Criminal Podcast: "The Christmas Fire" - Detailed Summary

Podcast Information:

• Title: Criminal
• Host/Author: Vox Media Podcast Network
• Description: Criminal explores stories of people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or found themselves caught in between. Hosted by Phoebe Judge, it was named a Best Podcast of 2023 by the New York Times.

1. Introduction

Narrator sets the stage on December 24, 1843, Staten Island, describing a cold Christmas night when a fire breaks out at Captain George Houseman's home. The scene unfolds with neighbors responding to the alarm, leading to a tragic discovery.

[01:31] Alex Hjordas: "Alex Hjordas is a historian and lawyer."

2. The Incident: The Christmas Fire

On Christmas night, a group of men notice smoke emanating from Captain George Houseman's kitchen chimney. Initially dismissed as a natural occurrence due to snow and wet logs, the situation escalates when a young boy yells, "Fire, Fire!" prompting immediate action.

Narrator describes the chaos as neighbors battle the flames, ultimately extinguishing the fire. However, the aftermath reveals a horrifying discovery.

[02:36] Narrator: "He ends up being a drunk, ends up being abusive towards her, ends up spending all the family money..."

The bodies of Emmeline Houseman and her one-year-old daughter, Ann Eliza, are found torched and bludgeoned inside the house. Emmeline's hands are tied with a black silk handkerchief in a sailor's knot, indicating foul play.

[03:17] Alex Hjordas: "The autopsy of the body found that Emmeline had a stab wound on her arm so deep that it fractured the bone."

Captain George Houseman returns from sea the following day to the devastation, finding his family's home in ruins.

3. The Houseman Family

Alex Hjordas delves into the Houseman family's prominence on Staten Island. Captain George Houseman hailed from a wealthy lineage, with his father Abraham amassing wealth through granite quarry management and a flourishing oyster business catering to New York's oyster craze.

[05:11] Alex Hjordas: "Abraham had eight children. George Houseman was his second son."

George’s sister, Polly Boudine, had a tumultuous marriage with Andrew Boudine, marked by abuse and financial mismanagement, leading to their separation—a scandalous event in the 1840s.

4. The Accusation against Paulie Boudine

Polly Boudine, also known as Paulie, becomes the primary suspect in the murders. Her extramarital affair with George Waite, a prominent merchant and apothecary, raises suspicions, especially when a coral necklace belonging to Ann Eliza is found in Waite’s possession.

[14:08] Narrator: "Pauli Medine subsequently becomes the primary suspect. The reasons for this are a mix of rumor and some troubling facts."

Despite the circumstantial evidence, including Paulie’s suspicious behavior and the discovery of valuable items, concrete proof remains elusive.

5. The Role of the Penny Press

The penny press, affordable newspapers established to reach the masses, play a pivotal role in shaping public opinion. James Gordon Bennett, founder of the New York Herald, sensationalizes the case, exacerbating tensions and directing suspicion toward Paulie without substantial evidence.

[10:07] Alex Hjordas: "What was the penny press?"

Bennett's aggressive reporting labels Paulie as a murderer, despite the limited investigation conducted by the police at the time.

[12:29] Alex Hjordas: "The first penny press was printed in New York in 1833..."

6. Influence of Notable Figures

Edgar Allan Poe and P.T. Barnum emerge as influential figures intertwined with the case. Poe, critiquing the police, advocates for logical detective work, while Barnum capitalizes on the public's morbid fascination by creating a wax figure of Paulie as a sensational exhibit.

[19:42] Narrator: "At this point, he's a newsman... he becomes fascinated in this idea that I can solve crimes using logic..."

[28:35] Narrator: "So he creates this disgusting wax figure of Paulie essentially as this old witch killing Emmeline and Ann Eliza in the American Museum."

7. The Trials

First Trial: The initial jury fails to reach a unanimous decision when an eccentric juror flees, highlighting societal divisions and the influence of media bias.

[24:05] Alex Hjordas: "In her defense, Pauley's attorneys told the jury that it was George Waite, the apothecary who had committed the murders..."

Second Trial: Relocated to Manhattan due to the impossibility of finding an unbiased jury on Staten Island, the trial becomes a public spectacle. The prosecution relies heavily on circumstantial evidence, while the defense introduces alternative theories, including gang involvement.

[27:00] Narrator: "There are some jurors that want a manslaughter conviction because the cause of death. The prosecution never could really prove the exact cause of death."

8. Verdict and Aftermath

Ultimately, Paulie is convicted of murder but spared the death penalty, receiving a life sentence instead. However, public opinion remains divided, and the influence of the press continues to sway perceptions.

[25:00] Narrator: "So what is the verdict?"

[34:13] Narrator: "So Pauli is let go eventually, the following year. But in a sense, she's not free, because the people on Staten island all believe that she's guilty."

9. Legacy and Rumors

Paulie's acquittal leads to a lifetime of ostracization on Staten Island. Rumors persist about her guilt, with some claiming she confessed in private. Her image was immortalized in Barnum’s exhibit, and phrenologists labeled her as inherently criminal based on her facial features.

[35:20] Alex Hjordas: "Some people on the island claim that she eventually confessed to the murder."

Five years post-acquittal, Paulie attempts to reclaim her narrative by challenging inaccurate portrayals in the New York Herald.

[36:03] Narrator: "She wrote to the editor, James Gordon Bennett, and said she was a daily reader of his entertaining paper."

10. Conclusion

"The Christmas Fire" episode of Criminal intricately weaves a tale of tragedy, media sensationalism, and the quest for justice in 19th-century Staten Island. It underscores the profound impact of the penny press in shaping public opinion and the enduring complexities of legal proceedings influenced by societal biases.

Notable Quotes

• [02:51] Alex Hjordas: "Next to her was the burned body of her daughter Ann Eliza."
• [10:09] Narrator: "The penny press were the first newspapers to appeal to a mass popular audience."
• [20:04] Alex Hjordas: "He even invented a word for this way of thinking. Ratiocination."
• [31:06] Narrator: "It gives her, quote, an alibi, but..."
• [29:01] Alex Hjordas: "The trial goes on extremely long, about five weeks, and the defense pulls out all the stops."

Attributions

• Host: Phoebe Judge
• Historian and Lawyer: Alex Hjordas
• Notable Figures: James Gordon Bennett, Edgar Allan Poe, P.T. Barnum, Walt Whitman

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the intricate narrative of "The Christmas Fire," providing listeners and non-listeners alike with a thorough understanding of the episode's key elements, characters, and societal implications.