Southern Mysteries Podcast

This Southern Mysteries Classic revisits a chilling historical true crime case from the Kentucky mountains. In February 1933, a church service ended with the death of 72-year-old Lucinda Mills. Nine of her relatives were jailed and accused of murder, while the national press labeled the case a human sacrifice. Decades later, the question remains: what really happened inside that cabin? Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources Laben T. Mills Obituary. Big Sandy News. July 31,1914 Lucinda Ward Mills. Find A Grave. [Lucinda’s age listed as 65 here but based off of census records she was believed to have been 72] Burning of Body on Altar Halted by Inez Police. The Owensboro Inquirer. February 9, 1933 Cult Victim Held Willing Sacrifice. The Courier-Journal. February 10, 1933 Insanity Plea Planned in Cult Slaying Case. The Courier-Journal. February 11, 1933 Bare Details of ‘Sacrifice’ Death Scene. Indianpolis Times. February 11, 1933 Mills Held Without Bond for Slaying Mother in Cult ‘Sacrifice’. The Lexington Herald. February 12, 1933 Nine Relatives of Cult Victim Are Indicted. The Owensboro Messenger. April 5, 1933 Insanity Held Slaying Cause. The Courier-Journal. April 7, 1933 Two Relative Freed In Cult Slaying Trial. The Lexington Leader. April 9, 1933 Prosecutor Contends Slayers of Mrs Mills Cold Blooded Murderers. The Courier-Journal. April 10, 1933 Mills Kneeling on Mother’s Body Fought Deputies. The Owensboro Inquirer. April 11, 1933 Cult Case Goes to Jury. The Courier Journal. April 12, 1933 Cult Leader Is Given Life Term for Matricide. The Courier-Journal. April 12, 1933 Blaine McGinnis is Given Pardon. Lexington Herald-Leader. November 3, 1933 Odd Fellows Have Skeletons in Their Closets--and Their Walls and Attics. Los Angeles Times. April 2001. Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

In December 1968, Barbara Jane Mackle was kidnapped from a motel room outside Atlanta, Georgia. The circumstances surrounding her abduction were so strange, investigators could barely make sense of them. The search for twenty year old Barbara Jane Mackle became a race against time that gripped her family and drew national attention. Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTikTok @southernmysteriesInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources Miller, Gene. 83 Hours Till Dawn. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1971. “FBI Ten Most Wanted Fugitives: Ruth Eisemann-Schier, 1969.” Federal Bureau of Investigation, Ten Most Wanted Program Archives. “Kidnapped Heiress Rescued from Buried Box.” The Miami Herald, December 21, 1968. “Barbara Mackle Found Alive.” The Atlanta Constitution, December 21, 1968. “Agents Seize Suspect in Mackle Kidnapping.” The Miami Herald, December 21–23, 1968. “Man Held in Heiress Kidnap Case.” The New York Times, December 22, 1968. “Girl in Box Case.” Los Angeles Times, December 22, 1968. “Suspect Caught in Marsh After Days on the Run.” Sun-Sentinel (Fort Lauderdale), December 1968. “Woman on FBI List Seized in Oklahoma.” The Oklahoman, February 8, 1969. United States v. Gary Steven Krist, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, 1969. United States v. Ruth Eisemann-Schier, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, 1969. FBI, Supplemental Case Report: Kidnapping of Barbara Jane Mackle, December 1968 (declassified portions). Jordan, C.D. “Account of the Mackle Kidnapping Rescue.” Interview, FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 1970. Associated Press. “Heiress Found Alive in Buried Box; Ransom Paid.” December 21, 1968. United Press International. “Search Intensifies for Kidnappers After Ransom Drop Fails.” December 1968. “Krist Granted Medical License Despite Record.” The Indianapolis News, July 23, 1985. U.S. Department of Justice. “South Florida Man Sentenced in Cocaine Trafficking Case.” DOJ Press Release, 2006. “Eisemann-Schier Paroled and Deported.” The Miami Herald, 1973. Emory Wheel (Emory University). “Student Kidnapped from Decatur Motel.” December 18–22, 1968 coverage. “The Mackle Kidnapping Revisited.” People Magazine (retrospective feature), 1998. “Buried Alive: The 1968 Abduction of Barbara Mackle.” CNN.com, Crime Retrospective Series, 2003. “83 Hours in the Earth.” CBS News Sunday Morning, archival retrospective segment. Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

In 1905, eight-year-old Kenneth Beasley, the son of North Carolina State Senator Samuel Beasley, walked out of his one-room schoolhouse in Poplar Branch, Currituck County—and vanished. What followed was one of the most haunting and controversial cases in North Carolina history. A bitter feud between two respected families, a trial built on circumstantial evidence, and a man’s death that left more questions than answers. Over a century later, the disappearance of the senator’s son remains unsolved. In this episode of Southern Mysteries, explore the loss, suspicion, and silence that still echo through the story of Kenneth Beasley—a mystery that has never let go of the Carolina coast. Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTikTok @southernmysteriesInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources State v. Harrison, 146 N.C. 540 (1907) – Official North Carolina Supreme Court opinion detailing the 1907 conviction of Joshua T. Harrison for the kidnapping of Kenneth Beasley; includes procedural history, evidence summary, and court rulings. The News and Observer (Raleigh, N.C.), February 1905 – Original newspaper publication of the anonymous letter alleging a man seen with a crying boy in a buggy near Barco on the day Kenneth Beasley disappeared. The Elizabeth City Economist (Elizabeth City, N.C.), March 1907 – Contemporary reporting on the Pasquotank County trial of Joshua Harrison; includes witness testimony summaries and public reaction to the guilty verdict. The Norfolk Virginian-Pilot (Norfolk, Va.), September 1907 – Coverage of Joshua Harrison’s suicide at the Gladstone Hotel following the Supreme Court’s decision; includes mention of the suicide note claiming innocence. The Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond, Va.), September 19, 1907 – Regional coverage of Harrison’s death and aftermath, quoting Senator Beasley’s reaction that Harrison “took his secret to the grave.” The Atlanta Georgian, September 1907 – Additional newspaper reporting on Harrison’s suicide, reprinting statements from North Carolina officials regarding the case outcome. Currituck County, North Carolina GenWeb Archives – Miscellaneous Newspaper Articles – Digitized transcriptions of early 20th-century reports on the Beasley case, including disappearance coverage, Harrison’s indictment, and excerpts from the Supreme Court opinion. Beach Glass Books – The Senator’s Son: The Shocking Disappearance of Kenneth Beasley, and the Trials of Joshua Harrison by Charles Oldham (2018) – Modern historical investigation into the case; draws from court records, newspaper archives, and local oral history. Most Notorious Podcast – Interview with Charles Oldham (December 7, 2023) – Discussion of the Beasley disappearance and Harrison’s trial; includes historical context on Currituck County politics and the culture of the early 1900s. Strange Company Blog – “Where is Kenneth Beasley?” (January 6, 2020) – Summary of the case using verified newspaper accounts; cites the News and Observer letter and the 1907 court proceedings. Find a Grave – Senator Samuel Mordecai Beasley (1863–1910) – Burial information and biographical details confirming Beasley’s death in Norfolk, Virginia. Find a Grave – Joshua Thomas Harrison (1839–1907) – Burial and genealogical data, confirming Harrison’s identity, family connections, and date of death. Currituck County Historical Society Records – Local archival notes and oral tradition references to the Beasley disappearance; confirm the location of Poplar Branch sch

In 1872, the quiet Georgia town of Surrency became the center of one of America’s strangest mysteries. Inside the home of Allen Powell Surrency, glass shattered, clocks ran backward, and furniture moved without a hand touching it. The events drew scientists, skeptics, and spiritualists, including one from Salem, Massachusetts. Was it a hoax, hysteria, or something that defied explanation? In this episode of Southern Mysteries, uncover the story of the Surrency family and the haunting that shook a town, blurred the line between faith and fear, and became one of the most documented poltergeist cases in U.S. history. Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTikTok @southernmysteriesInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources The Savannah Morning News (Oct–Dec 1872) – Coverage of the Surrency disturbances The Atlanta Constitution (Nov 1872–Jan 1873) – Reports on the “Surrency Mystery” The Augusta Chronicle (Oct 1872) – Editorial accounts of the Surrency haunting The New York Times (Dec 4 1872) – “Spiritual Manifestations in Georgia” The Albany Patriot – Reprinted witness letters and commentary, 1872 The Philadelphia Inquirer (1872–1873) – Syndicated reports on the haunting Harper’s Weekly (1873) – “Poltergeists and the Marvels of Surrency” John W. Truesdell, The Bottom Facts Concerning the Science of Spiritualism (1873) The Boston Globe (1872–1873) – Reports on Charles H. Foster Georgia Historical Quarterly Vol. 47 (1963) – “The Surrency Ghost: A Georgia Poltergeist Reexamined” The Georgia Encyclopedia – Entry on Surrency, Appling County Alan Brown, Haunted Georgia: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Peach State (2008) Charles Elliott, Strange Tales of the South: Haunted Houses and Ghost Legends (1974) Dennis William Hauck, Haunted Places: The National Directory (2002) Jim Miles, Haunted South Georgia (2017) J. Michael Norman, Spirits of the Southeast (2010) Rosemary Ellen Guiley, The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, 3rd Ed. (2007) Tiya Miles, Phantoms of the Past: The American South and the Supernatural (2021) Alan Gauld & A.D. Cornell, Psychical Research and the Poltergeist (1979) Michael Norman & Beth Scott, Haunted America (1988) Nancy Roberts, Haunted Houses: Tales from the American South (1972) Jim Miles, Haunted Georgia: Ghosts and Legends of the Peach State (2010) Randy Russell & Janet Barnett, Spirits of the South: Ghost Stories of Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi (2000) Alan Dundes, Dictionary of American Folklore (1993) William G. Roll, The Poltergeist Phenomenon (2012) Nancy Roberts, Haunted Houses: Where Ghosts Still Roam (1979) Kathryn Tucker Windham, Southern Spirits: Tales of the Supernatural from the Deep South (1983) Ann Braude, The American Spiritualist Movement, 1848–1920 (2001) Muriel V. Murphree, Mysteries and Legends of Georgia (2009) Georgia Public Broadcasting (2021) – “The Surrency Poltergeist: Georgia’s Most Documented Haunting” Georgia Archives – Appling County records and land grants, Allen P. Surrency estate (1870s–1880s) U.S. Census Records – Appling County, Georgia (1870–1880) Library of Congress Chronicling America – Digitized newspaper archives, 1872–1873 Frank Podmore, The Poltergeist in History (1896) American Hauntings Podcast, Season 4, Episode 14 – “The Surrency Ghost” Beast of Bladenboro – “The Surrency Haunting: Georgia’s Most Infamous Poltergeist” Otherworldly Oracle – “The Surrency Ghosts: True Terrifying Tales of Haunted Georgia” PANICd.com – “ParaPedia: The Surrency Family Polt

Across the South, asylums were built with the promise of healing — but inside their walls, countless lives were marked by fear, neglect, and cruelty. In this episode of Southern Mysteries, explore the haunting history of institutions like Broughton Hospital, Cherry Hospital, Central State, and Bryce. From mysterious deaths and forced sterilizations to the tragedy of the Eller twins and the lifetime confinement of Junius Wilson, these are the real horrors that gave rise to Southern asylum ghost stories — and the suffering that still echoes through their halls. Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTikTok @southernmysteries Instagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources Associated Press coverage, April 1962 — “Twin Sisters Die Together in Asylum.” Winston-Salem Journal, April 1962 (coverage of coroner Dr. John C. Reece’s statements). Morganton News Herald, April 1971 coverage of Dr. Paul Douglas Boyles and Betty Cheek Yarborough. Associated Press regional wire, April 14–15, 1971. Find a Grave – Betty Jo Eller & Bobbie Jean Eller memorials. Southern Spirit Guide: “Ill Defined and Unknown Cause of Morbidity and Mortality.” Asheville Terrors: “Broughton Hospital.” Schoen, Johanna. Choice and Coercion: Birth Control, Sterilization, and Abortion in Public Health and Welfare. University of North Carolina Press, 2005. Segrest, Mab. Administrations of Lunacy: Racism and the Haunting of American Psychiatry at the Milledgeville Asylum. New Press, 2020. Pennsylvania Hospital Archives – Dr. Thomas Story Kirkbride papers. Grob, Gerald N. The Mad Among Us: A History of the Care of America’s Mentally Ill. Harvard University Press, 1994. Yanni, Carla. The Architecture of Madness: Insane Asylums in the United States. University of Minnesota Press, 2007. “Central State Hospital Cemetery Restoration Project.” Georgia Department of Behavioral Health & Developmental Disabilities. Atlanta Journal-Constitution archival coverage on Central State Hospital. The Crimson White (University of Alabama student paper): “The Hidden History Behind Bryce Hospital” (2023). “Bryce Uncovered: A Look at the Asylum’s Short-Lived Newspaper” (2017). Wyatt v. Stickney, 325 F. Supp. 781 (M.D. Ala. 1971). Alabama Department of Mental Health archives. HauntedPlaces.org – “Bryce Hospital.” Ghost Hunts USA – “Bryce Hospital.” Ghost City Tours – “Central State Hospital.” US Ghost Adventures – “Central State Hospital.” UNC–Chapel Hill Southern Oral History Program — Junius Wilson case archives. News & Observer (Raleigh) coverage of Junius Wilson’s release and life, 1990s–2000s. Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

In June 1955, Judge Curtis Chillingworth and his wife Marjorie vanished from their Manalapan, Florida, beach cottage. There were haunting clues, but no bodies were ever found. Their disappearance exposed corruption in Florida’s courts and led to the downfall of a fellow judge. Curtis was known for integrity, Marjorie for her quiet strength — together, they became the heart of one of Florida’s most infamous true crime cases. Their story, and its unexpected ties to the legend of Trapper Nelson, remains one of Florida’s most haunting mysteries. 💌 Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTikTok @southernmysteries Instagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources Palm Beach Bar Association. Memorial Resolution for Judge Curtis E. Chillingworth. (1965) palmbeachbar.org Florida Memory. Justice Curtis E. Chillingworth Temporary Appointment Bio. floridamemory.com The Charley Project. Curtis Eugene Chillingworth Case File. charleyproject.org The Charley Project. Marjorie McKinley Chillingworth Case File. charleyproject.org Crime + Investigation UK. Judge Joe Peel and the Chillingworth Murders. crimeandinvestigation.co.uk The Coastal Star. Manalapan 60 Years On: Chillingworth Murders Still Shocking. thecoastalstar.com Mental Floss. What Happened to Judge Curtis Chillingworth? mentalfloss.com Town of Manalapan. History of Incorporation and Harold S. Vanderbilt. manalapan.org Wikipedia. Curtis Chillingworth. wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Chillingworth Unlikely Friends — A municipal publication from Jupiter, FL, describing the unlikely friendship between Judge Curtis Chillingworth and Vincent “Trapper” Nelson.https://www.jupiter.fl.us/DocumentCenter/View/301/Judge-Chillingworth-Murder Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

In 1957, Arkansas attorney Maud Crawford vanished from her home in Camden without a trace. Her disappearance became one of the state’s most enduring mysteries. This episode of Southern Mysteries examines Maud Crawford’s life, the corruption she uncovered, and the investigation that revealed what may have led to her disappearance. 💌 Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTikTok @southernmysteries Instagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources Maud Robinson Crawford – Encyclopedia of Arkansas Clyde Falwell Crawford (1894–1969) – Find a Grave Memorial Maud Robinson Crawford (1891-1957) - Find a Grave Memorial Maud R. Crawford (1891–1957) – Arkansas Women's Hall of Fame Maud Robinson Crawford – The Charley Project Cold Case, Southwest Arkansas: A Look at Two Unsolved Cases in the Region – [Arkansas True Crime Blog or Archive Source] “The Disappearance of Maud Crawford” – YouTube Small Town’s Biggest Secret: Author Says Arkansas Woman’s 1957 Disappearance Is Full of Corruption – KLRT FOX16 The Disappearance of Maud Crawford. Beth Brickell. https://www.amazon.com/Disappearance-Maud-Crawford-Beth-Brickell/dp/1628909587 Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

In spring 1894, a courtroom became the stage for a scandal that gripped the nation. Kentucky Congressman William Breckinridge faced a lawsuit from Madeline Pollard, who claimed he promised to marry her after nearly ten years together, then broke that promise. The trial exposed a hidden affair, secret meetings, and disputed truths between a rising politician and a woman left behind. The scandal captivated newspapers, packed courtrooms, and reshaped public opinion about one of the South’s most prominent figures. 💌 Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastTikTok @southernmysteriesInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources “Sex, Scandal, and Suffrage in the Gilded Age.” The Historian: A Journal of History, vol. 42, no. 2, Feb. 1980, pp. 225-243.Lexington, Fayette. The Celebrated Case of Col. W. C. P. Breckinridge and Madeline Pollard. Chicago: Current Events Publishing, 1894. Ross, Shelley. Fall from Grace: Sex, Scandal, and Corruption in American Politics from 1702 to the Present. New York: Ballantine Books, 1988. “William Breckinridge Breach of Promise Trial, 1894.” Encyclopedia.com, “Madeline Pollard and the Gilded Age’s #MeToo Moment.” Wednesdays Women, “The Fall of Louise of Breckinridge.” StrangeCo, 13 Apr. 2017, Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.