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Fascinating True Stories From the Flip Side of History

On the Web Since 1994

Podcasting Since January 2008

An Inside Job – Podcast #131

Published on January 25, 2020

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Money & Financial, Podcast

The incredible story of how James Rufus Landis stole $160,000 in $20 bills from the United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing on New Year's Eve of 1953.

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Soul Searching – Podcast #129

Published on November 22, 2019

Posted in: Death and Murder, Money & Financial, Podcast

Miner James Kidd made an incredibly unusual request in his will that would take more than 21 years for the courts to resolve.

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50,000 Books Given Away

Published on October 5, 2019

Posted in: Miscellaneous, Money & Financial, Tidbits

When the Brattle Book Shop was forced to move in 1964, it had to give away 50,000 books for free.

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Milk Bottle Shortage

Published on September 21, 2019

Posted in: Forgotten History, Money & Financial, Tidbits

On November 14, 1946, it was reported that there was a shortage of milk bottles in Asbury Park, New Jersey.

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The Coal Mountain Casanova – Podcast #120

Published on March 19, 2019

Posted in: Love & Marriage, Money & Financial, Podcast

In 1952, Jesse Garrett had recently divorced and was in search of a new wife. He seemed like a catch and hundreds of women contacted him to let them know that they were interested. In the end, Jesse Garrett was financially ruined.

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6-Year-Old Goes on a Buying Spree

Published on September 21, 2018

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Money & Financial, Tidbits

In 1933, 6-year-old Bertha Deshefy of Yonkers % % went on a spending spree. In 4 hours, Bertha used her dad's bankroll to purchase $110 worth of candy and toys.

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Pennies Hoarded for Gold

Published on August 14, 2018

Posted in: Money & Financial, Tidbits

Residents of Amityville, NY hoarded pennies in 1902 so that they could melt them down to get the gold out of the coins.

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Self-Service Gasoline

Published on July 26, 2018

Posted in: Money & Financial, Science, Technology & Medicine, Tidbits

Opposition to self-service gasoline stations was very high in the 1940s and '50s. Today, only New Jersey has a total ban on them.

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Le Mars Trilogy: Part 1 – T.M. Zink’s Library – Podcast #103

Published on June 10, 2017

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Death and Murder, Money & Financial, Podcast

TM Zink left his entire fortune for the establishment of a Womanless library. Find out the details of what really happened and who inherited his estate.

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Twilight Zone Chooses to Keep Rod Serling

Published on May 21, 2017

Posted in: Entertainment, Money & Financial, Tidbits

Can you imagine The Twilight Zone television series with Orson Welles as the host? It almost happened...

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Where There’s a Wilby, There’s a Way – Podcast #101

Published on March 27, 2017

Posted in: Bizarre & Oddities, Crime & Punishment, Fraud & Deception, Money & Financial, Podcast

The story of Ralph M. Wilby is one of international intrigue, deception, financial trickery, and the obligatory beautiful woman...

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$20,000 in Ice Cream in Will

Published on September 8, 2016

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

In 1937, Clementine Farr Duff willed $20,000 to the Washington Home for the Incurables to purchase ice cream.

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The Ice Cream Wars – Podcast #96

Published on August 4, 2016

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Money & Financial, Podcast

Ice cream truck drivers have been beaten and robbed, their trucks smashed, burned, and bombed, and death threats have been issued against them.

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Brassiere Brigade – Podcast #94

Published on July 5, 2016

Posted in: Crime & Punishment, Fraud & Deception, Money & Financial, Podcast

The women who worked for Southern Bell in Miami back in 1950. Poorly paid, they figured out a unique way to smuggle money out of the coin counting room.

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He Wants His Alimony Back

Published on November 10, 2015

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

Howard Metz paid alimony for thirty years to a woman who would not divorce him. When she died, he claimed title to her estate. Did he get it?

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