1 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,440 Speaker 1: Welcomed. Aaron Manky's Cabinet of Curiosity is a production of 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio and Grim and Mild. Our world is 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: full of the unexplainable, and if history is an open book, 4 00:00:18,239 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: all of these amazing tales are right there on display, 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: just waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:39,280 Speaker 1: of Curiosities. Australia is a country full of wonder and awe. 7 00:00:39,479 --> 00:00:42,160 Speaker 1: From the Great Barrier Reef to the Sydney Opera House 8 00:00:42,360 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: to Blue Mountain National Park, there are countless sites that 9 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:48,480 Speaker 1: make ods the beautiful place that it is, and yet 10 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,920 Speaker 1: Australia is also home to dangerous and even deadly phenomena. 11 00:00:52,240 --> 00:00:54,640 Speaker 1: It's become something of a running joke that everything in 12 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: Australia is trying to kill. You be at land or 13 00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,560 Speaker 1: see there's bound to be something venomous lurking us around 14 00:01:00,560 --> 00:01:04,399 Speaker 1: the corner. For example, the blue ringed octopus contains a 15 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 1: bite that doesn't hurt at first until ten minutes later 16 00:01:07,600 --> 00:01:10,640 Speaker 1: when the victims suddenly can't breathe or swallow. And then 17 00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,080 Speaker 1: there's the taipe in, one of at least a hundred 18 00:01:13,120 --> 00:01:16,720 Speaker 1: venomous species of snakes in Australia. Its bite contains enough 19 00:01:16,800 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: venom to kill over one people. Lucky for us, it 20 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:23,000 Speaker 1: lives in remote parts of the country and doesn't really 21 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 1: interact with humans all that much. And yet the one 22 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:30,080 Speaker 1: place people don't tend to worry about the sky after all, 23 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,520 Speaker 1: what could be so harmful up there except maybe the 24 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,240 Speaker 1: UV index. Well, his name is Hector, and he likes 25 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:38,679 Speaker 1: to pay a visit to one particular part of Australia 26 00:01:39,080 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: every afternoon. Hector was first spotted during World War Two. 27 00:01:43,120 --> 00:01:46,080 Speaker 1: He moved like clockwork, showing up over the Tewee Islands 28 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: off the Northern Australian coast. Pilots and sailors would track 29 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:52,840 Speaker 1: Hector's position in relation to their own, allowing them to 30 00:01:52,880 --> 00:01:55,680 Speaker 1: know where they were at all times. Between the months 31 00:01:55,720 --> 00:01:58,840 Speaker 1: of September and March. At around three o'clock in the afternoon, 32 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,560 Speaker 1: Hector arrives in grand fashion. He likes to roll in 33 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: on the nice days when the sun is high and 34 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:07,120 Speaker 1: the sky is bright blue, bringing with him a bit 35 00:02:07,160 --> 00:02:10,720 Speaker 1: of unpleasant weather as well. If you haven't guessed by now, 36 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:16,480 Speaker 1: Hector isn't a person or even an animal. He's a cloud, cumulonimbus, 37 00:02:16,560 --> 00:02:20,000 Speaker 1: thunder cloud to be exact, and his constant appearances over 38 00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:24,119 Speaker 1: the tee Wee Islands is something of a wonder Typically 39 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,639 Speaker 1: only powerful storms like hurricanes are given names. Hector is 40 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:29,679 Speaker 1: one of the only thunder storms in the world to 41 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:32,840 Speaker 1: have earned its own Moniker, and for one very good reason, 42 00:02:33,280 --> 00:02:36,600 Speaker 1: because it's always around. So how does Hector manage to 43 00:02:36,680 --> 00:02:39,200 Speaker 1: visit the same place at the same time each day? 44 00:02:39,520 --> 00:02:42,400 Speaker 1: And that's because of the tea Wee Islands themselves. They're 45 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 1: perfectly shaped and situated to allow for Hector's formation. As 46 00:02:46,280 --> 00:02:50,000 Speaker 1: sea breezes blow in from all directions, those winds converge 47 00:02:50,040 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: over the center of the islands and then travel upward. 48 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 1: The moisture they carry from the ocean then turns into thick, 49 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:59,359 Speaker 1: rolling clouds above, capable of unleashing massive amounts of rain 50 00:02:59,440 --> 00:03:02,200 Speaker 1: over the air area. As long as the temperatures are 51 00:03:02,200 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 1: warm enough, then there's a chance that Hector will appear, unless, 52 00:03:05,720 --> 00:03:08,760 Speaker 1: of course, there's a monsoon coming where strong winds prevent 53 00:03:08,800 --> 00:03:12,320 Speaker 1: the moisture heavy breezes that form Hector from collecting over 54 00:03:12,360 --> 00:03:15,079 Speaker 1: the islands. Hector has been known to grow as high 55 00:03:15,120 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 1: as sixty six thousand feet, bolstered by the area's constant 56 00:03:18,919 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: tropical atmosphere. When formed, its shape takes on that of 57 00:03:22,639 --> 00:03:26,600 Speaker 1: a mushroom or anvil, and it's responsible for the majority 58 00:03:26,639 --> 00:03:29,920 Speaker 1: of the area's annual rainfall. There are a few different 59 00:03:29,919 --> 00:03:32,760 Speaker 1: forms of hector, depending on how the winds collide, but 60 00:03:32,840 --> 00:03:35,480 Speaker 1: the one people are most familiar with, the one that's 61 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:38,960 Speaker 1: often caught on camera, is comprised of one large cell 62 00:03:39,160 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 1: or storm cloud that ripples outward along the sides. It 63 00:03:42,800 --> 00:03:45,960 Speaker 1: blankets the island, bringing not only heavy rains, but strong 64 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 1: lightning and even tornadoes. It's not uncommon for island flora, 65 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: such as trees, to be damaged by hector. Hector is 66 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:57,880 Speaker 1: something of a celebrity now, at least among meteorologists. It's 67 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: consistent appearance and performance have helped scientists research the factors 68 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: that contribute to how thunderstorms form. There are countless satellite 69 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:10,040 Speaker 1: images and videos of hector building over the Tewe Islands, 70 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:13,400 Speaker 1: and there exists entire bodies of research on it from 71 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 1: prominent meteorological institutions. It's easy to simplify, but honestly, hector 72 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:22,760 Speaker 1: is more than a thunderstorm. It's a mascot and perhaps 73 00:04:22,800 --> 00:04:25,919 Speaker 1: the only thunderstorm that people look forward to each day. 74 00:04:26,320 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 1: It's so beloved. He was even given an adorable nickname, 75 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:35,760 Speaker 1: Hector the convictor three cheers for Hector, Long may he reign. 76 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: It all started with a fishing trip just off the 77 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,800 Speaker 1: coast of Coogie Beach in Sydney. A fisherman named Albert 78 00:04:55,839 --> 00:04:59,080 Speaker 1: Hobson was struggling with something on his line. He'd caught 79 00:04:59,120 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 1: more than a fish, though, he had hooked a fourteen 80 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,000 Speaker 1: foot tiger shark, otherwise known as the garbage can of 81 00:05:05,040 --> 00:05:07,800 Speaker 1: the sea due to its propensity for eating anything in 82 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:11,279 Speaker 1: its path. That scene in Jaws where Hooper cuts open 83 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:13,520 Speaker 1: the shark on the dock and pulls out a license 84 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: plate that was a tiger shark. Hobson and his son 85 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: took the shark back to shore with them and decided 86 00:05:19,440 --> 00:05:22,359 Speaker 1: to gift it to Albert's brother, the proprietor of the 87 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: local aquarium and swimming baths. The tiger shark was placed 88 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:29,080 Speaker 1: in the large tank on display for patrons to see, 89 00:05:29,160 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: which would have been enthralling. After all, it wasn't every 90 00:05:31,839 --> 00:05:33,840 Speaker 1: day that people got to see a tiger shark up 91 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,720 Speaker 1: close and lived to tell the tale. Except there was 92 00:05:36,920 --> 00:05:39,839 Speaker 1: something wrong with it. It started swimming into the walls, 93 00:05:40,120 --> 00:05:42,799 Speaker 1: bashing its head against them before sinking to the bottom 94 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:45,600 Speaker 1: of the tank. It looked like the shark might not survive, 95 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,839 Speaker 1: but finally it vomited up a disgusting array of objects 96 00:05:49,880 --> 00:05:53,640 Speaker 1: and animal pieces. A rat, a bird, and a lot 97 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,360 Speaker 1: of bile all came out, and what had started as 98 00:05:56,400 --> 00:05:59,000 Speaker 1: the death throws of a tortured creature looked nothing more 99 00:05:59,040 --> 00:06:02,640 Speaker 1: than just a bit of indigestion until one final morsel 100 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 1: found its way out of the shark's stomach, a human arm, 101 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: a left hand and forearm to be precise, with a 102 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,039 Speaker 1: piece of rope tied to it, and it bore a 103 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:16,760 Speaker 1: distinctive tattoo of two boxers sparring. Unsurprisingly, it was first 104 00:06:16,760 --> 00:06:19,560 Speaker 1: believed that the tiger shark had devoured an entire person, 105 00:06:20,080 --> 00:06:22,960 Speaker 1: or at least most of one. Aside from great whites, 106 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,280 Speaker 1: tiger sharks are also known as man eaters and are 107 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,560 Speaker 1: known to attack swimmers. However, the police determined that the 108 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 1: shark had not in fact bitten off the arm, it 109 00:06:32,279 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 1: had merely eaten it. The limb had been hacked off 110 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:38,839 Speaker 1: with a knife and then tossed into the ocean. Officers 111 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:42,000 Speaker 1: ran its fingerprints and discovered the identity of its owner 112 00:06:42,040 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: as one James Smith, which was confirmed later by Smith's 113 00:06:45,400 --> 00:06:49,040 Speaker 1: brother Edward, who recognized the tattoo in a newspaper photo. 114 00:06:49,920 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 1: James Smith had been an amateur boxer and a low 115 00:06:53,200 --> 00:06:56,440 Speaker 1: level criminal who had disappeared a few weeks prior. He 116 00:06:56,520 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: had also been a police informant. The ensuing investigation led 117 00:07:00,839 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 1: police to Reginald Holmes, known in some circles for running 118 00:07:03,960 --> 00:07:07,599 Speaker 1: con jobs and smuggling operations in New South Wales. Smith 119 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: had worked for Holmes on several scams along with a 120 00:07:10,520 --> 00:07:13,560 Speaker 1: forger named Patrick Brady. The trio had kicked off a 121 00:07:13,640 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: check forging operation that eventually led to Smith blackmailing homes, 122 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: a decision that most likely contributed to his downfall. On 123 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: April seven, ninety the two men were at a hotel 124 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: playing cards, and that was the last time anyone ever 125 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:30,600 Speaker 1: saw James Smith alive. Brady was arrested for the murder, 126 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: while Holmes told police that he had nothing to do 127 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:35,200 Speaker 1: with it. A short time later, Holmes tried to shoot 128 00:07:35,280 --> 00:07:38,720 Speaker 1: himself in his boat shed, only to knock himself out temporarily. 129 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: He then got into his speedboats and kicked off a 130 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 1: police chase in Sydney Harbor. Holmes was eventually captured and 131 00:07:45,560 --> 00:07:48,600 Speaker 1: treated for his wounds. In June of that year, Holmes 132 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 1: agreed to help the police in their investigation. He told 133 00:07:51,240 --> 00:07:53,640 Speaker 1: them everything, how Brady had been the one to kill 134 00:07:53,680 --> 00:07:56,680 Speaker 1: Smith and put his body, well most of it anyway, 135 00:07:56,880 --> 00:07:59,760 Speaker 1: into a large trunk, which he then threw into the bay. 136 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:02,560 Speaker 1: Brady then went to Holmes and showed him the arm, 137 00:08:02,560 --> 00:08:05,080 Speaker 1: telling him that if he didn't give him five pounds 138 00:08:05,160 --> 00:08:07,960 Speaker 1: right then he would kill him too. Once that threat 139 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:11,400 Speaker 1: had been issued, Brady tossed smith severed arm into the ocean, 140 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:15,520 Speaker 1: where it was inevitably found by our shark. Holmes agreed 141 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:17,720 Speaker 1: to testify at the trial, but the night before he 142 00:08:17,760 --> 00:08:20,119 Speaker 1: was set to do that, someone paid him a visit. 143 00:08:20,440 --> 00:08:22,880 Speaker 1: He was found dead in his sedan the following morning. 144 00:08:23,240 --> 00:08:25,240 Speaker 1: The scene had been made to look like a suicide, 145 00:08:25,320 --> 00:08:27,200 Speaker 1: yet it was clear to the police that he had 146 00:08:27,200 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 1: been silenced by someone else. Without a body to examine 147 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:35,400 Speaker 1: nor a witness to testify, Brady was acquitted. His freedom 148 00:08:35,440 --> 00:08:37,640 Speaker 1: was short lived, though. The second he stepped out of 149 00:08:37,679 --> 00:08:40,720 Speaker 1: the courthouse, the police slap cuffs on him again, this 150 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:45,080 Speaker 1: time for forgery. The murderer is still considered unsolved to 151 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:48,560 Speaker 1: this day, with Brady having proclaimed his innocence until his 152 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:52,240 Speaker 1: death in nineteen sixty. All we can do is speculate 153 00:08:52,360 --> 00:08:55,559 Speaker 1: that it was committed by someone who was, by all accounts, 154 00:08:56,440 --> 00:09:04,240 Speaker 1: armed and dangerous. I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour 155 00:09:04,400 --> 00:09:08,480 Speaker 1: of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, 156 00:09:08,559 --> 00:09:12,079 Speaker 1: or learn more about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast 157 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:16,080 Speaker 1: dot com. The show was created by me Aaron Manky 158 00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:19,840 Speaker 1: in partnership with how Stuff Works. I make another award 159 00:09:19,920 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 1: winning show called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, 160 00:09:23,520 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 1: and television show, and you can learn all about it 161 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: over at the World of Lore dot com. And until 162 00:09:29,800 --> 00:09:31,760 Speaker 1: next time, stay curious.