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Genevieve Manion (0:30)

Hello and welcome to my Victorian Nightmare. I'm your host Genevieve Manion, and I'm here to talk about mysterious deaths, morbid fascinations, disturbing stories, and otherwise spooky events from the Victorian era. Because to me there's just something especially intriguing, creepy and oddly comforting about horror and mayhem from the 19th century. So listener discretion is advised. Hello friends and welcome to this, my 25th episode. I hope that you all had a lovely week. I had a perfectly cozy one myself. Recovering after New Year's week, not reading the news ever. I don't need to hear anything about anything that is happening in my country. I think I saw something briefly about how we may end up in a war with Denmark and Canada or something. And I didn't need to hear any more current events. They're stupid and embarrassing. I do a perfectly good job embarrassing myself. I do not need the so called leaders of this nation's assistance in this endeavor. Thank you. Please. I did however also happen to get a glimpse of the whole horrifying fires in California. So much love and support to my California friends and listeners. My God, you poor people. This is a tragedy beyond comprehension. If you're wanting to help, I've checked a few highly rated groups to donate to, a few being the American Red Cross, Los Angeles County Animal Care foundation, and a charity called Direct Relief. Please give if you're able. So many loving thoughts coming your way apart from learning about these events. Like I said, I am boycotting all news media to keep myself sane over the next four years and possibly beyond. However, this boycott does not apply to the Illustrated Police News, Law Courts and Record from which I will be reading today. Everyone's favorite salacious, violent, preposterous and silly tabloid from the 1800s. I've got some bone chilling, heartbreaking and slippery articles from an 1871 volume today, and some really fascinating historical factoids and tidbits inspired by those articles as well. But first, some Haunted Housekeeping. Thank you to those of you who have followed my new podcast, Dark Poetry. I have almost 100 followers there. Thank you to those of you who have rated it and left comments too. Just like with this podcast that you are listening to right here. Those those ratings and comments are so important. They help my shows grow and most importantly, they let me know if you like what you're listening to. So thank you so much. Dark Poetry is available on Spotify and now also available in Apple Podcasts in all countries. I'm still working out kinks with Amazon and a few others, but hopefully Spotify and Apple Podcasts will tide you over. Until then, as always, thank you for your ratings and your lovely comments that you leave on Spotify episodes. They really mean a lot to me. I got yelled at last week by a listener who was very upset that I didn't get straight to the H.H. holmes story. She made sure to tell me she turned the show right off. I did spend about two minutes or so talking about my New Year's Eve and this upset her greatly, to which I replied it's a good thing she did turn it off because she would have had to also sit through my very dramatic Goth Girl Nosferatu review as well, which was quite lengthy and very emotional. Good move, mademoiselle. Incidentally, I saw Shadow of the Vampire last night with John Malkovich, William Dafoe, and Eddie Izzard. I believe she's going by Susie Eddie Izzard now. The accents alone in that movie are spectacular. It's also kind of fun how incestuous these vampire movies are. I don't mean that literally. I mean, you've got Dafoe as Nosferatu in this movie and as Dr. Eberhardt. I think that's what his name is technically Van Hel in the new Nosferatu. You've got Cary Elwes, who played Sir Arthur Holmwood in Dracula. He was in Shadow of the Vampire 2. Nic Cage, who produced Shadow of the Vampire, was Dracula in the new Ish movie Renfield. And Nicholas Hoult, who was Renfield in that movie, played Thomas Hutter in the new Nosferatu. I feel like there are probably a bunch of crossovers there that I'm not thinking of, but I liked it. Shadow of the Vampire. I'd never seen it before. Great follow up to Nosferatu. If you're looking for something to keep the undead vibes alive. And make sure to follow me on Instagram, where I post all of the visual aids for my episodes, along with other creepy Victorian content and some particularly dank memes. The very dankest. You can email me@myvictorianightmaremail.com and listen to the show ad free by joining my patreon by going to myvictorianightmare.com and finding a handy link there. Thank you everyone that joined this week. I love you guys. Okay, for you today, dear listener, I have a robber who becomes a raving maniac. A very shocking confession followed by a very grisly request. A woman poisoned by laudanum, nearly frozen to death, A foot race between a phrenologist and a zippy young lady, A thief who nearly blows his own head off, a wife's vengeance with a penknife. Murder, blackmail, and an unfortunate sled accident on a historic, historic Boston street, among a few others. Let's begin with the robber who becomes crazy in jail, shall we? This article is called A Robber Becomes Crazy in Jail at Goshen, New York. Quick side note, I wonder when AT became in when talking about things happening in locations. This article is from 1871 and I often not always, but I see that used that things would happen at states or at streets, not in states or on streets. Language historians share your talents in the comments the article reads George Harrison. Not that George Harrison of Elmira, who robbed Mr. J.H. buckland's store in Port Jervis, New York. Weird. See there, it does say in grammar rules in the 1800s were just bewildering on the night of the 27th and who was afterwards lodged in Goshen jail, has become a raving maniac. It was found necessary to chain him to the floor to prevent his injuring those who came into his cell. The other day the turnkey entered his cell with food when the madman pulled the staple from the floor to which he was chained and made an assault on him, biting the turnkey's cheek severely. At another time, Harrison stripped himself of his clothes and placing them in one corner of his cell, set them a fire. He was removed last week to an asylum. End quote. Oh God, sorry, I forgot about the cheek biting. We are off to the races with that article. How did he set his clothes on fire? Where did he get a match? Or how on earth did he start a fire without a match? I could not find any information on this particular George Harrison because there's a much more famous George Harrison that Google refused to prioritize. Any other info about any other George Harrison's? Specifically this cheeky, bitey raving maniac? So we're moving on. Oh, this one's interesting. I'll read the article first and then I'll give you some scandalous backstory that I found. The article is called Pet Halstead's Murderer Respited Pet is in quotes, by the way, and it reads, george Botts, who was sentenced at New York, New Jersey, to be hanged on the 22nd for the murder of Oliver S. Halstead in the apartments of his mistress in July last, has been respited, respited, respited by Governor Randolph until the 26th of January. This reprieve has been made upon the petitions of many prominent citizens of Newark and vicinity who believe that the time allowed for preparation for death was too short. Baatz does not feel prepared to die, and his religious advisors have also petitioned for the reprieve, which has been granted. The time has only been extended five weeks, though the governor may by law grant reprieve for as long as a time of 90 days. The governor wishes it to be understood that this reprieve does not look to pardon, as he has no intimation of any action likely to be taken by the Court of Errors or pardons, and no sufficient reasons have been shown for granting pardon. Botts is writing out, by the aid of another prisoner in Essex County Jail, his own version of the murder. He still insists that he does not know anything about the shooting of Halstead and professes profound love for Mrs. Wilson, formerly his mistress and afterwards the mistress of the man he murdered. It is said that Mrs. Wilson is in good hands and will be a better woman soon. End quote. Rather curious statement. End quote. Okay, I looked up who these people were and found an article on murderbygaslight.com and what a scandal. Everyone involved is a creep. A man named Oliver Spencer Halstead, Jr. Otherwise known as PET, was a Washington lawyer and lobbyist for arms dealers during the Lincoln administration. He had a wife and six children whom he lived with in Newark, New Jersey. Mr. Halstead was asked to represent a woman named Mary Wilson as her attorney in a divorce. And quickly they began having an affair. In fact, Mr. Husband and Father of Six rented this lady an apartment from where he could come and go as he pleased. But Mary was getting the divorce because she wanted to marry another guy named George Botts, also known as Charcoal Botts because he was a charcoal peddler. She was, however, a teetotaler, meaning she didn't drink, and she dumped him because of his drinking. Shortly after, she met Sugar Daddy Halstead, but Botts was not buying her excuse. He knew it was because she met Halstead, so he threatened to kill him. Halstead found out and started carrying a gun around town himself and said he'd shoot Bots between the eyes if he saw him in public. She kept stringing Bots along, though she never really fully broke up with him. They made plans to spend the fourth of July together, but she canceled, telling him that she would be spending it with her sister instead, when in fact she was staying at Halstead's house when his wife and children were away. When he found out that this was going to happen, Botts showed up to a bar that Mary's landlord owned. He drunk himself blind and told the landlord, quote, I love that woman and that he was going to kill that son of a bitch. He tried to break into her building, but the landlord kept him at bay. He returned later though, and broke into her apartment where Halstead was. As soon as he saw him, he drew the revolver and a struggle ensued. The gun went off and Halstead was shot in the chest and windpipe. Botts ran out the door and was quickly apprehended. So that short article really packed a punch. I've never heard of a situation of an execution being delayed because the prisoner wasn't ready to die. And it's difficult to say exactly what he meant by Mary will soon be a better woman. But to me I feel like that was his way of saying she'll be better off once he's dead. I'm sure she found another jerk to date in no time. Sounds like her type. Okay, this next one has an amazing title. It is simply who did that man kill before he killed himself? And it reads, on Friday morning the 15th, an unknown man approached some railroad laborers near Allentown, Pennsylvania and requested them to kill him with a hammer. They asked him why he wanted to die and he replied that he had killed a man in New York and was unhappy. He then jumped in front of a freight train and his head was so crushed that his features were unrecognizable. He was about 35 years old, 5ft 3 inches high and weighed about 95 pounds. End quote. I sadly could not find any information on who this man must have been or who he must have killed. It's possible this was never discovered. Very sad. Like this next one, which is called Seduced, Dosed with Laudanum and nearly frozen to death. And it reads, an excitement was raised in the town of Kingston, New York on Sunday the 10th. On that day the poromaster was informed informed that a young woman was lying nearly dead on the Flatbush road just outside the village. He had once repaired to the spot and they found one Mary Ellsworth, aged 19, lying on the ground under the influence of laudanum and nearly frozen to death. She was taken in charge and brought to Rondout. A surgeon was summoned who announced that she was in critical condition and would very likely die. On this information, the coroner was sent for and the girl's statement taken. It appears that she had been seduced under promise of marriage by a man named Richard Sober. For some time past, she resided at Kingston, but previously at Hurley. She sought her betrayer to make amends, but he laughed at her and actually endeavored to have her placed in the poorhouse as a pauper of ill repute. At last, frenzied by his heartless cruelty, she took 2 ounces of laudanum and laid herself down by the roadside to die. She said if the laudanum did not kill her, she meant to go to sleep and freeze to death. There were strong hopes for her recovery. End quote. I couldn't find more information about this woman. God, I do hope that she did survive. It's such a shame, not just that this led her to die by suicide, but because in this time, and I've spoken about this in past episodes, she had very strict seduction laws on her side. Seducing a woman, in other words, either falsely proposing marriage or having sex with her before marriage with the promise that they would marry could get you in some real hot water. In some states, men who who did this could face up to five years in prison and could be sued for a lot of money for it, too. Not that either being able to sue him or see him go to prison would heal her heartbreak, but it may have helped. Oh, honey. Okay, this next one is cute and interesting. It is called a footrace between a Phrenologist and a Young lady at Bloomington, Illinois. And it reads, Dr. Sims, who has been lecturing on phrenology in Bloomington, Illinois, in addition to being a man of much intelligence and humor, is a shrewd advertiser. He, very often in the early stages of his entertainments in a town, proposed to run a foot race with any young lady, but it is not often taken up. Two young ladies in Pekin, however, accepted the challenge. The week before he visited that town and ran with him, the doctor publicly offered $25 to any young lady who would run with him on Court street and $50 if she came out winner. The following is a correct account of the race. No sooner was the offer made that Ms. Emma Sandusky notified him that she was ready to accept the proposition. By mutual agreement, the time was fixed next and promptly. The minute the doctor appeared in shirt sleeves, his other apparel being his ordinary street garb. By the time the contestants were ready for the fray. The street had become densely packed with a dozen efficient aids. But this having finally been accomplished and the doctor having handed over to Mr. Stone the $50 and Captain Brearley having been posted at the come out post as judge, the pair started. At first it was almost neck and neck, but soon the doctor commenced gaining and eventually he came out several lengths ahead. Brearley then from the stile at the corner of Court Square, announced his decision. His speech was not lengthy, but it was to the point. He said, I don't believe you made the best time I ever saw. I have seen better running in the fairgrounds. We all ought to be proud of the achievements of this day. It marks an important epoch in the history of our city and is an occasion to which we can all look back as among the brightest in the annals of modern times. Inasmuch as the Doctor only came out about two lengths ahead of my friend the young lady. And whereas the said young lady is not much more than half as lengthy as the aforesaid doctor, I hereby, after mature deliberation, adjudge and decide that the young lady receive the entire stakes in the hands of the marshal, Mr. Stone. The remarks were received with applause and we understood the money was appropriated as directed by him. After this race, a large portion of the assembled crowd adjourned to the courthouse. When Ms. Kitty Myers, observing that she was ready to beat the doctor over the same course, a match was speedily made up and within half an hour from start, the second was made at the outstart. Everyone thought that the young lady would come out victorious, but being encumbered by a long dress, she was soon compelled to fly the track. Uncle John Sandusky struck in where the young lady struck out, and coming out first, claimed the purse for the young lady. We believe it was so awarded. Such is the progress of modern civilization. End quote. This is sweet, and I don't want to be a downer about it, but I gotta. Let's talk a little about phrenology, shall we? This was a pseudoscience that was founded by German physiologist Franz Joseph Gall in the very early 1800s and made its way to the US around the 1830s. Gall claimed that the shape, size and geography of the human skull could yield information about the mental capacity of human beings. Some doctors who subscribed to this theory thought it could help them understand mental illnesses better. But most really enjoyed the idea that they felt they could use this science to prove the existence of a master race which was nothing but baseless white supremacy. It was used to justify slavery by doctors and scientists, which was very instrumental in the continuation of slavery and later segregation. Again, not all phrenologists had this particular goal, though some believed it could help them better understand mental illness or aspects of the development of personality traits. And it was also used to prove the supremacy of men over women, as was this doctor's intention, by creating this male versus female experiment. But it is very important to note this theory has been thoroughly debunked in every regard. This story is also a pretty good example of how when a group of people in a society don't believe a certain oppressed people are a threat, they're fine with being proved wrong about their beliefs of supremacy. From time to time. You may have seen the photo of Catherine Switzer in 1967 who was attacked by a man while attempting to run in a marathon. Women weren't allowed to run in the race. She was attacked by the race's director, Jock Semple. He tried to rip the number off of her chest. The last line of that article, though, although I'm sure it was written with some level of sarcasm, quote, such is the progress of modern civilization. End quote. The reporter was more right than he knew. Keep on running, ladies. Our next article is a little confusing, but ends in a really upsetting, dramatic way. The title is, A female thief attempts suicide in a New York Courtroom. And it reads, a few mornings since, a New York policeman entered a Lager beer saloon upon Essex street in that city and there observed two sneak thieves, one of whom was a female, in close conversation with Z. Pinkoski, a peddler with whom they were bargaining for the purchase of a silk dress, and went with him to his apartments at number 48 Essex street to see the article, to which place they were followed by a man named Mooney. Soon after Mooney's admission to Pinkoski's room, he warned them of the nature of his customers who, while he was doing so, contrived to secrete on their persons one brooch shaw worth $50. One mirsham pipe. Pipe, I think Mirschkaum M E E R S C H A u m pipe. $10 and one petticoat. $4. The peddler yelled for the police. The man locked the door, and the male thief seized a knife and threatened the peddler's life if he did not stop his noise, thus forming a tableau which was rudely broken by a limb of the law. The two thieves were taken before Justice League Litwith, who committed them to answer While in the dock, Magdalena Hoffman, the female prisoner, endeavoured twice to strangle herself to death with her handkerchief and being half full of whiskey, she was placed in irons to prevent her from trying the experiment in her cell. The other prisoner, who gave his name as James Mullen, wept freely during this exhibition of bravado on the part of his pal. End quote. 48 Essex street is now a very luxurious apartment building. Incidentally, I couldn't find more on these folks. It's just so sad. So we got to move on to the next one. Okay, this next one made me feel terrible and I'll tell you why. After giving you some fun historical tidbits, it is also fairly sad. And the title is Centennial Cussedness and it reads, a respect respectable man From Iowa named J.M. canfield, an exhibitor at the Centennial, was enticed on Monday evening by three women from Boston named Bella McLean, Maggie Poole, alias Irish Mag, and Emma, last name unknown, into a rum mill on Elm Avenue near the exhibition grounds and poisoned with whiskey and morphia. He died this morning. A post mortem examination was held today and an inquest will be held tomorrow. The three women are under arrest, each charging the crime. On the other, letters in possession of Bella show that she was in Cambridge street jail in Boston, March 1875. She has followed here the trade of clairvoyant. First of all, I've never heard the term cussedness before. It means mean spirited, disagreeable and contrary. And the Centennial Exhibition that they refer to in this very sad and awful article was the world's first World's Fair, officially known as the International Exhibition of Arts, Manufacturers and Products of the Soil and Mine. There were nearly 10 million visitors at this exposition and 37 countries participated. And speaking of women's progress with the modern civilization, there was a Woman's Pavilion. Their overarching, and this is a quote from Wikipedia, their overarching goal was to advance women's social, economic and legal standing, abolish restrictions discriminating against their gender, encourage sexual harmony and gain influence, leverage and freedom for all women in and outside of the home by increasing women's confidence and ability to choose it. Continues. Much of the pavilion was devoted to human ecology and home economics. On Exhibit were over 80 patented inventions, including a Reliance stove, a hand attachment for sewing machines, a dishwasher, a fountain griddle greaser, a heating iron with removable handle, a frame for stretching and drying, lace curtains, and a stocking and glove darner. There was also an art gallery building with works by men and women from around the world. A hall that showcased Machinery which included 8,000 operating machines and was filled with a wide assortment of hand tools, machine tools, material handling equipment and the latest fastener technology. There was a number of other pavilions as well. This all sounds fascinating. We should have another World's Fair. Okay, this is why I felt terrible when I first read that this poor gentleman was an exhibitor. My brain just did not read many of the following words. And I just thought that he was like a flasher. And I was happy when they said the women went after him. But then I felt terrible when I found out that that was not what that meant. I gotta get my head out of the gutter. Okay, this next one is a little funny, but still, I'm sure very concerning for one of the folks involved. It is called Groceries and Adultery. Badly Mixed Coffee, Tea, Sugar and Blackmail. And it reads, reader, if we were you and you were a grocery dealer, we really wouldn't deliver articles to women from the shop. It is liable to lead to serious mistakes and it may lay the foundation of blackmail. Suits not very comfortable to wear at any season of the year. In the village of Ballardvale, adjacent to Lawrence, Massachusetts, a case occurred a few days since which ought to be an impressive warning to vendors of the necessities of life to families. It appears that Mr. Green, a grocer, although not a Green grocer. Thank you for that detail. Called at the house of a Eugene Heed in Ballardville to leave some goods ordered by he's wife. He opened the door and found no one present but a voice from an adjoining apartment known to him as having been occupied as a storeroom, summoned him thither. He entered and found Mrs. He laying a bed, complaining of a headache. He was making some neighborly inquiries about her sickness, standing near the door when Mr. He entered, putting on the air of the injured husband, quote, unquote, and accused Mr. Green of having committed the crime of adultery with his wife. He felt so bad about it that he wouldn't settle for less than $2,000. Mr. Green denounced the affair as an attempt to blackmail. The next day he'd called on Mr. Green and said that on reflection he would settle for $100 cash and a bill of $60 he owed at the store or else he should demand justice and vindication of public morals on a criminal process. Mr. Green told Heat to go ahead and the latter procured a warrant requiring the grocer to appear before Judge Stevens. At the Lawrence Police Court. An examination took place and Mr. Green was discharged. His Honor expressing the opinion in his giving his decision that it was a collusion or conspiracy between the complainant and his wife who had put their heads together to blackmail or extort money from the defendant. Much trouble may be avoided by merchants if they will be careful to deliver all packages by small boy messengers. End quote. Yes, children are the best ones to send to deliver groceries to criminals. Much smarter choice. Child labor, by the way, was not abolished until 1938 in the United States. Although many folks in our current government have been working as hard as small boy machines passengers in 1871 to circumvent those laws as best they can. Okay, our next article is a very sad and fairly gruesome one. It is called A Young Lady Outraged and Then Murdered in Arkansas. And it reads, a dispatch from Little Rock, Arkansas of the 18th says about five days ago a federal crime was committed near Asheville in Hampstead County. A young lady, daughter of Mr. Holt, was returning home in the evening through a by place in the woods when she was intercepted on her way by some party unknown. And after being outraged, which means raped, was most brutally murdered. Three bullets were found in the body and her throat was cut almost from ear to ear. Two of her fingers were also bitten in entirely off one of her hands. The young lady was about 16 years of age. End quote. It's always extra upsetting to me that I can't research a lot of the murders in this newspaper because they don't often give the names of the victims. Especially when they're women and young women. They just often give the names of their fathers or husbands. So I can't search them by name. I couldn't find more on this terrible murder. Sadly, I didn't have enough to search with. It's so heartbreaking. So we have to move on to this next article which is called A Wife Seeks Vengeance upon Her Husband's Seducer at New Rochelle, New York. And it reads, great excitement was occasioned at a temperance meeting in New Rochelle, New York the other night by a married woman by the name of Donnelly. Having espied a young lady by the name of Sarah Goyan present who she suspected of having won the affections of her husband. She made for her in the public hall with an open penknife in her hand fully determined to make short work of the destroyer of her peace by spoiling her beauty, if nothing more but was prevented from carrying her intentions into effect by her friends. Mrs. Donnelly was fearfully excited and finally went off into hysterics. She, when found some hours after, was Insensible and now lied in a very critical condition. End quote. I don't know if that means she hurt herself. God, this wife just needs to find Halstead's wife and start a support group, for God's sake. Okay, this next article is called, A Young Wife Attempts to Dose Her Old Man. End quote. And it is preposterous. And it reads, justice Brown of Morrisania, New York, ordered The arrest of Mrs. Mary Donell of attempting to shake off her husband with a cup of warm poison. Patrick is 65 and worth $30,000. Mary is 25 and a beautiful woman. Mary married the old man about four years ago, and it was supposed he would live only a few months. But Pat says he has held out so long, she is getting discouraged and accordingly put strychnine into his coffee yesterday morning instead of sugar. When arraigned before the justice, she said that the old man was crazy and ought to be sent to an asylum for the insane. The old man said that if she would take that back, he would forgive her. Her. But she said she would stick to it. She said she would go to White Plains willingly. That's where the prison is. But that he would have to go to the asylum first. The justice, not feeling competent to decide pat's sanity, designated Dr. Horton to make an examination. Meanwhile, the case stands over. End quote. Okay, there's a lot wrong with all of this. Firstly, that poor man. He was going to take this woman back after poisoning him with strychnine. If only she'd stop saying he was crazy. That is heartbreaking. Next, the judge didn't feel competent to judge if this man was insane. But he could have just said, whether or not the man is mentally ill, you're still going to jail for trying to kill him, right? She was like, I'm not going to jail until he goes to an insane asylum. And the judge was like, I think. I think I'm gonna need some help to come up with a fair decision here. Why didn't he just say, girl, you're going to prison? And we'll try to figure out if this man needs even more help after what you've put him through. Granted an asylum in no way would have actually helped this man. I hope he found true love one day. Okay, our next one is a little explosive. It is called a burglar's blow up. He blasts a safe, breaks a leg and disfigures himself terribly. That's just the headline. The article reads, a poor unfortunate burglar turned up in Troy, New York, under very discouraging circumstances. It appears that in Albany, early on Saturday morning the 16th, some burglars obtained an entrance to the office of Shields and Sons tobacco factory in Church street and blew open the safe standing therein. On Monday the Albany police learned that James McCormick, residing a couple of blocks away from the scene of the burglary, could give them some information and he was thereupon taken into custody. McCormick stated that at 4 o'clock Saturday morning, Thomas Haggerty and an unknown man knocked at the door of his dwelling and awakened him. Upon opening the door he saw that Haggerty had been severely injured in some manner and his inquiries in that respect were any answered by the stranger who said that his associate had fallen off a roof at a fire some hours previous. The two men remained at McCormick's until half past six o'clock, when Mr. McCormick was engaged and paid five dollars in nickels, part of the proceeds of the burglary at Shields. He was taken to a house in North Second street where it was represented that Haggerty was a man who had been injured by a premature blast in a quarry. A surgeon was called who found his leg had been broken in three places, his face was blackened and disfigured by powder, and his injuries were such that his case was pronounced hopeless. It was ascertained that Haggerty was one of the safe burglars and by an awkward accident and exploding the thing, his burglarious enterprises had been brought to a close in this painful manner. End quote. Apart from cussedness, I have also never heard the word burglarious before. I was almost positive that my spell check was going to catch on that word. I did not find more information on these particularly burglarious gentlemen, but you'll be pleased to know that despite having their safe blown up, the owners of Shields and Sons saw much success in their business. I was able to dig up that the original owner of that factory came over from Ireland in 1798. He settled in Albany. The company lasted almost 80 years. The last of the Shield Sons passed away in 1888. He was 67 years old and according to the Hudson Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, he was a most capable businessman and achieved financial success. Father of six, two who died very young. Sarah and Mary. I hope those of you who come to this podcast for the creepiness stay for the random historical tidbits about people and companies you never knew existed. I personally love when I find these little details. It makes me feel like I'm an archaeologist digging through time, finding the stories of ghosts. Okay, our final article is an exhilarating one and it is called Ludicrous Coasting Accident in Joy Street, Boston. And it reads on Tuesday, the second one of those accidents which result from the practice of, quote, coasting or sliding downhill in the streets of cities occurred in such a manner as to cause much laughter among the spectators of the scene which took place in Joy Street, Boston. Joy street offers temptations to the youthful sledists that prove irresistible in spite of accident or of the police on the occasion a loose alluded to above, a boy was shooting down Joy street on his wild career, his sledding career, when a large lady crossed his path and the long, low, rakish looking sled tripped her heels from under her, and she plumped down fairly upon the back of the bold rider. The astonishment of both parties was exceedingly great, and it was difficult at the time to guess which of them got the worst of it. End quote. At least they both turned out okay. And you'll love the illustration of this one that I put on the Instagram Just a little history about Joy street in Boston. It is named after Benjamin Joy, who was appointed the Consul to India by President George Washington. His status marked the very beginning of diplomatic relations between India and the United States in 1794. This street exists in the historic West End of Boston. Into the 1830s John Hancock lived just a hop, skip and jump away on Mount Vernon Place, and in the mid to late 1800s it was known by police as the Tenderloin District. I discovered that that's police slang for, quote, the juiciest cut for crime as it was considered a rough and tumble area as evidenced by the tumble in that last article. If you enjoyed this podcast and would like to hear more, please rate, comment and follow me on Spotify and Apple podcasts as well as Instagram @myvictorian nightmare, where I posted illustrations from today's articles and enjoy my new podcast, Dark Poetry, now available on both Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Please be kind to to yourselves and I will see you in your nightmares.