Halloween 2018

Extra-long Halloween episode.  A club for people who tell ghost stories, Jesse James and the headless horseman, a faked poltergeist, a cursed saw-mill, a plague of heart attacks, and New Orleans voodoo by way of a beef tongue.
“A hoodoo saw-mill in Brown County,” Indianapolis News, August 13, 1902.
“Followed by a ghost,” Wood County (WI) Reporter, October 11, 1888.
“Remarkable imposture,” New York Times, February 28, 1874.
“Strange sickness,” Sacramento Record-Union, August 1, 1894.
“The ghost club,” Sacramento Record-Union, October 31, 1891.
“Tombs' hoodoos,” Topeka Daily Herald, August 12, 1905.
Opening music by Kevin MacLeod.
Ending music by Soma.

13 - The Washroom Murder

1932, Lansdale, Pennsylvania.  An Italian night watchman at an iron foundry is found, beaten and his body hung in a locker room.  Soon, an implication of cult vengeance soon gives way to a murder with a more commonplace motivation.
“Believe woman may be implicated in mystery death,” Harrisburg Sunday Courier, February 21, 1932.
“Cult murder now blamed on jealousy,” Wilkes-Barre Evening News, February 24, 1932.
“Father of 10 kiddies hanged by unknown men,” Gettysburg Times, February 19, 1932.
“Fears slaying by cult,” Bristol Daily Courier, February 25, 1932.
“Forti slain to save his soul, police think,” Wilkes-Barre Evening News, February 20, 1932.
“Hang body in locker of foundry,” Wilkes-Barre Evening News, February 18, 1932.
“Man is slain while kneeling at his prayers,” Shamokin Daily News, February 22, 1932.
“Member of religious cult found murdered,” Canandaigua (NY) Daily Messenger, February 19, 1932.
“Mysteries of cult entered investigation,” Shamokin Daily News, February 19, 1932.
“Noose death stumps coroner,” Reading Times, February 26, 1932.
“Police report two motives in Forte slaying,” Shamokin Daily News, February 23, 1932.
“Secret religious cult blamed for watchman's murder,” Kane Republican, February 19, 1932.
“See cult slaying in hanging murder,” Reading Times, February 20, 1932.
“Seek motive in slaying of watchman,” Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, February 18, 1932.
“Suspect murder in Pennsylvania suicide case,” Bradford Evening Star and Daily Record, August 29, 1932.
“Watchman brutally killed in foundry,” Tyrone Daily Herald, February 18, 1932.
Who Hanged the Night Watchman? http://paoddities.blogspot.com/2018/08/who-hanged-night-watchman.html
“Wife bares love plot in slaying,” Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, February 23, 1932.
“Widow sees hex in noose murder,” Reading Times, February 23, 1932.
“Worker's hanging puzzle to board,” Scranton Republican, June 16, 1932.
Opening music by Kevin MacLeod.
Closing music by Soma.
 

12 - The Severed Arm Mystery

A grisly discovery made by man's best friend along the Susquehanna River near Airville, PA in 1948 leads police into a dizzying network of circumstantial clues and a case that may have links to a sex trafficking ring.  Also: account of an 1887 "maybe murder" near Elizabethtown, PA.
“Abandoned car in Md. linked to York mystery,” Harrisburg Evening News, March 16, 1948.
“Airville folks keep investigators baffled finding new bones,” York Gazette and Daily, March 25, 1948.
“Arm mystery clue proves to be dud,” York Gazette and Daily, March 30, 1948.
“Bones in burned truck not those of human,” Pottsville Republican, March 17, 1948.
“Bones unmatched, probers declare,” York Gazette and Daily, March 27, 1948.
“Car held here in York killing,” Hagerstown (MD) Daily Mail, March 16, 1948.
“Coroner to cremate mystery bones,” York Gazette and Daily, April 3, 1948.
“County severed arm case still baffles police,” York Gazette and Daily, March 19, 1948.
“FBI arrests 47 in smash at vast white slave ring centering at Ironton, O.,” Cumberland (MD) News, November 24, 1947.
“Find woman's arm; seek body,” Gettysburg Times, March 15, 1948.
“G-Men arrest 14 persons for white slavery,” Cumberland (MD) Evening Times, December 2, 1947.
“Hearing recalls 1948 attempt to rob grocer,” Cumberland (MD) News, October 6, 1954.
“Man's body discovered along river by posse seeking dead woman,” York Gazette and Daily, March 15, 1948.
“New bones case confronts cops,” York Gazette and Daily, March 24, 1948.
“Newark man gets 5 years for A&P holdup attempt,” Cumberland (MD) News, February 20, 1948.
“Paul J. Sites borne to his final rest,” Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, March 17, 1948.
“Police puzzled by arm and body in York mysteries,” Harrisburg Evening News, March 15, 1948.
“Police seek new clues in York bone mysteries,” Harrisburg Evening News, March 25, 1948.
“Police seek two for questioning in arm case,” York Gazette and Daily, March 17, 1948.
“Police seeking car in mystery of woman's arm,” York Gazette and Daily, March 16, 1948.
“Police seeking woman's body,” Harrisburg Telegraph, March 15, 1948.
“Seek further light on dismembered arm,” New Castle News, March 16, 1948.
“Seek remains of woman; dog retrieves arm,” Delaware County Times, March 15, 1948.
“Sex of severed arm owner not yet established,” York Gazette and Daily, March 18, 1948.
“Valley man's body found in river at York,” Wilkes-Barre Times-Leader, March 15, 1948.
“White slavery arrests made on Bethel St.,” Hagerstown (MD) Morning Herald, December 2, 1947.
“Was he murdered?,” Lancaster Intelligencer, February 24, 1887.

11 - Nellie the Lion

The 1917 flap of lioness sightings around Monticello and Decatur, Illinois is examined.  Also a brief rundown of other area mystery cats.
“Allerton's lion and dog fight until both die,” Chicago Tribune, July 21, 1917.
“Big tracks are found,” Decatur Herald, July 18, 1917.
“Camargo lion hunting proves popular job,” Mattoon Journal Gazette, June 25, 1917.
Coleman, Loren. Mysterious America, the Revised Edition. New York: Paraview Press, 2001.
“Cordon draws closer about lone lioness,” Lima (OH) Daily News, July 19, 1917.
“Couldn't locate famous lioness,” Decatur Daily Review, July 30, 1917.
“Decatur hounds at Monticello,” Decatur Daily Review, July 16, 1917.
“Decatur's lion mystery solved,” Decatur Daily Review, July 31, 1917.
“Hunters fail to capture lioness,” Marion (OH) Star, July 16, 1917.
“Lion at large near Ravinia scares autoists,” Chicago Tribune, July 15, 1917.
“Lion's trail network over central section,” Decatur Herald, July 19, 1917.
“Lion dodges 300 armed men,” Decatur Daily Review, July 16, 1917.
“Lion hunt in Champaign county,” Decatur Daily Review, June 6, 1917.
“Lion hunt planned for today on Allerton farm, Monticello,” Decatur Herald, July 15, 1917.
“Lion is still at large,” Bloomington Pantagraph, June 8, 1917.
“Lion stories dull stuff for reporter,” Decatur Herald, July 23, 1917.
“Lioness still safe in Piatt jungles,” Decatur Herald, July 17, 1917.
“Man attacked by lion at Decatur,” Rock Island Argus, July 14, 1917.
“Men search for lioness,” San Bernardino (CA) News, August 8, 1917.
“Monticello lion hunters have a fruitless search,” Mattoon Journal Gazette, july 16, 1917.
“More reports about the lion,” Decatur Daily Review, August 1, 1917.
“Nellie wanders from Decatur to Long Creek,” Decatur Herald, July 20, 1917.
“Posse goes after lion,” Mattoon Journal Gazette, August 1, 1917.
“Roosevelt asked to hunt lion,” Decatur Daily Review, July 17, 1917.
“Rumor lion is shot proves unfounded,” Decatur Herald, August 2, 1917.
“Says Allerton is regular fellow,” Decatur Daily Review, July 19, 1917.
“Section men see a lion,” Bloomington Pantagraph, July 20, 1917.
“Tuscola men fail to kill that lion,” Decatur Daily Review, June 20, 1917.
“Two automobile loads of men drove from Tuscola heavily armed,” Ford County Press, June 29, 1917.