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Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

On the Web Since 1994

Podcasting Since January 2008

1943: Boy’s Court Plea Wins Suit And A New Home (Footnote)

Published on May 8, 2023

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Law & Order, Tidbits

A 10-year-old Detroit boy convinced a judge to throw out his family's eviction order. They were given a new home instead.

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A Little Boy’s Revenge (1953)

Published on April 21, 2023

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Hoaxes, Law & Order, Tidbits

Three boys at PS 90 in Manhattan were witness to the murder of one of their classmates. Police were called and began a search for the body...

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Hand Shaking for Civic Pride (1936)

Published on April 7, 2023

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Law & Order, Tidbits

As sirens blast in unison around the world, everyone turns to the person near them and shakes hands. Would this result in world peace? Roscoe E. Dickson certainly thought so.

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The Broken Record: A Search for Lost Treasure (1911)

Published on April 4, 2023

Posted in: Death and Murder, Law & Order, Money & Financial, Tidbits

Just what happens when a man records the location of a buried treasure on a phonograph record and the record shatters before anyone listens to it?

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A Severed Relationship – Podcast #192

Published on March 6, 2023

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Law & Order, Love & Marriage, Podcast

Ouch!!! The ghastly true story of Bertha Boronda who, in 1907, took a straight razor and sliced off her husband Frank’s penis. Did he survive?

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1904: The Match Head Man: A Strange Tale of Addiction

Published on February 21, 2023

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Law & Order, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

A woman complains that her husband has been eating match heads since their honeymoon and wants to know what can be done about it.

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The Cryptanalyst (Part 2) – Podcast #183

Published on November 3, 2022

Posted in: Fraud & Deception, Law & Order, Podcast

In this second installment, 93-year-old Marvin Lautzenheiser discusses his time as an FBI field agent, how his team finally deciphered the hollow nickel message, and offers up his opinion on the Steven Spielberg movie Bridge of Spies.

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The Cryptanalyst (Part 1) – Podcast #182

Published on October 21, 2022

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Law & Order, Podcast

An interview with 93-year-old Marvin Lautzenheiser, who was the lead cryptanalyst for the FBI team that deciphered the microfilm message contained in the Hollow Nickel (Podcast #168).

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Footnote – 1956: Driver Grabs At Bird, Hits New Police Car

Published on June 27, 2022

Posted in: Footnotes to History, Law & Order

A parakeet was blamed for a car accident that destroyed a brand-new police car.

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1949 – Theater Popcorn Ban Proposed

Published on June 13, 2022

Posted in: Law & Order, Tidbits

A bill was introduced in the Oregon State Senate that called for the banning of popcorn and peanuts in movie theaters.

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The Case of the Hollow Nickel – Podcast #168

Published on March 15, 2022

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Law & Order, Podcast

In 1953, paperboy Jimmy Bozart was counting his subscription money. He dropped the coins and one nickel split open, revealing a piece of microfilm. This led to the arrest of a high-ranking Soviet spy.

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Mother Jailed for Cooking Woodpecker

Published on December 3, 2021

Posted in: Animals & Pets, Crime & Punishment, Law & Order, Tidbits

In 1914, a mother of two was arrested for cooking a woodpecker. Unable to pay the fine, she was sentenced to twenty days in jail.

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Proud Father Kidnaps Baby

Published on November 23, 2021

Posted in: Law & Order, Love & Marriage, Tidbits

On February 22, 1911, staff at the Norwegian Lutheran Deaconess Home and Hospital in Brooklyn, NY frantically searched for newborn Evelyn Erickson.

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The Forgotten Man – Archibald Herron – Podcast #159

Published on October 28, 2021

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Death and Murder, Law & Order, Podcast

A New Jersey man was caught in a Catch-22 situation: As long as he remained on death row, he could live. If he attempted to get off of death row by challenging his sentence in court, he would likely die. Can you guess which option he chose?

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Don’t Mess With Minerva Miller – Podcast #157

Published on September 29, 2021

Posted in: Forgotten History, Law & Order, Podcast

In 1911, Mrs. Minerva Miller went to The Paterson Show in Paterson, NJ to watch a movie. A standard ticket cost 5 cents, but Mrs. Miller was told that she would have to pay 25 cents because she was black. She decided to challenge the theater's racist policy.

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