Episode #223- What's True About Al Capone? (Part II)
If you get your history from watching gangster movies, then you might be under the impression that Al Capone singlehandedly started Chicago's Beer Wars. That is certainly what is suggested by the 1932 gangster classic Scarface. The truth is considerably more complicated. Chicago's gang wars were messy multi-factional conflicts that can remind you of Japan's Warring States period. Al Capone was right in the middle of this wave of violence, but should he be blamed for it? Tune-in and find out how murderous florists, a guy named "Ragtime Joe", and Al Capone's fake furniture shop all play a role in the story.
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1:22:52
Episode #222- What's True About Al Capone? (Part I)
The life of the gangster Al Capone could be understood as a violent expression of the American Dream. A poor kid from Brooklyn, born to immigrant parents, used his wits, fists, and a certain ruthless determination to build an empire. The underworld figure has been the fodder for countless, books and biopics, not to mention inspiring a rogues gallery of fictional crime bosses. As you might expect his life is filled with elaborate legends and colorful myths. Capone was also a savvy manipulator of the news media, who did his best to put his own public relations spin on his life outside the law. How much should we believe about America's best known criminal? Tune-in and find out how Geraldo Rivera's boat, a knocked-out school teacher, and a guy named "snorky" all play a role in the story.
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1:24:35
OFH Throwback- Episode #24- Did Ty Cobb Kill a Guy?
In this throwback episode Sebastian take you back to Season One and Episode #24. Ty Cobb has been remembered as one of baseball’s greatest villains. Despite being universally recognized as one of the game’s most talented players, Ty Cobb is mostly remembered as a violent racist who was hated by all who knew him. However, a new biography is claiming that Ty Cobb’s reputation was unfairly tarnished by an unscrupulous biographer looking to make a name for himself by exposing the “real Ty Cobb”. Was Ty Cobb really the monster that so many believe him to be? Tune in and find out how forged letters, pistol whippings, and Tommy Lee Jones all play a role in the story.
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1:01:24
Episode #221- Did India's Thugs Really Exist? (Part II)
In the early 19th century central India was one of the most dangerous places a person could travel. Murders and robberies were incredibly common. Every year dozens, sometimes hundreds, of bodies were found in shallow graves near the highways. These unfortunate travelers were often the victims of gangs of murderous bandits. But who were these killers? The British authorities came to believe that these highway murders were the work of an India-wide network of cultists known as Thugs. But were the Thugs actually a coherent criminal sub-culture? Were they truly devoted to a religion based on human sacrifice? Or were real bandits being transformed into bloodthirsty fanatics by colonial propaganda? Tune-in and find out how poison milk, thug snitches, and the common enemies of all mankind play a role in the story.
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1:36:17
Episode #220- Did India's Thugs Really Exist? (Part I)
In 1830 an anonymous letter was published in the Calcutta Literary Gazette warning that India was being threatened by a horrifying cult of murderers. These stranglers were known as Thugs and according to the letter they represented the single greatest threat to law and order in the country. These Thugs apparently worshipped the Hindu goddess Kali and performed their crimes in her name. This letter motivated the British authorities to take immediate action against this group. However, many scholar think that the anonymous author, a British administrator named William Sleeman, may have exaggerated the Thug threat. Some have even argued that the Thugs never truly existed. What should we believe about this storied group of highway robbers? Tune-in and find out how sketchy confessions, Queen Victoria's favorite book, and Indiana Jones all play a role in the story.
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