The Babington Plot against Queen Elizabeth I News of the Times Episode 299 | 1586 It is 1587 and England is undergoing simmering tension within the country, and externally from international pressure. The Pope has ex-communicated Queen Elizabeth I and actively encourages true Catholics to remover her from the throne. The figure head for the opposition is the imprisoned Mary Stuart, Queen of the Scots. This and other failed attempts to oust Queen Elizabeth leads to the infamous Babington Plot wit...
Apr 27, 2024•36 min•Ep 299•Transcript available on Metacast The Southwestern Train Murder News of the Times Episode 298 | 1901 It is 1901 and there are three people travelling towards London in a third class railway carriage. All of the sudden, one of the passengers gets up, shoots point blank at a fellow passenger, and then shoots the other in the face when she speaks. There were very few stories that could make the papers during this time of Queen Victoria’s death, but this was one of them. The execution style killing on a train shocked the nation. We ...
Apr 26, 2024•28 min•Transcript available on Metacast Aristocratic Chronicles: Two Tales of Murderous Philips News of the Times Episode 297 | 1678 & 1688 In today’s episode we look at two murderous cases, within aristocratic circles, involving protagonists named Philip. In our first case of 1678, Charles II - the party king - is the reigning monarch. Philip, The 7th earl of Pembroke seems to have inherited his father's notorious quick and violent temper. Having just been released from the Tower of London, he visits a pub where he casually ...
Apr 24, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Murder of the Duchess de Praslin News of the Times Episode 296 | 1847 It is 1847 Paris France and astoundingly, the Duchess of Praslin has been found in a room, bolted from the inside, shockingly brutally murdered. She has put up a tremendous fight as bloody clumps of hair are found dotted around the room. In her death throes, she managed to violently ring the bell, thus bringing the skeleton staff rushing to her aid - most probably unexpectedly by the murderer. This case rocked Europe and h...
Apr 22, 2024•46 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Assassin Madame Weiss News of the Times Episode 53 | 1840 In 1891 The international papers were fascinated by the story of Madame Weiss and the murderous love triangle in which she took centre stage. Madame Weiss, married to ex-army soldier M Weiss and with two children, falls passionately in love with visiting engineer M Roque. Their torrid romance becomes known to her husband who forgives her and shoulders some of the blame for his wife’s deception. M Roque, a man of strong passion and str...
Apr 20, 2024•36 min•Transcript available on Metacast Murder Among the Monied - Frightful Fridays News of the Times Episode 294 | 1746 & 1885 Our first case from 1746 London, involves footman Matthew Henderson who has worked in the Dalrymple household, the master of the house will soon become Lord Dalrymple, for five years. Whether cheekily or not, he steps on Lady Dalrymple’s toe which she scolds him for. The scolding does not sit well with Matthew, and he plots a bloody revenge. Our second case from 1885 takes place on the grounds of the spec...
Apr 19, 2024•27 min•Ep 294•Transcript available on Metacast Stories of Sibling Murder News of the Times Episode 293 | 1873-1875 The killing of a sibling, another child one has grown up with, without the motivation of financial gain, is relatively rare. In today’s episode we look at three cases where the sibling has been convicted of their sibling’s murder. Our first case from 1873 is particularly odd as it recounts the story of a woman of some 75 years who murders her older sister, with a pitchfork. Her older sister is around 80 years of age. Our second ...
Apr 17, 2024•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Murder of Rhoda Carter News of the Times Episode 292 | 1893 1893 Watchfield in Berkshire and relatively newly married Rhoda Carter has gone missing. It is high summer, yet John, her husband, has had a huge fire going on in the washroom giving off a terrible stench. His story of his wife going to help her pregnant sister turns out to be false. Returning to ask more questions, John himself has vanished. This case gripped the papers due to the extreme mutilations of the body. As investigations ...
Apr 15, 2024•33 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Monster Leger - france's Dracula News of the Times Episode 291 | 1824 1824 North Central France, and the villagers looking for a missing 12 year old girl find a horrific mangled corpse. Some of the blood has been drained from the body and the heart has been taken out and partly consumed. Unspeakable acts have been perpetrated to the girl after death. The case of the “Monster Leger” fascinated the press and actually made the English press. Reports of crimes in France being reported in th...
Apr 13, 2024•28 min•Ep 291•Transcript available on Metacast The Dark Side of Aristocracy in 1700's News of the Times Episode 290 | 1729 & 1768 Our first case from 1729 created a scandal that went on for decades. Lady Abergavenny has become intimately close with their nearest neighbour 7 miles away. As suspicions rise with the secretary to Lord Abergavenny, the Lady is caught “in the act”. Our second case from 1768 concerns Lord Baltimore – the family who owned Maryland. Lord Baltimore, a confessed “libertine”, admires the turkish way of life inv...
Apr 12, 2024•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast An Irish Assassin Story News of the Times Episode 289 | 1837 1837 County Carlow, Ireland, and Wiilliam McGrath has returned to his home town where he sees his brother, now successfully running their now deceased father’s business. William is filled with anger and resentment. Staying at his friend’s house, he offers his friend and the father £100 to act as assassins and get rid of his brother, thereby leaving the extensive business and property in the hands of William. This unique type of case br...
Apr 10, 2024•24 min•Ep 289•Transcript available on Metacast The Baroness Killing of a Countess News of the Times Episode 288 | 1868 Vienna 1867 and beautiful Baroness Julia Ebergenyi and dashing Lieutenant Count Chorinsky meet at a party. Their meeting quickly develops into a passionate intimate affair. There is only one hindrance to their future bliss: Count Chorinsky has been divorced from his 1860 impetuous marriage. The divorce granted from the Roman Catholic church stipulates that neither he nor his wife can ever marry again. A plan is hatched requi...
Apr 08, 2024•37 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Croydon Killer - Sinister Saturdays News of the Times Episode 287 | 1907 It is 1907 Croydon, South London and wealthy widow Mrs Blume has unexpectedly died a few weeks after taking in her new lodger. Even more surprisingly, she has left her considerable estate to the same new lodger. The daughter, who has been utterly cut out of her mother’s will and had seen her four days before her death, is suspicious and contests the will. And from here, a tragic tale of more deaths unfolds as the lodger...
Apr 06, 2024•35 min•Ep 287•Transcript available on Metacast The Attempted Ravishing of Miss Dickinson News of the Times Episode 286 | 1875 1875 London, and all of England is agog with the scandal that Colonel Valentine Baker, personal friend of Bertie, Prince of Wales, soldier within the Queen’s Guard – a highly prestigious position - and celebrated war hero has been accused of an assault of a sexual nature on a train against a young lady whom he does not know. As further details come out, it would seem that it had been an attempted ravishing – another w...
Apr 05, 2024•40 min•Ep 286•Transcript available on Metacast The Wheeler Family Murder Cases News of the Times Episode 285 | 1880 & 1890 Today’s episode looks at two series of killings, 10 years apart, by the same family. The first murder takes place in Hertfordshire with Thomas Wheeler blowing the head off of the man he intends to rob. Descriptions speak of brain matter on the ceiling and walls. A very sad case, but not so uncommon. His 14 year old daughter takes her father’s execution badly. Almost exactly ten years later and the daughter is involve...
Apr 03, 2024•39 min•Transcript available on Metacast Monte Carlo Trunk Murder News of the Times Episode 284 | 1907 Marseille, 1907 and the porter has noticed a terrible odour and what seems to be blood oozing from one of the trunks of Sir and Lady Goold who have only just arrived from Monte Carlo. Insisting that police become involved, a naked dismembered body of a woman is revealed. An accompanying valise holds the head and the limbs. The hand luggage holds thousands in jewels. This international story of the Goolds - a former Wimbledon finalist ...
Apr 01, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Leiden Poisoner News of the Times Episode 282 | 1883 In 1883 Netherlands, Leiden was rocked by the realisation that they had a serial killer on their hands who had been killing for years without anyone suspecting a thing. Maria van Der Linden, as the British press referred to her, like Helen Jegado, was so kind, so thoughtful, everyone’s auntie, that no one suspected a thing as she speculatively systematically killed over 100. Her motive initially was gain, but with the ability to decide who...
Mar 30, 2024•27 min•Transcript available on Metacast A Scottish Murder Love Triangle - Frightful Fridays News of the Times Episode 281 | 1765 1765 County Forfar Scotland and 21 year old newly married Katharine Nairn, wed to 40ish bookish Thomas Ogilvie, is the topic of gossip within the household and the community. Dashing younger brother Lieutenant Patrick Ogilvie has arrived back from East India and a warm, and some say, intimate relationship has quickly developed between Katharine and Patrick. A dangerous game as any kind of relationship betwee...
Mar 29, 2024•38 min•Transcript available on Metacast Two Cases of Killer Catherines - Wicked Wednesdays News of the Times Episode 280 | 1850 & 1890 In today’s episode we look at two cases where the killer was named Catherine. Our first case from 1840 Ireland tells a famous murder case in its day. Catherine has left her drunken husband and moved back with her mother. Although the drunken husband leaves for a while, he returns. The murder that ensued is most notable for the attempted cover-up with the involvement of Catherine’s mother who was al...
Mar 27, 2024•46 min•Ep 280•Transcript available on Metacast he Case of Mme Bessarabo - Murderous Mondays News of the Times Episode 279 | 1921 1920’s Paris was mesmerised by the case of Mme Bessarabo. A flamboyant and dramatic woman, she was also a well-known writer in her sphere of “spiritual fiction”, In July 1920, M Bessarabo does not appear for collection with his chauffeur. It was claimed by the chauffeur that Bessarabo would be depositing a large sum of money., Bessarabo had been quite vocal regarding the difficulties he was having with his wife. As...
Mar 25, 2024•48 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Village of Assassins - Serial Killer Saturdays News of the Times Episode 53 | 1840 It is 1929 in a small village in Hungary – a village which over several years is going against the growth rate taking place in the surrounding villages. What is odder still, the incredible death rate seems to be striking the predominantly middle to older male population. The village statistics in terms of percentage of land holding women is also strangely higher than the average. What unfolds is a web of treac...
Mar 23, 2024•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Cropton Murders - Frightful Fridays News of the Times Episode 277 | 1872 1872 Pickering in Yorkshire and well off farmer Joseph Wood and his middle son, also named Joseph have vanished. Joseph’s cousin, who coincidentally was the last person to see Joseph alive, has kindly stepped in to take over and run Joseph’s farm for him whilst he is away. Indeed, cousin Robert has even received a letter with a Liverpool post mark that states that he Robert is to take over and run everything. But, some ...
Mar 22, 2024•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Littlehampton Poison Pen Letter Mystery News of the Times Episode 276 | 1920 - 1923 1920 Littlehampton Surrey residents are being bombarded by vile language, threats, and libellous comments through letters and post cards. The centre recipient, it would seem, is quiet and highly respectable Miss Swan and anyone who is associated with her. Then, the vile letters move onto other respectalble residents of the community. As the poison pen letters deluge the town over a three year period, Scotland...
Mar 20, 2024•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Murder of Helen Priestly - Murderous Mondays News of the Times Episode 275 | 1934 In 1934 Aberdeen, a shocking crime of the murder of Helen Priestly takes place. Within 15 hours her body is discovered in a potato sack, in a recess under the stairs of a residence of 8 apartments. Helen’s shoes are clean despite the constant rain and accompanying mud indicating that she must have been killed before the rain started. The body placement was not there 3 hours before, indicating the killer, with t...
Mar 18, 2024•44 min•Ep 275•Transcript available on Metacast Notorious Nurse Wilmot Mystery - Serial Killer Saturdays News of the Times Episode 274 | 1880 It is 1880 Sheffield and tragedy continues to strike again and again at the Booth residence coincidentally shortly after the hiring of Nurse Mary Ann Wilmot. Things come to a head when Mrs Wilmot, devasted by the rapid succession of the deaths of her children, is also placed under the daily care of Nurse Wilmot. She is shortly thereafter found unconscious. A trunk, owned by the family, is found in Nurse...
Mar 16, 2024•42 min•Transcript available on Metacast An Irish Family Affair of Murder - Frightful Fridays News of the Times Episode 273 | 1852 1853 County Clare Ireland and James Stackpoole, just shy of his 21st birthday, has been horrifically butchered and murdered. His body has been placed miles from his home, with identifying clothing placed near the body. Investigations uncover that James was nearly due to collect on a healthy inheritance, but now that he was dead, that annual inheritance would go to his uncle Thomas. What unfolds is a murder ...
Mar 15, 2024•31 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Infamous Go-Cart Murder Case - Wicked Wednesdays News of the Times Episode 272 | 1923 1923 Scotland, not far from Glasgow, and a horrific murder has been uncovered of a young boy. A tragic story, absolutely, but what unfolds as the case is investigated is an unbelievable story of how the crime was committed and the incredible attempts to hide the body. This case certainly falls into the category of “truth is stranger than fiction”. The Go-Cart Murder as it was called seized the headlines nat...
Mar 13, 2024•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast The Mysterious Case of Ellen Kittel - Murderous Mondays News of the Times Episode 271 | 1872 It is 1872 Essex and Elizabeth Kittel, wife of farm labourer William Kittel, has just died a surprise agonising death. Ellen Wenden, the 20 year old daughter of the famer on whose land William works, swoops in and takes control. The neighbours have been gossiping for some time about the intimacy that seems to have developed between married 40+ farm labourer William Kittel and 20 year old Ellen Wenden. Wi...
Mar 11, 2024•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast Murderess Martha Marek - Serial Killer Saturdays News of the Times Episode 270 | 1938 In today’s episode it is 1937 Austria and Martha Marek, a supposed feeble, nearly sightless woman has reported thefts from her house - luckily, she is insured. From this attempted insurance fraud, the reported stolen items found in a warehouse she is renting, unravels activity dating back to her first known insurance fraud that made the international news– hacking off her husband’s leg for an insurance payout –...
Mar 09, 2024•32 min•Transcript available on Metacast Tales of Women Killers in Ireland News of the Times Episode 269 | 1881 - 1902 In today’s episode we look at three cases where women were the murderers. Our first case from Derry 1881 tells the take of an 80 year old man who has committed suicide according to his 40 year old wife. Did the man even have the strength to pull a trigger is one of the many questions that arise in this case. Our second story takes place in 1887 Galway where nurse Mary Rielly is discovered literally cooking her patient ...
Mar 08, 2024•40 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
