The American sailing vessel Adriatic collided with the French steamship Le Lyonnais on November 2, 1856, off the coast of Nantucket in what can best be described as a maritime hit-and-run. Adriatic’s captain, Jonathan Durham, rendered no aid and left the passenger steamship to fend for herself. 114 people died in the collision and in the days that followed.
My guest is shipwreck hunter Jennifer N. Sellitti, author of "The Adriatic Affair: A Maritime Hit-and-Run off the Coast of Nantucket". In this episode of Most Notorious, she recounts the tragic tale of the incident and the dramatic efforts by France to bring Captain Durham to justice. She also shares details of her quest to uncover the long-lost wreck of the Le Lyonnais.
Atlantic Wreck Salvage's website: https://dvtenacious.com/
The author's publisher page: https://www.schiffermilitary.com/products/the-adriatic-affair
More on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dvtenacious
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1:13:52
Introducing the Slaycation Podcast
Just in time for summer! This is an introduction and excerpt from the Slaycation Podcast, hosted by Kim and Adam "Tex" Davis and Jerry Kolber.
Pack your body bags for a darkly comic, true crime podcast that looks at murders, mysterious deaths and whodunits that happened while people were on vacation.
More here! https://www.slaycation.wtf/
Spotify link: https://open.spotify.com/show/6m5al8OnkyVCunFq56qwRE
Apple link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/slaycation-true-crimes-murders-and-twisted-vacations/id1714880880
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24:55
MoNo Encore: The Murders of Stringbean and Estelle Akeman w/ Taylor Hagood
(original pub date 7/19/23)
David "Stringbean" Akeman was a singer, clawhammer banjo player and an early Grand Ole Opry star, known for his lanky build and comedic personality. And as a cast member of the nationwide television show Hee-Haw, he was at the height of his popularity when he and his wife Estelle were murdered in their rural Tennessee home in November of 1973.
My guest this week is Professor Taylor Hagood, author of "Stringbean: The Life and Murder of a Country Music Legend". He walks us through the fascinating life of this unique musician, the murders that left the nation reeling, and the investigation that led police to the killers.
The author's website: https://www.taylorhagood.com/
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1:49:35
387: The Beatle Bandit w/ Nate Hendley
On July 24, 1964, twenty-four-year-old Matthew Kerry Smith disguised himself with a mask and a Beatle wig, hoisted a semi-automatic rifle, then held up a bank in North York, Ontario. The intelligent but troubled son of a businessman and mentally ill mother, Smith was a navy veteran with a young Indigenous wife and a hazy plan for violent revolution.
Outside the bank, Smith was confronted by Jack Blanc, a former member of the Canadian and Israeli armies, who brandished a revolver. During a wild shootout, Blanc was killed, and Smith escaped ― only to become the object of the largest manhunt in the history of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force.
My guest is journalist and author Nate Hendley. He joins me to talk about his book, The Beatle Bandit: A Serial Bank Robber's Deadly Heist, a Cross-Country Manhunt, and the Insanity Plea that Shook the Nation.
More about the author and his books on his website: https://natehendley.ca/
The author has included these links for those interested in purchasing The Beatle Bandit:
Amazon.ca: https://amzn.to/3KQZ90P
Amazon.com: https://amzn.to/3Bh5HCF
Apple Books: https://tinyurl.com/3xkb7w5t
Barnes and Noble: https://tinyurl.com/6h2p7epz
Walmart: https://tinyurl.com/4bdksr8h
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57:55
386: America's Nazi POW Murders w/ William Geroux
The American government was faced with an unprecedented challenge: where to house the nearly 400,000 German prisoners of war plucked from the battlefield and shipped across the Atlantic. On orders from President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Department of War hastily built hundreds of POW camps in the United States. Today, traces of those camps—which once dotted the landscape from Maine to California—have all but vanished. Forgotten, too, is the grisly series of killings that took place within them: Nazi power games playing out in the heart of the United States.
My guest today is William Geroux, a World War II expert and author of "The Fifteen: Murder, Retribution, and the Forgotten Story of Nazi POWs in America". He discusses the origins of the German prisoner-of-war camps, the daily lives of the men held there, and the deep divisions between hardline Nazis and less political prisoners—tensions that ultimately led to a series of murders and the prosecution of fifteen POWs.
The author's publisher page: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/725017/
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Serial killers. Gangsters. Gunslingers. Victorian-era murderers. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Each week, the Most Notorious podcast features true-life tales of crime, criminals, tragedies and disasters throughout history. Host Erik Rivenes interviews authors and historians who have studied their subjects for years. Their stories are offered with unique insight, detail, and historical accuracy.
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