Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

Blue Ewe Media

Serial killers. Gangsters. Gunslingers. Victorian-era murderers. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Each week, the Most Notorious podcast features true-life tales of crime, criminals, tragedies and disasters throughout history. Host Erik Rivenes interviews authors and historians who have studied their subjects for years. Their stories are offered with unique insight, detail, and historical accuracy. read less

Our Editor's Take

Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast is a show about true crime, books, and history. Host Eric Rivenes talks to top authors and historians. They discuss famous, infamous, and obscure true crime cases. Rivenes interviews knowledgeable people to discover the truth about these "notorious" cases. The podcast started in 2015.

The host gets famous names to talk to him about their books and knowledge. For example, in the Lee Harvey Oswald episode, Rivenes interviews Gerald Posner. The author wrote Case Closed: Lee Harvey Oswald and the Assassination of JFK. That's considered the definitive book to prove Oswald acted alone. Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast also discusses other big cases. Two historians with differing perspectives talk about Lizzie Borden.

And the show talks about true crime cases which aren't as known to the general public. Elizabeth Randall wrote Murder in St. Augustine: The Mysterious Death of Athalia Ponsell Lindsley. The woman's 1974 murder is still unsolved. Randall explains on Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast why she thinks that is the case. Sometimes the historians on the show find new evidence after appearing on the show. Arnie Bernstein wrote Bath Massacre: America's First School Bombing. He talked in an early episode about the 1927 mass murder case. Years later, he interviewed additional survivors of the bombing and had more information.

A few episodes of Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast are not crime stories. Author A. Brad Schwartz has appeared on the podcast several times. He talked about FBI crimefighter Eliot Ness in several episodes. On a Halloween-themed episode, Schwartz discussed the broadcast of Orson Welles's War of the Worlds. Contrary to the media coverage then and now, most people at the time knew that it was a fictional show and did not panic.

Rivenes releases new podcast episodes every week. History fans and true crime buffs may enjoy the program.

read less

HistoryHistory

Start Here

345: The Folsom Prison Bloody 13 Escape w/ Josh Morgan

345: The Folsom Prison Bloody 13 Escape w/ Josh Morgan

On July 27th, 1903, thirteen convicts at California's Folsom Prison, led by Richard "Red" Gordon, attacked prison guards, took hostages, emptied the armory and made a dash for freedom. Some would be captured and punished for the murders they committed along the way, some would be killed themselves, and others would forever elude authorities. My guest is Josh Morgan, author of "The Folsom Prison Bloody 13: The Big Escape of 1903". He joins me to share details of this epic escape and it's aftermath. The book is officially out on June 3rd. Pre-order the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Folsom-Prison-Bloody-13-Escape/dp/1467155934 More about the author and his book here: https://www.joshmorganauthor.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Episodes

345: The Folsom Prison Bloody 13 Escape w/ Josh Morgan

345: The Folsom Prison Bloody 13 Escape w/ Josh Morgan

On July 27th, 1903, thirteen convicts at California's Folsom Prison, led by Richard "Red" Gordon, attacked prison guards, took hostages, emptied the armory and made a dash for freedom. Some would be captured and punished for the murders they committed along the way, some would be killed themselves, and others would forever elude authorities. My guest is Josh Morgan, author of "The Folsom Prison Bloody 13: The Big Escape of 1903". He joins me to share details of this epic escape and it's aftermath. The book is officially out on June 3rd. Pre-order the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Folsom-Prison-Bloody-13-Escape/dp/1467155934 More about the author and his book here: https://www.joshmorganauthor.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MoNo Encore: Chicago's SS Eastland Disaster w/ Michael McCarthy

MoNo Encore: Chicago's SS Eastland Disaster w/ Michael McCarthy

Today we revisit another one of my favorite episodes, the sinking of the Eastland. On July 15th, 1915, a steamship with a checkered past called the SS Eastland docked at a wharf on the Chicago River in downtown Chicago, ready to transport 2500 Western Electric employees and their families across Lake Michigan to a company picnic. Once boarding completed, however, terrible tragedy struck when the ship tilted over and into the river, killing over 800 people -mostly women and children- in a horrific, chaotic scene. My guest is Michael McCarthy, author of the New York Times Bestseller "Ashes Under Water: The SS Eastland and the Shipwreck That Shook America". He offers a fascinating glimpse into the history of the ill-fated SS Eastland and recounts the story of the tragic sinking and its aftermath, including famed attorney Clarence Darrow's involvement in the trial that followed. The author's website: https://ashesunderwater.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

344: The Casper Bennett Murder Case w/ David Miraldi - A True Crime History Podcast

344: The Casper Bennett Murder Case w/ David Miraldi - A True Crime History Podcast

On December 20th, 1963, the city of Lorain, Ohio was rocked by the tragic (and odd) death of Florence Bennett. Her husband Casper had found her dead in their bathtub, scalded in its water. He claimed it had been an accident, but police believed he had drowned her. My guest, David Miraldi, author of the acclaimed book "The Edge of Innocence: The Casper Bennett Trial" has a very personal connection to the story. His father was a civil trial attorney who defended Bennett in his sensational murder trial. More about the author and his work at his website: https://davidmiraldi.com/ The author's Amazon page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B074HFMMKV Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

343: Jim Tully: Father of Hard-Boiled Fiction & "The Most Hated Man in Hollywood" w/ Paul Bauer & Mark Dawidziak

343: Jim Tully: Father of Hard-Boiled Fiction & "The Most Hated Man in Hollywood" w/ Paul Bauer & Mark Dawidziak

Many saw the dark side of the American dream, but none wrote about it like Jim Tully. Having spent six years of his childhood in a Cincinnati orphanage, Tully returned to his hometown of St. Marys, Ohio before climbing aboard a freight train in 1901. Drifting across the country as a "road kid," he spent his teens, sleeping in hobo jungles, avoiding railroad cops, and haunting public libraries. After six years on the road, he settled in Kent, Ohio where he boxed professionally and began to write. Following a move to Hollywood where he worked for Charlie Chaplin, Tully issued a stream of critically acclaimed books that serve as a dark and astonishing chronicle of the American underclass. Having established himself as a major American author, he turned his attention to Hollywood writing dozens of articles about the movies, often shocking the Hollywood establishment. Along the way, he picked up such close friends as W. C. Fields, Jack Dempsey, H. L. Mencken, and Frank Capra. He also memorably crossed paths with Jack London, George Bernard Shaw, James Joyce, and Langston Hughes. My guests are Mark Dawidziak and Paul Bauer, authors of "Jim Tully: American Writer, Irish Rover, Hollywood Brawler". They not only share details from Tully's wild life, but also talk about two infamous Hollywood murders that he was connected to. Paul Bauer's Archer's Used and Rare Books: https://www.biblio.com/bookstore/archersbookscom-kent Mark Dawidziak's website: https://www.markdawidziak.com/ Jim Tully Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050314553406 The Most Notorious Podcast website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

342: The Ill-Fated Voyage of the Nanina w/ Eric Jay Dolin

342: The Ill-Fated Voyage of the Nanina w/ Eric Jay Dolin

Eric Jay Dolin, returns to the show to share details from his new book, "Left for Dead: Shipwreck, Treachery, and Survival at the Edge of the World". It's the true story of a wild and fateful encounter between an American sealing vessel, a shipwrecked British brig, and a British warship in the Falkland archipelago during the War of 1812. Fraught with misunderstandings and mistrust, the incident left three British sailors and two Americans, including the captain of the sealer, Charles H. Barnard, abandoned in the barren, windswept, and inhospitable Falklands for a year and a half. More about the author and all of his books can be found here at his website: https://www.ericjaydolin.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

341: The Mysterious Death of Zachary Smith Reynolds w/ Phil Archer

341: The Mysterious Death of Zachary Smith Reynolds w/ Phil Archer

Just after midnight on July 6, 1932, twenty-year-old Zachary Smith Reynolds, a renowned aviator and an heir to the R.J. Reynolds tobacco fortune, was shot in the family's summer home in what is now Winston-Salem, North Carolina. While some believed the moody young man had committed suicide, evidence suggested someone else had pulled the trigger, and eventually Reynolds' wife, Broadway actress Libby Holman, and his best friend, A.B. Walker, would be indicted for murder. I'm joined by Phil Archer, the Betsy Main Babcock Deputy Director at Reynolda House Museum of American Art. He helped create Reynolda's popular exhibition, called "Smith & Libby: Two Rings, Seven Months, One Bullet", which can now be experienced in a condensed form on the very porch where Smith died. More about the Reynolda Museum here: https://reynolda.org/ Watch the original exhibition trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bVYrVhMK7M&t=5s Libby Holman sings the traditional folk song "House of the Rising Sun": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4ZGrlO7JU4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MoNo Encore: The Murder of Sister Janina w/ Mardi Link

MoNo Encore: The Murder of Sister Janina w/ Mardi Link

This week we revisit one of my favorite Most Notorious episodes. In the small town of Isadore Michigan in 1907, a young nun named Janina disappeared. Ten years later, her body is discovered by a priest intent on building a new church on the foundation of the old one. Mardi Link, author of "Isadore's Secret", chats with me about the terrible circumstances surrounding the death of Sister Janina. The author's website: https://www.mardilink.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

340: The Murder of Oscar Chitwood w/ Christopher Thrasher

340: The Murder of Oscar Chitwood w/ Christopher Thrasher

On a warm August day in 1910, Sheriff Jake Houpt and his deputies attempted to arrest brothers George and Oscar Chitwood outside the Garland County Courthouse in Hot Springs, Arkansas. A gunfight soon erupted, leaving both the sheriff and George dead. And when Oscar himself was killed in December under the protection of deputies, a mob of mysterious masked men were blamed for the lynching. But evidence suggests the story of Oscar's death might have been a cover for something else. My guest is Christopher Thrasher, who along with fellow author and historian Guy Lancaster wrote the book "The Murder of Oscar Chitwood in Hot Springs, Arkansas". He summarizes this fascinating story for us on this latest episode of Most Notorious. Christopher Thrasher's Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Christopher-Thrasher/author/B0C3Z3ZGQK The book's publisher page: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/products/9781467153270 The Encyclopedia of Arkansas: https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

339: The Killing of Boxer Tyrone Everett w/ Sean Nam

339: The Killing of Boxer Tyrone Everett w/ Sean Nam

Six months after losing a world title fight that remains infamous as one of the last mob fixes in boxing, Tyrone “The Butterfly” Everett—a flashy, handsome lightweight southpaw on the verge of stardom—was dead. Only twenty-four years old, he was shot in the head by his girlfriend, Carolyn McKendrick, who claimed that Everett had abused her throughout their relationship. But for years, street corner talk raised doubts about what actually took place in Philadelphia at 2710 Federal Street on May 26, 1977. My guest is journalist Sean Nam, author of "Murder on Federal Street: Tyrone Everett, the Black Mafia, Fixed Fights, and the Last Golden Age of Philadelphia Boxing." He gives us an outline of the drama and shares theories regarding who might be responsible for the up-and-coming fighter's demise, including the possible involvement of a violent Philly organization called "The Black Mafia". The author's website: https://www.murderonfederalstreet.com/ The author on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/seanpasbon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MoNo Presents: History Daily

MoNo Presents: History Daily

Today we have special back-to-back episodes from the History Daily podcast. The first shares the story of the capture of one of the UK's most notorious serial killers, the Yorkshire Ripper, and the second is about the tumultuous life of Russian tsar Ivan the Terrible. Visit the History Daily website for more information about the show. https://historydaily.org/ More about the Most Notorious podcast here: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

338: The Death of James Dean & the "Curse of the Little Bastard" w/ Lee Raskin

338: The Death of James Dean & the "Curse of the Little Bastard" w/ Lee Raskin

On September 30, 1955, 24-year-old James Dean became immortal. While his young life ended in a car crash, James Dean passed into the realm of American folklore, where his memory remains today. What exactly happened on that fateful day 60 years ago? What events led to the tragic accident that cost Dean his life? What became of the people and vehicles involved in that unguarded moment at Cholame? Is there any truth to the idea of a "curse" associated with Dean and his Porsche Spyder? My guest is James Dean historian and author Lee Raskin. He has been on a lifelong quest to not only learn everything he can about life and death of Dean, but also the journey of the car he died in. His book is called "James Dean: On the Road to Salinas". The author's website: http://leeraskin.net/ More about him at Stance & Speed: https://www.stanceandspeed.com/lee-raskin/ Visit us at https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

337: The General Slocum Disaster w/ Edward T. O'Donnell

337: The General Slocum Disaster w/ Edward T. O'Donnell

There were few experienced swimmers among over 1,300 Lower East Side residents who boarded the General Slocum on June 15, 1904. It shouldn’t have mattered, since the steamship was chartered only for a languid excursion from Manhattan to Long Island Sound. But a fire erupted minutes into the trip, forcing hundreds of terrified passengers into the water. By the time the captain found a safe shore for landing, 1,021 had perished. "Ship Ablaze: The Tragedy of the Steamboat General Slocum" draws on firsthand accounts to examine why the death toll was so high and how the city responded. Masterfully capturing both the horror of the event and the heroism of men, women, and children who faced crumbling life jackets and inaccessible lifeboats as the inferno quickly spread, historian Edward T. O’Donnell brings to life a bygone community while honoring the victims of that forgotten day. Edward O'Donnell's website: https://edwardtodonnell.com/ The author on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inthepastlane/ The author on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@inthepastlane The author on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/InThePastLane The author on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InThePastLanePodcast Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

336: The Witch of Mansfield: Phebe Wise w/ Mark S. Jordan

336: The Witch of Mansfield: Phebe Wise w/ Mark S. Jordan

Phebe Wise was believed to be a witch by many locals in late 19th and early 20th century Mansfield, Ohio. Bucking societal norms, she lived alone on a large piece of property and would often march into town wearing her deceased mother's antique Civil War gowns. She also had her share of adversity, which included being the target of violent robbers and an obsessed stalker. And her showdown with her stalker would lead to gunfire and death. My guest this week is Mark Sebastian Jordan, author of "The Witch of Mansfield: The Tetched Life of Phebe Wise." He shares stories from the life of this remarkable and eccentric woman. The author's Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mark.jordan.794 The author's publisher page: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/products/9781467155212/ Buy the book on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Witch-Mansfield-Tetched-Phebe-Generic/dp/1467155217/ The author's Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/MarkSebastianJordan This episode is sponsored by Factor. Go to https://factormeals.com/notorious50 to get 50% off! Use code notorious50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

335: The "Bulldog Detective" William J. Flynn w/ Jeff D. Simon

335: The "Bulldog Detective" William J. Flynn w/ Jeff D. Simon

William J. Flynn, nicknamed "The Bulldog Detective", had a fascinating and accomplished career in law enforcement. While in the Secret Service he not only battled the Mafia in New York City, but also uncovered a sophisticated German spy ring on the cusp of America's entry into World War I. As Director of the Bureau of Investigation, he devised the first counterterrorist strategy in United States history. He was a writer as well, contributing articles both to journals and to a true crime detective magazine which bore his name. My guest is author and terrorism expert Jeffrey D. Simon, and his recently published book is called "The Bulldog Detective: William J. Flynn and America's First War against the Mafia, Spies, and Terrorists." He shares highlights from Flynn's riveting life and career. Jeffrey Simon's website: https://www.futureterrorism.com/ This episode is sponsored by Factor. Go to https://factormeals.com/notorious50 to get 50% off! Use code notorious50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

334: The Birth of the Mafia w/ Louis Ferrante - A True Crime History Podcast

334: The Birth of the Mafia w/ Louis Ferrante - A True Crime History Podcast

My guest this week is bestselling author Lou Ferrante. He was an associate in the Gambino crime family before going to prison, where he studied history and began writing books. He joins us to talk about the origins of the Sicilian Mafia and how they followed Italian immigrants to the United States, initially establishing themselves in crime-ridden New Orleans alongside a corrupt police force. His new book is called "Borgata: Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia", the first volume of his Mafia trilogy. More about Lou Ferrante and his work on his website: https://louisferrante.com/ Lou Ferrante's Simon & Schuster Publisher Page: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Borgata/Louis-Ferrante/Borgata-Trilogy/9781639366019 Lou Ferrante on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/louferrante Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

333: Lana Turner & the Killing of Johnny Stompanato w/ Casey Sherman

333: Lana Turner & the Killing of Johnny Stompanato w/ Casey Sherman

Lana Turner's meteoric rise to fame after being discovered at a soda fountain by a talent scout in 1936 is a legendary Hollywood story. From that point forward, the starlet's life had been a series of exhilarating highs - including award-worthy performances in critically acclaimed films, and terrifying lows - as she suffered abuse by multiple men over the years. Among the men who terrorized her was her gangster boyfriend Johnny Stompanato, a bodyguard for Los Angeles crime boss Mickey Cohen. Cohen and Stompanato had been working together to extort money from Lana, but on April 4, 1958, that partnership ended when Stompanato was stabbed to death in Lana's home. Her daughter, Cheryl, would ultimately be tried for the killing. My guest is New York Times bestselling author Casey Sherman. He shares details from his new book "A Murder in Hollywood: The Untold Story of Tinseltown's Most Shocking Crime". Casey Sherman on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caseyshermanwrites Casey Sherman on Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/caseysherman123 Casey Sherman on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/casey.sherman/ Help the show out by filling out this brief survey. A big thank you from Erik! https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/mostnotorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

332: The Murder of Vivian Gordon w/ Michael Wolraich

332: The Murder of Vivian Gordon w/ Michael Wolraich

Vivian Gordon went out before midnight in a velvet dress and mink coat. Her body turned up the next morning in a desolate Bronx park, a dirty clothesline wrapped around her neck. At her stylish Manhattan apartment, detectives discovered notebooks full of names—businessmen, socialites, gangsters. And something else: a letter from an anti-corruption commission established by Governor Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Led by the imperious Judge Samuel Seabury, the commission had uncovered a police conspiracy to frame women as prostitutes. Had Vivian Gordon been executed to bury her secrets? As FDR pressed the police to solve her murder, Judge Seabury pursued the trail of corruption to the top of Gotham’s powerful political machine—the infamous Tammany Hall. My guest is author Michael Wolraich, and his brand-new book is called "The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age". He shares the story of Vivian Gordon, her 1931 murder, and the dramatic effect it had on New York City politics. More about the author here: https://michaelwolraich.com/ This episode is sponsored by Factor. Go to https://factormeals.com/notorious50 to get 50% off! Use code notorious50. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

331: The Bermondsey Horror w/ Gavin Whitehead - A True Crime History Podcast

331: The Bermondsey Horror w/ Gavin Whitehead - A True Crime History Podcast

On August 17th, 1849, London police officers made a grisly discovery at the home of George and Maria (born Marie de Roux) Manning. Her former beau, Patrick O'Connor, had been buried under the floor. A nationwide hunt for the couple would follow, and after that a trial and executions. The murder case would grip London so fervently that Madame Tussaud would later add wax versions of the couple to her infamous Chamber of Horrors. My guest today is Gavin Whitehead, creator, writer and narrator of The Art of Crime podcast, which is currently in its third season. More about The Art of Crime here: https://www.artofcrimepodcast.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

330: Was Gille de Rais Really One of History's Worst Serial Killers? w/ Margot K. Juby

330: Was Gille de Rais Really One of History's Worst Serial Killers? w/ Margot K. Juby

Gille de Rais is a complicated historical figure. On one hand he was a French military hero - a man who fought side by side with Joan of Arc - and revered for his service to church and state. On the other he was an accused heretic, an occultist, and the self-confessed serial killer of hundreds of children. My guest is Margot K. Juby, author of "The Martyrdom of Gilles de Rais". She believes that there is not enough evidence to prove that de Rais committed the monstrous crimes he has been accused of, and argues her case on this latest episode of Most Notorious. A short animated film about the author and her book here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBYgr7L-NSk The author's blog: http://www.gillesderaiswasinnocent.co.uk/ The author's Twitter/X handle: https://twitter.com/MorbidMorag Buy her book on US Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Martyrdom-Gilles-Rais-Margot-Juby/dp/1729561357 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today in MoNo History: The 1888 Murders of Charles and Lois Hitchcock

Today in MoNo History: The 1888 Murders of Charles and Lois Hitchcock

When a well-to-do couple named Charles and Lois Hitchcock are discovered hacked to death on their fruit farm in Garden Grove, California in January of 1888, suspicions quickly turn to an itinerant German, who has been looking to buy a property in the area. This is a special "this day in true crime history" episode of Most Notorious, narrated by Erik Rivenes. References: Los Angeles Evening Express, 1/27/1888, p. 5. Los Angeles Times, 1/27/1888 p. 4. Los Angeles Evening Express, 1/28/1888 p. 5 Los Angeles Times, 1/28/1888 p. 4 Los Angeles Herald, 2/1/1888 p. 2, 4. Los Angeles Evening Express, 2/18/1888 p. 5 Los Angeles Herald, 2/19/1888 p. 2 Los Angeles Herald 3/16/88 p. 4 Los Angeles Evening Express, 10/22/1888 p. 8 Los Angeles Evening Express, 11/2/1888 p. 1 Los Angeles Evening Express, 11/15/1888 p. 1 Los Angeles Herald 11/15/1888 p. 1 Orange County history: http://www.ocalmanac.com/History/hi01d.htm Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices