Morbid

For as long as human beings have been locking one another up in cages or dungeons, there have been other human beings scheming and strategizing ways to escape their cells and break free of their prisons. More often than not, their attempts prove futile and they’re recaptured, their punishments extended and the conditions of their surroundings made worse. But in their experiences with freedom, however brief they may be, the escapee becomes legendary, their exploits going on to be told and retold in books, films, and songs long after the prisoner has passed away.
While some prison breaks—like those of the wrongfully incarcerated or unduly punished—can be justified and go on to be romanticized, others are less romantic or exciting and can even lead to deadly outcomes. And yet, no matter the circumstances and outcomes, each one can tell us something about the system and culture responsible for the initial sentence and subsequent escape. Here is the first volume of this fascinating subject!
References
Associated Press. 1986. "Supervisor apparently kidnapped by escapee." Ann Arbor News, December 6: 1.
—. 1962. "Alcatraz 'age' held factor in trio's escape." Los Angeles Times, June 14: 5.
Frishman, Dan. 1962. "Big Bay manhunt on for three Alcatraz escapees." San Francisco Exminer, June 13: 1.
Hanson, Tom. 2023. Prison escapes in America: How common are they and what's the real risk? September 18. Accessed September 12, 2026. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/prison-escapes-in-america-how-common-are-they-and-whats-the-real-risk/.
Hotz, Mark. 2012. "Awaiting trial Dillinger escapes." Bank Note, June: 10.
Indianapolis Star. 1934. "Dillinger, 3 state felons caught." Indianapolis Star, January 25: 1.
—. 1934. "Expecting death, prisoner tells of crime career." Indianapolis Star, January 31: 1.
—. 1934. "Vast army hunts John Dillinger." Indianapolis Star, March 4: 1.
Kinkopf, Eric. 1987. "Escape." Detroit Free Press, January 2: 16.
Leff, Lisa. 2012. Escape from Alcatraz: 50 years later, mystery remains. June 12. Accessed September 9, 2026. https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna47782343.
Martindale, Mike. 1987. "Escapee murders way across country." Burlington Free Press, June 14: 1.
New York Times. 1962. "3 Alcatraz convicts cut their way out with spoons." New York Times, June 13: 1.
—. 1962. "3 Alcatraz convicts cut their way out with spoons." New York Times, June 13: 1.
Press, Associated. 1986. "Police say Ypsi center worker adits he aided man's escape." Herald-Palladium (Benton Harbor, MI), December 26: 17.
Richardson, Randi. 2021. Beryl Hovious and Public Enemy No. 1. March 22. Accessed September 8, 2026. https://monroehistory.org/2021/03/22/beryl-hovious-and-public-enemy-no-1/.
Swickard, Joe. 1987. "Suspects in deadly tales." Detroit Free Press, January 22: 1.
Warren, Jenifer. 1993. "Escape from Alcatraz?" Los Angeles Times, November 11: 3.



Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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In February 1938, thirty-four-year-old housewife Alma Fielding went to the press with an amazing story: her home in the London suburb of Croydon was haunted. According to Alma, objects would fly off the shelves without the aid of human hands, the family was constantly under assault from unseen forces, and on multiple occasions, they found a six-fingered handprint on a mirror.
It was through a local clergyman that paranormal investigator Nandor Fodor learned of Alma’s haunting and he was immediately interested in the family. As a member of the International Institute for Psychical Research, Fodor had recently come under attack from the Spiritualist community, who saw him as nothing more than a cynic, and he was looking for precisely this kind of case to reestablish himself as a believer. However, after several months studying Alma and the haunting of the Fielding home, Fodor found himself at the center of a story far more complex than he’d ever expected.
References
Crane, Lionel. 1938. "House is haunted, declare experts." Sunday Pictorial, February 27: 3.
Duchi, Shireen. 1992. "The strange case of the terrified housewife." Croydon Advertiser, August 28: 20.
—. 1992. "The strange case of the terrified housewife, part three." Croydon Advertiser, August 21: 16.
—. 1992. "The strange case of the terrified housewife, part two." Croydon Advertiser, August 14: 16.
Masad, Ilana. 2021. 'The Haunting Of Alma Fielding' Is A Ghost Story — And A Tale Of Power And Fear. April 28. Accessed October 5, 2026. https://www.npr.org/2021/04/28/991151623/the-haunting-of-alma-fielding-is-a-ghost-story-and-a-tale-of-power-and-fear.
Norwood News. 1938. "Is it an evil spirit?" Norwood News (Croydon, UK), February 25: 3.
Summerscale, Kate. 2021. The Haunting of Alma Fielding: A True Ghost Story. New York, NY: Penguin Random House.
Thompson, Victor, and Lionel Crane. 1938. "Terror night in home wrecked by ghosts." Sunday Pictorial, February 20: 40.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Throughout the latter half of the nineteenth century, as America spread westward, industrial tycoons made a fortune building out the nation’s infrastructure, and growing their already substantial wealth in the process. In St. Louis, Missouri, one of those tycoons was Adam Lemp, whose Western Brewery was among the most productive and prosperous breweries in America. Following Adam’s death, the brewery was passed down to his son, William, starting a dynasty that would last nearly a century.
It seems that, when Lemp passed the business on, he may have also passed on something far more insidious to his descendants that would mark the Lemp family for tragedy. In the decades that followed, the Lemp family suffered one tragic death after another, each one playing out in the Benton Park mansion where the Lemps resided. For more than a century, the residents of St. Louis have wondered who—or what—resided in the mansion that caused so much misfortune, and whether the spirits of the Lemps still walk the halls.
References
Kantrowitz, Marc. 2025. "The beer, scandal and haunted mansion of the Lemp dynasty." South Carolina Lawyers Weekly, October 13.
Linzee, David. 1999. "The lighter side of Lemp." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, October 14.
Richmond, Dick. 1982. "At the haunt of haunts." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 14: 47.
Shepley, Carol Ferring. 2008. "The Lemp family of St. Louis." Voices, October.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch. 1949. "Charles A. Lemp, ex-brewer, kills self as did three others in family." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, May 10: 1.
—. 1922. "William J. Lemp kills himself in brewery office." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, December 29: 1.
—. 1904. "Wm. J. Lemp kills himself in grief." St. Louis Post-Dispatch, February 13: 1.
St. Louis Republic. 1901. "Frederick W. Lemp is dead." St. Louis Republic, December 13: 13.
St. Louis Star and Times. 1920. "Mrs. Elsa Lemp Wright shoots herself at home." St. Louis Star and Times , March 20: 1.
—. 1922. "William J. Lemp commits suicide by shooting self." St. Louis Star and Times, December 29: 1.
Taylor, Betsy. 2001. "Lemp Mansion, rumored to be haunted, draws attention to St. Louis history." Daily American Republic, October 31: 3.
Walker, Stephen. 1989. Lemp: The Haunting History. St. Louis, MO: Lemp Preservation Society.
Wilkinson, Melissa. 2020. Exploring a Lemp Mansion mystery. March 4. Accessed October 2, 2026. https://www.timesnewspapers.com/westendword/exploring-a-lemp-mansion-mystery/article_14480610-5d8f-11ea-ae8d-d70995bc6099.html.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Weirdos! We’re continuing the most wonderful time of the year with a truly iconic guest that you have been asking for: Matthew Lillard!! He joins us to talk shop about his current projects as well as his incredible body of work, all the while proving that he is human charisma with a little bit of chaos sprinkled on top! We honestly haven’t laughed this much during an episode EVER!
In the episode, we chat about his upcoming Amazon Prime series Carrie where he rejoins the Flanaverse! It’s INCREDIBLY well acted, written, and directed! So prepare yourself to stream your next Spooky Season hyperfixation and appreciate the countless brilliant performances in this incredible adaptation of the Stephen King classic! We also dive into his resume (Scream, Thir13en Ghosts, Life of Chuck, The Curve, Five Nights At Freddie’s, Serial Mom, Scooby Doo, The Descendants ) and talk about why he is loving this latest chapter in his life!
Catch Carrie on Amazon Prime on October 7th! We promise you will be as obsessed with it as we are!
Check out Find Familiar Spirits, featuring their Ghost Face Blood Orange Killer Collection Box Set as well the GORGEOUS Macabre Spirits boxes featuring the perfect pairing of spirits, art and current voices in horror!

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In the early-to-mid 1870s, as interest in Spiritualism and psychic mediums swept the United States, William and Horatio Eddy, two enterprising brothers from the tiny village of Chittenden, Vermont, made headlines for their supposed psychic abilities. In time, the brothers attracted the attention of the movement’s biggest names including Henry Olcott and Helena Blavatsky, until 1875, when allegations of fraud destroyed their massive popularity.
References
American Hauntings. n.d. The Haunted Museum from Another World. Accessed September 19, 2026. https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/eddy.
Bigelow, L.A. 1873. "The Eddy family humbug again." Burlington Free Press, September 29: 3.
Bushnell, Mark. 2012. "A spirited past." The Times Argus (Barre, VT), April 1: B1.
Hall, Joseph. 1873. "The Eddy family--exposure of the humbugs by a 'spiritualist'." Rutland Daily Herald, September 13: 2.
Herman, Jan. 1976. "The eerie Eddys." Burlington Free Press, October 31: 67.
New York Sun. 1875. "Exposure of the Eddys." Rutland Daily Globe, November 27: 2.
Olcott, Henry Steel. 1875. People From the Other World. Hartford, CT: American Publishing Company.
Rutland Daily Globe. 1873. "The Eddys and Spiritualism." Rutland Daily Globe, October 15: 1.
—. 1873. "Visit to the Eddy family." Rutland Daily Globe, October 1: 4.
Rutland Weekly Herald. 1871. "Quarterly convention of the Vermont State Spiritualist Association." Rutland Weekly Herald, February 2: 1.
Wescott, D.P. 1875. "The modus operandi of the Eddys'." Rutland Daily Globe, March 22: 3.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)
Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)
Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley
Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally
Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.