With crime-stopping old ladies, fortune-telling dogs and professional walkers-on-heads, it's all go in the first mini episode for 2019. Join your hosts, Jim and Violet, as they unravel the most surreal, ridiculous, and utter nonsense shorter stories from the historical newspaper archives. HEALTH AND SAFETY WARNING: Do not attempt to recreate the 1894 wine recipe described in this episode. If by some miracle it doesn't kill you, you'll wish it had. Yesterday's Chip Paper is a fortnightly(ish) podcast that looks at true stories found in historic newspapers from across the world. With hundreds of years of history at their fingertips, the only real limit to the stories that are told is that they have to have happened - or, at least, been reported. Whether it's true crime, mass hysteria or unusual reporting of famous events, it's always guaranteed to be downright bonkers. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter @paperpodcast, and on email at [email protected]   Archives used in this episode: British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk Trove (National Library of Australia) http://trove.nla.gov.au/ Newspapers.com Music: http://bensound.com

"Born and brought up through childhood with wild animals for playmates", Frank C. Bostock was no ordinary child. From the age of 15, he became the "Boy Trainer" for his parents' travelling menagerie, and went on to become a pioneers of showbiz across Britain - before monopolising the prime real estate of Dreamland in Coney Island with his epic displays. From fighting the world's first boxing kangaroo to fishing one of his performing lions out of the sewers of Birmingham, Bostock's career was a rollercoaster ride of success, disaster and death. Also this week - a debate on the merits of "ragging" at universities, and an Australian poem (-?). Yesterday's Chip Paper is the history podcast where your hosts, Jim and Violet, scour historical newspaper archives and unearth forgotten stories. From mad scientists to murderers, elaborate con artists to the elaborately conned, the only limit to what we can find is that someone, somewhere has to have written about it. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter @paperpodcast, and on email at [email protected] Archives used in this episode: https://trove.nla.gov.au https://newspapers.com https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/ Other sources: https://archive.org/details/trainingofwildan00bostuoft/page/48 http://www.bostock.net/tree/bostgen/names/leek/frank1866.html https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/nfca/projects/frankbostockbio http://www.stereostokey.com/2009/02/frank-c-bostock-%E2%80%93-the-animal-king-of-abney-park-cemetery/    

In this episode of Yesterday's Chip Paper, join Violet and Jim and hear the story of the Bronco Bustin' Baronet, AKA Sir Genille Cave-Browne-Cave, a man who did every possible job on earth, fought in every nearest convenient war and survived things that should have killed a moose. Plus, a letter about an organ plague and a poem describing the worst train journey in history.   Yesterday's Chip Paper is a fortnightly(ish) podcast that looks at true stories found in historic newspapers from across the world. With hundreds of years of history at their fingertips, the only real limit to the stories that are told is that they have to have happened - or, at least, been reported. Whether it's true crime, mass hysteria or unusual reporting of famous events, it's always guaranteed to be downright bonkers. Archives used in this episode: https://trove.nla.gov.au https://newspapers.com https://britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg https://newspapers.library.wales/ https://cdnc.ucr.edu

With ghosts solving their own murders, ghosts murdering innocent victims, and other stories that involve neither ghosts nor murder, things are getting SPOOKY for this mini episode. Such as the lady haunted by a… penny? Join your hosts, Jim and Violet, as they prove that truth is truly stranger than fiction just in time for the haunting season. So buckle up, it's time for a journey through the truly strange, bizarre and macabre this Halloween. Yesterday's Chip Paper is a fortnightly(ish) podcast that looks at true stories found in historic newspapers from across the world. With hundreds of years of history at their fingertips, the only real limit to the stories that are told is that they have to have happened - or, at least, been reported. Whether it's true crime, mass hysteria or unusual reporting of famous events, it's always guaranteed to be downright bonkers. Archives used in this episode: British Newspaper Archive https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk Trove (National Library of Australia) http://trove.nla.gov.au/ Music: Intro/outro: Ghost Surf Rock by Loyalty Freak Music - thanks to the Free Music Archive http://freemusicarchive.org Other music (in order of appearance) Lurking Fear - thanks to https://www.purple-planet.com/ Night Terrors - thanks to https://www.purple-planet.com/ Ominous Pursuit by Eric Matyas - find him here https://soundimage.org

This week, we check in with a man of many names who commits the most heinous of crime, then disappears...or does he? Plus, Jim reads a letter from a 130-year-old Facebook troll and possibly the best poem we've found to date. Yesterday's Chip Paper is the podcast where your hosts, Jim and Violet, scour historical newspaper archives and unearth forgotten stories. From mad scientists to murderers, elaborate con artists to the elaborately conned, the only limit to what we can find is that someone, somewhere has to have written about it. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter @paperpodcast, and on email at [email protected] Archives used in this episode: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk www.newspapers.com Other sources: North Carolina Bandits, Bushwackers, Outlaws, Crooks, Devils, Ghosts, Desperadoes and Other Assorted and Sundry Characters! By Carole Marsh https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=FHLG--BGQ-IC Intro/Outro - The International Rag (Al Jolson & Sophie Tucker) All music comes with thanks to the Free Music Archive. 

In the wilds of 1800s Scotland, one man stood alone against those who sought to subvert the law by smuggling and distilling their own, tax-free booze. Using violence, guile, violence and a hardiness that is rare in a human being (plus violence), Malcolm Gillespie became a hero to some, a curse to others and a criminal to all.  Join Jim and Violet as we look at the incredibly tough - and violent, don't forget - life of this Exciseman who worked tirelessly to keep Scotland above board. Unless you're a horse.  Plus, Violet's letter this episode is a treatise on the etymology of a bicycle or almost no reason, as well as a genuinely touching ode to a dog.  Resources used in this episode: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk https://www.historyscotland.com/articles/features/the-life-of-scottish-smuggler-and-exciseman-malcolm-gillespie

In this edition of Yesterday's Chip Paper Extra!, Jim and Violet explore desperate fights between boys and eagles, incompetent night watchmen, the dangerous world of overenthusiastic film buffs, and a cantankerous character from Jim's past. Yesterday's Chip Paper is the podcast where your hosts, Jim and Violet, scour historical newspaper archives and unearth forgotten stories. From mad scientists to murderers, elaborate con artists to the elaborately conned, the only limit to what we can find is that someone, somewhere has to have written about it. You can find us on Facebook and Twitter @paperpodcast, and on email at [email protected] Archives used in this episode: www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk www.newspapers.com

With the help of his gun "Old Kill-Devil", Sam Hildebrand became a figure revered by the entire state of Missouri, including the infamous Jesse James. This episode, we're going to the wilderness of Doe Run in St Francis County, for the tale of a notorious bushwhacker during the Civil War. With over 100 alleged kills to his name, Hildebrand embarked on a lifelong journey of death and destruction. With a $10,000 price on his head and hundreds of men after the reward, his reign of terror continued far longer than it should have. Also this week, Jim looks at some curious egg thefts, and tells the tale of a dead cat through poetry. Yesterday's Chip Paper is a bimonthly podcast where your hosts - two Transatlantic researchers with a fondness for the unusual - delve into historical newspaper archives to unearth forgotten stories from days gone by. From mad scientists to murderers, sapient pigs to sausage kings, the only limit to the stories we tell is that someone has to have written about it.    Archives used in this episode:   www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk www.newspapers.com https://archive.org/stream/hildebrandsamuel00hildrich#page/n9/mode/2up Intro/Outro - The International Rag (Al Jolson & Sophie Tucker) All music comes with thanks to the Free Music Archive. 

George A. Witzhoff was born in Switzerland in the 1860s. Following the death of his father, he moved to the US to become proficient in the art of dentistry. Teeth didn't cut it for George, however. In fact, George had a particular talent for con-artistry, theft and escape. Join Jim and Violet as we explore the sordid life of a man who came to be known as 'America's Arch-Bigamist'.    Yesterday's Chip Paper is a bimonthly podcast where your hosts - two Transatlantic researchers with a fondness for the unusual - delve into historical newspaper archives to unearth forgotten stories from days gone by. From mad scientists to murderers, sapient pigs to sausage kings, the only limit to the stories we tell is that someone has to have written about it.    Archives used in this episode:   www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk www.newspapers.com https://www.nytimes.com/1908/01/22/archives/witzhoff-fears-victims-wants-to-be-tried-where-there-are-fewest.html  https://trove.nla.gov.au/  http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=p&p=home&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN-------- https://cdnc.ucr.edu/cgi-bin/cdnc https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/    Intro/Outro - The International Rag (Al Jolson & Sophie Tucker) All music comes with thanks to the Free Music Archive. 

Ida Lewis and Nancy Rose were two of a kind - women who tended lighthouses after their father and husband respectively could no longer enact their duties. Ida would go on to win worldwide fame and be dubbed the "Bravest Woman in America". Nancy… would not. This episode, Violet tells the story about how the lives of two seemingly similar lighthouse keepers could result in very different circumstances.   Yesterday's Chip Paper is a bimonthly podcast where your hosts - two Transatlantic researchers with a fondness for the unusual - delve into historical newspaper archives to unearth forgotten stories from days gone by. From mad scientists to murderers, sapient pigs to sausage kings, the only limit to the stories we tell is that someone has to have written about it.   Archives used in this episode:   www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk www.newspapers.com http://newspapers.library.wales/   More on Nancy Rose:   http://www.lighthousedigest.com/Digest/StoryPage.cfm?StoryKey=2174   Macabre London Podcast: https://www.acast.com/macabrelondon   Intro/Outro - The International Rag (Al Jolson & Sophie Tucker) All music comes with thanks to the Free Music Archive.