1 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Welcome to Aaron Menkey's Cabinet of Curiosities, 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 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: all of these amazing tales are right there on display, 5 00:00:22,040 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: just waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: of Curiosities. When Western Union sent their first half tone 7 00:00:39,120 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: photograph over telephone lines in it wasn't the first time 8 00:00:43,640 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: the world had seen photos sent by phone. The same 9 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:48,879 Speaker 1: holds true for the boom in the travel trailer industry 10 00:00:48,920 --> 00:00:52,239 Speaker 1: in the nineties. Many had already been there, seen that. 11 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:56,240 Speaker 1: This and many other examples is true because of the 12 00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,080 Speaker 1: exploits of one Tom Swift, the heroic young adult prodigy 13 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: created by writer and publisher Edwards Strada Meyer. In Tom 14 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:08,000 Speaker 1: Swift and his Photo Telephone, the idea of sending pictures 15 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: by telephone predates the actual invention by thirteen years. Similarly, 16 00:01:12,880 --> 00:01:16,839 Speaker 1: Tom Swift and his Wizard Camera, featuring a portable movie camera, 17 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:20,000 Speaker 1: was eleven years ahead of its time. And one more 18 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:22,839 Speaker 1: for good measure, Tom Swift and his Diving Sea Copter, 19 00:01:23,160 --> 00:01:26,280 Speaker 1: which sounds like science fiction today but came true with 20 00:01:26,319 --> 00:01:29,600 Speaker 1: the creation of the Flying Submarine, produced by the Department 21 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:33,040 Speaker 1: of Defense four years after the book was published. Either 22 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,200 Speaker 1: Edward strada Meyer was actually a genius or he had 23 00:01:36,240 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: friends in all the right places. Whatever the case, reading 24 00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:43,039 Speaker 1: any Tom Swift novel became like seeing the future, albeit 25 00:01:43,160 --> 00:01:45,600 Speaker 1: in the hands of a stalwart sixteen year old hero. 26 00:01:46,600 --> 00:01:49,120 Speaker 1: Strada Meyer modeled Tom Swift after some of the best 27 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: inventors of the era, such as Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. 28 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: And while some people may have seen Swift's toys and 29 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 1: gadgets as outlandish, maybe even impossible, history shows us that 30 00:02:00,120 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: he was something of a visionary. In fact, more than 31 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:05,920 Speaker 1: a few scientists and engineers have cited Swift as an 32 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,280 Speaker 1: inspiration for their own works. But there is one Tom 33 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:12,679 Speaker 1: Swift invention that took a bit longer to formulate. When 34 00:02:12,880 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 1: pressed with the imprisonment of his friends in the African Savannah, 35 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 1: Swift unleashed his new gizmo, the electric Rifle. Never mind 36 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 1: the fact that in this same book his airship is 37 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:25,800 Speaker 1: called the black Hawk, which is now a very recognizable 38 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:30,120 Speaker 1: military helicopter. Name Tom's Electric Rifle is a Swiss army 39 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:33,440 Speaker 1: of lethal and non lethal tricks and widgets, It can 40 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:36,040 Speaker 1: shoot through walls without leaving a hole. It can stop 41 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:39,960 Speaker 1: a charging whale because apparently whales openly charged ships. And 42 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:41,959 Speaker 1: it could even simply light up the night with a 43 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,000 Speaker 1: hovering glowing ball to make it easier to see and 44 00:02:45,160 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: stop more rampaging animals in the dark. Given the implausibility 45 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,200 Speaker 1: of this rifle, though, it's understandable why some aspiring inventors 46 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:55,680 Speaker 1: may have simply picked up a different Tom Swift novel 47 00:02:55,800 --> 00:02:59,240 Speaker 1: and tried that instead. Putting wheels on a home sure, 48 00:02:59,520 --> 00:03:03,360 Speaker 1: portable cameras, that's easy. But creating an electric rifle that 49 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 1: can stop a whale, oh, that's something else. Enter Jack Cover, 50 00:03:08,280 --> 00:03:12,560 Speaker 1: a NASA contractor, scientist, and physicist. As a child, Cover, 51 00:03:12,720 --> 00:03:15,680 Speaker 1: like so many of his peers, found inspiration in the 52 00:03:15,720 --> 00:03:19,920 Speaker 1: adventures and inventions of Tom Swift. For Cover, it was 53 00:03:19,960 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 1: the electronic rifle that claimed his attention the most, and 54 00:03:23,000 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: it quickly became the apple of his scientific eye. This apple, 55 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 1: like many that fell from the Tom Swift tree, would 56 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 1: revolutionize the world that landed in this time, the world 57 00:03:33,160 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 1: of law enforcement, which hadn't seen this kind of innovation 58 00:03:36,120 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 1: since the introduction of fingerprinting in nineteen o two. In 59 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,000 Speaker 1: nineteen seventy, Cover developed the first working model, and by 60 00:03:43,000 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: two thousand eleven it had made the rounds to more 61 00:03:45,240 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: than fifteen thousand law enforcement agencies in the US. Of course, 62 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 1: at some point in development, Cover had created a brand 63 00:03:52,120 --> 00:03:55,160 Speaker 1: name for his product, as all good companies tend to do. 64 00:03:55,720 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: He wanted to call it the Thomas a Swift Electronic Rifle, 65 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:01,960 Speaker 1: but that was a bit of a mouthful, so instead 66 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: he just went with the initials Taser. These days, when 67 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:21,359 Speaker 1: two people are at odds, they have a number of 68 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:24,240 Speaker 1: peaceful ways to handle their conflict. They could talk it 69 00:04:24,279 --> 00:04:26,600 Speaker 1: out or go through a mediator to help them solve 70 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:29,159 Speaker 1: their problems. The fact is we've come a long way 71 00:04:29,160 --> 00:04:31,400 Speaker 1: from the days when settling a grudgement walking to the 72 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:34,679 Speaker 1: middle of a field, taking ten paces and then firing 73 00:04:34,720 --> 00:04:37,559 Speaker 1: a gun at the other person. But for hundreds of years, 74 00:04:37,960 --> 00:04:42,359 Speaker 1: duels were an everyday part of life. During the medieval era, nights, 75 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 1: squires and other offended parties would take up swords against 76 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: each other in battle for honor. The losing side was 77 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: then executed if they didn't die during the fight. Later on, 78 00:04:52,279 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: duels evolved they were seen as civilized. Yes, civilized outlets 79 00:04:56,440 --> 00:04:59,960 Speaker 1: for aggrieved individuals so that they wouldn't make scenes in public. 80 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:03,760 Speaker 1: A showdown in a private location was preferred to a knockdown, 81 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: drag out fight in the middle of the street. Perhaps 82 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: no duel is more famous than that one that occurred 83 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,719 Speaker 1: in July of eighteen o four between Alexander Hamilton's and 84 00:05:12,839 --> 00:05:16,640 Speaker 1: Vice President Aaron Burr. Hamilton's was killed after throwing away 85 00:05:16,640 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 1: his shot, a tragedy that changed the course of history. 86 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,560 Speaker 1: But there was another duel, albeit a less violent one, 87 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,400 Speaker 1: that should be equally as well known as the Hamilton's 88 00:05:25,440 --> 00:05:28,239 Speaker 1: Bird duel. For one, it involved one of the greatest 89 00:05:28,279 --> 00:05:33,000 Speaker 1: authors who ever lived, Alexander Duma. Before he introduced us 90 00:05:33,040 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: to the Count of Monte Cristo and the Three Musketeers, 91 00:05:36,200 --> 00:05:39,320 Speaker 1: Duma worked as a magazine writer and playwright. He was 92 00:05:39,360 --> 00:05:41,800 Speaker 1: eighteen twenty five, and the twenty three year old had 93 00:05:41,839 --> 00:05:44,640 Speaker 1: recently arrived in Paris. He was dining out with his 94 00:05:44,720 --> 00:05:47,919 Speaker 1: friends at the Palais Royal, a literal royal palace that 95 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:50,200 Speaker 1: had been built for a high ranking cardinal in the 96 00:05:50,200 --> 00:05:53,440 Speaker 1: mid sixteen hundreds, and after the meal, Duma and his 97 00:05:53,480 --> 00:05:56,320 Speaker 1: companions headed to the cafe near the palace. He was 98 00:05:56,360 --> 00:05:59,039 Speaker 1: considered a dandy at the time, and on this night 99 00:05:59,080 --> 00:06:01,960 Speaker 1: he wore an outfit prized of a cloak and top boots, 100 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:05,080 Speaker 1: which were tall boots with heels that collecked when he walked. 101 00:06:05,800 --> 00:06:09,640 Speaker 1: This apparently upset a soldier playing billiards nearby, who made 102 00:06:09,680 --> 00:06:13,640 Speaker 1: a snide remark at Duma's expense. Alexander didn't take it well. 103 00:06:13,839 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: He chose to retaliate by grabbing another queue and disrupting 104 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:19,760 Speaker 1: the arrangement of the balls on the table, ruining the 105 00:06:19,800 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 1: man's game. One thing led to another, and Duma and 106 00:06:23,440 --> 00:06:25,440 Speaker 1: the other man agreed to a duel to be held 107 00:06:25,520 --> 00:06:28,839 Speaker 1: on January five, a few days later. His friends didn't 108 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:30,960 Speaker 1: think it was a good idea, after all, he was 109 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,400 Speaker 1: a writer, not a fighter, but Duma wanted to establish 110 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 1: himself as a romantic someone who took action and fought 111 00:06:37,600 --> 00:06:40,400 Speaker 1: for what he believed in. Plus it would help him 112 00:06:40,440 --> 00:06:44,240 Speaker 1: with his stories. He began practicing his shooting in preparation 113 00:06:44,320 --> 00:06:46,560 Speaker 1: for the duel. He turned out to be a pretty 114 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,200 Speaker 1: good shot too. On the day of the showdown, Duma 115 00:06:49,320 --> 00:06:52,479 Speaker 1: arrived at the location before the soldier, who did not 116 00:06:52,600 --> 00:06:55,240 Speaker 1: show up at all. The man had slept in, and 117 00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,880 Speaker 1: so the face off was rescheduled for the following day. 118 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:01,559 Speaker 1: Oh and their choice of weapons changed too. No longer 119 00:07:01,600 --> 00:07:05,719 Speaker 1: would they use guns, but swords instead. Duma had some 120 00:07:05,880 --> 00:07:08,479 Speaker 1: skill as a fencer, but he was more comfortable with 121 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 1: the pistol. The next day, both men came to a 122 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: local quarry to carry out their duel. They hunted for 123 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: a long while looking for the right spot. It was 124 00:07:16,960 --> 00:07:19,200 Speaker 1: freezing out and there was snow on the ground, making 125 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:23,360 Speaker 1: the scouting process difficult. Eventually they found a suitable location, 126 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: but then came the problem of Duma's sword. He'd taken 127 00:07:26,880 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 1: his father's sword, which was considerably shorter than the soldiers. 128 00:07:30,640 --> 00:07:33,400 Speaker 1: He agreed to press on, though refusing to let anyone 129 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:37,920 Speaker 1: else handle it. Duma removed his coat at the soldier's request. 130 00:07:37,960 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 1: He also took off his waistcoat and shirt underneath, as 131 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 1: well as his suspenders. That last item was probably a 132 00:07:44,880 --> 00:07:47,720 Speaker 1: bad idea, though, as without them he couldn't keep his 133 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:51,360 Speaker 1: pants up. They fell around his ankles, eliciting laughter from 134 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 1: the quarry workers standing by. Duma hoisted them back up 135 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:57,920 Speaker 1: and tied the suspenders around his waist like a belt. 136 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:01,600 Speaker 1: Angry and Humilia did he jabbed his sword into the 137 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 1: man's shoulder. The soldier fell backward, startled by how cold 138 00:08:05,560 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 1: the blade was against his skin in the winter air. 139 00:08:08,520 --> 00:08:11,800 Speaker 1: He held immediately and Duma was declared the victor. The 140 00:08:11,840 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 1: fight lasted all of a few minutes, and nobody had died. 141 00:08:15,880 --> 00:08:19,160 Speaker 1: The young author later used his experience as inspiration for 142 00:08:19,240 --> 00:08:22,520 Speaker 1: key moments in his novels, such as The Three Musketeers. 143 00:08:23,080 --> 00:08:25,320 Speaker 1: Of course, he was probably smart to leave out the 144 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:28,560 Speaker 1: part where his pants fell down and everyone else laughed. 145 00:08:32,160 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 1: I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet 146 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:38,760 Speaker 1: of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, or learn 147 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:43,360 Speaker 1: more about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com. 148 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,960 Speaker 1: The show was created by me Aaron Manky in partnership 149 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:50,280 Speaker 1: with how Stuff Works. I make another award winning show 150 00:08:50,400 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, and television show, 151 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,600 Speaker 1: and you can learn all about it over at the 152 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:01,520 Speaker 1: World of Lore dot com. And until next time, stay curious.