnbean Akeman and Wife are Slain, The Advocate-Messenger, November 12, 1973. (Viewed November 4, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/143221098>Killers Missed $5700, The Tennessean, November 12, 1973.(Viewed November 2, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/112272973>End of Innocence, The Tennessean, November 10, 2013. (Viewed November 2, 2023)<https://www.newspapers.com/image/105312207>A Tribute to Stringbean, The Fort Worth Telegram Star, November 13, 1973. (Viewed November 3, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/633207504>'Stringbean' Akeman's killer gets parole,Tennessean,Oct 14, 2014. (Viewed Nov 1, 2023) <www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/10/15/opry-star-stringbean-akemans-killer-gets-parole/17334979>Episode Music
Theme Song “Dark & Troubled” by Pantherburn. Special thanks to Phillip St Ours for permission for use. Castleshire by Chris Haugen. Licensed under Creative Commons.
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The death of Daisy Keeton is one of Mississippi’s most horrifying murder mysteries. In January Daisy Keeton disappeared. Days later mutilated remains were discovered near an isolated road in Jones County. The investigation led police to Daisy’s daughter who was arrested and quickly dubbed Mississippi's Lizzie Borden.
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Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries
Connect
Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTwitter: @southernpod_Instagram: @shannonballard_Email: [email protected]
Episode Sources
The Legs Murder Scandal by Hunter Cole. University Press of Mississippi (August 9, 2010). https://a.co/d/9VahppUDaisy McKinstry Keeton, FindaGrave.com. (Viewed October 9, 2023) <https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/80746498/daisy-keeton>Keeton Faces Trial on Assault Charge, Jackson Daily News, August 1, 1922. (Viewed October 8, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/200361386>Earl Keeton Found Guilty of Assault, The Newton Record, August 3, 1922. (Viewed October 8, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/304298515>Keeton vs. State of Mississippi. Casetext. (Viewed October 9, 2023) <https://casetext.com/case/keeton-v-state-24>Alibi Witnesses Introduced, The Leader Call, May 31, 1935. (Viewed October 9, 2023). <https://www.newspapers.com/image/7792723>Question Girl in Kidnapping Story, The Columbus Telegram, January 26, 1935. (Viewed October 10, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/428930971>Link Murder To Kidnapping, Colusa Sun-Herald, January 26, 1935. (Viewed October 10, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/993963486>Woman Charged with Murder of Own Mother, The Birmingham News, January 28, 1935. (Viewed October 10, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/573563470>Woman’s Story Stirs Murder Mystery Quiz, Oakland Tribune, January 28, 1935. (Viewed October 10, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/128798356>State Marshalls Witnesses at Trial Today, The Leader Call, March 4, 1935. (Viewed October 10, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/7771247>On Trial for Mother’s Murder, Quad City Times, March 8, 1935. (Viewed October 10, 1935) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/301307667>Large Bank Account Cited in Murder Case, The Miami Herald, March 10, 1935. (Viewed October 9, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/617423925>Verdict Guilty! Girl Sentenced to Life Imprisonment, The Leader Call, March 12, 1935. (Viewed October 10, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/7771247>The Pretty Murderess Who Was Too Modest, The Miami News, April 21, 1935. (Viewed October 10, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/573563470>Ouida Keeton Testifies for State Tuesday, The Leader Call, May 28, 1935. (Viewed October 10, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/7791810>Sentence Set Aside in Legs Murder Case, The Danville Bee, March 10, 1936. (Viewed October 10, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/962494465>Legs Murder Retrial Looms, The Ledger Star, March 10, 1936. (Viewed October 10, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/951711290/>Episode Music
Theme Song “Dark & Troubled” by Pantherburn. Special thanks to Phillip St Ours for permission for use. Leoforos Alexandras by Dan Bodan. Licensed under Creative Commons.
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Savannah is Georgia’s first city and one of America’s most haunted. If you visit Savannah’s historic district and stroll the city squares, at some point, you are walking on the dead. Victims of war, yellow fever epidemics, fires, murder and enslavement who died during turbulent times in the city. Savannah is a city that lives upon the dead and some continue to make their presence known.
Want more Southern Mysteries?
Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries
Connect
Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTwitter: @southernpod_Instagram: @shannonballard_Email: [email protected]
Episode Sources
“432 Abercorn Street: Haunted Mansion Or Just a Rumor Mill?”, The Savannah First-Timer’s Guide. (Viewed October 3, 2023) <https://savannahfirsttimer.com/432-abercorn-street>“Savannah Child Killed by Marble Table Top”, The Atlanta Constitution, December 3, 1933. (Viewed October 2, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/398101049>“Man Is Injured in 14-Ft Fall”, The Macon Telegraph, December 13, 1933. (Viewed October 2, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/image/826315007>“Grand Jury to Probe Wesley Espy’s Death”, The Atlanta Constitution, January 31, 1934. (Viewed October 2, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-atlanta-constitution-atl-constitutio/60239352>“Carl Espy Sr”, Abbeville Herald, February 15, 1951. (Viewed October 2, 2023) <https://www.newspapers.com/article/abbeville-herald-obituary-for-carl-espy/67883727>“Why is Savannah one of America’s Most Haunted Cities?“, Savannah.com. (Viewed October 2, 2023) <https://www.savannah.com/why-is-savannah-one-of-americas-most-haunted-cities>“New report takes a fresh look at Savannah's role in the history of American slavery”, GPB.org, October 25, 2022. (Viewed October 10, 2023) <https://www.gpb.org/news/2022/10/25/new-report-takes-fresh-look-at-savannahs-role-in-the-history-of-american-slavery>“Beneath the Surface”, Savannah Magazine, May 15, 2017. (Viewed October 9, 2023) <https://www.savannahmagazine.com/beneath-the-surface/>“Why was Nathanael Greene's skeleton kept in a bank vault?”, The Augusta Chronicle, August 1, 2022. (Viewed October 9, 2023) <https://www.augustachronicle.com/story/lifestyle/columns/2022/08/01/monday-mystery-skeleton-revolutionary-war-hero-kept-bank-vault/10169971002/>“Haunted Crime Scenes: Savannah's 'Most Haunted' House”, True Crime Library, 2007. (Viewed October 3, 2023) <https://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/classics/hampton-lillibridge/1_index.html>“Died in the West”, The Atlanta Constitution, February 16, 1896. (Viewed October 7, 2023). <https://www.newspapers.com/image/26788699>Episode Music
Theme Song “Dark & Troubled” by Pantherburn. Special thanks to Phillip St Ours for permission for use. Dark Times by Kevin MacLeod. Licensed under Creative Commons.
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