Stories of the American West have captivated generations of people. But beyond the tales of cowboy shootouts and outlaw exploits lies the bizarre story of Big Nose George, a notorious outlaw whose name became linked to a very special pair of shoes. Sources Weiser, Kathy. Big Nose Becomes A Pair of Shoes. http://www.legendsofamerica.com Van Pelt, […]
Episode 54: Fancy Shoes: The Bizarre Story of Big Nose George Read More »
I’m not afraid of the dark. I take my trash out in the middle of the night without a flashlight, treading the familiar ground of my yard with confidence in the inky blackness of the night. At the end of the day, I turn off the light’s downstairs and, if I need to do something
Struck Down in the Dark – The Charles Englehart Murder Read More »
The desecration of human remains and burial sites are regarded as taboo by our society. Regardless, it still happens, and more often than you think. What kind of person would commit such acts? Come and see. Sources ‘Man Held; Graveyard Vandalism.’ Quad City Times, 6/24/1977 ‘Grave Robbers Hit Davenport Crypt.’ Quad City Times, 4/25/1997
Episode 29: Defiling the Dead Read More »
In 2002, a friend of mine and I took a trip to Mount Carmel Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois, about twenty miles outside of Chicago. An enormous Catholic cemetery, it had one major draw for us at that time: gangster graves. Although it might seem a bit strange to some, grave tourism is a popular pastime
The morning of December 15, 1921 was just another winter morning in Long Grove, Iowa. The business district at the center of the small town was humming with activity as people went about their normal business. People made their way along the streets, maybe stopping in for a haircut or a little gossip at the
The Long Grove, Iowa Bank Robbery of 1921 Read More »
Charles Englehart had been successful in his life. Originally from Grandview, Iowa, he had moved to Davenport, Iowa as a young man and become a barber. For years he had been employed at the prestigious Hotel Blackhawk, cutting the hair of well-to-do patrons who needed to look their absolute best in order to impress
Struck Down in the Dark Read More »
Paul Schroeder was running through the repair shop, trying his best to avoid the hail of bullets flying his direction. He fired back blindly, trying to make the cops stop shooting long enough so he could get to his car. To be fair, it wasn’t his car. He and his brother, Everett, had stolen it.
Bandits in the Blizzard: The Schroeder Brother’s Crime Spree of 1937 Read More »
