Most Notorious! A True Crime History Podcast

While much is written about Prohibition-era gangsters and bootlegging, the focus is typically in places like Chicago, Kansas City and New York City. Far less known, but very compelling, is the history of the Mexican-American border in the Southwest in the 1920s, and the battles between Old West-era lawmen and the dangerous gangsters who were intent on smuggling booze into the United States. Samuel Dolan, author of "Cowboys and Gangsters: Stories of an Untamed Southwest" joins me to tell to explain the importance of this regional history, and some of the colorful characters who took participated in it. He also shares his experiences as an actor in the 1993 film, Tombstone.The author's website: https://www.samuelkdolan.com/Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotoriousMost Notorious on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MostNotorious1Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One of the world's most preeminent Ripperologists, Tom Wescott, author of "The Bank Holiday Murders" and "Ripper Confidential" is my guest on this week's episode of Most Notorious.His extensive research into Jack the Ripper/Whitechapel murders give his a unique perspective into this truly iconic true crime cold case. Focusing on some of the more intriguing peripheral players in the events, including a suspicious prostitute named "Pearly Poll", he offers a fresh take and new theories on who might have murdered the "Canonical Five" (and likely more) in Victorian-era London.The author's website: https://ripperbooks.wordpress.com/Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotoriousMost Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In 1919, eight players on the Chicago White Sox baseball team, including "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, were implicated in what would go down in infamy as the Black Sox scandal. In exchange for money, members of the team agreed to intentionally throw the World Series to the Cincinnati Reds. New York underworld gangster Arnold Rothstein is widely suspected of being the primary fixer in the sensational crime. My guest is Charles Fountain, journalist, professor, baseball historian and author of "The Betrayal: The 1919 World Series and the Birth of Modern Baseball." He gives his expert perspective on what is recognized as the greatest scandal in the history of American sports.Authors page: https://charlesfountain.com/bio/Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotoriousMost Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When many of us think about Old West gunfighters, our minds turn to men like Jesse James, Wyatt Earp, and Billy the Kid. But there were others equally as compelling, including the two that are the subject of my guest G.R. Williamson's recent book, called "Texas Pistoleers: The True Story of Ben Thompson and King Fisher".Thompson and Fisher each had their own unique and violent lives, but happened to be together when they were shot to death at the infamous Vaudeville Theater Ambush in San Antonio, Texas. That story is told, along with tales of their gunfights and their fascinating encounters with famous western figures (and killers) like Buffalo Bill Cody, Wild Bill Hickock, Bat Masterson and John Wesley Hardin. Visit the author's publisher page here: https://www.arcadiapublishing.com/Products/9781609490003Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotorious Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Emma Barrett Molloy was a well-known Evangelical Christian, temperance and women's rights activist in the 1870s and 80s. But in 1885 she found herself embroiled in a lurid scandal involving a con-artist named George Graham. Graham married Emma's foster daughter, Cora Lee, but without divorcing his first wife, Sarah. When Sarah eventually found and confronted him, Graham murdered her and attempted to cover up the crime. Emma, of course, would be caught up in the drama, front-line fodder for a scandal-hungry press. My guest is Larry Wood, author of "Bigamy & Bloodshed: The Scandal of Emma Molloy and the Murder of Sarah Graham". He gets into the nitty-gritty of this shocking story on this week's episode of Most Notorious. More about the author here: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLarryWood/Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotoriousMost Notorious on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MostNotorious1Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

My conversation continues with Ellen Poulsen, co-author (with Lori Hyde) of "Chasing Dillinger: Police Captain Matt Leach, J. Edgar Hoover and the Rivalry to Capture Public Enemy No. 1".In this second part of the interview, Ellen explains the struggles Matt Leach continued to face as he tried to prove East Chicago cops were in on the death of Dillinger, J Edgar Hoover's personal crusade to ruin Leach professionally, and the details of Leach's tragic death. She also talks about her feelings on the "Lady in Red", Anna Sage, Dillinger's position in the Babyface Nelson gang, and her thoughts on the recent attempts to exhume Dillinger's body.More about the author here: http://www.dillingerswomen.com/About-The-Author.htmlBecome a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotoriousMost Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ellen Poulsen is back, this time to discuss her new book (co-written with Lori Hyde), "Chasing Dillinger: Police Captain Matt Leach, J. Edgar Hoover and the Rivalry to Capture Public Enemy No. 1." She walks us through John Dillinger's rise in 1933 and 34 to gangster infamy, including his Crown Point prison escape, and his intense rivalry with Matt Leach of the Indiana State Police, who was singularly focused on bringing Dillinger down.Ellen's website: https://www.ellenpoulsen.com/Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotoriousMost Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just in time for the Halloween season! This episode explores the real Dracula, Vlad the Impaler, a 15th century warrior-ruler infamous for his extreme brutality and cruelty. My guest Leif Pettersen, a former travel writer with Lonely Planet, has spent considerable time in Romania, and through his writing, research and wanderings, developed a special attachment to the real life Dracula. His book on the subject is part memoir, part travelogue and part history, and called: "Backpacking with Dracula: On the Trail of Vlad "the Impaler” Dracula and the Vampire He Inspired".More abut the author here: https://leifpettersen.com/Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotoriousMost Notorious on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MostNotorious1Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Bestselling author Eric Jay Dolin joins me to talk about his book, "Black Flags, Blue Waters: The Epic History of America’s Most Notorious Pirates". He discusses the Golden Age of Piracy in 17th and 18th century America, explains why pirates were so prolific during this time, dispels some prevailing pirate myths, and tells stories about some of most infamous (like Blackbeard) and the most murderous (like Ned Low).The author's website: https://www.ericjaydolin.com/Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotoriousMost Notorious on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MostNotorious1Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In May of 1980, a brazen group of four heavily armed men, in an attempt to rob the Security Pacific Bank in Norco, California, ended up responsible for one of the most violent criminal events in American history. It would be a massive shootout against an underarmed police department, and would fundamentally change how law enforcement departments across the country dealt with crime. My guest, author Peter Houlahan, summarizes the events detailed in his book, "Norco '80: The True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery in American History". His research includes insightful, first hand interviews from people on both sides of the shootout, and fascinating tales of the trial that followed.More about the author here: https://www.peterhoulahan.com/Become a Most Notorious patron: https://www.patreon.com/mostnotoriousMost Notorious on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MostNotorious1Most Notorious website: https://www.mostnotorious.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices