The Mass Hysteria Podcast

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Episodes

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Episodes

8. Maybe She's Born With It, Maybe It's Morphine

Jane Toppan had a love of morphine and no plan to stop administering it as she pleased. Today, we explore the insane story of one of America's most prolific female serial killers; needless to say, Jolly Jane probably did not take the Hippocratic oath. Sources: https://crimereads.com/jane-toppan-nurse-caregiver-serial-killer/ Smith, Robert Barr. Outlaw Women: America's Most Notorious Daughters, Wives, and Mothers. United States, TwoDot, 2015. Potts, Michael. "Jane Toppan: A Greed, Power, and Lust...

Jan 28, 2021•25 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast

7.5 Mini Hysteria: An American Hospital Story

Did you know Massachusetts is home to one of the most notorious insane asylums? Well, buckle up thrill-seekers, because we are about to dive in: shock therapy, straitjackets, and lobotomies -- oh my! Sources: https://www.legendsofamerica.com/haunted-hospitals/ https://www.danversstatehospital.org/ https://allthatsinteresting.com/danvers-state-hospital https://io9.gizmodo.com/six-abandoned-asylums-with-genuinely-chilling-backstori-512154481 https://www.salemnews.com/news/local_news/ceremony-at-fo...

Jan 28, 2021•14 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast

7. Bed, Breakfast & A Killing Spree

Labor Day weekend is typically a time for one last hoorah before summer ends. During the holiday weekend in 2006 though, Christian C. Nielsen had other plans. Over the course of four days, Nielsen committed heinous crimes; some of the most gruesome Maine has seen in recent history. Sources: https://caselaw.findlaw.com/me-supreme-judicial-court/1377622.html https://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/20071017/News/710170337 https://murderpedia.org/male.N/n/nielsen-christian.htm https://www.nytimes.co...

Jan 23, 2021•30 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast

6. In the Walls & On the Run: The Crimes of Danny LaPlante

What kind of Massachusetts podcasters would we be if we did not cover the case Danny LaPlante? Tune in to find out how one of Massachusetts' most heinous crimes took place right in our backyard. Sources: Al Odhayani, Abdulaziz, et al. “Behavioural Consequences of Child Abuse.” Canadian Family Physician Medecin De Famille Canadien , College of Family Physicians of Canada, Aug. 2013. Campbell, Jerome. “Mass. High Court Rejects Early Parole Petition For Man Convicted Of Murder In 1987.” WBUR News ,...

Jan 14, 2021•29 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast

5. The Insane Clown Panic of 1981

From creepy Christmas cards to the waves of clown panic, we dive into the spooky side of the these circus acts and how, in 1981, Massachusetts started national clown chaos. Sources: Balsamini, Dean, and Melkorka Licea. “Creepy Clown Trend Dates Back to '80s, but This Time  It's Different.” New York Post , New York Post, 9 Oct. 2016, nypost.com/2016/10/09/creepy-clown-trend-dates-back-to-80s-but-this-time-its-different/. CBS Boston. “Reported Creepy Clown Sightings At Mass. Schools Prompt Po...

Jan 07, 2021•25 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast

4. The Conjuring was Real?

Join us as we explore an early Massachusetts exorcism, a family haunted by a hooded demon, and a little girl who made friends with the old woman in the attic. Connor may even be living with a friendly ghost himself!

Dec 30, 2020•26 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast

3. Nine Angry Men and a City on Fire

What happens when people designated to protect you are the ones causing the harm? In 1982, the city of Boston burst into flames when nine angry men sought to teach the city a deadly lesson. Sources: Becker, Deborah. “Lowell Man Who Spent 3 Decades In Prison For Fatal Fire Is Exonerated.” Lowell Man Who Spent 3 Decades In Prison For Fatal Fire Is Exonerated | WBUR News , WBUR, 13 Sept. 2017, www.wbur.org/news/2017/09/13/lowell-man-who-spent-3-decades-in-prison-for-fatal-fire-is-exonerated. Dougla...

Dec 23, 2020•38 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast

2. Open Call, Closed Case

Mont Vernon is a quiet town, pretty close knit and rather unremarkable. On a cold night in early October of 2009, four boys break into a home in the small community, forever damaging the lives of many. **Please join us in donating anything you can to the scholarship fund in Kimberly Cates’ honor: http://www.kimcatesfund.org** Sources: Blanco, Juan Ignacio. “Steven Spader: Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers.” Steven Spader | Murderpedia, the Encyclopedia of Murderers “Christopher Gribble....

Dec 23, 2020•49 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast

1. Think Pentagrams Are Sinister? Try Triangles.

There is an area in southern Massachusetts, a 200 sq. mile area to be exact, that is known for lurking gremlins and floating orbs. That's right, we're diving in (headfirst, baby!) to the crazy stories of the Bridgewater Triangle. Thank you to the following sources for information discussed in this episode: -Haunted Massachusetts by Cheri Ravai -The Spooky South Coast radio show & Tim Weisburg -The Bridgewater Triangle (2013) documentary -Tales from the Swamp by Ross A. Muscato (article) -Lef...

Dec 17, 2020•32 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast