Southern Mysteries Podcast

The Koreshan State Historic Site in Estero, Florida is one of the most peculiar historic sites in the American South. This state park showcases the life of Dr. Cyrus Teed, the founder of Koreshanity. Those who joined this religious and scientific movement sought immortality through celibacy and believed the entire universe existed within a giant, hollow sphere. The Koreshan Unity has been dubbed “one of the most bizarre” communal utopian societies organized in the 19th century. They were forced to relocate several times until they found a permanent home in the swamplands of southwest Florida. Want more Southern Mysteries?  Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.com Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: [email protected]  Recommended Reading The Allure of Immortality: An American Cult, a Florida Swamp, and a Renegade Prophet by Lyn Millner Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and A Legacy of Rage by Jeff Guinn  Episode Sources WGCU Gulf Coast Life: The connection between Cyrus Teed and the Koreshans and David Koresh and the Branch Davidians. March 14, 2023. The Koreshnans: Archives of former holdings of the Koreshan State Historic Site. Florida State Parks: Koreshan State Historic Site World Religious and Spirituality Project: Koreshans by Lyn Millner WGCU: Florida History: Koreshan Unity: A Quest for Utopia | Untold Stories | Florida History US Department of the Interior: Preserving America’s Utopian Dream, 2001. “Dr. Cyrus Teed and the Koreshan Unity Movement” by Catherine Anthony Ohnemus. Florida Rambler: Koreshan State Park is Florida’s strangest historic site. August 3, 2024. Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

In May 1904, the residents of Yazoo City, Mississippi witnessed a devastating fire that destroyed half of their town. This fire was believed to be the result of a curse spoken by a woman known as the Witch of Yazoo, just before her death two decades earlier. Willie Morris, a writer and native of Mississippi, shared the legend in his book, "Good Old Boy." Following his passing in 1999, he was buried in Glenwood Cemetery in Yazoo City, 13 paces due south of the Witch of Yazoo's grave. Many mysteries surround this tale: Was the witch a historical figure, a character inspired by a resident, or a legend passed down through generations? Who rests beneath the marker commemorating one of the South's most famous witches? Want more Southern Mysteries?  Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.com Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: [email protected]  Episode Sources The Times-Democrat: Mississippi Matters, Yazoo City Fire. May 27, 1904 Jackson Daily-News: Committees are active today for the Yazoo City Fire Sufferers. May 27, 1904.  The Yazoo Herald: Chained Grave Holds Jealous Wife, Says Longtime Yazoo City Resident. July 5, 1978. Yazoo Herald: Letters to The Editor, Vay McGraw. November 23, 1991.  Yazoo Herald: It’s Time To Bury The Witch of Yazoo for Good. April 4, 1998  Yazoo Herald: Letters to the Editor, Willie Morris, April 11, 1998.  The Clarion-Ledger: Willie Morris to be buried near witches grave. August 5, 1999. The Delta Statement: Into the Fire, March 2, 2022. Yazoo County Convention and Visitors Bureau: Witch of Yazoo Clarion Ledger: The Witch of Yazoo still haunts the town she burned. October 28, 2014. National Park Service: Nehemiah “Skip” James, October 2017. McElreath, Leisa & Lindsley, Ashley. (2018). 1904 DESTRUCTION OF YAZOO CITY: A CASE STUDY OF COMMUNITY RESILANCE. 10.13140/RG.2.2.13079.68002. City of Yazoo: The History of Yazoo City,  Visit Yazoo: 10 Can’t Miss Spots Independent Order of Oddfellows: History of American Odd Fellows Yazoo Herald: Vay Gregory McGraw. May 9, 2023. The ParaInvestigator YouTube: According to Local Legend: The Mystery of the Yazoo Witch. January 5, 2024 Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

State Solicitor George Bailes described the murder of Faye New as the most heinous crime ever committed in Jefferson County, Alabama. Faye New's story is shrouded in mystery and sorrow. She was a lively young woman, renowned for her warm smile and compassionate nature. In 1934, tragedy struck when she disappeared after agreeing to accompany a young man for a car ride on a summer evening. Search parties were organized, and the next day, Faye's lifeless body was discovered in a ditch at the edge of a cornfield. For months, local newspapers extensively covered every aspect of this murder mystery. Was it a crime of passion committed by a young man who professed his love for her? Or did the man who offered her a ride bring an end to a promising young life? Want more Southern Mysteries?  Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.com Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: [email protected]  Episode Sources Encyclopedia Alabama: Irondale, Alabama BhamWiki: Woodlawn Findagrave: Faye News Findagrave: Ashley Cain Findagrave: Dorsie New Findagrave: Lonnie New The Birmingham News: Woodlawn High Senior Faye New. February 9, 1930 The Birmingham Post-Herald: Co Ed Missing; 2 Men Quizzed. August 22, 1934.  The Birmingham News: Girl Found Dead. August 22, 1934. The Birmingham Age-Herald: Taylor is Jailed in Co-ed Death. August 23, 1934 The Birmingham News: Police, Solicitor, Increase Activity in Taylor’s Case. August 25, 1934. The Birmingham News: Special Jury Probes Murder of Faye New. August 27, 1934. The Birmingham Post-Herald: Co Ed Death Jury Indicts Taylor. August 28, 1934. The Birmingham News: 34 to be Called in Taylor Trial. August 28, 1934. The Birmingham News: Jury is selected with hearing of witnesses next. September 4, 1934 The Birmingham News: Cain is calm as lawyer charges him with killing. September 6, 1934 The Birmingham News: Harold Taylor Gives His Version of Fatal Ride with Faye New. September 7, 1934. The Birmingham News: Taylor Repeats Denial of Guilt. September 7, 1934. The Birmingham News: Taylor’s Fate Now in Jury’s Hands.September 8, 1934 The Birmingham News: Faye New’s Death is still a baffling puzzle to police. September 10, 1934 The Birmingham News: Mother of Slain Faye New Weeps. September 10, 1934. The Atlanta Constitution: Taylor is Cleared of Attack Charge. September 11, 1934 The Birmingham Post: Detectives Back on Co-Ed Murder. September 12, 1934 The Birmingham Post-Herald: Taylor, Freed, Is Happy at Home. September 10, 1934. The Birmingham Post: Harold Taylor Fined as Drunk. June 12, 1935 The Birmingham Post: Father and Son Will Face Peace Warrants. October 23, 1935. The Birmingham Post: Charges dropped against father and son. November 2, 1935 The Birmingham News: Faye New’s Diary Is Buried with Slain Co-ed. August 25, 1936. The Birmingham Post: Faye New Father Succombs. December 31, 1936. The Birmingham Post: Faye New Slaying, Six Years Old, Still Unsolved. August 19, 1940. Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

In this episode of Southern Mysteries, host Shannon Ballard delves into the perplexing case of David Glenn Lewis, a well-respected lawyer from Amarillo, Texas, who vanished under mysterious circumstances in January 1993. Despite being a beloved family man and community leader, David's disappearance left his family and law enforcement with more questions than answers. David's body was found 1,600 miles away in Washington State, identified only years later through the use of Google by a determined detective. The discovery solved one mystery but deepened another: how did David end up in Washington, and what led to his tragic death by a hit-and-run driver? Want more Southern Mysteries?  Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.com Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: [email protected]  Episode Sources Fort Worth Telegram Star: Amarillo Police Are Stumped in Search for Missing Lawyer. June 27, 1993.  Juneau Empire: Experts say that Roberts may indeed have amnesia. July, 17, 1997 NBC News: Google used to identify long-lost victim. October 8, 2004.  The Crime Wire: The Strange Disappearance and Death of David Glenn Lewis. June 23, 2024 Seattle Post-Intelligence Reporter: 1993 hit-run victim is finally identified. October 9, 2004 NPR Morning Edition: For Man With Amnesia, Love Repeats Itself. December 13, 2012 Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

The death of Mary Ravenel remains one of Charleston’s most baffling mysteries. The 64 year old widow was found slumped on the sidewalk near her home on November 1, 1933. People stopped to help and transported Mary to the hospital. She complained of unbearable pain but doctors were unable to determine the source of her injuries and Mary died. Investigators struggled to answer the question of how Mary Ravenel died? Was it accidental? Or cold blooded murder? Want more Southern Mysteries?  Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @explorethesouthEmail: [email protected]  Episode Sources South Carolina Bandits, Bushwackers, Outlaws, Crooks, Devils, Ghosts and other assorted characters By Carole Marsh South Carolina Killers: Crimes of Passion by Mark Jones Charleston Historical Exhibits and Information: The Mysterious Death of Mary Ravenel, 1933 South Carolina Encyclopedia: Ravenel, St. Julien SC Picture Project: Palmer Home Charleston Raconteurs: William Ravenel House The Asheville Times: Bullet Pierced Body of Woman Found in Street, November 2, 1933 Greensboro Record: Strange Death of Charleston Woman Is Veiled in Mystery, November 3, 1933 The Charlotte Observer: Stray Bullet Kills Woman, November 3, 1933 The State: Mrs. Ravenel Told Hospital ‘A Man Hit Me’, November 3, 1933 Florence Morning News: Woman’s Death Still Mystery, November 4, 1933 The Gazette: Mrs. Ravenel’s Slayer Never Apprehended, October 4, 1936 The State: Ravenel Death Still Unsolved, April 5, 1938 The Columbia Record: Charlotte Storm Kills 30, September 29, 1938 Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

In 1931, 18 year old Helen Spence became a household name, and Arkansas folk hero, after she sought vengeance for the death of her father and stepmother. Over the next three years, the media followed Helen’s trial, imprisonment, second murder charge, prison escapes, and her murder at the age of 22.  Want more Southern Mysteries?  Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @explorethesouthEmail: [email protected]  Episode Sources Encyclopedia of Arkansas: Helen Spence (1912–1934) People’s River History Project: A Secret History of American River People  Denise White Parkinson: Daughter of the White River: Depression-Era Treachery and Vengeance in the Arkansas Delta Only In Arkansas: River of Redemption: The Helen Spence Story The Daily World: Decisions of the Arkansas Supreme Court, January 13, 1930 The Shreveport Journal: Wounded Man is Thrown in River, April 24, 1930  Hope Star: Body of Timber Worker, Drowned in River, Found, June 5, 1930 The Columbus Ledger: Girl Kills Accused Slayer of Father in Courtroom, January 20,1931 The Barre Daily Times: Young Woman Didn’t Trust Jury with Trial, January 20, 1931 Sun Herald: Courtroom Slayer Gets Five Year Term, April 2, 1931 Reading Times: Arrest Trusty for Killing Girl Who Fled Prison, July 13, 1934 Daily News: Tragedy of Helen Spence Eaton, July 22, 1934 Hope Star: Martin Acquitted in Eaton Slaying, September 28, 1934 Arkansas Times: The river people, August 17, 2006 Fox 16 TV: River Justice: pardon sought for Delta folk hero Malvern Daily Record: Helen Spence: An Arkansas Folk Hero for the Ages, March 6, 2023 Episode Music Impromptu, Traveler and Unanswered Questions by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Dr. Jacob Herman Feist was one of Nashville’s most eligible bachelors when he was accused of murder following the disappearance of his lover, Mrs. Mangrum. Was one of the city’s most prominent citizens one of its earliest known serial killers or a womanizer who was destroyed by accusations and gossip?  Want more Southern Mysteries?  Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @explorethesouthEmail: [email protected]  Episode Sources The Tennessean Sadie Goldstein Obituary, May 11, 1903 The Tennessean Dr. Feist’s Denial, May 16, 1903 Grundy News Sadie Goldstein, May 21, 1903 Feist Court Case J. Herman Feist vs. The State Knoxville Sentinel Saw Dr. Feist Embrace Woman, January 29, 1907 The Journal and Tribune Morbid Crowd Fed Salacious Morsels, Jan 30, 1907 The Tennessean May Not Go On Witness Stand, Jan 31, 1907 Nashville Banner Dr. Feist Witnesses Last Scene of the Trial with no Visible Emotion, Feb 16, 1907 Nashville Banner Defense Asks for Adjournment, March 26, 1907 The Tennessean Treatment of Dr. J. H. Feist  The Tennessean The Feist Case, April 4, 1978 The Baldwin Times Dr. Feist Dies at Tensaw Home, October 23, 1952 Genealogy Trails Davidson County J. Herman Feist Bio Notorious Nashville Scoundrels, Rogues and Outlaws, By Brian Allison Find a Grave Dr. Jacob Herman Feist (1873-1952) Episode Music Impromptu and Unanswered Questions by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

On May 4, 1931, William and Mamie Wagner were murdered at their home in northwest  Mississippi. The Jackson Clarion-Ledger called the murders of one of the most prominent couples in the area, “the most brutal tragedy that has ever happened in this section of Mississippi”. Want more Southern Mysteries?  Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @shannonballard_Email: [email protected]  Episode Sources The Commercial Appeal Mass Meeting on Charges Relative to Death of Rev H.P. Gibbs, May 6, 1899 State Historical Society Archives Anti-Lynching Bill, 1921 The Greenwood Commonwealth Water Valley Merchant and Wife Slain, May 5, 1931 Biloxi Sun Herald Sheriff Gets Confession in Wagner Crime, May 6, 1931 The Clarion-Ledger Atrocities in Northern Part of State Bringing Intense Police Efforts, May 7, 1931 The Clarion-Ledger Murder Victims Are Laid to Rest, May 8, 1931 The Clarion-Ledger Verdict Carries Dealth Penalty For Whitaker in Wagner Slayings, June 12, 1931 North Mississippi Herald The Infamous History of Water Valley, May 14, 2008 North Mississippi Herald Century Old Jail Is Piece Of History, April 6, 2011 Hill Country History Water Valley (1858) Ancestry.com William Buford Wagner, Jr. Water Valley Chamber of Commerce Attractions - Carnival Info Episode Music Impromptu and Unanswered Questions by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com). Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

The Nelms Sisters Mystery is one of the most sensational mysteries of the early 20th century, that most people have never heard of. In the summer of 1914, Eloise Nelms was in love with an attorney she planned to marry. Her sister Beatrice questioned the attorney’s motives and wanted proof that he had her sister's best interest at heart. The sisters took a train from Atlanta, headed to Texas to meet the attorney. They were never seen alive again.  Want more Southern Mysteries?  Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @shannonballard_Email: [email protected]  Episode Sources An Old Coot’s Essays About An Earlier Georgia and Other Topics by Eddie Rollins Forgotten Stories: The World’s Worst Divorce Attorney Atlanta West End: Historic West End The Atlanta Constitution: Death Claims Him, March 1, 1911 Oakland Tribune: Mystery of Two Sisters Deepens, July 10, 1914 Charlotte Daily Observer: Search for Women Makes No Progress, July 11, 1914 Tampa Journal: Atlanta Quivers with Excitement in Letter Puzzle, July 12, 1914 The Atlanta Journal: Mother, Heartbroken, Tells of Power Innes Had Over Daughter, July 12, 1914  San Francisco Examiner: Mrs. Nelms Bares Daughters Tragic Love, July 13, 1914 The Atlanta Journal: Womans Clubs Urged to Aid Nelms Search, July 13,1914 The Atlanta Journal: Evidence Sought to Hold Innes, July 16, 1914 The Eugene Guard: Former US District Attorney Arrested in Eugene, August 19, 1914 The Atlanta Journal: Strange Letters to Aid in Solving Nelms Mystery Case, August 21, 1914 The Macon Telegraph: Bones Found in Connect with Nelms Mystery Are Positively Identified As Human, September 9, 1914 The Americus Times Daily Recorder: Speculation Made in Case of INnes and wife, April 4, 1916 The Atlanta Constitution: Finger of Death Inscribes ‘Finis’ on Final Chapter of Nelms Case, April 1, 1936 Episode Music Northern Lights by Chris Hauge.  Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Deep Haze by Kevin McLeod. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: http://incompetech.com

The Battle of Blair Mountain, in the summer of 1921, was one of the largest civil uprisings in American History. Violent attacks on Appalachian miners and their families, dangerous working conditions and a forced debt system in company towns contributed to the largest and bloodiest armed uprising since the Civil War. Want more Southern Mysteries?  Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @shannonballard_Email: [email protected]  Episode Sources The Road to Blair Mountain by Charles Keeney On Dark and Bloody Ground by Anne Lawrence National Park Service: Introduction to the West Virginia Mine Wars Smithsonian Magazine: What Made the Battle of Blair Mountain the Largest Labor Uprising in American History Zinn Education Project: The Devil Is Here in These Hills ReImagine Appalachia: The Battle of Blair Mountain West Virginia Archives & History United Mine Workers of America: Standing United, Living Divided: Black coal miners and their fight for justice West Virginia Mine Wars Museum JSTOR Daily: Rednecks: A Brief History.  Episode Music Out of the Mines by Ross Gentry. Used with permission of artist. Resolution by Kevin McLeod. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: http://incompetech.com