There’s many reasons why true crime is fascinating but I think at some point every true crime fan has run across a story that’s made them stop and think, “I don’t know if I can listen to this anymore…” But every once in awhile something redeeming comes out one of these stories - there’s a foundation set up or a law that’s enacted. That is one of the things I personally really like about true crime. This is the story of the Bradford Sweet poisoning.

When they make up a rhyme that goes, “Lizzie Borden took an axe, And gave her mother forty whacks, When she saw what she had done, She gave her father forty-one.” Well, someone ought to be caught red handed for that crime, right? But no one ever was. This is the case of Lizzie Borden.

While researching stories for this podcast, I wanted to make sure I was bringing a variety of topics to the table, and that is when I came across the story of a Victorian doomsday sex cult. Please settle in for the story of the Agapemonites.

One of my favorite things about the Victorian era is that you could just up and decide to change your name, make up a new story for yourself, and you could be who ever you wanted. This is the story of Cassie Chadwick.

This is a special bonus episode to celebrate Pride Month! As a show that focuses exclusively on the Victorian era and crime, we cannot gloss over the fact that many facets of LGBTQ+ lifestyles were, in fact, considered criminal during the time period.

The subject of tonight’s story is sometimes referred to as “the female Sweeny Todd.” This is the story of Kate Webster.

In the 19th century, germ theory had started to take root. Government officials were starting to figure out why disease spread, but what to do about it was still not fully baked. That is how in 1906, Mary Mallon was forced to quarantine as a well woman for cumulative 26 years. This is the story of Typhoid Mary.

I am excited to share tonight’s story with you because while well known locally where I live, it is not widely known. Also, it combines two of my favorite things to talk about which are: true crime and hauntings. And if ever a murder victim had reason to haunt somewhere, this is it. This is the story of Tillie Smith.

For our first episode, I thought we’d start with a case that has a little bit of everything. A scandal within the upper echelons of Scottish Victorian society, a salacious affair, and of course, a poisoning. This is the case of murderess Madeleine Smith.

Stand next to your window on a particularly dark night—a rainy night or night when there’s no moonlight. Now imagine gas lamp lit streets and fog settling in. Faces are hidden by turned up collars and pulled down hats—That is a good night for a murder.