On September 22, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation stating that as of January 1, 1863, all enslaved people in ALL the states, "shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free."


​
However, while, the proclamation was mainly targeting the Confederate States to release their slaves, the view of the Civil War almost instantaneously shifted.  Now, it was not just to maintain the Union, it became about ending slavery. 

Many of the slaves in the south didn't hear about their freedom and continued on with their lives and the slave holders, were happy to keep mum. 
The final skirmishes of the Civil War, which didn't finally conclude until May of 1865 (the Battle of Palmito Ranch near Brownsville, TX is documented as THE final battle).  They didn't have Facebook or Walter Cronkite back then, so some didn't know about General Robert E. Lee's surrender to Ulysses S. Grant in April, just a few weeks prior. 

Once the terms were met, the papers were signed, and the two men shook hands, the Civil War had finally come to an end. 
General Grant would step onto the porch of the Appomattox Court House and announce to the crowd, "The war is over.  The Rebels are our countrymen again."
​
As Northern troops began to advance South, many slaves ran away, running North seeking freedom, they didn't know they had. 
Texas, however, kept the Emancipation Proclamation to themselves.  Life continued on as usual.  Many slave owners, in fact moved their homes and businesses to the state believing that it would be immune to the ever changing "rules" of the new country. 
But in June, 1865- almost 2 and half years later, General Gordon Granger and his 2,000 man troops arrived in Galveston Texas, officially FREEING over 250,000 men, women and children still enslaved. 

Jubilee Day- June 19.
The following year, the freed people of Texas created a day of celebration- Jubilee Day.  They celebrated with song and traditional food and prayer.  As the former slaves began to migrate across the country, so did the celebration.  It became an annual event for those to never forget the day they became free citizens.  Many would return to Galveston, TX as the annual celebrations grew and grew.

In 1872, a collection of African American ministers purchased 10 acres of land in Houston, naming it Emancipation Park for $800. (Over $20,000 in today's economy!). They couldn't afford to do much with the land, so it was used every year for a Juneteenth celebration.  (It did have some hard times, but there are still Juneteenth festivities held at this very park!)

Later, in 1979, it was Texas that declared June 19th as a day of remembrance.  On June 7, 1979, Texas Legislature passed a bill declaring Juneteenth an official state holiday.  It honored the Emancipation Proclamation, but the celebration focuses on the ARRIVAL of the news in Texas, as the last state was freed. 

Several other states followed suit and turned the day into a national holiday- some made it a paid holiday, others made it an observance holiday.
However, in June, of 2021, Congress passed a resolution making Juneteenth a federal holiday.  On June 17, 2021, President Joe Biden signed it into law. 

“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent? As it is written: ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” (Romans 10:14-15).
If there is an irony in the Juneteenth story, it is that the proclamation was made over two years prior. During those years, people were free, yet they were still living in slavery. This happened for one reason: No one had told them yet.
And now... you know. 

On this day...
May 4, 1886


In a suburb of Chicago, IL a peaceful demonstration was being held by over one thousand workers who were protesting against the death of a co-worker, striking, by the Chicago police only a day before. 
The rally had thinned out quite a bit due to rain, and thank goodness because midway through the rally, the Chicago police were sent to encourage the rally to desist.   Around 200 officers were armed, heading for the less than half group that were still in the square.  Then, out of nowhere, a bomb was tossed into the mix.
To this day, no one has been identified to the bomb toss, but the damage was, of course, deadly. 
In response, police fired in the direction of the bomb's origin haphazzardly and when the smoke cleared, more than a dozen workers lay dead on the streets of Haymarket Square. Nearly 100 others were severely injured. 

At Haymarket Square in Chicago, Illinois, a bomb is thrown at a squad of policemen attempting to break up what had begun as a peaceful labor rally. The police responded with wild gunfire, killing several people in the crowd and injuring dozens more.

The protests were put together by German-born immigrants which set off a wave of racial and prejudicial fears against foreigners.  Chicago went about rounding up the immigrants that were believed to be the radicals and labor leaders and put them behind bars. 
A grand jury indicted 31 suspected labor radicals in connection with the bombing. Eight, were convicted. 
The judge, Joseph E. Gary sentenced seven men to death and the eighth was sentenced to 15 years in prison. 
One prisoner took his own life the night before the scheduled execution. and on November 11, 1887,  4 were executed. 
The two remaining had their sentences commuted to life imprisonment by Governor Richard J. Oglesby who acted due to the pressure from the public opinion that the eight were not given a fair trial.
Eventually, Governor John P. Altgeld, would give the last three activists still living a full pardon in 1893. 

Apparently, there were no consequences to the police officers that fired into the crowd... that I could find. 

Oddly enough on this very same date almost 90 years later... in 1970. 
After days of what started as peaceful protests against American participation in the Vietnam War, they turned violent.  Students from the Kent State University began setting fires and busting windows of local businesses. 
By the time the National Guardsmen were called in, the crowds that gathered were in the 3,000s. They were dispersed with tear gas but would reconvene the next day increasing their numbers. The students didn't appear to have weapons and some in the thousands were merely spectators. 
At a pivotal moment in history, the National Guard managed to scatter the crowds using tear gas, diffusing the group, but for an unknown, still debated reason, 28 National Guardsmen fired their weapons.  Some fired into the air and some fired directly.  
The result were four students dead, eight wounded and one permanently paralyzed. 

I grew tired and bored with the regular old Folgers mornings and began branching out to other options.  And as you may know, we are a big supporter of "small business".  
I love the fact that this coffee company (besides the perfect name!) takes great care in their brewing, flavor collections and even their customer care. 
Bones Coffee is roasted expertly in small batches, guaranteeing fresh coffee with robust flavor and depth.  It's roasted fresh every single week.  No sitting on store shelves or even their own shelves for months at a time! 
​Quote, "We roast, flavor, package, it leaves our fulfillment center and then bam - fresh coffee has arrived on your doorstep ready for your enjoyment. Our carefully crafted process is intended to give you a superior and memorable experience each and every time you open a bag of Bones."  (Lol... she said "bag of bones!!")
They boast over 30 unique flavors to choose from in addition to those that are familiar and stir up happy memories long forgotten.
Long gone are the boring coffee mornings!  I can switch things up every month! 

From their website: "In order to achieve authentic and consistent flavor, special attention needs to be given to each and every bean, which is why the small batch process takes time and vigilance. The quality and care that we take will be evident in the color and appearance of our beans, but most importantly, in the flavor and aroma. Whether you're ordering from our Single Origins line or trying Dark Roast, Espresso, High Voltage or any of our 30+ flavors, you'll be able to taste the Bones difference."

Try Bones Coffee for yourself, and you're sure to find a flavor that will brighten up your regular coffee routine!
And now, Bones Coffee and Bag of Bones Podcast make an unstoppable combination!  Brew up a fresh cup and settle in to the latest episode!
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* This is an affiliate partnership.  If you use any of our links, we may receive a small compensation.  Please and thank you!

March 30th is National Doctor's Day! So we here at Bag of Bones are taking the opportunity to mention a few in the medical profession, you should be thankful you DIDN'T get referred to!

Of course, we've had a few episodes on doctors who get a little drunk with power and if you've missed them... you should definitely check them out!

Our most recent evil doctor episode, is Linda Hazzard.  She claimed she was a doctor and even had a license to prove it for a while.  She settled her practice in Washington around Seattle, and lead people on the journey of fasting.  Only, she took fasting all the way to starvation and beyond, accepting the "gifts" of land, money and jewelry from her victims... or rather... patients. 
Listen to her episode here: Fasting as a Weapon

Norman Baker would lure people in by the thousands promising cures for their cancer.  He would instead inject them with a mixture of nonsense and charged them outrageous fees while waiting for them to die.  His trusting souls suffered every inch of the way.
Listen to this horrible man's life here: ​Norman Baker- Call Him What He Is- A Serial Killer

Walter Freeman was the showman of doctors.  He was a neurologist and believed he found the answer to all things by way of lobotomies.  He would scramble people's frontal lobes on stage, even two at a time, making sure to pause for the camera, so they got his best side.
While some of his recipients would claim to have been helped, some would even return for a second or third scrambling- but most... received permanent cognitive behavior problems and would never recover.  Walter Freeman got away with it for a really long time... 
Listen to his episode here: Who Needs A Personality Anyway?

Here's a few others we haven't gotten around to doing episodes on...

Morris Bolber was known as the Mob Doctor, since he discovered to be a part of the Philadelphia Poison Ring" in the 1930s.  He'd participate in arson, counterfeit schemes and insurance fraud, but would be best know for giving injections of arsenic to victims in order to "protect" them.  Of course, they would die, rather quickly and the mob would collect insurance that each person had signed prior to their doctor visits.
He was thought to have killed over 50 people using this method, but when he was arrested in 1939, he turned states evidence and was sentenced to life in prison instead of the electric chair.  He died in prison in 1954.

H.H. Holmes decided that being a dentist, wasn't his true calling after all.  He discovered there was too much "accountability" with that gig.  He tried his hand at murder and insurance fraud instead.  It kept him on the run for a good long time.
He is best known, perhaps for the supposed Murder Castle that turned him into a serial killing superstar.  The media created a murder house that was filled with secret rooms and passageways where he could quiet abscond with unsuspecting victims and chop them up into little bits at his leisure.
He was a doctor, yes.  He was a serial killer... yes.  But he was no where near the celebrity the media made him out to be.
He was eventually arrested and tried for the murder of his former business partner.  He, himself, began the rumors that he killed more than 27 people, but no evidence could be found of these murders.
The "notorious" H.H. Holmes was hung in 1896 at the age of 34.

A more modern story, Dr. Harold Shipman.  He is a British doctor that had a busy practice for decades.  He was loved by his patients and was one of the few doctors that would perform house calls. 
He would pray on the elderly and it's believed he took the lives of over 250 patients that trusted him.
Some for money, some for the simple fact that he could. 
He was married with four children and got away with it for years.  He would be bestowed the title of Dr. Death.  He would be tried for the deaths of 15 people but never confessed.  He would be sentenced to 15 life sentences but would end up committing suicide the night before his 58th birthday, while in prison. 

Marcel Petiot was also a piece of work... he would be known as a serial killer from the WWII era.   
After trying to make in the French Army and then serving as a mayor, he found his true passion... or rather power, came with the title of doctor.  
He was literally chased from his home in Villeneuve-sur-Yonne and made his home in Nazi occupied Paris, France. 
He evil-doctor niche was that he would tell the Jewish citizens he could help them flee the country to find safety.  He say they needed to be inoculated against the diseases in the other country before they could go.  
He would inject them with a cyanide serum and then dump their bodies in the river Seine.
That apparently wasn't enough.  He moved his practice to his home to be able to up the ante where he would kill his victims and attempt to burn them.  He killed so many, he couldn't keep up with the burning and eventually the stench of death alerted the neighbors.
He was arrested and tried for killing 26 people, but it is believed his body count was way of 60.
He was found guilty... and beheaded. 

And then, there's one name that comes to mind when you think of the evil doctors out there that everyone agrees is the worst of the worst: Josef Mengele.  He was nicknamed the Angel of Death.
He would acquire this name for his early role in choosing who would live to work and who would die among the prisoners that arrived at the Auschwitz concentration camp.  Children and the elderly were mostly escorted directly to the gas chambers. 

He was a highly trained and respected doctor and medical researcher.  In 1935, he earned his PhD in physical anthropology. During his studies, he came to believe in the theory of racial science.  He truly believed that Germans were biologically different and superior to all other races.  This racial science was practically the foundation of the Nazi platform and made it "acceptable" to sterilize, experiment on and simply  annihilate a specific race of humans
He was a prominent member of the German SS as of 1938 and would be responsible for the death of millions. 
He would move up the ranks in the Nazi Party quickly and find himself at the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp. Auschwitz-Birkenau was the largest of the Auschwitz camps and also served as a killing center for Jews deported from throughout Europe.
He was given free rein to to follow his experimental curiosities.  Mengele was fascinated with genetics.  Twins, in particular.
He would perform tons of experimental surgeries, amputations, even sewing people together.  When he was done with them, they were sent to the gas chamber as the expendable lab rats he felt they were. 
According to the Holocaust Encyclopedia:
Mengele was one of more than a dozen SS medical personnel who conducted experiments on people imprisoned at Auschwitz. These doctors included:

• Eduard Wirths, the head Auschwitz physician;
• Carl Clauberg, a noted specialist in the treatment of infertility;
• Horst Schumann, who gassed thousands of patients with disabilities during the Nazi Euthanasia Program;
• SS physician Helmut Vetter, who conducted drug trials for the Bayer subsidiary of IG Farben on prisoners at Dachau, Auschwitz, and Gusen concentration camps;
• Johann Paul Kremer, a professor of anatomy.

These doctors saw their appointment to Auschwitz as an exciting opportunity to advance their research.
He was a horrible, horrible man and his documented research has turned the stomachs of many ever since.  I know, for myself, I don't think I could endure the research on this man to bring you a full episode.  This bite size will have to do.
And... did you know, he was tried for his crimes??  He was captured, but was let go because they didn't know who he really was.  He snuck off and hid in South America for 30 years before he died in a drowning accident after having a stroke at the age of 67.

​Ugh!  Stay healthy everyone!!
An apple a day... 

The Knickerbocker Blizzard of 1922


From the Season3: Episode 15: A Change in the Weather that just released, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the Knickerbocker Blizzard.  But I never want the episodes to get too long, so that's where Beyond the Bones comes in handy!  So if you've got a moment... here's the rest of the story from A Change in the Weather.

As with our other storms we talked about in the podcast episode, this one started in the south with the warmer Gulf Coast winds and then clashed with freezing temperatures aggressively coming down from the north.  
The weather sources say it began as a dry storm, snow just whirling about, but it's when the two battle for control is when the trouble begins. 
(Does anyone else conjure up the image of the Heat Miser and Cold Miser brothers from that Christmas stop animation classic?  Just me?  Nevermind... continue on... )
The result became a winter cyclone.  A tornado of snow and it took its time wreaking havoc along the coast as it moved from Georgia all they way up to Pennsylvania. 
The southern states weren't used to having much snow in the first place, but this storm would drop at least a foot of snow in a matter of 24 hours and it was just beginning.
By the time it hit Virginia, it dropped 19 inches of snow almost paralyzing the state.  Cities like Baltimore, MD and Richmond, VA and even the Outer Banks, NC would document the complete shut down.
But it would seem, the worst hit was Washington, D.C.
It would report over 28 inches of snowfall. And even though the residents had been dealing with winter and snow the full week prior, no one was expecting this much damage from the snow.  In fact, they believed the storm was winding down and were ready to get back to their lives. 
The railroads eeked to a stop with over 30" of snow blocking their path with snowdrifts climbing to 16 feet high.

People were tired of being cooped up from the week's worth of snow, but as I mentioned, they believed it was slowing down... and technically it was?
So as the story goes, almost 1,000 people chose to brave the elements for a night of entertainment at the local movie house- The Knickerbocker.

The Knickerbocker Theatre opened to great fanfare on October 13, 1917. 
It's was commissioned by Harry Crandall who was making a name for himself by opening a chain of movie houses in Washington, D.C. and in Virginia.  He had commissioned Reginald Geere, who had himself made a name as the go-to for theatre design.
The Knickerbocker was designed to house 1,700 patrons and be a multi-use facility.  It was the largest and most elegant facility of its kind in the city. It could not only show movies on a large screen with a full orchestra in front, (because, we're still in the silent film days), but it could also be used as a lecture hall, a meeting house and had the set up to do stage productions as well. 
Catering to a higher end clientele, Crandall also included elegant parlors and lounges for his guests and ballroom to create additional options. 

With the days and days of snowfall, the roof of the Knickerbocker was holding a significant amount of weight and unbeknownst to the guests or the staff... it was about to reach its breaking point... literally. 
With little to no warning, the roof collapsed onto the balcony and within minutes, brought everything down to the main floor crushing men, women and children on the main floor. 
It all happened so quickly.  It was just after 9:00 and the streets were dark.  Many of the roads were still covered in snow making car travel difficult.  Luckily, a woman heard the calamity and phoned the police. 
The Washington Post's John Jay Daly would report, "With a roar, mighty as the crack of dawn, the massive roof of the theater broke loose from its steel moorings and crushed down on the heads of those in the balcony.  He would say, "it was as sudden as turning off an electric light."

​The telephone operator, who took the original call in turn put calls into the fire department and the local hospitals.  Because of the loud crash, residents starting flooding the area doing their best to help.  The fire engines were struggling to get to the area because of the roads and the ambulances were facing the same difficulty. 
There were so many people rushing in to help, that it was actually becoming more of mess. 
The Marines were called to the scene to try and make order from the chaos. And it's said that the military maneuvers were led by none other than Army Major George Patton.
The hundreds of people worked through the night to remove debris and large concrete sections of the roof and balcony, but by the next afternoon, little headway had been made.
Sidenote: Even through all the terror and workers, there were some, as there are with every single one of these disaster stories that come forward and remind us of out humanity and good nature.
In this story, several taxi cabs who were used to navigating the dangerous streets came forward to help get victims to hospitals. 
Neighbors opened up their homes to serve as temporary lodging for the injured and for the workers to rest, and provided hot beverages and food.  And there are stories of a little boy who would risk his life- every single time- to crawl into gaps left by the debris in order to take a drink of water to those whose voices could reach him. 
Even the theatre's architect was on hand helping to pull victims out from under the rubble. 
From the book The Knickerbocker Storm by Kevin Ambrose; he writes, ""Bodies were being carried out of the theater and they were laid down in rows on the snow-covered sidewalk, adjacent to the theater. The rescuer workers were using anything available to cover the victims, including coats, sheets, and blankets."
It took over twenty hours to unbury theatre-goers whose seats were under the balcony.  They perished under double the weight. 

President Warren G. Harding, sensing the depth of the tragedy, was moved to issue the following statement:
“I have experienced the same astounding shock and the same inexpressible sorrow which has come to all Washington, and which will be sympathetically felt throughout the land. If I knew aught to say to soften the sorrow of hundreds who are suddenly bereaved, if I could say a word to cheer the maimed suffering, I would gladly do it. The terrible tragedy, staged in the midst of the great storm, has deeply depressed all of us and left us wondering about the revolving fates.”

Reports would say that 93 people lost their lives that night, with others perishing from their injuries in the days following. Over 130 people were injured. 
The Washington Post would write, "Joseph Wade Beal, the first violinist at the Knickerbocker, was among those in the theater, only five days after his marriage. He was crushed to death."
Others would tell the story of the honeymoon couple who were vacationing in the area were killed by the falling blocks of concrete.
A post found on Ancestry.com by Kathy Baker would recall the memory of a family member who was lost in the incident: 
"Agnes was on a date. Her date was blown into the lobby and he survived. Agnes was covered in plaster and was originally listed as an unknown. She was identified by her brother, Charles Leo Mellon, from her clothing. Very sad occasion for the family and “Leo” would always cry when he thought of her. Leo was my grandfather."

Her date was a man named James.  They were running late to get to the movie on time, but it had just started before they arrived.  Without removing their coats, Agnes rushed to find them seats.  James was only a few steps behind but that was enough to escape the falling roof.  
The roof fell from side to side and the entire circumference of the seating area, but the roof over the lobby held.  And when the roof fell, it's believed a gust of wind blew James further back to safety.  He would never marry. 

Following the incident, several queries were made trying to discover the cause as it was and still is considered one of the biggest disasters in Washington, D.C. history.  It was initially blamed on faulty construction, but later it was narrowed down to a single support beam that has shifted from it's place of strength. 
Many filed lawsuits for damages, as could be expected, but none were successful as no one could agree who was at fault.
The damage, however, was still done to Harry Crandall and Reginald Geare.  They would not survive the aftermath of the disaster of the Knickerbocker. 

Historian Jerry Wallace would write, "A coroner’s jury found that the theater victims had died because of faulty construction and design. A grand jury then indicted Geare and four others for manslaughter, but the charge was later quashed.

​"Geare’s career as an architect collapsed along with Knickerbocker’s roof. The theater owner, Harry Crandall, once worth 6 million dollars and a major figure in the motion picture industry, lost his theaters and his wealth. Geare and Crandall were haunted by the disaster. This led both to their graves by suicide in gas-filled “self-execution chambers,” the former in August 1927, the latter, in February 1937."

Harry Crandall would leave behind a note asking that the reporters not be too harsh on his memory.  

For more episodes on natural disasters, hop over to theBag of Bones Topics Page!

Sidenote: Ties into Episode 8 of Season 3 in the Bag of Bones Podcast

As far as back as I could find, the Ghost Dance seemed to originate from the Paiute community  from the Nevada regions.  They were nomadic hunter/gatherers and fiercely spiritual.


In 1867 a bout of typhoid fever tore through the area killing one tenth of the Walker River Paiutes.. The next spring, 25 Paiutes, the majority being children, died of measles. This type of tragedy caused unending grief for the survivors but in a practical sense, it disrupted their way of life and economy.
They were unable to travel the way the once had and were convinced to settle at a mining town in Virginia City.
In 1869, the healer of the tribe, Wodziwob organized a series of dances. He instructed his people that they would be dances of celebration; that they would be filled with a new vision. He requested they, “ornament themselves with paint as they usually did for festivals and to dance the common round dance.”


He told the people he’d fallen into a trance and had seen the dead happy and walking about.  He claimed they spoke of a time they would be returned to live among their loved ones, perhaps in three or four years…
Ranchers began distupting the flow of water by cutting irrigation ditches in the valley, the fish the River Walkers so heavily relied on became scarce. Wodziwob’s prophecy had not come to fruition.  He apologized and believed that he was fooled and mocked by the evil witch owl that brought darkness to his people.


But the Ghost Dance spread… and the idea and hope that they would be reunited with their ancestors who had passed before them continued to fuel the religion. With the invasion of white settlers and disease and conflict and malnutrition, the tribes in Nevada and beyond were clinging to hope.
One such man would be responsible for marrying the Ghost Dance to the Christian religion, Taivo.
He followed the practices of Wodziwob and he boiled it down to practices and traditions, some of which are still followed today in the Paiute culture.
Taivo’s son Wovoka was fascinated with the belief of the Christian Messiah and how the two religions seemed to go hand in hand.
When he was around 20 years old, Wovoka would meet up with a prophet called Smohalla.  He was preaching that the spirits had warned him not to follow the white invaders’ ways.  “Cease to plow and mine the earth; they should take only the resources freely given on the earth’s surface and in the waters.”  His followers recalled that this was their way of life before the invasions and in those days, “they had not suffered such fighting, hunger and disease as now beset them.”
Wovoka had witnessed the Native American harassments and illness and how the people were forced onto reservations or face death.  They were forced to give up their way of life a told to learn to farm, even though they had no provisions or knowledge to do so.

​Fast forward to 1890…
The Native American Sioux tribes are in turmoil.  Their life has no resemblance of the life they used to have, raising their children, hunting and celebrating their traditions.  They were desperate for a sign.


Wovoka’s vision told him that the Christian Messiah, Jesus Christ would return to earth, but in the form of a Native American.  He spread the word that if they were faithful, the Messiah would make the white invaders disappear from Indigenous lands, because the lands were going to rumble and swallow them up. The buffalo and other animals would return in abundance.  And the ghosts of their  ancestors who had already passed, would return to earth and all would live in peace. 


The Ghost Dance, in its slow and steady solemn pace done with only the sound of a beating drum would be used to call out to the Messiah and create a magical robe of protection around the people as they waited for the miracle to arrive.


“The spread of news in the Indian country is one of those things not understandable of the white man, and the coming of the Messiah was spread among the Indians with the speed of the telegraph.”


“It appeared one day among the Shoshones and the Arapahoes in Wyoming; with a personal Messiah up in the mountains in some inaccessible place; the next day it was talked of in OK, NE, ND and SD- the Indians of widely distant localities coming simultaneously to the knowledge of the impending emancipation of the red man.”


Huh… almost as if it’s supernatural… spiritual, almost.

McLaughlin, decided otherwise. He sent over 40 police officers lead by Lt. Henry Bullhead to arrest the Lakota leader. Instead of arresting him and putting him a wagon, Bullhead meant to make an example of the chief by forcing him to mount on a horse and be led from the home. Oddly enough, Sitting Bull did not want to be arrested and the Lakota people came to his aid.
Around 5:30 a.m. on December 15, the police officers came to Sitting Bull's house. Bullhead told Sitting Bull that he was under arrest and that James McLaughlin wished to speak with him He then instructed that he was to leave quietly and get on his horse.
Sitting Bull, since his return from his Wild West Show days was increasingly wary of McLaughlin and didn’t trust the henchmen who had come to fetch him. ​

When the policemen attempted to use force to remove Sitting Bull from his home, his supporters were furious. ​

Catch-the-Bear, one of Sitting Bull’s loyal followers, pointed his gun and shot Bullhead, who,instead of firing at the person who shot him, fired his revolver into the chest of Sitting Bull.   Another police officer, Red Tomahawk, shot Sitting Bull in the head.  Sitting Bull dropped to the ground, dying several hours later.
A close-quarters fight erupted, ending several police and Lakota dead.
JM’s response was quote, “At this late day I am frank to say that I feared military interference with the Indians, not that I doubted the capacity of the military, but because I was convinced that a military demonstration would precipitate a collision and bloodshed, which might be avoided.”
But that’s not what happened… as was covered in the episode Wounded Knee Massacre (S3E8) the people did not revolt… they fled. The end result being so much worse…

There is so much conspiracy around the assassination of our 35th U.S. President, John F. Kennedy, that normally I wouldn't touch this topic with a ten-foot pole!  But today, being the anniversary of the historic event, I thought I would take a unique approach... just the facts.  

Here's what we know... 
​
The former president and the Mrs began their day of November 22 in Fort Worth, TX.  Even though President Kennedy had not made an official announcement to run in the next presidential election in 1964, he was making the rounds in preparation for it.  His goal was to reach Florida and Texas.  He made an appearance, solo just outside the hotel where a light drisel of rain was falling.  "There are no faint hearts in Fort Worth," Kennedy would say, "and I appreciate your being here this morning." 

The party would move on to Dallas and be greeted by a gathering of well-wishers and the Kennedy's spent some time shaking hands.  This would be the first extended appearance of the first lady since the death of their son, Patrick.  She was given a bouquet of red roses and they were escorted to their limousine.
The rain had stopped, so the plastic bubble topper for the convertible was left off. Governor John Connally and his wife, Nellie were seated in front while the Kennedy's took the back seat.
Vice President Lyndon Johnson and his wife, Ladybird rode in a vehicle directly behind.
They left the airport and headed toward downtown.  Crowds lined the streets, waving, during the entire procession. 

 Just after 12:30, the motor cade turned off  Main Street passing the tall Texas Schoolbook Depository, when the report of gunfire was heard.
Governor Connally was struck in the back.  President Kennedy was struck in the neck and the head.  The president slumped forward, while Mrs. Kennedy jumped for her seat and reached out behind the car.  (I know I said facts only today, but that would leave no answer here at all, so I offer the two most common opinions.  The first, she was trying to get the attention of the security team walking directly behind.  They were instinctively looking for the direction of the reports and may not have been aware that the president had been shot.  The other is, that she grabbed the brain matter and pieces of skull that blew back onto the trunk... possibly believing it could be put back together.  By this time, John Kennedy's body and slumped down from the seat to the floor. 

The driver of the car immediately turned out of the procession and headed toward Parkland Memorial Hospital.  It was too late. President J.F. Kennedy would be pronounced dead at 1:00 pm. He was 46 years old. 

Immediately following, the president's body was taken to Air Force One and there, Vice President, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn is as the 36th president of the United States with Jackie Kennedy at his side.  It was 2:38 pm. 

​The swearing in was witnessed by over 30 people and quickly following, the plane left Dallas Love Airfield and went directly to Washington
​
Sidenote: She refused to remove her bloodstained pink dress and was later credited with saying she wanted them to, "she what they've done to Jack."
Also, Sidenote:  Sarah Hughes was the Federal Judge who administered the oath for the new president making her the first and only female to ever do so.

In the meantime, Lee Harvy Oswald was arrested for fatally shooting a police officer, J.D. Tippitt, 45 minutes after the shooting that took Kennedy's life.  He was not arrested for the assassination.  The gun that was used, did belong to him... and he was a current employee of the Texas Schoolbook Depository and yes, he was arrested for another killing recently as well... but he would never stand trial for either since two days later during a jail transfer, He was shot and killed in the basement of the Dallas Police Station at close range by Jack Ruby.

Many believe that Jack Ruby's actions would play into a bigger cover-up conspiracy but when on trial for the murder, he denied the allegations and claimed that he was so grief stricken at the murder of the president, he temproarily suffered from "psychomotor epilepsy" and committed the shooting unconsciously.
He was found guilty of "murder with malice" and sentenced to death, but wouldn't make it to the new trial as he suffered from a pulmonary embolism after being diagnosed with cancer. 

S3E6: The Extended Bob Crane Story

The New York Times Magazine writes, quote “Had Bob Crane not been a sex addict, had he not been bludgeoned to death with his own tripod in an Arizona condo surrounded by an elaborate array of video equipment, had he not photographed hundreds of women naked in twosomes and threesomes and orgies and had his murder not gone unsolved…He would be remembered, if he was remembered at all, as the star of ''Hogan's Heroes,’
As the star of ''Hogan's Heroes,'' Crane enjoyed the same kind of fame as Gilligan or Greg Brady -- his character became part of America's collective pop-culture nostalgia. Embalmed by syndication, Crane would have been the wisecracking Hogan forever. But in the years since his death in 1978, when the porno pictures started surfacing in the tabloids and his secrets began to unravel, Crane became infamous."

And technically, it still might have quieted down if his family hadn't wanted to cash in on the drama surrounding his death.  Personally, it was hard for me to get through the research on this one because, it was such a senseless crime- I mean, most of them are, but isn't it enough that his life was taken away at such a young age and in such a brutal way?  But then his antics are drug through the mud. 
I'm not condoning his actions and maybe this is his "paying the piper", but it just turned my stomach how the family pounced on his fleeting fame. 

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not listened to the episode, this following may ruin the twists and turns! 

I'm curious to hear what you might have taken away from the crime - as a crime.  Do you believe John Carpenter was guilty?  If not, who do you put as a suspect?
In these types of cases, we are prompted to "follow the money" and in this case, the only ones who would have benefited from Crane's death was Patti Crane.  It was proven that there was NO WAY she could have actually, physically committed the murder as she was apparently on an island that night.  Police said they actually made the drive to and from Arizona to see if it was possible.  I'd be curious of who took out the life insurance policies and when.  If she was a suspect, this tidbit would be important too:  Apparently on father's day weekend, she took their son to visit him in Arizona.  It's caught on video, because... he documents everything.  (It's out on YouTube if you want to find it.) It was very touching.  He was obviously affected by their visit.  
IF she was planning his murder, maybe she planned this visit to divert attention?  IF they were planning on a divorce, maybe this prolonged the proceedings... just enough?
When did his first family get removed from the will?  Was there a will?  He was such a family man, I don't believe he would alienate his children that way.  The Scottsdale police department did admit that they never considered Patti Crane a serious suspect.  

IF Carpenter killed him... he could have taken the tripod (possible murder weapon with him) cleaned it off, taken it on the plane and it said he went straight to work.  He could have easily hidden it among the other millions of tripods that were probably all over his work.  And why go to Richard Dawson's house?  And stay there?
He does certainly act suspicious, but he really did everything they asked of him.  If I remember correctly, he submitted to more than one lie-detector test and passed them all.  The police really did have nothing.  Did they check out his hotel room?  His clothing?
There's no way, that big of a mess did not get on some clothing! 
AND that murder was extremely passionate.  There was some ANGER involved with those blows.
I usually try to find court transcripts and police records, but I just couldn't get my hands on those.  I just had to wade through the sludge of gossip.  I still have SO many questions! 


Tune in to the Bag of Bones Podcast to hear the whole sorted story. 

Books for further reading:
Who Killed Bob Crane- John Hook
Who Killed Bob Crane? is Hook’s first-hand account of a two-year investigation and search for the truth. It’s seen though the eyes of the people who were there—witnesses, detectives, prosecutors, jurors, and family members. John Hook takes readers on an incredible reporter’s journey for an inside look at the sensational physical evidence in a final attempt to learn the truth.

Bob Crane: The Definitive Biography- Carol Ford, Linda Groundwater & Dee Young
Carol Ford writes, quote “We talked with about 200 people—family members; friends as far back as grade school; and colleagues in radio, television, theatre, and film. From them, we learned that Bob was kind. He cared about people. He was generous, considerate, charitable, and compassionate. He was funny and could brighten a room just by walking into it.  We have been given heaping helpings of “the dark side” with only little snippets of the good — good that included his devotion as a father to his four children from both of his marriages, his generosity to his friends and his countless hours of volunteer work for numerous charitable organizations.
Crane: Sex, Celebrity and My Father's Murder- by Robert Crane
This is the son't addition. From the description:  Through disappointment, loss, and heartbreak, Crane's humor and perseverance shine. Beyond the big stars and behind-the-scenes revelations, this riveting account of death, survival, and renewal in the shadow of the Hollywood sign makes a profound statement about the desire for love and permanence in a life where those things continually slip away
From what I could see, Scott Crane never did get his book published and he also had a movie script in the works that went by the wayside.  Probably for the best, I'm sure. 
The Murder of Bob Crane: Who Killed the Star of Hogan's Heroes?- Robert Greysmith
This was the book that was used as a base for the controversial movie Auto Focus which starred Greg Kinnear as Crane and William DeFoe as Carpenter

Grab all 6 seasons of Hogan's Heroes on DVD to binge watch at home!

I am so excited to start up this additional blog for my website! 
Yes, I still have my other one, Ginger Life and I post more personal things over there and share my experiences and thoughts about my various adventures.  But THIS blog is all about American history!
It's like an extension of the Bag of Bones Podcast in where I can expound of some of the topics I've covered in an episode.  I can use this platform to bring you updates on new developments and this is a great place to connect with you!  I love your comments and feedback and here we can communicate.
I will also be adding smaller stories that I find that I think you'd like, but just aren't big enough to create an episode.  
This will also be a great place to share with you when I get to visit a historical site, LIVE!  (It might cross over with the content of Ginger Life, since I talk about travel over there, but it crossovers shouldn't happen too often.)
We are three seasons in on the Bag of Bones Podcast which means, I need to start upping my game.  This blog will be just the beginning!
I'm hoping to eventually expand to a membership of sorts who want even more history in their lives.  More episodes, more community and more merch!  I've had so many requests for unique merchandise that if I keep putting it off, that would just come of as rude.
The website has also been approved to promote products found on Amazon so- if you see a highlighted passage, feel free to click on it to purchase.  We will get a bit of a kickback every time you do.  It will take a ton of clicks to cover the costs of hosting a podcast and website, but... every little bit helps and allow me to thank you in advance.
I thought it would be a great way to share with you some of the books I use in my research if you want to dive even deeper.  One click, and it takes you right to it.  (I know I appreciate those shortcuts when I'm searching for something!)
And I promise not to junk up the blog with annoying adds and blinking banners.  I really hate that...

So, just to test it out... here's a link to the Bag of Bones Podcast Journal!  Didn't know you needed one until now, did ya?  This is all a learning curve for me as well, so please let me know if something isn't working right or I'm getting a little heavy handed with my linking. 

In other changes, the Bag of Bones Podcast will no longer be produced by the Ragtag Network.  For the time being, the past episodes and photos can still be seen over there (www.ragtagnetwork.com) but we are going to try and get things moved so they will all be conveniently located all in one space on one platform.  We'll have the actual episodes, the topics page and now the blog... next the merchandise. It may take a minute, so please be patient with me!

I hope you'll join me and take advantage of these blog posts.  Let me know if there's something you'd think would make a great post!

And we're off... Season 3 is going to be great!