Paul Harvey - Man won't die for life insurance - Harold's Old Time Radio

Summary4 min read

Podcast Summary: Paul Harvey - Man Won't Die for Life Insurance

Podcast Information

Title: Harold's Old Time Radio
Host/Author: Harold's Old Time Radio
Episode: Paul Harvey - Man Won't Die for Life Insurance
Release Date: April 12, 2025

Introduction to the Episode

In this gripping episode of Harold's Old Time Radio, host Harold delves into one of the most audacious and bizarre criminal conspiracies in American history—the attempted murder of Michael Malloy for life insurance. Narrated with the classic flair reminiscent of the Golden Age of Radio, this story intertwines elements of power, loyalty, and sheer luck, capturing listeners in a tale of desperation and relentless determination.

Setting the Scene: The Prohibition Era

The episode transports listeners back to January 1933 in the seedy underbelly of the Bronx, where Tony Marino, a 27-year-old proprietor, runs a struggling speakeasy named Marino's at 3804 Third Avenue. The era's backdrop of Prohibition adds a layer of tension and desperation to the narrative.

Tony Marino: "Business is bad," [00:30] Harold's voice sets the bleak financial state of Marino and his four associates.

The Conspiracy Unfolds

In a moment of dark ingenuity, 24-year-old Francis Pasqua proposes a sinister solution to their financial woes. The plan: take out a life insurance policy on a seemingly inconsequential patron, Michael Malloy.

Francis Pasqua: "We could take out a life insurance policy on that fellow and then let nature take its course," [00:45] The proposal met with uproarious laughter, masking the gravity of their intentions.

The group proceeds to secure three insurance policies on Malloy, a 60-year-old lifelong alcoholic. Initially, they believe providing Malloy with unlimited credit at their speakeasy will hasten his demise. However, Malloy's surprising resilience thwarts their first attempt.

Escalation of the Plot

Undeterred by Malloy's stubborn survival, the conspirators escalate their efforts with increasingly lethal measures:

Antifreeze Administration:
- The bartender serves Malloy automobile radiator antifreeze, hoping to induce death. Instead, Malloy not only survives but appears more refreshed.
- Narrator: "Michael Malloy not only came to and asked for more, but he drank double and triple shots of antifreeze day and night for the entire week following, apparently utterly unscathed." [02:10]
Toxic Substances:
- Turpentine, horse liniment laced with rat poison, tainted raw oysters, and spoiled sardines mixed with carpet tacks and sheet metal shavings are employed in their attempts to kill Malloy.
- Each method fails, with Malloy continuously recovering and seeking more of the tainted substances.
Physical Assault:
- In a final, desperate move, the conspirators dump Malloy in a 14 below snowstorm, later assault him with a car traveling at 45 miles per hour, and even shove a gas pipe down his throat.
- Despite these brutal attempts, Malloy survives each encounter, earning the dubious title of the "20th century's most durable human being."

The Inevitable Downfall

As Prohibition draws to a close in 1933, so does the luck of Tony Marino and his cohorts. Their relentless and increasingly crude methods to eliminate Malloy eventually succeed after a series of failed attempts. However, their downfall is swift:

Narrator: "The authorities discovered the plot, and all that you have just learned came out at the trial. And the bad guys got the chair." [03:50]

The trial reveals the entire conspiracy, leading to the perpetrators' imprisonment. Ironically, in their obsession to annihilate Malloy, they inadvertently immortalize him as an almost mythical figure of resilience.

Final Reflection: "In trying so preposterously hard to annihilate him, instead, they made him immortal." [04:10]

Conclusion

This episode masterfully captures the blend of dark humor and tragedy inherent in human desperation. Through meticulous storytelling, listeners gain insight into the lengths individuals will go to resolve financial woes and the unforeseen consequences of such actions. Michael Malloy's story serves as a stark reminder of resilience and the unpredictable nature of fate.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

Tony Marino: "Business is bad." [00:30]
Francis Pasqua: "We could take out a life insurance policy on that fellow and then let nature take its course." [00:45]
Narrator: "Michael Malloy not only came to and asked for more, but he drank double and triple shots of antifreeze day and night for the entire week following, apparently utterly unscathed." [02:10]
Narrator: "In trying so preposterously hard to annihilate him, instead, they made him immortal." [04:10]

Final Thoughts

Harold's Old Time Radio continues to preserve the rich storytelling tradition of the Golden Age of Radio, bringing historical accounts to life with vivid narration and engaging narratives. This episode on Paul Harvey's recounting of Michael Malloy's tenacious survival underscores the enduring fascination with true crime stories that blend humor, horror, and humanity.

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Transcript4 lines

[00:00]
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[00:31]
Tony Marino
The rest of Once upon a prohibition 3804 Third Avenue in the Bronx, There sat a seedy little speakeasy named Marinos. 27 year old Tony Marino, proprietor. One bleak night, January 1933, Tony and four of his cronies sat glumly in a corner of the lattermost establishment, pondering their dire financial straits. Business is bad, marino muttered. The others nodded. But then 24 year old Francis Pasqua nudged Tony. I have an idea, he said, gesturing in the direction of the shabby little drunk slumped over the bar. We could take out a life insurance policy on that fellow and then let nature take its course. The five of them laughed uproariously. But their laughter belied the inception of one of the most remarkable conspiracies in American history. Foresee by the simple genius of Pasquale's plan, the group found a cooperative insurance agent. They took out three policies on the drunk at the bar. One Michael Malloy, age 60. A lifelong alcoholic, Malloy was surely already perilously debilitated. All that was left then was for Tony to offer him unlimited credit at the speakeasy and wait for the old man to drink himself to death. But after a week of guzzling whiskey from noon tonight, the heavily insured Mr. Malloy seemed more refreshed than ever. So Marino's bartender, one of the co conspirators, decided to hasten the process, started serving Malloy automobile radiator antifreeze. The latter downed half dozen shots of antifreeze that night and passed out. And that ought to have done it. But it didn't, for Michael Malloy not only came to and asked for more, but he drank double and triple shots of antifreeze day and night for the entire week following, apparently utterly unscathed. Now the plotters tried serving him turpentine and then horse liniment laced with rat poison. They fed him tainted raw oysters and spoiled sardines with carpet tax sprinkled on top. Oh no, no, that's right carpet tax and in fact, sheet metal shavings. All of which the intended victim washed down with a tumbler of wood alcohol, only to return for more. Clearly nothing. The five partners fed. Michael Malloy was going to kill him. So they waited for him to pass out one night at the bar, took him outside in a 14 below snowstorm, dumped him in some bushes, poured 5 gallons of water on him and left him there. He was back at noon the next day, complaining of a cold but still thirsty. So they got Malloy falling down drunk again. They dragged him out into the street. They hit him with a car going 45 miles an hour. They ran over him a couple of times for good measure, and Malloy came back for more. Prohibition ran out that year, and so did the luck of Tony Marino and his co conspirators. Well, they finally managed to murder Michael Malloy. And yet in their desperation, they were forced to employ the rather obtrusive means of shoving a gas pipe down his throat and opening the valve. So the authorities discovered the plot, and all that you have just learned came out at the trial. And the bad guys got the chair. But their victim, he is famous even yet sometimes called the 20th century's most durable human being. So in the end, his murderers failed to destroy the indestructible Michael Malloy. Because in trying so preposterously hard to annihilate him, instead, they made him immortal. Now you know the rest of the story.
[04:16]
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[04:40]
Vito Corleone
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