As the old year dies and a new one staggers into the light, we travel back to industrial Leeds, where desperation was currency and superstition could be weaponized.
This is the story of Mary Bateman, known to history as the Yorkshire Witch, a woman who sold miracles, curses, and hope in tiny paper packets… until one of her promises ended in murder.
In this New Year’s Eve episode, we untangle folklore from fact, examine the life of her victim Rebecca Perigo, and ask an uncomfortable question that still echoes today: when survival depends on belief, who really holds the power?
Because not all monsters wear masks. Some sell cures. And some years end in blood.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Bateman https://www.yorkmuseumstrust.org.uk/blog/prisoner-stories-mary-bateman/ https://www.iapsop.com/ssoc/1809__anonymous___life_and_character_of_mary_bateman_the_yorkshire_witch.pdf https://capitalpunishmentuk.org/mary-bateman-the-yorkshire-witch/ https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1939-0513-110 https://www.mylearning.org/stories/crime-and-punishment-in-leeds/1053 https://the-line-up.com/mary-bateman-yorkshire-witch https://murderpedia.org/female.B/b/bateman-mary.htm
In this solo episode, I step into the quiet hills of Pennsylvania’s Hex Hollow, where folklore and fear collided with devastating reality. The 1928 murder of Nelson Rehmeyer is often remembered as a “witchcraft killing,” but that label flattens a far more complicated story. Poverty, superstition, desperation, and community pressure all braided together, with tragic consequences.
Alongside the case, we trace the ancient legend of the Wild Hunt. A ghostly procession said to ride the winter skies, carrying omens, warnings, and echoes of communal guilt. Not as a gimmick, but as a mirror. Folklore doesn’t cause violence, but it often shows us where fear already lives.
This episode is about belief systems, moral responsibility, and what happens when people mistake myth for permission. It’s also a reminder that while legends fade into the mist, the harm done to real people never does.
Listener discretion advised. This episode discusses murder, coercion, and domestic violence.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
📞 Call or text 988
🌐 https://988lifeline.org
Available 24/7 for emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, or crisis support.
Crisis Text Line
📞 Text HOME to 741741
🌐 https://www.crisistextline.org
Free, confidential texting support anytime.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Helpline
📞 1-800-950-NAMI (6264)
🌐 https://www.nami.org/help
Information, referrals, and support for individuals and families.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
📞 1-800-799-SAFE (7233)
📞 TTY: 1-800-787-3224
🌐 https://www.thehotline.org
24/7 confidential support, safety planning, and local resources.
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📞 1-866-331-9474
📞 Text LOVEIS to 22522
🌐 https://www.loveisrespect.org
Support for unhealthy or abusive relationships.
Mental Health Support Domestic Violence & Abuse Support
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rehmeyer%27s_Hollow
https://www.wgal.com/article/york-county-history-of-the-hex-house/62778197
https://unchartedlancaster.com/witchcraft-and-murder-in-hex-hollow/
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/109023095/nelson_dietrich-rehmeyer
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3145016/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wild_Hunt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C%C5%B5n_Annwn
https://starofnature.org/wild-hunt-mythology/
https://fellowshipandfairydust.com/2019/07/01/the-wild-hunt/
https://www.nuggetnews.com/story/2020/10/20/news/the-wild-hunt/31298.htm
In this episode, we uncork a glass and wander straight into the winter-dark. First, we follow the long, creaking footsteps of Frau Perchta, a midwinter enforcer with a taste for justice and a reputation for… creative disembowelment. She prowls Alpine nights like a stern auntie from the underworld, checking lists the way Santa wishes he could.
Then we shift the spotlight to Boulder, Colorado, where the murder of JonBenét Ramsey still hangs over true crime history like a strand of tinsel that refuses to fall. We revisit the timeline, the conflicting theories, and the uneasy quiet that settles over a case still wrapped in unanswered questions.
Two stories, one chilling thread: what happens when innocence meets the darker corners of winter lore and human nature. Let’s step into the frost and see what stares back. ❄️🕯️
Crisis & Support Resources:
• U.S. Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call/Text 988 | https://988lifeline.org
• Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741 | https://www.crisistextline.org
• SAMHSA Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) | https://www.samhsa.gov
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 | https://www.thehotline.org
• RAINN Sexual Assault Helpline: 1-800-656-4673 | https://www.rainn.org
• Trans Lifeline (U.S./Canada): 1-877-565-8860 | https://www.translifeline.org
• Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 (press 1) | https://www.veteranscrisisline.net
• International Hotline Directory: https://www.iasp.info/resources/Crisis_Centres/
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/frau-perchta
https://www.thecollector.com/frau-perchta-germanic-folklore/
https://mythology.net/germanic/germanic-spirits/frau-perchta/
https://www.alpinefolklore.org/perchta-traditions
https://bouldercolorado.gov/jonbenet-ramsey-homicide City of Boulder
https://www.jonbenetramsey.com/evidence/ jonbenetramsey.com
https://www.jonbenetramsey.com/casefiles/ jonbenetramsey.com
https://www.biography.com/crime/jonbenet-ramsey-murder-investigation-timeline Biography
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jonbenet-ramsey-case-colorado-ransom-note-evidence-48-hours/ CBS News
https://www.thesmokinggun.com/sites/default/files/assets/johnkarr.pdf thesmokinggun.com
This week on Champagne and Murder, Please, we’re heading into the icy shadows of the Adirondacks—where a summer romance took a deadly turn. Grace Mae Brown, a young factory worker with dreams bigger than her circumstances, met a tragic end on Big Moose Lake, and the truth behind her death became one of the most sensational trials of the early 1900s. We’ll unravel the heartbreak, the lies, the evidence, and the haunting legacy Grace left behind.
Then, because the holiday season apparently wasn’t spooky enough, we’re unwrapping the chilling legend of the Christmas Werewolf—a winter creature that supposedly prowls through villages when the nights are longest, looking for more than milk and cookies. Is it folklore? A morality tale? Or a genuine monster stalking the snow?
Grab your champagne, bundle up, and join us for a wintry double feature of true crime and folklore that proves the holidays aren’t always merry and bright.
• National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) • National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN): 1-800-656-HOPE (4673)
• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Grace_Brown https://murderpedia.org/male.G/g/gillette-chester.htm https://www.adirondack.net/history/grace-brown https://www.crimelibrary.org/notorious_murders/classics/chester_gillette https://www.hamilton.edu/news/story/burke-library-to-receive-diary-of-adirondacks-murderer-chester-gillette https://unsolved.com/gallery/ghost-of-grace-brown https://nysba.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/BarJournJulyAug06.pdf
Olaus Magnus — Historia de Gentibus Septentrionalibus https://archive.org/details/Historiaedegent00Olau
Oxford University Press blog — “Witches, werewolves, and Christmas”: https://blog.oup.com/2016/10/witches-werewolves-christmas/
Atlas Obscura — “The Long, Hidden History of the Viking Obsession With...wolf warriors”: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/hidden-history-viking-wolf-warrior-werewolf
Nordic Visitor — “The 13 Yule Lads of Iceland” https://www.nordicvisitor.com/blog/the-13-yule-lads-of-iceland/
University of Manitoba (news) — “Werewolves at Christmas” https://news.umanitoba.ca/werewolves-at-christmas/
Doris V. Sutherland — “Werewolf Wednesday: Festive Lycanthropy” https://dorisvsutherland.com/2024/12/25/werewolf-wednesday-festive-lycanthropy/
Project Gutenberg / Pitt / Dash folklore page — Werewolf legends and Germanic lore https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/werewolf.html
Matador Network — “The 7 Creepiest Christmas Characters From European Folklore” https://matadornetwork.com/read/creepiest-christmas-characters-european-folklore/
Writing Werewolf / blog posts and other compiled folklore pieces on Christmas werewolves (various regional accounts, supplemental reading): https://writingwerewolf.wordpress.com/tag/christmas-folklore/
This week on Champagne and Murder, Please, we follow the chilling and courageous escape of Eliza Harris — the enslaved woman whose desperate flight across the frozen Ohio River became one of the most unforgettable moments in American storytelling. We explore the real history behind her legendary escape, the cultural shockwaves it caused, and how her story helped shape the nation’s conscience. Grab a glass, settle in, and prepare for a night on the ice.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Tom%27s_Cabin
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Uncle-Toms-Cabin
https://www.ohiohistory.org/stowe-and-eliza-what’s-the-real-story/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Underground_Railroad
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_slavery_in_Kentucky
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Beecher_Stowe
In this episode, we walk the line between tragic reality and bone-deep folklore. The Boy in the Box remains one of the most haunting cases in American criminal history—a child lost, nameless, and silent for decades. And from the winter-stricken North comes the legend of the Wendigo, a spirit of famine, greed, and insatiable hunger. Light a candle, pour your drink, and settle into the dark with us.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Joseph_Augustus_Zarelli https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/joseph-augustus-zarelli-the-boy-in-the-box-identification-police/ https://www.people.com/boy-in-the-box-case-philadelphia-joseph-zarelli-8766320 https://apnews.com/article/f95f42e9d0ecae075d7eaa6f976135e6 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/dec/08/philadelphia-police-boy-in-the-box-cold-case
Wikipedia — “Wendigo” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo
Britannica — “Wendigo” https://www.britannica.com/topic/wendigo
PMC / PubMed Central — Scholarly review of Wendigo psychosis https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10685673/
Brian Dillon — “Windigo” PDF (Algonquian literature) https://web.pdx.edu/~dillong/Windigo%20%28Dillon%29.pdf
Facing History — “More Than Monsters: The Deeper Significance of Wendigo Stories” https://www.facinghistory.org/ideas-week/more-monsters-deeper-significance-wendigo-stories
This week on Champagne and Murder, Please, we’re hopping from one eerie mystery to another. First, we drift through the fog toward Poveglia—Italy’s infamous “island of ghosts,” steeped in plague pits, abandoned hospitals, and more whispered hauntings than a gothic novel. Then we follow the trail of Xavier Dupont de Ligonnès, the French aristocrat-turned-fugitive whose disappearance after his family’s murder has baffled investigators for over a decade. Two places, two mysteries, and zero answers…but plenty to sip on.
Grab your champagne, babes, it's time to dive in.
Wikipedia – Poveglia
Walks of Italy – “Poveglia Island: All About Venice’s Haunted Island”
Visit Venezia – “Poveglia: The Mysterious Ghost Island That Wants to Be Reborn”
Condé Nast Traveler – “Haunted Italian Island Poveglia Sold”
Amusing Planet – “The Plague Island of Poveglia”
Visit Lido – “Poveglia”
Wikipedia-
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dupont_de_Ligonn%C3%A8s_murders_and_disappearance
The Guardian — https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/22/nantes-family-murder
Unsolved Mysteries — https://unsolved.com/gallery/house-of-terror/
The Connexion — https://www.connexionfrance.com/news/man-suspected-of-killing-family-reported-to-be-at-french-convent/652210
Le Monde — https://www.lemonde.fr/livres/article/2025/05/19/l-enigme-publique-no-1-de-daniel-zagury-xavier-dupont-de-ligonnes-en-tueur-mystique_6607191_3260.html
This week, we’re talking about one painting that refuses to burn and one family that decided reality was optional. From The Crying Boy curse that terrified Britain to the Tromp family’s “we’re going off-grid, kids” road trip, we’re unpacking the chaos, the confusion, and the downright weird energy connecting these two infamous tales. Seatbelts on — emotionally and otherwise.
The Sun (1985) — original tabloid coverage that triggered the panic
Punt PI, BBC Radio 4, Series 3 (2010) — “The Crying Boy” episode
Massimo Polidoro, “Curse That Painting!”, Skeptical Inquirer (Nov/Dec 2012) https://skepticalinquirer.org/2012/11/curse-that-painting/
Atlas Obscura, “A Painting of a Crying Boy Was Blamed for a Series of Fires in the ’80s.” https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/crying-boy-painting-fires
Wikipedia — The Crying Boy overview https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Crying_Boy
ABC News: “Mark Tromp apologises for hurt, concern caused by bizarre family road trip”. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-06/mark-tromp-apologises-for-puzzling-family-road-trip/7818562 ABC
SBS News: “Tromp father apologises over road trip”. https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/tromp-father-apologises-over-road-trip/2gwj4tafd SBS Australia
SBS News: “Tromp family road trip still a mystery”. [https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/tromp-family-road-trip-still-a-mystery/cu9o25rc7 SBS Australia
The New Daily: “Ella Tromp charged with car theft as family’s ‘road trip’ saga mystery deepens”. https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2016/09/05/ella-tromp-stolen-car The New Daily
The New Daily: “Tromp daughter found hiding in the back of a ute”. https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/news/national/2016/09/02/tromp-holiday The New Daily
Pedestrian.TV: “Mark Tromp gives first statement after vanishing on bizarro family trip”. https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/mark-tromp-gives-first-statement-after-vanishing-on-bizarro-family-trip/ Pedestrian.tv
We’re diving into the witchy OGs: the Witch of Endor (who once summoned a dead king like it was her side hustle) and Mother Shipton, the Yorkshire prophetess who had thoughts about the future. Miracles? Curses? Early influencer energy? Grab your brooms — we’re judging everyone.
Mother Shipton — Wikipedia. Wikipedia
Mother Shipton’s Cave — Wikipedia (petrifying well history & tourist site). Wikipedia
“Mother Shipton and Her Prophesies” — Historic UK (local legend & summary). Historic UK
The Prophesie of Mother Shipton in the raigne of King Henry the Eighth (Early printed edition, 1641 — EEBO entry, University of Michigan). Quod Lib.
The Park / Official Mother Shipton’s Cave site (history of the Petrifying Well & tourism). Mother Shipton's Cave
Atlas Obscura — Mother Shipton’s Cave and the Petrifying Well.
“Divining the Witch of York: Propaganda and Prophecy” / Public Domain Review (essay on myth formation and later interpolations). Wikipedia+1
Sacred-Texts / “Mother Shipton Investigated” — collected prophecies and later attributions. Internet Sacred Text Archive
Various archival & reprint references to early editions and Victorian additions (Google Books / AbeBooks listings for collected early editions). Google Books+1
It’s one thing when your neighbors suck — it’s another when they’re invisible, angry, and possibly from hell. This week, we’re talking the Smurl haunting and those nightmare-fuel Black-Eyed Children who don’t understand the concept of the word “no.” Buckle up, witches — this one’s pure chaos, so grab your champagne and lets dive in!
Champagne Pairing: Luc Belaire Luxe
A little dramatic, a little supernatural. Glossy black bottle, gold lettering — perfect for an episode that goes from haunted houses to black-eyed horrors.
Wikipedia — Smurl Haunting
All That’s Interesting — The Smurl Haunting: One Family’s Nightmare
Times Leader — “Demon in Home Grabs Our Attention”
Brian Fanelli — “Revisiting the Smurl Story and The Haunted (1991)”
People — Where Is the Smurl Family Now?
IMDb — The Haunted (1991)
Pocono Record — Jack Smurl Obituary & Retrospective
Brian Bethel, Abilene Reporter-News: “Brian Bethel recounts his possible paranormal encounter with ‘BEKs’.” https://goo.gl/BNe9Y9
Wikipedia — Black-eyed children: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-eyed_children
Snopes — Fact Check: Black-eyed children: https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/black-eyed-children/
Atlas Obscura — Death as a Child: The Modern Legend of the Black-Eyed Children: https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/black-eyed-children-urban-legend
The Guardian — Black-eyed ghosts and giant mutant rats: the scare stories…: https://www.theguardian.com/media/2014/dec/30/black-eyed-ghosts-killer-cats-terrifying-nearly-brought-britain-to-knees
ITV News — Return of The Black-Eyed Child ghost in Staffordshire: https://www.itv.com/news/central/update/2014-09-30/return-of-the-black-eyed-child-ghost-in-staffordshire/
Reddit (community encounters): https://www.reddit.com/r/ParanormalEncounters/comments/1edemv5/are_black_eyed_children_real/ https://www.reddit.com/r/mrballen/comments/1ie5c9b/brian_bethel_and_the_blackeyed_kids/
One came as a whisper from the afterlife. The other, a blip from the stars. Both changed the way we think about who — or what — might be trying to reach us. This episode unpacks two strange moments in history that made humanity stop and listen.
Champagne Pairing: Luc Belaire Luxe
Wikipedia — Greenbrier Ghost (concise overview with trial and autopsy details). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenbrier_Ghost. Wikipedia
Greenbrier County / local history writeup — “The Greenbrier Ghost, Zona Heaster Shue” (local perspective and marker info). https://greenbrierwv.com/editorials/the-greenbrier-ghost. Greenbrier WV
GothicHorrorStories — “The death, resurrection and retribution of Zona Heaster Shue: The Greenbrier Ghost.” (narrative retelling with period flavor). https://www.gothichorrorstories.com/gothic-travel/the-death-resurrection-and-retribution-of-zona-heaster-shue-the-greenbrier-ghost/. gothichorrorstories.com
Dannye Chase blog — clear chronology and summary. https://dannyechase.com/blog/greenbrier/. Dannye Chase
AppalachianHistory — local storytelling version and context. https://www.appalachianhistory.net/2018/01/greenbrier-ghost.html
Big Ear Radio Observatory — official Wow! page: https://www.bigear.org/wow.htm Big Ear
Wikipedia — Wow! signal: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wow%21_signal Wikipedia
Antonio Paris (2017) — Hydrogen Line Observations of Cometary Spectra at 1420 MHz (arXiv): https://arxiv.org/abs/1706.03259 arXiv
Scientific American — “The Wow! Signal Might Not Have Been Aliens — But a Weird Cosmic Outburst”: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-wow-signal-seti-mystery-might-at-last-be-solved/ Scientific American
Phys.org — “The 'Wow!' signal gets an update: It was even stronger than we thought”: https://phys.org/news/2025-08-wow-stronger-thought.html Phys.org
Astrobio / coverage of archival Arecibo/Big Ear re-analysis (Aug 2025): https://astrobiology.com/2025/08/arecibo-wow-ii-revised-properties-of-the-wow-signal-from-archival-ohio-seti-data.html Astrobiology
In this episode we explore two of America’s most haunting vanishings separated by centuries but tied by the same unsettling question: what really happened?
First, we journey to the late 16th century and the vanishing of the Lost Colony of Roanoke—117 English settlers who disappeared from Roanoke Island, leaving only the cryptic word “CROATOAN” as a clue. What theories persist to this day, and what new discoveries might be rewriting the story?
Then, we leap forward to February 1978 in Northern California, where five men from Yuba County set out on a routine drive home and vanished into the wilderness. Over time their car, bodies, and one permanently missing man turned into one of the most bizarre and confounding true crime mysteries in U.S. history.
Join us as we compare these two enigmas of disappearance: their facts, the theories, the lingering questions, and what draws us to stories where people simply vanish from our grasp.
Champagne Pairing for this episode is: Ruinart Blanc de Blancs
https://kegnbottle.com/products/ruinart-blanc-de-blancs-champagne?variant=39656500035713&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=shopping%3Eover-index&utm_id=22918917036&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22918917036&gbraid=0AAAAADMKQrou4bG6tsQthRCQSm5uQ3ajS&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0Y3HBhCxARIsAN7931WDaZac82cd6Xrd4ZgGcfhhD-7uCxyfNzHeha0c3IPh40gwJUUZg8IaAnDxEALw_wcB
Britannica — The Lost Colony of Roanoke https://www.britannica.com/story/the-lost-colony-of-roanoke
National Park Service — Fort Raleigh National Historic Site: https://www.nps.gov/fora/
NPS — Major Theories of the Lost Colony: https://www.nps.gov/fora/learn/historyculture/major-theories-of-the-lost-colony.htm
History.com — Archaeologists Find New Clues to “Lost Colony” Mystery: https://www.history.com/articles/archaeologists-find-new-clues-to-lost-colony-mystery
First Colony Foundation — Hidden Images Revealed on Elizabethan Map of America: https://www.firstcolonyfoundation.org/news/hidden-images-revealed-elizabethan-map-america/
Encyclopedia Virginia — John White returns to Roanoke: https://encyclopediavirginia.org/primary-documents/john-white-returns-to-roanoke-an-excerpt-from-the-fift-voyage-of-master-john-white-into-the-west-indies-and-parts-of-america-called-virginia-in-the-yeere-1590-1600/
Popular Archaeology — Lost and Found: The Evidence for the Lost Colony: https://popular-archaeology.com/article/lost-and-found-the-evidence-for-the-lost-colony/
Colonial Williamsburg — What Happened To The Lost Colony?: https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/discover/resource-hub/trend-tradition-magazine/trend-tradition-spring-2025/lost-colony/
Andrew Lawler — analysis piece: https://www.andrewlawler.com/we-finally-have-clues-to-how-americas-lost-colony-vanished/
British Museum / John White map object page: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1906-0509-1-3
Wikipedia — Yuba County Five https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yuba_County_Five Wikipedia
AllThat’s Interesting — The Yuba County Five: California's Most Baffling Mystery https://allthatsinteresting.com/yuba-county-five All That's Interesting
KCRA — local coverage and note on recent documentary attention https://www.kcra.com/article/yuba-county-five-mystery-disappearances/63906316 KCRA
ABC News (Australia) — Five men disappear on a snowy February night — four are found dead, and one is never seen again. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-24/yuba-county-five-missing-persons-case/103472558 ABC
Charley Project — Gary Dale Mathias https://charleyproject.org/case/gary-dale-mathias charleyproject.org
Den of Geek — Files of the Unexplained: What Netflix's Yuba County Five Doc Leaves Out https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/files-of-the-unexplained-what-netflixs-yuba-county-five-doc-leaves-out/ Den of Geek
Historic Mysteries https://www.historicmysteries.com/unexplained-mysteries/yuba-county-five/28692/ Historic Mysteries
When we first launched Champagne and Murder, Please, we covered the chilling stories of Georgia Tann—the woman who built an empire of stolen children—and Fritz Haarmann, the “Butcher of Hanover.” But those early days came with rookie audio, nerves, and not nearly the depth we wanted to give these cases. So we’re taking a second look.
In this refreshed episode, we revisit both Tann and Haarmann with sharper research, deeper storytelling, and a little more champagne. If you’ve been with us since the beginning, think of this as a remastered classic. And if you’re new here—well, buckle up.
Wikipedia — Georgia Tann: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Tann
Tennessee State Library & Archives — Georgia Tann Investigation Scrapbooks (1950): https://tsla.tnsosfiles.com.s3.amazonaws.com/history/manuscripts/findingaids/GEORGIA_TANN_TN_CHILDRENS_HOME_SOCIETY_INVESTIGATION_SCRAPBOOKS_1950.pdf
WBUR On Point — Orphan Victims of a Black-Market Baby Business: https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2019/10/22/lisa-wingate-before-and-after-orphans-tennessee-children
Los Angeles Times — “Together Again: After 44 Tortured Years, a Mother Finds Her Stolen Child Via ‘Unsolved Mysteries’” (Alma Sipple’s story): https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-08-20-vw-882-story.html
Elmwood Cemetery Blog — Tennessee Children’s Home Society Lot and Memorial: https://www.elmwoodcemetery.org/blog/posts/http-www-elmwoodcemetery-org-blog-the-tennessee-childrens-home-society-lot-at-elmwood
Business Insider — Overview and survivor reporting: https://www.businessinsider.com/georgia-tann-tennessee-children-home-society-survivors-speak-out-2019-12
Devereaux Bruch Eyler, No Mama, I Didn’t Die: My Life as a Stolen Baby (memoir): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34300356-the-complete-story
Judy Christie & Lisa Wingate, Before and After: The Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived the Tennessee Children’s Home Society: https://www.randomhousebooks.com/books/612909/
Two chilling stories—one shrouded in cosmic mystery, the other rooted in rural folklore. In 1966, two Brazilian men were found dead on a hillside, dressed in raincoats and strange lead masks, with no clear cause of death. Were they victims of a UFO experiment gone wrong, a secret ritual, or something even stranger? Then we travel back to rural England, where the brutal 1945 murder of Charles Walton still haunts the quiet village of Lower Quinton. With whispers of witchcraft and curses surrounding the case, fact and folklore blur in unsettling ways.
Join us as we unravel the eerie threads connecting unexplained phenomena, superstition, and the human need to explain the unexplainable.
Champagne Pairing:
Drappier Carte d’Or Brut → Earthy and unusual — a toast to UFOs and eerie witchcraft murders.
Wikipedia (English): Lead Masks case — background, note text, and chronology https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lead_masks_case Wikipedia
Wikipedia (Português): Mistério das máscaras de chumbo — Brazilian reporting, witness account, police conclusion https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mist%C3%A9rio_das_m%C3%A1scaras_de_chumbo Wikipedia
Brazilian National Library (O Globo archive snippet mentioning “masks of lead” and poison/afterlife angle) https://memoria.bn.gov.br/docreader/WebIndex/WIPagina/089842_07/75989 memoria.bn.gov.br
Rede Globo “Linha Direta Justiça” dossiers (witness Gracinda; morgue aide’s claim; investigator notes) https://redeglobo.globo.com/Linhadireta/0%2C26665%2CVYJ0-5259-215833%2C00.html https://redeglobo.globo.com/Linhadireta/0%2C26665%2CVYJ0-5259-215835%2C00.html https://redeglobo.globo.com/Linhadireta/0%2C26665%2CVYJ0-5259-215832%2C00.html https://redeglobo.globo.com/Linhadireta/0%2C26665%2CVYJ0-5259-215834%2C00.html Rede Globo+3Rede Globo+3Rede Globo+3
UFO Magazine Brazil (2003): “O Caso Máscaras de Chumbo revisado” (Portuguese) https://ufo.com.br/o-caso-mascaras-de-chumbo-revisado/ ufo.com.br
Skeptoid #398 (skeptical reconstruction) https://skeptoid.com/episodes/398 https://open.spotify.com/episode/4R50DhBqhDMm8P62965lI6 skeptoid.comSpotifyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Charles_Walton
https://www.ourwarwickshire.org.uk/content/article/tales-about-meon-hill
https://www.stratford-herald.com/news/witchcraft-and-murder-on-meon-hill-9223403/
https://www.vice.com/en/article/charles-walton-murder-victim
https://the-line-up.com/pitchfork-murder
https://www.themodernantiquarian.com/site/9627/meon-hill
https://whitedragon.org.uk/articles/charles.htm
https://www.mysteriousbritain.co.uk/forum/the-charles-walton-mystery-warwickshire/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Fabian
(academic context on folk-horror themes) https://shura.shu.ac.uk/25147/
Get ready CAMPers!!!!!
From the shadowed caves of Zugarramurdi in Spain to the misty woods of Sleepy Hollow in New York, tales of witches and specters have haunted communities for centuries. In this episode, we unravel the dark history of the infamous Basque witch trials and the legends tied to the “Witches’ Cave,” before crossing the Atlantic to revisit Washington Irving’s chilling tale of the Headless Horseman. Were these stories born of folklore, fear, or something more supernatural? Grab a glass and join us as we dive into witchcraft, myth, and mystery across two continents.Champagne Pairing: Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label Brut → Golden, harvest-ready, and bold — an autumn equinox classic.
Yale Law Library — The Largest Witch Hunt in World History: The Basque Witch Trials (1609–1614) (overview & references). https://library.law.yale.edu/news/largest-witch-hunt-world-history-basque-witch-trials-1609-1614 Lillian Goldman Law Library
Wikipedia — Basque witch trials (general summary, context, akelarre term). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basque_witch_trials Wikipedia
Atlas Obscura — Cave of Zugarramurdi (site description, visitor info, images). https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/cave-of-zugarramurdi
Xareta (regional Basque tourism/culture) — Witchcraft museum and caves (local cultural framing). https://www.xareta.eus/en/quehacer/witchcraft_museum_zugarramurdi/2 and https://www.xareta.eus/en/quehacer/witches_cave_zugarramurdi/3 xareta.eus
Pyrenean Experience — The Witches of Zugarramurdi – the scene was set! (informal regional history with accessible narrative). https://www.pyreneanexperience.com/witches-of-zugarramurdi/ Pyrenean Experience
Pierre de Lancre — Wikipedia (context on French Basque witch hunts that influenced the region). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_de_Lancre Wikipedia
Local and travel pieces / modern reflections — HuffPost Spain and regional news pieces about remembrance events (Auto-da-fé commemorations, recent festivals). https://www.huffingtonpost.es/sociedad/el-caso-mas-famosos-historia-brujeria-espanola-ultimas-quemas-europa-hpe1.html https://cadenaser.com/rioja/2024/11/01/logrono-revive-la-historia-del-auto-de-fe-de-1610-con-las-fiestas-en-memoria-de-las-brujas-de-zugarramurdi-radio-rioja/
Wikipedia: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow summary & background Wikipedia
History.com article on inspiration and folklore roots HISTORY
SparkNotes full plot summary & historical context insights SparkNotes+1
Britannica entry on characters & setting Encyclopedia Britannica
Hudson Valley and Westchester accounts of Irving’s legacy hudsonvalley.orgWestchester Magazine
Analysis of themes in literary context solgoodmedia.comOpenEdition Journals
Historical sites and Sleepy Hollow tourism heirloomartco.comWikipedia+2Wikipedia+2sleepyhollowny.gov
We’re heading back into the misty past to revisit two of our most requested stories: the legendary Isobel Gowdie and the enigmatic Biddy Early. From whispered confessions of witchcraft in 17th-century Scotland to the charms and cures of a famed Irish “wise woman,” these tales are brimming with folklore, mystery, and the lingering shadows of superstition. Join us as we breathe new life into these episodes, exploring the blurred lines between magic, myth, and fear in communities that lived by candlelight and rumor.
✨ Champagne pairing for this episode: Laurent-Perrier Cuvée Rosé
CAMPers! Please keep Vanessa and her family in your thoughts, while they navigate this difficult time.
https://www.shca.ed.ac.uk/Research/witches/person.php?name=Isobel+Gowdie&source=3777
Pitcairn, Ancient Criminal Trials in Scotland (1833)—printed text of the confessions: https://archive.org/stream/ancientcrim43pt203pitcuoft/ancientcrim43pt203pitcuoft_djvu.txt
Liv Høgh Willumsen review of Emma Wilby, The Visions of Isobel Gowdie (2010) https://www.livhelenewillumsen.no/res/Review%20Gowdie_Willumsen.20.6.11%5B3%5D.pdf
Boosey & Hawkes, MacMillan’s The Confession of Isobel Gowdie (composer note): https://www.boosey.com/cr/music/James-MacMillan-The-Confession-of-Isobel-Gowdie/3115
Wikipedia: The Confession of Isobel Gowdie (work): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Confession_of_Isobel_Gowdie
Inverness Courier (Auldearn mural, 2021): https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/extraordinary-witch-features-in-new-mural-257239/
Smithsonian Magazine (Scotland’s 2022 apology): https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scotland-issues-formal-apology-to-thousands-accused-of-witchcraft-180979869/
The Guardian (text/reportage on the apology): https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/08/nicola-sturgeon-issues-apology-for-historical-injustice-of-witch-hunts
(Notes: Many details in the narrative—marriage to John Gilbert; residence around Loch Loy; dates and sequence of the four confessions; the Queen of Elphame, elf-arrows, Read Reiver; the July 1662 commission; and the uncertainty of Gowdie’s ultimate fate—are drawn from the Survey of Scottish Witchcraft case file and the Wikipedia article’s underlying citations, which synthesize Pitcairn’s printed text and modern scholarship.)
Irish Times, “Irish Lives: Biddy Early” (encyclopedic overview): https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/irish-lives-1.1286579
History Ireland, “Feakle’s Biddy Early: a victim of ‘moral panic’?” https://historyireland.com/feakles-biddy-early-a-victim-of-moral-panic/ historyireland.com
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biddy_Early Wikipedia
Lady Gregory, Visions and Beliefs in the West of Ireland https://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/celt/vbwi/vbwi11.htm Internet Sacred Text Archive
Dúchas (National Folklore Collection), Schools’ Collection—Biddy Early bottle lore (two versions): • https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922349/4872900/5072452 • https://www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/4922348/4872795/5074512 duchas.ie+1
RTÉ Archives: • https://www.rte.ie/archives/2021/0629/1232043-biddy-early-and-the-changeling/ • https://www.rte.ie/archives/2015/0208/678387-biddy-early-wise-woman-or-witch/ RTE+1
Clare County Library—People of Clare: Biddy Early (local biography & context): https://www.clarelibrary.ie/eolas/coclare/people/biddy.htm Clare Libraries
Limerick’s Life (local historian compendium of sources & dates): https://limerickslife.com/biddy-early-the-witch-of-the-west/ Limerick's Life
Notes on sources: Where dates differ slightly across popular retellings, I favored the more conservative or scholarly references (History Ireland; Irish Times; Lady Gregory’s collected narratives and the Dúchas Schools’ Collection for folklore). The Dictionary of Irish Biography maintains an entry on Biddy Early but requires JavaScript to view; it also affirms the 1865 Ennis case and the broad outline of her life. See: https://www.dib.ie/biography/early-biddy-a2870
In this chilling episode, we dive into two of history’s most perplexing and haunting mysteries. First, we unravel the enigmatic case of the Isdal Woman—a woman found dead in Norway’s “Ice Valley” under circumstances so strange they’ve fueled decades of speculation, from espionage to secret identities. Then, we journey back to 18th-century France, where the countryside lived in terror of the Beast of Gévaudan, a monstrous creature responsible for dozens of gruesome attacks and still the subject of fierce debate: was it a wolf, a man, or something far darker?
To complement these tales of mystery and menace, our champagne pairing for this episode is the Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé—a refined yet bold choice, perfect for sipping while pondering the unsolved.
Wikipedia overview with detailed case chronology, items recovered, aliases, burial details, and later forensic work: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isdal_Woman Wikipedia
A&E True Crime digest of the case and theories (good plain-language recap): https://www.aetv.com/real-crime/isdal-woman A&E
Norwegian American (English-language article) overview and context: https://www.norwegianamerican.com/bergens-cold-case-isdal-woman/ norwegianamerican.com
(A note on sources: the original NRK and BBC pages are excellent, but direct access is sometimes restricted; the links above reflect open sources that consolidate the core facts, plus academic/official summaries where available.)
Wikipedia — “Beast of Gévaudan” (overview, descriptions, Marin report, Chastel): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beast_of_G%C3%A9vaudan Wikipedia
French Wikipedia — “Bête du Gévaudan” (dates, counts, geography): https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%AAte_du_G%C3%A9vaudan Wikipedia
Archives départementales du Cantal — document note identifying Jeanne Boulet (June 30, 1764) as first official victim: https://archives.cantal.fr/explorer/document-du-mois/2022/la-bete-du-gevaudan-dans-le-cantal archives.cantal.fr
Smithsonian Magazine — Jay M. Smith on the Beast and Moriceau’s national context for wolf attacks: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/beast-gevaudan-terrorized-france-countryside-180963820/ Smithsonian Magazine
History.com — “The Real Story Behind the ‘Beast of Gévaudan’,” for royal hunts (Denneval, Antoine), media panic, and timeline: https://www.history.com/news/beast-of-gevaudan-france-wolves HISTORY
Harvard University Press — Jay M. Smith, Monsters of the Gévaudan (book page): https://www.hup.harvard.edu/books/9780674061957 Smithsonian Magazine
Jean-Marc Moriceau (scholarship on wolf attacks; 3,000 attacks/9,000 fatalities context): Études rurales review (2012): https://journals.openedition.org/etudesrurales/9654 and Global Environment review (2009): https://www.environmentandsociety.org/mml/review-histoire-du-mechant-loup-history-big-bad-wolf-jean-marc-moriceau and Academia summary (2015): https://www.academia.edu/11509663/ OpenEdition JournalsEnvironment & Society PortalAcademia
Atlas Obscura — Marie-Jeanne Valet statue (Auvers) & museum in Saugues: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/marie-jeanne-valet-vs-the-beast-of-gevaudan and https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/museum-of-the-beast-of-gevaudan Atlas Obscura+1
Musée fantastique de la Bête du Gévaudan (official site): https://www.musee-bete-gevaudan.com/ and tourism pages on Marvejols’s Beast sculpture: https://en.aubrac-gorgesdutarn.com/discover/the-lot-valley/villages-of-the-lot-valley/marvejols/ musee-bete-gevaudanFrom Aubrac to the Gorges du Tarn
Research discussion on the Marin report (modern critique): Karl-Hans Taake preprint: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/373559206_The_1767_French_Rapport_Marin_-_a_Questionable_Report_about_the_Examination_of_an_Allegedly_Man-eating_Wolf_Canis_lupus ResearchGate
Film/culture — Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brotherhood_of_the_Wolf and IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0237534/ WikipediaIMDb
Two of history’s most chilling disappearances—worlds apart, yet bound by unanswered questions. In this episode of Champagne and Murder, Please, we unravel the baffling tragedy of the Dyatlov Pass Incident, where nine hikers met a strange and terrifying end in the frozen Russian wilderness. Then, we journey to West Virginia to revisit the haunting disappearance of the Sodder children, a case that continues to spark debate nearly eight decades later. Were these tragedies the result of accidents, foul play, or something more sinister? Pour a glass, and join us as we dive deep into the shadows of these enduring mysteries.
Wikipedia: “Dyatlov Pass incident” — comprehensive overview with citations and chronology: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyatlov_Pass_incident Wikipedia
Original case files (autopsies, radiograms, photos), Dyatlov Pass site: https://dyatlovpass.com/case-files and https://dyatlovpass.com/case-files-volume-2 Dyatlov Pass+1
Reuters (July 11, 2020): Russian prosecutors’ avalanche conclusion and summary: https://www.reuters.com/article/world/russia-blames-avalanche-for-1959-urals-mountain-tragedy-ria-agency-reports-idUSKCN24C0JJ/ Reuters
Gaume, J., & Puzrin, A. (2021): “Mechanisms of slab avalanche release and impact in the Dyatlov Pass incident,” Communications Earth & Environment (Nature): https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-020-00081-8 Nature
Puzrin, A. M., et al. (2022) commentary: field/expedition context for slab avalanches in the area, Communications Earth & Environment: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-022-00393-x Nature
Smithsonian Magazine (Jan 29, 2021): accessible summary of the slab-avalanche research: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/scientists-may-have-finally-unraveled-mystery-dyatlov-pass-incident-180976886/ Smithsonian Magazine
National Geographic (feature, updated May 17, 2023): reporting on the science and controversy: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/has-science-solved-history-greatest-adventure-mystery-dyatlov National Geographic
The New Yorker (May 17, 2021): narrative investigation blending the 2020 prosecutor’s reconstruction with the 2021 model: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/05/17/has-an-old-soviet-mystery-at-last-been-solved The New Yorker
History.com (Jan 31, 2024): succinct historical recap with timeline: https://www.history.com/articles/dyatlov-pass-incident-soviet-hiker-death-mystery HISTORY
Wired (Jan 28, 2021): layman’s explanation of the delayed slab hypothesis: https://www.wired.com/story/dyatlov-pass-incident-slab-avalanche/
Smithsonian Magazine, Karen Abbott; updated by Meilan Solly, “What Happened to the Sodder Children…?” (comprehensive narrative; ages, timeline, sightings, Smithsonian bone report, billboard) — https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/what-happened-sodder-children-siblings-who-went-up-in-smoke-west-virginia-house-fire-172429802/ Smithsonian Magazine
Wikipedia (well-sourced overview; corroborates dates, names, legislative hearings, details like the cut phone line and the 1949 excavation) — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodder_children_disappearance Wikipedia
ABC News (Australia), “The mystery of the vanished Sodder children” (concise retelling with wrong-number call beat) — https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-25/the-mystery-of-the-vanished-sodder-children/103245390 ABC
History Channel, History’s Greatest Mysteries S3E8, “The Sodder Children Disappearance” (TV treatment; helpful for cultural context or episode clips) — https://www.history.com/shows/historys-greatest-mysteries/season-3/episode-8 HISTORY
Note on ages: Some sources list Louis as 9, others 10; Smithsonian uses 9, Wikipedia uses 10. I acknowledged the discrepancy in the script.
Disappearance is one of the most haunting crimes of all—and in this episode of Champagne and Murder, Please, we’re exploring two chilling cases that left behind more questions than answers. First, we examine the tragic death of Brookelynn Fancher, a baby whose future was stolen under mysterious circumstances. Then, we dive into the decades-old mystery of the Springfield Three—Sherrill Levitt, Suzie Streeter, and Stacy McCall—who vanished without a trace from a Missouri home in 1992, sparking one of the most baffling missing persons cases in American history. With twists, rumors, and enduring heartbreak, these stories reveal how fragile the line between ordinary life and the unthinkable truly is.
People Magazine – Texas Parents Charged with Murder a Year After Baby Found in Dresser
Houston Chronicle – Houston parents charged with murder after baby found dead in drawer
KHOU11 News – Baby found dead in dresser drawer: What we know
Click2Houston – CPS removes sibling after infant’s death
Public records search (Harris, Tom Green, and Montgomery counties): No prior criminal history located as of June 2025
FBI ViCAP: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/vicap/missing-persons/sherrill-levitt
KY3 News: https://www.ky3.com/
KOLR10 News: https://www.ozarksfirst.com/
Springfield PD Cold Case Division: https://www.springfieldmo.gov/514/Cold-Cases
Medium (Kym Pasqualini): https://kympasqualini.medium.com/the-springfield-three-512b17fcfa87
People Magazine Investigates (Investigation Discovery): https://www.investigationdiscovery.com
The Springfield Three Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-springfield-three/id1549028990
Ozarks First: https://www.ozarksfirst.com/
Disappeared (ID Channel): https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/disappeared
Springfield News-Leader Archives: https://www.news-leader.com/
Reddit Unresolved Mysteries Thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/23t6ko/the_springfield_three/
On this chilling episode of Champagne and Murder, Please, we travel California’s shadowed highways to examine the life and crimes of William Bonin—the so-called “Freeway Killer”—whose spree of violence left a trail of young victims in his wake. But the story doesn’t end there. We also dive into the mysterious and unresolved deaths of the Reagan brothers, two lives cut short under circumstances that still raise more questions than answers. From calculated cruelty to lingering enigmas, this episode explores how some killers are caught—and how some mysteries refuse to be solved.https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/capital-punishment/inmates-executed-1978-to-present/william-george-bonin/
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-02-11-mn-34809-story.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Bonin
https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/seeking-info/matthew-and-philip-reagan
https://www.cleveland19.com/2025/03/21/seeking-justice-murders-fairview-park-brothers-arizona-still-unsolved-5-years-later
https://www.cleveland19.com/2024/03/21/unsolved-ohio-brothers-murdered-miles-away-home-during-road-trip