This week, we’re taking a scalpel (or, more accurately, a janky pawn-shop file) to the life of Luigi Lucheni—the anarchist who assassinated Empress Elisabeth of Austria in 1898.

We dig into Lucheni’s trash fire of a childhood, the rise of anarchism in Europe, and the absolute disaster that was monarchy back then (and honestly, now too). We’ll follow Cece’s last days, break down what “propaganda of the deed” actually meant, and ask what happens when someone murders a symbol, not a person.

Also: was Lucheni martyred or snuffed out? Did the system silence him, or did he just flame out? And how much does any of this still matter today? A lot, it turns out.

Magic Mind – Get 20% Off or More [https://magicmind.com/strangefulapr]

Sources (partial)

 * Swiss History – Luigi Lucheni, Sisi assassin [https://blog.nationalmuseum.ch/en/2021/09/sisi-assassin-lucheni]

 * Sisi Museum – Assassination [https://www.sisimuseum-hofburg.at/en/about-the-location/sisi-museum/rooms/assassination]

 * Connexions – Propaganda of the Deed [https://www.connexions.org/CxLibrary/Docs/CxP-Propaganda_of_the_Deed.htm]

 * Britannica – Elisabeth | Biography, Facts, & Assassination [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elizabeth-empress-consort-of-Austria]

Luigi Lucheni

This episode, we are diving into Stockholm’s darkest unsolved murder—The Atlas Vampire case of 1932. We trace Lilly Lindeström’s journey from Malmö to the Atlas district, unpack the chilling (cause it is cold!) Walpurgis Night timeline, and dissect the staged crime scene and blood-drinking rumors through the lens of a scholarly paper I found with facts and whatnot.   Not saying I solved it, but....I should not imply something otherwise because I did not solve it. At all.

Sponsored by Magic Mind—boost your focus at http://magicmind.com/strangefulapr

The Atlas Vampire

We are going to head to multiple locations to track down the real story on the theory of the Smiley Face Killers. The sad story starts with someone from my own alma mater, Fordham University and has literally never ended.

Is there an organized group of serial killers kidnapping and murdering young men, or do people want to find patterns where they might not exist?  I try to find out and at the end of the day, I come up with the only theory that will really string it all together. AND I have a 50% chance of being right!

Join me and dig into one of the most "all over the place" cases I have ever looked at. And I mean that literally and figuratively!

Smiley Face Killers

The case isn't solved just because the cops said it was. In part two of Monster of Florence we dig through the mess of suspects, confessions, and conspiracy theories—including Satanic cults, horny Sardinians, and one particularly persistent picnic trio.

If Italy's goal was to confuse everyone forever, mission accomplished.

But! Never let it be said that a little confusion prevented the Italian cops from arresting everyone who might be involved. Everyone. Seriously. If they ever played Clue they would arrest everyone and figure it out later.

Thank you Emma for helping us close out Season 8!

The Monster of Florence Part 2

Grab your passports (and probably some pepper spray), because Acadia and special guest Emma are heading to Italy to tell you all about The Monster of Florence. This piece of crap preyed on couples who were just trying to hook up in privacy on the Florentine equivalent of Inspiration Point.

Now that I just wrote that I am pretty mad that I did not think of a Fonzie joke if we needed someone Italian to rescue people on Inspiration Point!

 

The Monster of Florence Part 1

You know how the rich people are in charge of everything and us poors can't do anything about it and it gets worse every year?  Well, like most things, it ain't new.

Come back in time to the Great Depression, when FDR first rolled onto the national scene (ha! rolled) and learn how the rich jerks who run the world didn't take too kindly to this guy who wanted to help people. This is not about FDR, but it does include him. I don't wanna give anything away but when you hear the word "plot" you should not think good things.  Nobody "plots" a surprise party.  So find out just what those jerks were plotting.

History teaches us that people have always been terrible!

The Business Plot

Years ago, Jennifer Sandwich wrote a script about adventurer and all around bad ass Peter Freuchen, but I have been holding onto it. I couldn't just use it at any old time. How was I going to get across how tough this guy was when the weather was temperate? I wasn't. So I waited. I waited until my Southern lands were frozen solid and the joy of watching people not accustomed in any way to cold temperatures freaking out and crying filled my heart.

So join me, Acadia, and Graveyard Grace as I tell you all about the life and legend of Peter Freuchen: Explorer, author, wielder of a...poop knife.

 

And get 45% off a bundle order of Magic Mind by using the code STRANGEFULJAN.  Head to https://magicmind.com/strangefuljan to get that sweet juice!

Peter Freuchen

You know how sometimes places get a reputation for being haunted? Well, the Calcasieu Courthouse in Lake Charles, Louisiana is one of those places. But in this case, the haunting itself isn't the good part of the story.

I think some places are thought of as haunted because of the terrible things that have happened there or there is some soul with unfinished business blah blah.

But we think the Calcasieu Courthouse is haunted because Toni Jo Henry was such a wild person that the universe still wants her around. Her story of bad luck, worse decisions, and true love is a ride you do not want to miss.

Join Grace and Acadia as they bring you the tale of how the Calcasieu Courthouse got haunted.

And head over to https://magicmind.com/strangefuljan to get 45% off the product that helps Acadia do his job! Sources: 

On Death Row - Pan Books - 2005

A History Of American Life vol VIII by Dixon Wecter - 1948

True Men Stories - 1959

Variety - August, 1942

 

Calcasieu Courthouse

This week we go to the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico, to investigate the mystery of the West Mesa Bone Collector, the name given to the serial killer preying on the women of Albuquerque.

That type of crime is not super rare, but a cop calling out the disappearance of these women YEARS before it was discovered that they died? And still working the case almost 20 years later?  That's rare.

A little known case that shows just how common things like this are. Relatively, sure. It's not as common as companies exploiting us, but there are still a lot!

West Mesa Bone Collector

Relatioships are a weird thing. Sometimes you can marry someone and not really care about them at all.  Sometimes you can want someone so much you will go to ridiculous lengths to murder their current spouse using the good old US MAIL!

Grace tells us the story of Cordelia Botkin who hatched a pretty great plan except since there was no TV in 1898 so she had not learned about how covering ones tracks is pretty important when committing crimes.

We have poison hearts, poison candy, and lots of infidelity in this story, and what more could you want?

Cordelia Botkin

A horrifying and hilarious podcast! We cover mysteries, true crime, and generally weird topics from a humorous perspective.

Strangeful Things