Historical True Crime

In 1922, Fred Oesterreich was found shot to death in his Los Angeles home. His wife claimed burglars were responsible, but investigators had doubts. Nearly eight years later, a shocking discovery reopened the case: another man had beenliving in secret inside the house for years. This is the extraordinary story of Dolly Oesterreich, Otto Sanhuber, and one of the strangest murder cases of the twentieth century.Historical True Crime was selected as one of FeedSpot's Top 60 Historical Mysteries Podcasts. FeedSpot helps you find the best podcasts on the web: https://podcast.feedspot.com/Source Materials Wolf, Marvin J. & Mader, Katherine M. Fallen Angels: The True Story of California's Most Bizarre and Spectacular Murder Cases Parrish, Michael. For the People: A Social History of the American Criminal Justice System Rasmussen, Cecilia. “Dolly Oesterreich's Secret Lover Lived in Her Attic” (Los Angeles Times) Los Angeles Times archive coverage of the Oesterreich murder investigation and trials The Los Angeles Evening Express archive coverage The Los Angeles Record archive coverage The Los Angeles Examiner archive coverage The San Francisco Examiner archive coverage The San Bernardino County Sun archive coverage The Oakland Tribune archive coverage The Sacramento Bee archive coverage The Tacoma Daily Ledger archive coverage The Pittsburgh Press archive coverage The Brooklyn Daily Eagle archive coverage The Milwaukee Journal archive coverage Newspapers.com historical newspaper archive California Digital Newspaper Collection Library of Congress, Chronicling America newspaper archive

In 1629, the Dutch merchant ship Batavia wrecked on a remote reef off Western Australia. What followed was not just a struggle for survival, but a calculated campaign of violence that left more than one hundred people dead. Drawing on survivor testimony and historical records, this episode examines one of the most disturbing episodes in maritime history.Source MaterialsPelsaert, Francisco. The Journal of Francisco Pelsaert. 1629.Dash, Mike. Batavia’s Graveyard: The True Story of the Mad Heretic Who Led History’s Bloodiest Mutiny. New York: Three Rivers Press, 2002.Drake-Brockman, Henrietta. Voyage to Disaster. Sydney: Angus & Robertson, 1964.Edwards, Hugh. Islands of Angry Ghosts. New York: William Morrow, 1966.Western Australian Museum — Batavia Collectionhttps://museum.wa.gov.au/This episode was researched using both primary historical documents and modern scholarly works.

In 1937, three girls left home for a day at the park and never returned. Their disappearance sparked a frantic search, a shocked community, and a murder case that moved with remarkable speed. This episode traces the investigation intothe deaths of Melba Everett, Madeline Everett, and Jeanette Stephens, the arrest of Albert Dyer, and a trial shaped almost entirely by his confessions.Everett, Pamela. Little Shoes: The Sensational Depression-Era Murders That BecameAmerica’s First Celebrity Crime. New York: Skyhorse Publishing, 2018.People v. Dyer, 9 Cal. 2d 317 (Cal. Sup. Ct. 1938).“Three Little Girls.” Time, July 12, 1937.Contemporary newspaper reporting, including coverage from the Daily Breeze and Los Angeles–area papers (1937).

In 1799, Elma Sands vanished from a New York boardinghouse. Her body was later found in a well, and the trial that followed — defended by Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr — left more questions than answers. This episode examines the Manhattan Well murder and the limits of justice in early America.Source MaterialsColeman, William. The Trial of Levi Weeks; or, The Manhattan Well Mystery. New York: Printed for the author, 1800.Kleiger, Estelle Fox. The Trial of Levi Weeks: Sex, Seduction, and Murder in the Early Republic. Chicago: Academy Chicago Publishers, 1989.American State Trials: Being a Collection of the Most Interesting Criminal Trials Which Have Ever Occurred in the United States. Vol. 1. New York: Printed andpublished by G. & C. & H. Carvill, 1849. Murder by Gaslight: A Victorian Anthology of True CrimeThe Paris Review —“The Well on Spring Street,” Angela Serratore“Death in the Manhattan Well.” Crime Magazine. https://www.crimemagazine.comNew York Gazette and General Advertiser. New York, various issues, 1799–1800.The New-York Daily Advertiser. New York, various issues, 1799–1800.

In February 1567, an explosion destroyed a house in Edinburgh but the body of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley was found outside the ruins, untouched by the blast. His murder was never solved. This episode examines Darnley’s death within thepolitical world of sixteenth-century Scotland and the pressures facing Mary, Queen of Scots. A story of power, perception, and suspicion without proof.Source Materials Darnley: A Life of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley — Caroline Bingham. Constable & Robinson, 1995. Mary, Queen of Scots and the Murder of Lord Darnley — Alison Weir. Vintage Books, 2008.Criminal Trials in Scotland, Volumes I–III — edited by Robert Pitcairn. Bannatyne Club, 1833.My Heart Is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scots — John Guy. Fourth Estate, 2004. “10 February 1567 – The Murder of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley” — Claire Ridgway, The Tudor Society.“Murder of Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley of Scotland” — Historic Mysteries.Calendar of State Papers, Scotland, Volume 2 (1563–1569) — edited by Joseph Bain. London, 1900.

A quiet border town, a sudden illness, and a solicitor accused of poisoning both his wife and a rival. This episode examines the Armstrong case and why, even 100 years later, it remains one of Britain’s most debated convictions.Sources & Further ReadingStephen Bates, The Poisonous Solicitor (2022)Martin Beales, The Hay Poisoner: Herbert Rowse Armstrong (2001)Robin Odell, Exhumation of a Murder (1975)“Herbert Rowse Armstrong,” The History Room (history-room.co.uk)Polly Botsford, “The incredible true story of the only solicitor ever to hang for murder,” Legal Cheek (legalcheek.com)Stephanie Almazan, “Herbert Armstrong,” The Line-Up (the-line-up.com)Nicola Bryan, “Fresh doubt cast on solicitor’s murder conviction 100 years on,” BBC News (bbc.com)

A woman posing as Andrew Carnegie’s secret daughter scammed banks out of today’s equivalent of $20 million—armed with nothing but forged notes and absolute confidence. This is the rise and unraveling of Cassie Chadwick, one of the boldest fraudsters of the Gilded Age.Source MaterialsCrosbie, John. The Incredible Mrs. Chadwick. 1975.Hazelgrove, William Elliott. Greed in the Gilded Age: TheBrilliant Con of Cassie Chadwick. Lyons Press, 2021.Wade, Carlson. Great Hoaxes & Famous Impostors. 1976.Hayek, Caroline C.; Gates, Sandra; Rankin, Robert J. “TheSocial Construction of Fraudulent Identity.”“Cassie Chadwick: The Female Wizard of Finance.” Ohio History Connection, June 22, 2022.“The High Priestess of Fraudulent Finance.” SmithsonianMagazine.Newspaper coverage quoted from: Cleveland Plain Dealer;Clinton Republican; Oberlin Review.