1 00:00:00,400 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Ridiculous crime. It's a production of My Heart Radio. Hey, 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:08,640 Speaker 1: Elizabeth Dutton, Zaren Burnett, you know it's ridiculous. Yeah, you 3 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:13,159 Speaker 1: know it's ridiculous child beauty pageants. I know it's been 4 00:00:13,200 --> 00:00:16,040 Speaker 1: done to death, but I found myself saying to my 5 00:00:16,120 --> 00:00:20,439 Speaker 1: dog today cupcake hands from Toddlers and Tiaras. Was so 6 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:23,520 Speaker 1: mad at myself. I don't even like when the little 7 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: all done up kids put their hand down with their 8 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:33,360 Speaker 1: palms flat in the air, the arms straight down, palms 9 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,760 Speaker 1: flat parallel with the floor, just like lengthen and strengthen. 10 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:38,519 Speaker 1: I don't know it's and I don't know why it's 11 00:00:38,560 --> 00:00:41,559 Speaker 1: cupcake hands, but like I just I don't even know 12 00:00:41,560 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 1: why I said it to the dog, but I said it, 13 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:46,159 Speaker 1: and then I was like mad at myself for referencing it. 14 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 1: I used to watch Toddlers and Tiaras. It's like a 15 00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 1: train wreck. But I don't know. I just started thinking 16 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: about how it's ridiculous because it's like allowed to happen. 17 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,640 Speaker 1: And you have these moms that are either recapturing or 18 00:01:00,680 --> 00:01:06,000 Speaker 1: like capturing for the first time validation based on their 19 00:01:06,120 --> 00:01:10,440 Speaker 1: notion of like attractiveness through their the surrogacy of their child. 20 00:01:11,160 --> 00:01:15,920 Speaker 1: You find this ridiculous, ridiculous, should be abolished. I know, 21 00:01:16,040 --> 00:01:18,080 Speaker 1: and again it's been done to death or whatever. Do 22 00:01:18,080 --> 00:01:22,000 Speaker 1: you have strong feelings about like dog beauty pageants, like 23 00:01:22,080 --> 00:01:25,080 Speaker 1: dog shows? Well, I assuming they have also I would 24 00:01:25,080 --> 00:01:27,960 Speaker 1: just call this dog beauty paget. But no, that's I 25 00:01:30,640 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: but I wish they were. They should have another, they 26 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:37,119 Speaker 1: should have another dog show. That's all like house blend 27 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:39,880 Speaker 1: dogs like my dogs. Yestally, it's like, I don't know 28 00:01:39,920 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: what breedy is. Cute terrier. Yeah, alright, so I'm gonna 29 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: have to start that. Okay, Well, those that is definitely ridiculous. 30 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,040 Speaker 1: I've got a story for you that's pretty darn ridiculous. 31 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 1: Better than child beauty pageants and cute dogs, let's not compare. 32 00:01:55,560 --> 00:01:59,240 Speaker 1: It's about a private investigator. You love those, I love those. 33 00:01:59,480 --> 00:02:01,080 Speaker 1: I want to be people. I want to be a 34 00:02:01,120 --> 00:02:04,560 Speaker 1: private investigator. This one is interesting because he's also a 35 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,520 Speaker 1: con artist and a swindler at a legend murderer. We 36 00:02:07,600 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: won't get into that, but he's also a self described 37 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:12,320 Speaker 1: friend of al Capone. He's a man who was an 38 00:02:12,320 --> 00:02:14,600 Speaker 1: insider in the Harding White House. I was an early 39 00:02:14,639 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 1: twenties century and then also, you know he was a 40 00:02:17,160 --> 00:02:19,440 Speaker 1: multiple felon who was you know, the kind of guy 41 00:02:19,520 --> 00:02:21,840 Speaker 1: who's actually going to insert himself into the crime of 42 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:24,480 Speaker 1: the century when it rolls around. And you know he 43 00:02:24,560 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: did that because he said, hey, I can help say 44 00:02:26,840 --> 00:02:31,080 Speaker 1: that kidnapped Lindbergh baby. Meanwhile, he really had his eye 45 00:02:31,160 --> 00:02:33,919 Speaker 1: on the pocketbook of the eccentric heiress who owned the 46 00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:38,440 Speaker 1: Hope Diamond, who was keen to have that baby be saved. Yeah, 47 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,280 Speaker 1: he's a whole lot. That's a mouthful, thank you. And 48 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:43,839 Speaker 1: this guy is, like I think Jaeger Hoover called him 49 00:02:44,000 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: the most amazing figure in contemporary criminal history. That's a 50 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,959 Speaker 1: lot coming from j Eddies. Yeah, dude, the guy's like 51 00:02:49,960 --> 00:02:52,280 Speaker 1: a twenty century mad litt I mean like he had 52 00:02:52,360 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: every little thing crossed and boxed. His mama named him 53 00:02:56,080 --> 00:03:19,520 Speaker 1: Guesting means, that's an amazing name. This is Ridiculous Crime 54 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:23,880 Speaker 1: a podcast about absurd and outrageous capers, heist and cons. 55 00:03:24,200 --> 00:03:32,600 Speaker 1: It's always murder free and ridiculous. Elizabeth. Our story begins 56 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:35,920 Speaker 1: today with the man Gaston means just getting out of prison. 57 00:03:36,400 --> 00:03:38,400 Speaker 1: That's cute, right, he got it. He got his freedom again. 58 00:03:38,440 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: We all love that. Yeah, and he was sent there 59 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: because he had betrayed the President of the United States. 60 00:03:44,320 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, he's a he's a big bowler, you know, 61 00:03:46,440 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: he's like a shock caller. He's not like doing a 62 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: dime for running unstamped cigarettes. Betraying the president of the unit. 63 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,160 Speaker 1: That's like a very Nicholas Cage level, Right, I'm going 64 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: to betray the president of the United States and betray 65 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 1: a felony of betraying the president. No, I mean that's 66 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:10,440 Speaker 1: not technically like yeah, no, but that's that's what he says. 67 00:04:10,440 --> 00:04:12,360 Speaker 1: He's like, you know, this was the mistake I did, 68 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:14,080 Speaker 1: and that's why I had to go to prison. We'll 69 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 1: get into that. Dudes. A Southerner by birth right, raised 70 00:04:17,040 --> 00:04:20,240 Speaker 1: in North Carolina, grew up on a plantation, families well situated. 71 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:22,599 Speaker 1: Father's a lawyer. He grows up to become a school 72 00:04:22,640 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 1: teacher and then a salesman. Eventually decides, you know what, 73 00:04:25,960 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 1: I'm really good at being a conman, so he settles 74 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:32,279 Speaker 1: on that as he doesn't decides to become a private 75 00:04:32,320 --> 00:04:35,520 Speaker 1: detective because who better to commit crimes and somebody who's 76 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 1: ostensibly solving crimes like firefighters, he start fires exactly so 77 00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:42,200 Speaker 1: this works so well that he ends up becoming a 78 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:45,040 Speaker 1: detective that's a professional detective, and then he gets hired 79 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:48,160 Speaker 1: by the FBI. Meanwhile, the whole time he's a con man. 80 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:49,840 Speaker 1: At no point does he give that up. He's just 81 00:04:49,880 --> 00:04:53,960 Speaker 1: like a bet. So this dude is I gotta make 82 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:56,520 Speaker 1: this clear. I'm not a fan of guest and Meets. 83 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:58,080 Speaker 1: He's not like a folk hero like some of these 84 00:04:58,120 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: guys who I will hear me talk about where it's 85 00:05:00,400 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: clearly I got a soft thought for him, right, not 86 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:06,839 Speaker 1: so with gusting means, but I gotta say I admire 87 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:09,520 Speaker 1: his criminal brevera. The guy goes right to the top 88 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,960 Speaker 1: and he's like, oh yeah, man, I got this that 89 00:05:13,160 --> 00:05:16,599 Speaker 1: I find is absolutely amazing. I mean, well, well we'll 90 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,159 Speaker 1: get into it that this guy, he's one of his 91 00:05:19,200 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: favorite things to do is to always like, you know, 92 00:05:21,480 --> 00:05:24,240 Speaker 1: he'll do a crime and then he's like, oh right, 93 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 1: when he gets caught, he's like, oh, by the way, 94 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:27,480 Speaker 1: this is not what you think. I'm not just not 95 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,720 Speaker 1: the criminal, but I have an explanation. I've got these papers. 96 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:33,400 Speaker 1: They're not here, They're back in my friend's house. Let 97 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:35,960 Speaker 1: me go get them. They'll totally explain. At one point, 98 00:05:36,160 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 1: he has a trunk sent to Washington, d C. To 99 00:05:39,000 --> 00:05:41,480 Speaker 1: prove that he has not done a crime. But he 100 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:44,040 Speaker 1: has the trunk sealed, and he says to the army, Hey, 101 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:46,040 Speaker 1: if you guys will give me like a letter saying 102 00:05:46,040 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: I'm a good guy, that gets me out of this, 103 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:50,159 Speaker 1: like you know, near prison sentence, I'm facing back home. 104 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,680 Speaker 1: That'd be a'd be a solid. So I'm gonna send 105 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: a trunk with the secret paperwork that will prove that 106 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: I didn't do this crime. And then they're like, okay. 107 00:05:56,839 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: He sends that to Washington, d C. On the train. Meanwhile, 108 00:06:00,120 --> 00:06:02,200 Speaker 1: he races to Washington, d C on his own and 109 00:06:02,240 --> 00:06:04,160 Speaker 1: it goes kind of get that piece of paperwork and 110 00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:05,400 Speaker 1: then they're like what do you mean. He's like, yeah, 111 00:06:05,440 --> 00:06:08,239 Speaker 1: the trunk just arrived. They're like, okay, he gets the trunk. 112 00:06:08,640 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: They're like they opened it up later on. It totally empty. 113 00:06:10,960 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 1: The dude just absolutely loves taking paperwork that doesn't exist 114 00:06:14,560 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 1: in explaining himself away. Now, this will stay, as we say, 115 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:21,159 Speaker 1: a theme for this guy's career, and just know that 116 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:24,840 Speaker 1: it will eventually fold in over and over again. But 117 00:06:25,080 --> 00:06:27,360 Speaker 1: here I got another real quick example I just gotta 118 00:06:27,400 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 1: lay on you about kind of like Merica that he 119 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:34,080 Speaker 1: got out of prison for betraying the president. Well, what 120 00:06:34,160 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 1: I mean by that is he had been involved in 121 00:06:38,279 --> 00:06:40,599 Speaker 1: the harding White House, right, that got him in touch 122 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,560 Speaker 1: with the head of the Department of Justice, the Attorney General, 123 00:06:44,640 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: Harry IM Doherty. Right, So Harry I'm Doherty knows that 124 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 1: this guy Gaston means he's part of the FBI, and 125 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:53,200 Speaker 1: the Gaston means is super dirty. He's like, you know, 126 00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: selling um basically licenses for bootlegging. He's doing a bunch 127 00:06:58,320 --> 00:07:00,760 Speaker 1: of stuff through the FBI that he should be doing, right, 128 00:07:00,800 --> 00:07:03,640 Speaker 1: and so see like a freelancer with the FBI. He's 129 00:07:03,640 --> 00:07:08,000 Speaker 1: not an FBI agent. Oh FBI agent. Oh okay, yeah, exactly. 130 00:07:08,000 --> 00:07:11,520 Speaker 1: And now Gaston means when he gets in trouble, he 131 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 1: gets in trouble like basically when Dougherty decides to go 132 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:18,400 Speaker 1: after him personally. So then he waits for Dougherty to 133 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:20,400 Speaker 1: no longer be the Attorney General, and then he comes 134 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,600 Speaker 1: forward and he goes, actually that guy's dirty, and they're 135 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:25,240 Speaker 1: like what And the Congress is like He's like, yeah, 136 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,520 Speaker 1: I got paperwork, secret paperwork to prove it. They're like, okay, 137 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:32,320 Speaker 1: come before the congressional hearing that will hold. So Gaston 138 00:07:32,360 --> 00:07:35,280 Speaker 1: means he's like telling the Congress about how dirty Dougherty is. 139 00:07:35,320 --> 00:07:39,600 Speaker 1: Like this dude's like basically cover yeah exactly. He's like, no, seriously, 140 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:41,920 Speaker 1: I know he's he was the attorney general, but he's 141 00:07:41,960 --> 00:07:44,320 Speaker 1: the problem. I trust me. I'm a detective, I'm an 142 00:07:44,360 --> 00:07:47,080 Speaker 1: FBI agent. I know I am the keeper of secrets. 143 00:07:47,080 --> 00:07:49,960 Speaker 1: And they're like okay. So they're like, okay, what documentation 144 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:52,360 Speaker 1: do you have. He's like okay, I'll be right back. 145 00:07:52,440 --> 00:07:54,440 Speaker 1: Let me go get my paperwork, right, and the Congress 146 00:07:54,520 --> 00:07:57,480 Speaker 1: is like okay, go do it, Gaston. Gaston goes home 147 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:00,880 Speaker 1: and when he gets home, the paperwork is gone. Of course, 148 00:08:00,920 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: it's not really gone because there was never any paperwork. 149 00:08:02,920 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 1: But when he gets back to Congress, he's like, yeah, guys, uh, 150 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,400 Speaker 1: there was these other people from the Congressional Committee. The 151 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 1: head of the Congressional Committee. He sent the people to 152 00:08:11,520 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 1: gather the paperwork and they gave me this order of 153 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,120 Speaker 1: seizure and that's all I have. Now. The head of 154 00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,600 Speaker 1: the Congressional Committee is sitting there, he's like, bro, I 155 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:20,880 Speaker 1: did what He's like, yeah, you set this order. He's like, well, 156 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:22,800 Speaker 1: let me see the paperwork. And he's like, this is 157 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 1: not my signature. This is a total forgery. Gasting means 158 00:08:26,000 --> 00:08:29,360 Speaker 1: is like tipping over a pitcher of water, forgery, forgery. 159 00:08:29,400 --> 00:08:32,000 Speaker 1: I've been tricked by my enemies. I'll run them down 160 00:08:32,000 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 1: if it's the last thing I ever do. They're like, 161 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,440 Speaker 1: are you for real right now? He's like, yeah, I'll 162 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 1: be right back. It's going to be right back. No, no, bro, 163 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 1: you're this isn't This isn't like Georgia. This isn't gonna 164 00:08:43,000 --> 00:08:45,640 Speaker 1: play there. Like, look, bro, you're up on perjury charges. 165 00:08:45,760 --> 00:08:48,200 Speaker 1: The Congressional Committee puts them up on perjury charges. He 166 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,559 Speaker 1: ends up having to do two years. He gets convicted. 167 00:08:51,240 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: That's my bad. And guest In means like he's basically 168 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: constantly trying to just run shop on everybody, and sometimes 169 00:08:56,280 --> 00:08:58,959 Speaker 1: it works. Now, he had been inside the halls of power. 170 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:02,959 Speaker 1: He was real tight with Warren Harding's wife, First Lady 171 00:09:03,120 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 1: Florence Harding. Yeah, now you have to understand about first 172 00:09:06,280 --> 00:09:08,560 Speaker 1: Lady Florence Harding. She has her own little mystery. She 173 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:10,760 Speaker 1: was a long rumored to have conspired to kill the 174 00:09:10,800 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 1: president with the help of his doctor. Yeah exactly. Gasta 175 00:09:14,559 --> 00:09:17,360 Speaker 1: Means writes a book about it. He's like, yeah, I'm 176 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: gonna tell you. I remember, I'm the keeper of secrets. 177 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 1: He's like, so he writes a book and it's titled 178 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 1: The Strange Death of President Harding. Completely yeah, like and 179 00:09:26,480 --> 00:09:30,320 Speaker 1: in the book he's like, flow Hard if you're nasty, 180 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:36,199 Speaker 1: is like a avid Avid, like I don't know, purveyor 181 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: of um all things mystical and spiritual and supernatural. And 182 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:45,240 Speaker 1: she has a fortune teller named Madam X who tells 183 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:48,920 Speaker 1: her like, you know, look, flow Hard, you are a 184 00:09:48,520 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 1: special spiritual being. You've been chosen to be in this place. 185 00:09:51,920 --> 00:09:54,400 Speaker 1: You are a quote child of destiny. So of course 186 00:09:54,480 --> 00:09:57,640 Speaker 1: she gobbles this up right, and she's got Gaston Means going, 187 00:09:57,720 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: oh yeah, yeah, it's totally true if flow Hard you 188 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:03,440 Speaker 1: are definitely a child of destiny. So she decides, you know, 189 00:10:03,520 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: to act on that. What that means is keeping people 190 00:10:05,640 --> 00:10:08,000 Speaker 1: away from the president, keeping people close to the president. 191 00:10:08,040 --> 00:10:10,880 Speaker 1: She starts managing Harding's inner circle, and so she just 192 00:10:11,000 --> 00:10:14,440 Speaker 1: Nancy Reagan's yeah exactly completely, and everybody catches onto this. 193 00:10:14,480 --> 00:10:16,760 Speaker 1: They're like, well, what's up with home girl, right, she's 194 00:10:16,760 --> 00:10:21,120 Speaker 1: basically trying to like secret run the presidency. Okay, now 195 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:23,560 Speaker 1: they're on a trip out west. They're in San Francisco, 196 00:10:23,760 --> 00:10:27,160 Speaker 1: and lo and behold, President Harding drops dead. The only 197 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 1: person in the room at the time is flow Hard. 198 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,640 Speaker 1: She's hanging out. Yeah. Well, it's not terribly bat well, 199 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:35,480 Speaker 1: I mean, like he kills her husband, keels over and dies. 200 00:10:36,040 --> 00:10:41,199 Speaker 1: Yeah that happens, you know, No, no exactly, I mean, 201 00:10:41,280 --> 00:10:45,320 Speaker 1: but it's, um, it's an interesting don't let me not say. 202 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:50,360 Speaker 1: You can totally say I like that. You say so, 203 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:53,080 Speaker 1: I'll give you a little example of the evening. It's 204 00:10:53,120 --> 00:10:56,920 Speaker 1: August two. They're in San Francisco. They're staying at the 205 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:01,120 Speaker 1: Palace Hotel in suitably the presidential suite. Right, flow Hard 206 00:11:01,200 --> 00:11:04,079 Speaker 1: is reading aloud to the president it's a Saturday Evening 207 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:07,480 Speaker 1: Post article about him, and he's like, oh, that's that's good. 208 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:10,240 Speaker 1: Go on, and then he just kind of starts shimming 209 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:13,440 Speaker 1: and shaking and slumps over and like an old rasides Benz. 210 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:14,920 Speaker 1: It's kind of like just been shut off. He just 211 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: kind of lays there shaking for a while and then stops. Yeah, 212 00:11:18,120 --> 00:11:21,439 Speaker 1: I know. Sorry. So he's fifty eight years old and 213 00:11:21,520 --> 00:11:24,520 Speaker 1: he's now dead in San Francisco. This is may sound 214 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:27,240 Speaker 1: crazy among us. Haven't hasn't been dead at least once 215 00:11:28,520 --> 00:11:32,960 Speaker 1: dead in San Francisco? Like, what's six seven dead in 216 00:11:32,960 --> 00:11:35,680 Speaker 1: San Francisco? Well, I mean I was going to unveil 217 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:38,120 Speaker 1: that later this week, but thanks for blowing that. I 218 00:11:38,120 --> 00:11:42,280 Speaker 1: am so so sorry. So did you know the average 219 00:11:42,320 --> 00:11:47,640 Speaker 1: American males life expectancy was fifty six years old. Wow, 220 00:11:48,559 --> 00:11:51,160 Speaker 1: dudes surpassed it by two years there. See that's why 221 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:54,920 Speaker 1: I was like, So Gaston means and flow hard come 222 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 1: up with a plan, right, because she confesses to him, 223 00:11:57,360 --> 00:11:59,320 Speaker 1: she's like, look, I killed the president and I did 224 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:01,640 Speaker 1: it with the doc her. This is a course according 225 00:12:01,679 --> 00:12:04,559 Speaker 1: to Guest and means, oh yeah, well you have the 226 00:12:04,600 --> 00:12:07,079 Speaker 1: paperwork on that exactly put in his book. He's like 227 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: a right backs on this parchment. Well he's like, he's like, 228 00:12:12,520 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 1: she's like bitter and calculating, determined woman. Though that's a 229 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:17,599 Speaker 1: direct quote for how he described her. So he's like 230 00:12:17,640 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 1: basically down a shift the blame. I wouldn't be surprised 231 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:23,439 Speaker 1: if he was involved, but whatever, So Gaston means like 232 00:12:23,880 --> 00:12:26,720 Speaker 1: in his book, he's pretty much painting this portrait of 233 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 1: like intrigue all around the Harding White House, and he's 234 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,360 Speaker 1: putting most of it on flow hard Right now, he 235 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:35,360 Speaker 1: ascribes to her this quote from his book, and you 236 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 1: love this, you know how? In every way and at 237 00:12:39,679 --> 00:12:41,679 Speaker 1: all times, and trying to protect my husband, I ran 238 00:12:41,720 --> 00:12:44,240 Speaker 1: into a solid wall of opposition every way I turned. 239 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 1: I was balked and laughed at. Warren Harding died in 240 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 1: honor as Madame X said he would. Had he lived 241 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:53,440 Speaker 1: twenty four hours longer, he might have been impeached. Nothing, 242 00:12:53,840 --> 00:12:56,319 Speaker 1: nothing could stem the torrents that were pouring down on us. 243 00:12:56,480 --> 00:12:59,200 Speaker 1: I have not betrayed my country or the party that 244 00:12:59,240 --> 00:13:02,600 Speaker 1: my husband up so much. They are saved. I have 245 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:06,959 Speaker 1: no regrets. I have fulfilled my destiny. So you kind 246 00:13:06,960 --> 00:13:08,800 Speaker 1: of get the idea of like where flow Heart is 247 00:13:08,880 --> 00:13:12,520 Speaker 1: with her story. Right, So she's like aggratizing herself. But 248 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:14,920 Speaker 1: meanwhile she won't allow anyone to do an autopsy on 249 00:13:14,960 --> 00:13:18,000 Speaker 1: the president, right, yeah, exactly. So this, of course it 250 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:20,120 Speaker 1: causes there to be more whispers that a crime is 251 00:13:20,160 --> 00:13:22,920 Speaker 1: being covered up. And this is what Gaston means, uses 252 00:13:23,000 --> 00:13:25,400 Speaker 1: to fan the flames of book sales. Did she want 253 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:30,839 Speaker 1: to do a home magical autopsy. She don't want to. 254 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,079 Speaker 1: She's like, it's really important not to desecrate the body, 255 00:13:34,400 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 1: and everyone's like, what look over there exactly, So Gaston 256 00:13:40,640 --> 00:13:43,559 Speaker 1: means he claims in his book that he helps her 257 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,439 Speaker 1: and ends up being basically the scapegoat for the sins 258 00:13:46,440 --> 00:13:49,640 Speaker 1: and corruption of the Harding administration because everybody shifts all 259 00:13:49,679 --> 00:13:52,400 Speaker 1: this mystery and intrigue onto his shoulders. Ends up doing 260 00:13:52,600 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 1: four years in the federal penitentiary in Atlanta. Yeah. So 261 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:59,160 Speaker 1: he gets out of federal prison just in time to 262 00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 1: insinuate him and off into the most famous criminal case 263 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:06,600 Speaker 1: of the twentieth century, the kidnapping of the Lindbergh Baby. Right, 264 00:14:07,040 --> 00:14:10,280 Speaker 1: do you think you remember the Lindbergh baby kidnapping? I 265 00:14:10,360 --> 00:14:13,320 Speaker 1: did it. When did you first hear about it? When 266 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:16,560 Speaker 1: I did it? Do you remember? Like? No, I don't 267 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:18,680 Speaker 1: remember the day I found out about the Lindbergh No, 268 00:14:18,720 --> 00:14:20,000 Speaker 1: But I mean, like, do you remember, like how you 269 00:14:20,040 --> 00:14:21,120 Speaker 1: found out it? I was for me, it was a 270 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:23,440 Speaker 1: murder on the rain Express. I remember it was like 271 00:14:23,520 --> 00:14:25,880 Speaker 1: my mother explaining to me why Lindberg's I didn't I'd 272 00:14:25,920 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: never heard about I knew who Lindburgh was. I've never 273 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:29,280 Speaker 1: heard about the baby, and I was like, yeah, I 274 00:14:29,320 --> 00:14:32,200 Speaker 1: don't recall. I suppose I was reading something at a 275 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: tender age stumbled across it, and then later I learned 276 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:41,120 Speaker 1: more about it reading a profiler's book about FBI cases 277 00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 1: that uh hadn't ever well, I don't know they've been solved, 278 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,320 Speaker 1: or he didn't think they've been solved correctly, I don't know. 279 00:14:47,400 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 1: You know, my memories came up there and I learned 280 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:53,720 Speaker 1: all the stuff. Wasn't it on like fifteen trivial pursuit 281 00:14:53,800 --> 00:14:59,600 Speaker 1: clues product that? Yeah, And I gotta tell you my 282 00:14:59,640 --> 00:15:02,560 Speaker 1: family hated me for a lot of reasons, but one 283 00:15:02,600 --> 00:15:05,000 Speaker 1: of them is that anytime I stayed home sick from school, 284 00:15:05,040 --> 00:15:08,560 Speaker 1: I used to just read trivial pursuit cards and try 285 00:15:08,600 --> 00:15:11,640 Speaker 1: and guess the answers. But then the byproduct is that 286 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,960 Speaker 1: I memorized trial pursuits, so then nobody would play the game. Oh, 287 00:15:15,040 --> 00:15:19,240 Speaker 1: the irony. So the Lindbergh baby is like a major crime, 288 00:15:19,360 --> 00:15:22,280 Speaker 1: and it's also the reason why kidnapping became a federal 289 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,360 Speaker 1: crime for the FBI to prosecute. Yeah, so we'll be 290 00:15:25,440 --> 00:15:27,400 Speaker 1: right back after this quick break and I'll tell you 291 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: all about Gaston means the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, and how 292 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:54,840 Speaker 1: this all ties together in a very strange bow. It Okay, 293 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:59,120 Speaker 1: so we have Charles Lindbergh and the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, 294 00:15:59,440 --> 00:16:02,960 Speaker 1: and my man guessing means now Charles Lindbergh. I don't 295 00:16:02,960 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 1: know if modern audience is recognized how famous Charles Lindbergh 296 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:10,480 Speaker 1: was massively right. The dude's known as Lucky Lindy. He's 297 00:16:10,520 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 1: a he's an office. He's basically starts off as a 298 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:16,560 Speaker 1: post office pilot and then becomes instantly world famous after 299 00:16:16,600 --> 00:16:19,000 Speaker 1: he flies across the Atlantic from New York to Paris 300 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: all by himself and his plane the Spirit of St. Louis, 301 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:24,960 Speaker 1: because people didn't do that. People didn't fly across He 302 00:16:25,000 --> 00:16:26,920 Speaker 1: was the first person to ever fly across the Atlantic 303 00:16:26,920 --> 00:16:29,040 Speaker 1: because the first it was like a super long measure 304 00:16:29,040 --> 00:16:30,560 Speaker 1: of how far could a plane go? They didn't think 305 00:16:30,720 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 1: anybody could do it. He basically is equivalent to the 306 00:16:33,200 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 1: Right Brothers in terms of enlarging the imagination of what 307 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:38,520 Speaker 1: can be done with a plane and pantsless, and he 308 00:16:38,600 --> 00:16:41,200 Speaker 1: did it also pantless, which is a little known facts. 309 00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,120 Speaker 1: And it's really cold up there, so you have to 310 00:16:44,160 --> 00:16:46,120 Speaker 1: have it later. You have to any way, you can 311 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: lighten the load. Take your pants left. We're losing ounces here. 312 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:54,320 Speaker 1: This this is important. That's like an extra three miles. Well, 313 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:56,600 Speaker 1: and it's just your faster. It's like how swimmers shave 314 00:16:56,720 --> 00:17:00,680 Speaker 1: their bodies. Pilots usually fly without pants. That's yeah, that's 315 00:17:00,680 --> 00:17:03,440 Speaker 1: an industry resistance. That's why they won't let people into 316 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:05,639 Speaker 1: the cabin anymore. That's why they won't let me on planes. 317 00:17:06,440 --> 00:17:09,840 Speaker 1: That's one of the reasons. So the Lindbergh Baby, as 318 00:17:09,880 --> 00:17:13,040 Speaker 1: I told you, is uh why kidnapping becomes a federal crime. 319 00:17:13,080 --> 00:17:15,400 Speaker 1: It's also basically at the beginning of the FBI being 320 00:17:15,520 --> 00:17:18,000 Speaker 1: what we think of is the FBI. Before that, most 321 00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:20,159 Speaker 1: states did all of their stuff on their own, and 322 00:17:20,160 --> 00:17:22,679 Speaker 1: then the FBI had very limited It was pretty much 323 00:17:22,720 --> 00:17:25,280 Speaker 1: only able to prosecute people in Washington, d C. It 324 00:17:25,359 --> 00:17:28,560 Speaker 1: was like kind of like a and then along comes 325 00:17:28,640 --> 00:17:31,000 Speaker 1: the Lindbergh Baby, and of course bootlegging and a bunch 326 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:33,879 Speaker 1: of other stuff that expands their powers. But kidnapping was 327 00:17:33,960 --> 00:17:36,919 Speaker 1: not a federal crime. So the Lindbergh Baby gets you know, 328 00:17:37,000 --> 00:17:39,280 Speaker 1: taken and snatched, taken across state lines, all of a sudden, 329 00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:42,359 Speaker 1: people like well, specifically Jagger, who was like, oh I 330 00:17:42,400 --> 00:17:45,520 Speaker 1: got a chance to get some power, right, So gasting 331 00:17:45,640 --> 00:17:47,320 Speaker 1: means is the same kind of person, but he looked 332 00:17:47,320 --> 00:17:49,520 Speaker 1: at the Lindbergh baby in a much different way. Rather 333 00:17:49,560 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 1: than like, oh hey, i'll gain power, he is like, 334 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 1: I'll gain money. Yeah, well that's his thing. So okay, 335 00:17:55,960 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 1: gassing is going to gast just to layout crime of 336 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:04,000 Speaker 1: the century. Ok the Lindbergh baby kidnapping. I want you 337 00:18:04,440 --> 00:18:12,680 Speaker 1: to picture it. I was there, so this will be easy. Okay. 338 00:18:12,800 --> 00:18:16,639 Speaker 1: It's the evening of March one. The Lindbergh home is 339 00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:19,159 Speaker 1: in a secluded spot in a hilly section of rural 340 00:18:19,200 --> 00:18:23,280 Speaker 1: New Jersey. It's about five miles northeast of Princeton. That 341 00:18:23,400 --> 00:18:25,560 Speaker 1: twenty miles north of Trenton. If you know the area, 342 00:18:26,080 --> 00:18:31,360 Speaker 1: it's rural country. Think of woods, trees, nine barrens. Yeah, 343 00:18:31,520 --> 00:18:33,480 Speaker 1: kind of, let's go with pine barrens from the Soprantos. 344 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:36,560 Speaker 1: Just picture that without the snow. Now, there's two story 345 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:39,160 Speaker 1: white stone house is at the end of this road. 346 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:41,680 Speaker 1: It's like a winding dirt road. The obviously they don't 347 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:45,400 Speaker 1: have like paved roads, so you know, it's theo. So 348 00:18:45,760 --> 00:18:47,600 Speaker 1: they have paved roads. No, but I mean not to 349 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:49,200 Speaker 1: look out to the house in the country. You know, 350 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:52,879 Speaker 1: they're like why right. So it's a quiet, rainy night. 351 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:55,720 Speaker 1: There's not many people out venturing because it's rural and 352 00:18:55,840 --> 00:18:58,760 Speaker 1: it's raining. Right inside the Lindbergh home there's the golden 353 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,920 Speaker 1: haired child, the spitting image of his famous father, Lucky Lyndy. 354 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:04,920 Speaker 1: He's just twenty months old, or in adult terms, it's 355 00:19:04,960 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 1: like a yearing months, right. So he's lying in his 356 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:09,280 Speaker 1: crib alone in his room in the corner of the 357 00:19:09,320 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 1: second floor of this big stone house. A cigarette everyone smoked. 358 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,960 Speaker 1: The kids face into irving Berlin and then all of 359 00:19:18,000 --> 00:19:24,080 Speaker 1: a sudden, the baby's gone. So the baby's nurse comes 360 00:19:24,080 --> 00:19:26,080 Speaker 1: in to check on him around ten pm and she's like, oh, 361 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 1: little Lindy. And then the baby's gone. The window is 362 00:19:28,640 --> 00:19:30,440 Speaker 1: open and on the window sill is a ransom note 363 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:34,080 Speaker 1: demanding fifty grand for the return of the baby. That's terrifying. Yeah. 364 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:36,199 Speaker 1: The nurse screams and runs from the house and she 365 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,639 Speaker 1: runs down the baby is canting. Someone's taking a baby 366 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:42,080 Speaker 1: right now. This window is thirty feet straight up from 367 00:19:42,119 --> 00:19:44,800 Speaker 1: the ground and there's no there's nothing there, So people 368 00:19:44,800 --> 00:19:46,960 Speaker 1: are like, how did the ransom How did the ransom 369 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,639 Speaker 1: note get there? So immediately they started assuming that the 370 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:52,359 Speaker 1: nurse is involved. People don't know what's going on, right, 371 00:19:52,800 --> 00:19:54,879 Speaker 1: but the mystery is so very quickly solved when the 372 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:58,639 Speaker 1: police arrive and they find a ladder about a hundred 373 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:04,240 Speaker 1: feet from the house, right, So like, how well, I 374 00:20:04,240 --> 00:20:06,440 Speaker 1: mean like if I had that ladder over there, I'd 375 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:09,080 Speaker 1: used that, but it's not currently leaning against the building, 376 00:20:09,240 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 1: so it must have been Superman. Yeah, I don't know 377 00:20:11,880 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: who did it. That baby must have jumped. So they 378 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:18,840 Speaker 1: start checking the woods. Remember there's like dense dark woods 379 00:20:18,840 --> 00:20:21,600 Speaker 1: around and coast. There's also a landing strip because Lindbergh 380 00:20:21,600 --> 00:20:23,960 Speaker 1: has like his own landing strip. So they're like, maybe 381 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,800 Speaker 1: the baby flew away, I mean like in a plane, 382 00:20:26,840 --> 00:20:30,119 Speaker 1: you know, not just like flap flap. But that baby 383 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:35,400 Speaker 1: grew up to be deep Cooper. So the police keep investigating. 384 00:20:35,680 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: They find no fingerprints, no blood stains, no signs of violence, 385 00:20:38,840 --> 00:20:41,639 Speaker 1: no signs of forest entry, and just the ransom note. Right. 386 00:20:41,680 --> 00:20:43,639 Speaker 1: We'll put the picture of this ransom note up on 387 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,040 Speaker 1: the Ridiculous Crime Instagram so you can check it because 388 00:20:46,080 --> 00:20:48,320 Speaker 1: you have to see the handwriting. It is like doctor 389 00:20:48,400 --> 00:20:51,200 Speaker 1: scrawl back right. Okay, So the only clue that they 390 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:53,119 Speaker 1: have to go on is a pair of footprints that 391 00:20:53,160 --> 00:20:55,840 Speaker 1: are in the mud. But the footprints have no like 392 00:20:55,960 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: soul imprint because the people who took the baby took 393 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:01,280 Speaker 1: the shoes off, so they just have these basic literal 394 00:21:01,359 --> 00:21:04,520 Speaker 1: footprints in the Yeah. So the police follow the footprints 395 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 1: and they go and they lead off to this rutted 396 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 1: country road and they assume there must have been a car. 397 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:13,280 Speaker 1: They're waiting for some speedy escape. Right, So now they 398 00:21:13,720 --> 00:21:16,720 Speaker 1: Canada basically figured out the baby is gone. Headlines break 399 00:21:16,800 --> 00:21:19,560 Speaker 1: the World's like what the most Also, you have to 400 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:22,040 Speaker 1: keep in mind, when this baby was born, headlines went 401 00:21:22,080 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 1: around the world just about Lindberg having a baby. So 402 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:28,440 Speaker 1: now little less than two years later, those same headlines 403 00:21:28,520 --> 00:21:30,920 Speaker 1: chase around the world going the Lindbergh baby has stolen. 404 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:35,879 Speaker 1: That's just like hot headline materials. Yeah, and it's like 405 00:21:35,920 --> 00:21:38,080 Speaker 1: the fair haired son the most famous person of the 406 00:21:38,119 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: trauma and a disaster. Maybe we love a stolen baby, 407 00:21:40,359 --> 00:21:47,320 Speaker 1: let's not. Let's be real, dove stolen. So right now, 408 00:21:48,359 --> 00:21:52,639 Speaker 1: I'm so sorry the Lindberghs are like American royalty, so 409 00:21:52,720 --> 00:21:54,800 Speaker 1: people are treating it like the Queen of England's kids 410 00:21:54,800 --> 00:21:58,800 Speaker 1: have been taken right, So inter gassing means he's like, 411 00:22:00,080 --> 00:22:03,080 Speaker 1: I can make some hay with this right. So he's 412 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:04,679 Speaker 1: been out of jail for a couple of years and 413 00:22:04,720 --> 00:22:07,240 Speaker 1: he's like, um, let me see, how can I make 414 00:22:07,240 --> 00:22:10,040 Speaker 1: this Lindburg baby thing pay for me? So he keeps 415 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:12,879 Speaker 1: his ear to the ground and he figures out that 416 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:17,000 Speaker 1: there is a perfect mark in all of this situation. 417 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:21,200 Speaker 1: Her name is Evelyn Walsh McLean. He had met her 418 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:23,840 Speaker 1: like when he was basically in the Harding administration. She 419 00:22:23,880 --> 00:22:25,720 Speaker 1: had been in the in the periphery, so he knew 420 00:22:25,720 --> 00:22:29,600 Speaker 1: who she was. She was the estranged wife of Edward B. McLean, 421 00:22:29,640 --> 00:22:32,879 Speaker 1: whose family owned the Washington Post. But she wasn't just 422 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:35,159 Speaker 1: like uh, like an also around who came in and 423 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:38,440 Speaker 1: married wealthy. She had her own money. Her father had 424 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:41,600 Speaker 1: was an irishman who went to West and struck it 425 00:22:41,760 --> 00:22:45,320 Speaker 1: big and gold and Colorado the Colorado Gold Rush, So 426 00:22:45,440 --> 00:22:48,080 Speaker 1: she had her own money. So she's basically raised to 427 00:22:48,119 --> 00:22:50,720 Speaker 1: be eccentric and weird in any which way she wants, 428 00:22:50,760 --> 00:22:55,760 Speaker 1: because you know, she's this well fabulously wealthy. Right, wealthy 429 00:22:55,760 --> 00:22:57,439 Speaker 1: people can be as weird as they want. Now, to 430 00:22:57,440 --> 00:22:59,119 Speaker 1: give you a sense of how wealthy she is, she 431 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:02,760 Speaker 1: owned the Hope Diamond. Okay, that is yeah, that's serious money. 432 00:23:02,920 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 1: Yeah right, Oh we'll get into that in one second. Yeah, 433 00:23:06,720 --> 00:23:08,919 Speaker 1: because there's like a I want to give it its 434 00:23:08,960 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 1: own space. The Hope Diamond is something that like, yeah, 435 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: it's it's a fun little rock. So okay. Um. Evillen 436 00:23:17,359 --> 00:23:20,160 Speaker 1: McLean had become friends with the Lindbergh family, right because 437 00:23:20,280 --> 00:23:22,440 Speaker 1: Lindberg had become wealthy. So now he's traveling in these 438 00:23:22,440 --> 00:23:25,159 Speaker 1: circles and she's like, oh, this fabulous because he's an 439 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:28,200 Speaker 1: attractive guy and he's like, you know, daring and brave, 440 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,399 Speaker 1: and everybody loves him. So she of course sets her 441 00:23:30,440 --> 00:23:32,640 Speaker 1: side on him. Now. She had something in common though, 442 00:23:32,640 --> 00:23:37,920 Speaker 1: with the Lindberg's when she pantlessness, total devotion to pancelessness 443 00:23:38,680 --> 00:23:41,520 Speaker 1: when she was When she was pregnant, she gives birth 444 00:23:41,560 --> 00:23:43,960 Speaker 1: to a son. Her son's name is Vincent, and Vincent 445 00:23:44,040 --> 00:23:47,639 Speaker 1: was known as the hundred million dollar baby. That's what 446 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:49,720 Speaker 1: the press called him when he was born. The headline said, 447 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:52,080 Speaker 1: hundred million dollar baby born and the reason why it's 448 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:54,040 Speaker 1: called the hundred million dollar babies because that was the 449 00:23:54,119 --> 00:23:56,960 Speaker 1: value of the combined wealth of these families. So it 450 00:23:57,000 --> 00:23:59,480 Speaker 1: would be like if Elon must get married someone really wealthy, 451 00:23:59,480 --> 00:24:02,200 Speaker 1: and they had a baby, and he was born, oddly enough, 452 00:24:02,240 --> 00:24:04,320 Speaker 1: wearing a top hat in the monocle. He was also 453 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:09,760 Speaker 1: born pantless and panceless, unlike most of the populations, but 454 00:24:09,880 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 1: wearing a top and a monica and a monocle, looking 455 00:24:13,320 --> 00:24:14,720 Speaker 1: like he was ready to sell you peanuts or a 456 00:24:14,720 --> 00:24:21,159 Speaker 1: board game. In nineteen o nine, Um, these kids born. Right, 457 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:24,640 Speaker 1: two years later, Evelyn McLean buys the Hope Diamond. Now 458 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 1: these two things intertwined into a really bizarre story. As 459 00:24:28,960 --> 00:24:32,719 Speaker 1: you pointed out, the Hope Diamond is cursed. Right, She 460 00:24:32,760 --> 00:24:36,240 Speaker 1: had purchased it from Cartier for a hundred eighty thousand 461 00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,680 Speaker 1: dollars in nineteen eleven. Right, now, hundred eighty thousand dollars 462 00:24:39,720 --> 00:24:42,840 Speaker 1: in today's money is about five two million. It's a 463 00:24:42,840 --> 00:24:45,400 Speaker 1: big rock. Now, this rock had been all around Royalty, 464 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:48,560 Speaker 1: it had been owned. It was called French Blue because 465 00:24:48,560 --> 00:24:52,520 Speaker 1: it had been owned by the French monarchy, been owned 466 00:24:52,520 --> 00:24:55,399 Speaker 1: by the English monarchy. And she liked to just like 467 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:58,040 Speaker 1: basically brag on the fact that she had this like 468 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:03,000 Speaker 1: aristocratic rock, so she would just wear it anywhere, like 469 00:25:03,119 --> 00:25:07,760 Speaker 1: literally anywhere. So the story she had been told she 470 00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:12,000 Speaker 1: included in her biography, like her autobiography, and you love 471 00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:16,000 Speaker 1: this I quote. I love when you quote. As we 472 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: all stared at that diamond, Monsieur Cartier began to tell 473 00:25:19,040 --> 00:25:22,240 Speaker 1: us things he did not vouch for. That Tavernier had 474 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:24,959 Speaker 1: stolen the gem from a Hindu idol and was cursed 475 00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:28,280 Speaker 1: and torn apart by savage beasts. Since then, the diamond 476 00:25:28,320 --> 00:25:30,800 Speaker 1: had brought bad luck to anyone who wore or even 477 00:25:30,840 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 1: touched it. Louis Fourt died a horrible death from gangrene. 478 00:25:34,200 --> 00:25:36,000 Speaker 1: And we all know about the knife blade that sliced 479 00:25:36,040 --> 00:25:39,280 Speaker 1: through Marie Antoinette's throat. Lord Hope's grand nephew and heir 480 00:25:39,320 --> 00:25:41,760 Speaker 1: to the diamond, had plenty of troubles. His wife eloped 481 00:25:41,800 --> 00:25:45,360 Speaker 1: with handsome Captain Strong. Now maybe that was not bad luck, 482 00:25:45,359 --> 00:25:49,480 Speaker 1: but it was embarrassing. Monsieur Cartier was most entertaining. So 483 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,560 Speaker 1: that's that diamond. It's less of a curse than like, 484 00:25:53,119 --> 00:25:54,680 Speaker 1: if you have that kind of money, you're going to 485 00:25:54,800 --> 00:25:58,560 Speaker 1: do something terrible and exact people may come after you, right, 486 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 1: and then I love that Lord Hopes grand nephew. The 487 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:06,240 Speaker 1: wife elopes with someone named Captain Strong. This is like 488 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 1: a kid's handsome capo d Lord Hope, Lady Hope runs 489 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:17,040 Speaker 1: off with Captain Strong. What six year old wrote? All? Right? Okay, 490 00:26:17,119 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 1: so this uh, you know, as I said, basically, the 491 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 1: British monarchy owned it, the French monarchy owned it, everybody 492 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:24,920 Speaker 1: had it. It was cursed object we've been traveling through, 493 00:26:24,960 --> 00:26:27,679 Speaker 1: like Lord Hope. Then Cartier gets it, eventually sells it 494 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:31,080 Speaker 1: to her. She then has it, and you know, right 495 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:33,960 Speaker 1: after the press is all excited about her hundred million 496 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,720 Speaker 1: dollar baby. Right, so she's fabulously wealthy. Now the only 497 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:40,919 Speaker 1: thing she's concerned about in her personal life isn't this 498 00:26:41,040 --> 00:26:43,600 Speaker 1: diamond and its curse, but anything that might possibly happen 499 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,399 Speaker 1: to her child. Right. So she's like basically willing to 500 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 1: pay for security, and she's always worried that someone's going 501 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:52,240 Speaker 1: to steal the baby and ransom it, which is kind 502 00:26:52,280 --> 00:26:54,120 Speaker 1: of like you know what sets her up for people 503 00:26:54,119 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: a guest. It means to her fear beaks are an 504 00:26:56,840 --> 00:27:01,679 Speaker 1: easy mark, right, So to kind of tied together the 505 00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:07,000 Speaker 1: Hope Diamond and Vincent McLean's life. The Washington Post documented, 506 00:27:07,240 --> 00:27:10,080 Speaker 1: which is interesting because it's his family's paper, documented the 507 00:27:10,680 --> 00:27:12,879 Speaker 1: sad fate of what happened to Vincent McLean and I 508 00:27:13,040 --> 00:27:17,240 Speaker 1: quote the baby Vincent was carrying the diamond in his 509 00:27:17,280 --> 00:27:19,800 Speaker 1: pocket on the day he evades his keepers, ran into 510 00:27:19,840 --> 00:27:22,160 Speaker 1: the street and was killed by a passing car. The 511 00:27:22,200 --> 00:27:25,480 Speaker 1: diamond was unharmed. His mother, returning from the Kentucky Derby 512 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:28,320 Speaker 1: related that quote, my father dead nine years suddenly appeared 513 00:27:28,359 --> 00:27:31,840 Speaker 1: and said Vincent is dead. So the kid puts the 514 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:34,720 Speaker 1: Hope diamonds in his pocket and runs out into traffic 515 00:27:34,760 --> 00:27:39,200 Speaker 1: and gets so and I love that. They're like, oh, 516 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:43,240 Speaker 1: by the way, the diamond was unharmed. Ye, you're worried 517 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:46,879 Speaker 1: about the nothing happened. So that whole time she'd been 518 00:27:46,920 --> 00:27:49,199 Speaker 1: worried about something bad happening to him being kidnapped. And 519 00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:52,399 Speaker 1: eventually he just gets, you know, ruined by the curse 520 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:57,080 Speaker 1: of their wealth. Right, So she of course immediately feels 521 00:27:57,119 --> 00:27:59,720 Speaker 1: for the Lynnburghs when they lose their child. So she says, 522 00:28:00,040 --> 00:28:02,639 Speaker 1: will use my wealth to do what I couldn't do 523 00:28:02,720 --> 00:28:07,960 Speaker 1: for my child. So she promises them basically all the 524 00:28:08,000 --> 00:28:11,440 Speaker 1: complete use of her wealth to secure their lost child. 525 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 1: This is something that Gaston means. Here is about she 526 00:28:14,600 --> 00:28:18,120 Speaker 1: couldn't save her child, so she's gonna and so she's 527 00:28:18,119 --> 00:28:20,480 Speaker 1: like letting this out in the Washington, d C. Community. 528 00:28:20,560 --> 00:28:22,760 Speaker 1: So the rich or whispering about it, like well, you know, 529 00:28:23,440 --> 00:28:25,320 Speaker 1: lady McLean has said that she will do it dad, 530 00:28:25,440 --> 00:28:29,000 Speaker 1: and so Gaston means, like what oh. So on March four, 531 00:28:29,160 --> 00:28:31,800 Speaker 1: three days after the kidnapping the Lindbergh baby, Gaston Means 532 00:28:31,840 --> 00:28:35,040 Speaker 1: shows up at Evan McLean's house and he's like, hey, Evelyn, 533 00:28:35,520 --> 00:28:38,160 Speaker 1: you remember me, right, Gaston? You know you're worried about 534 00:28:38,160 --> 00:28:40,600 Speaker 1: that Lindbergh baby. You know what, it's crazy. I know 535 00:28:40,640 --> 00:28:42,640 Speaker 1: this may sound crazy, but I can find the kid. 536 00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,120 Speaker 1: She's like what what? What tell me more? And he's like, yeah, 537 00:28:45,360 --> 00:28:47,360 Speaker 1: see I used to be in prison, right, And she's 538 00:28:47,400 --> 00:28:49,479 Speaker 1: like yes. He's like it's a long story, but when 539 00:28:49,520 --> 00:28:51,720 Speaker 1: I was in prison, I had this cell mate, and 540 00:28:51,720 --> 00:28:53,760 Speaker 1: the cell mate he talked a lot, and I'm fairly 541 00:28:53,840 --> 00:28:58,160 Speaker 1: certain he took the kid. What why would you think that? 542 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:00,960 Speaker 1: He's like, now, just trust me, I can get in 543 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 1: touch with the kidnappers. I like that he's like, I'm 544 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:05,959 Speaker 1: a law man, but in my time in prison exactly. 545 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:10,080 Speaker 1: So he's like, I got inside information. So she's like okay, well, 546 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:12,360 Speaker 1: what well, what do we do. He's like, we need 547 00:29:12,400 --> 00:29:15,840 Speaker 1: your money. She's like okay, well, well just tell me more. 548 00:29:15,880 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 1: And so Gason is like, okay, here's the deal. I 549 00:29:19,560 --> 00:29:21,760 Speaker 1: know where the kid and ipers are. We'll go down there. 550 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:23,680 Speaker 1: We'll give him the money, they'll give us back the baby. 551 00:29:23,720 --> 00:29:26,800 Speaker 1: She's like, could it be that's simple. He's like, yeah, yeah, yeah, 552 00:29:26,800 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 1: it's fine. Fine, I let me co contact him. So 553 00:29:29,320 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 1: he contacts the kidnappers and I put that in air quotes, 554 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:34,320 Speaker 1: and then he goes back to and he goes, I've 555 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:37,080 Speaker 1: arranged a plan with the kidnappers, and she's like really. 556 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 1: He's like, yeah, here's what. It'll take a hundred grand 557 00:29:40,160 --> 00:29:41,680 Speaker 1: and I can pay them off and they'll give me 558 00:29:41,720 --> 00:29:44,960 Speaker 1: back the baby. She's like okay. So she goes out 559 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:46,600 Speaker 1: and she goes to raise the money. She takes out 560 00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:48,960 Speaker 1: a loan and she gets like the short term loan, 561 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:51,760 Speaker 1: and she basically hops one of her real estate a 562 00:29:51,760 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 1: bunch of her real estate properties. There is a hundred 563 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:56,840 Speaker 1: million dollar lady has to take out a not liquid. 564 00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:58,360 Speaker 1: You know, she's got to like it's a hundred grand, 565 00:29:58,360 --> 00:29:59,600 Speaker 1: it's still a lot of cash. So she's like, let 566 00:29:59,680 --> 00:30:02,720 Speaker 1: me take the money alone. I know, I don't know 567 00:30:02,760 --> 00:30:04,840 Speaker 1: how the rich to do it. I don't know. So 568 00:30:04,920 --> 00:30:06,880 Speaker 1: she brings the under grand to Gas and Gas is 569 00:30:06,920 --> 00:30:08,920 Speaker 1: like perfect. Oh, by the way, I'm gonna need more. 570 00:30:09,360 --> 00:30:11,520 Speaker 1: She's like what. He's like, yeah, I need like, you know, 571 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,080 Speaker 1: four grand, traveling money, you know, expenses, just you know, 572 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,600 Speaker 1: things come up. A kid, I'm gonna be on a train. 573 00:30:16,720 --> 00:30:19,640 Speaker 1: Come on. He wants a petty cash box. She's like, okay, 574 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:22,800 Speaker 1: that's fine here. So she does on a train. Well, 575 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:25,760 Speaker 1: you know, there's like sandwiches and stuff, and I like 576 00:30:25,840 --> 00:30:28,960 Speaker 1: a good sandwich whenever. She's like, okay, okay, that's fine. 577 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:30,760 Speaker 1: Here's the four grand, which he does happen to have, 578 00:30:30,960 --> 00:30:32,680 Speaker 1: because you know she does, she can keep that cash, 579 00:30:33,000 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 1: so she's able to give him that. And she's like, okay, 580 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:38,640 Speaker 1: I'm going down to Aiken, South Carolina. So Akin is like, 581 00:30:38,720 --> 00:30:40,479 Speaker 1: you know, it's not a small town, but back then 582 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:42,680 Speaker 1: probably was a small town. So he goes down and 583 00:30:42,680 --> 00:30:45,480 Speaker 1: he says, hey, I happen to have a small cottage 584 00:30:45,680 --> 00:30:49,200 Speaker 1: in Aikin, So we'll stay there because that that's convenient. 585 00:30:49,240 --> 00:30:50,880 Speaker 1: They want to meet us an ain, wait, I have 586 00:30:50,920 --> 00:30:53,720 Speaker 1: a cottage there. It just works out, don't worry. He's like, 587 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,600 Speaker 1: we'll meet the kidnappers there. They'll hand back the Lindbergh baby. 588 00:30:56,800 --> 00:30:59,959 Speaker 1: She's like, okay, that sounds great. So they then travel 589 00:31:00,080 --> 00:31:03,680 Speaker 1: down to Akin, desirous to go save the Lindbergh baby. 590 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:06,760 Speaker 1: And it's not the brightest bulb. Right, Well, she's eccentric. 591 00:31:07,200 --> 00:31:09,800 Speaker 1: Well just say eccentric, all right, So like eccentric, like 592 00:31:09,880 --> 00:31:14,320 Speaker 1: wearing a big fur coat and like coral lipstick was 593 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:18,360 Speaker 1: kind of smeared on her face and on her teeth exactly, 594 00:31:18,400 --> 00:31:22,320 Speaker 1: lipstick on the teeth, smell of mothballs surrounds her, and 595 00:31:22,440 --> 00:31:25,680 Speaker 1: like like one of those gin pickled fingers, got it? Okay? Yeah, 596 00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:31,320 Speaker 1: mental picture. So they're down in Aiken, South Carolina, and 597 00:31:31,400 --> 00:31:33,240 Speaker 1: you know, there's not much to do. So every day 598 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:36,840 Speaker 1: she's like, have you heard from the kidnappers? And he's like, um, yeah, 599 00:31:36,840 --> 00:31:39,160 Speaker 1: I'm supposed to, right, I'm supposed to get a drop 600 00:31:39,240 --> 00:31:41,160 Speaker 1: or a letter or a know. She's like oh okay, 601 00:31:41,440 --> 00:31:43,240 Speaker 1: and then the next day he's like, yeah, I didn't 602 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:45,240 Speaker 1: hear anything. They didn't. We didn't meet up, she said, 603 00:31:45,240 --> 00:31:46,840 Speaker 1: but I thought you were supposed to be Oh yeah, no, 604 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:49,400 Speaker 1: no tomorrow, it's gonna be tomorrow. They're like okay. So 605 00:31:49,480 --> 00:31:52,640 Speaker 1: he keeps doing that every day. She's like, did you 606 00:31:52,680 --> 00:31:56,840 Speaker 1: hear from them tomorrow? Right? She's like okay, okay. So 607 00:31:56,880 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 1: eventually he's like, look like, I gotta level you. The 608 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,680 Speaker 1: kidnappers are scared aired. They think they're gonna get busted. 609 00:32:01,760 --> 00:32:03,680 Speaker 1: She's like, wait what. He's like, no, no, okay. Look, 610 00:32:03,680 --> 00:32:05,440 Speaker 1: it's the weather. They don't want to come out because 611 00:32:05,440 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 1: it's raining. They don't want to get a cold. He's like, 612 00:32:07,200 --> 00:32:09,160 Speaker 1: what are you talking about. He's like, no, trust me, 613 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:12,080 Speaker 1: they'll be there. Eventually. She gets tired of this. She's like, 614 00:32:12,080 --> 00:32:13,720 Speaker 1: look after a week of this, she's like, I need 615 00:32:13,760 --> 00:32:16,520 Speaker 1: an update. Is a child okay? He cannot be doing well. 616 00:32:17,200 --> 00:32:19,200 Speaker 1: I don't think these kidnappers can take care of a baby. 617 00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:21,280 Speaker 1: She's like, you know, panicking, so thinking about her own child, 618 00:32:21,640 --> 00:32:23,400 Speaker 1: and he's like, no, no, no, no, no, the baby's fine. 619 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:25,520 Speaker 1: There's but it's it's it's no problem. Then he actually 620 00:32:25,640 --> 00:32:27,400 Speaker 1: he took the baby to warm weather. It's out in 621 00:32:27,480 --> 00:32:30,640 Speaker 1: el Paso. Did he have a little cottage in El Paso? 622 00:32:30,680 --> 00:32:33,760 Speaker 1: To No, he actually didn't. So he's like, look, yeah, 623 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:36,600 Speaker 1: the linkberg's the baby, it's in El Paso, so we've 624 00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:38,200 Speaker 1: just got to go there. Now. She's like, wait, why 625 00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:40,840 Speaker 1: did they leave Akin and go to El Paso at 626 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:42,959 Speaker 1: the border. And then he's like, yeah, well, actually though 627 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,719 Speaker 1: they're in Mexico, but we're gonna meet him in El Paso. 628 00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 1: They were so afraid they fled the country. They took 629 00:32:48,280 --> 00:32:52,280 Speaker 1: the baby to see it. They're like, you know, it's 630 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:56,000 Speaker 1: a hopping spot. So she's like, okay, well let's go 631 00:32:56,040 --> 00:32:58,640 Speaker 1: to El Paso. So then they take the train west 632 00:32:58,640 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 1: out to El Paso, and meanwhile, Gasting Means he's like 633 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:02,760 Speaker 1: telling her stories like have you ever heard about the 634 00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:06,640 Speaker 1: Harding administration? You know, I was friends with the first lady. 635 00:33:06,640 --> 00:33:08,560 Speaker 1: I can tell you some stories. So they take the 636 00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:12,360 Speaker 1: long train right out there, and uh. A month has 637 00:33:12,400 --> 00:33:15,240 Speaker 1: passed and mid April's rolled around, and Evil McClean is 638 00:33:15,240 --> 00:33:17,719 Speaker 1: starting to recognize the obvious that she's been conned by 639 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:21,440 Speaker 1: Gasting Means. Every day she's waiting on word, nothing ever comes, 640 00:33:21,480 --> 00:33:24,360 Speaker 1: and she's like, wait a minute, this dude is lied 641 00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:27,240 Speaker 1: to me, right. So he's like, no, no, no, I 642 00:33:27,280 --> 00:33:30,160 Speaker 1: don't know you're talking about I. I don't don't be suspicious. 643 00:33:30,560 --> 00:33:32,400 Speaker 1: I trust me. The baby is here. I just have 644 00:33:32,480 --> 00:33:35,200 Speaker 1: to meet this dude called the Fox. She's like, the Fox. 645 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:37,320 Speaker 1: Who is the Fox? He's like, it's he's the alleged 646 00:33:37,400 --> 00:33:40,000 Speaker 1: leader of the kidnappers. And she's like, oh, the Fox. 647 00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:42,800 Speaker 1: He's like yeah, yeah, so the Fox though, he's he's 648 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:44,760 Speaker 1: really smart and I've been having a place, were playing 649 00:33:44,760 --> 00:33:48,560 Speaker 1: a chess match with him. She's like okay. So she's like, 650 00:33:48,640 --> 00:33:50,640 Speaker 1: you know, I'm starting to be a little suspicious, Gast 651 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:52,960 Speaker 1: and he's like, no, look, trust me, it's the Fox. 652 00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:56,920 Speaker 1: And she's like okay, Now, how long do you think 653 00:33:56,920 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 1: her patients could last with this girl? I don't know. 654 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:03,120 Speaker 1: Oh man, would I mind would be long over four 655 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:07,400 Speaker 1: more months. She reaches the end of her rope and 656 00:34:07,440 --> 00:34:10,840 Speaker 1: she's like, Gaston, my money or I'm going to the cops. 657 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:15,520 Speaker 1: So what do you think? He says, I have no idea. 658 00:34:16,239 --> 00:34:20,239 Speaker 1: I have some paperwork, so prove to you. I'll be 659 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:22,520 Speaker 1: right back and I'll go get that and then I'll 660 00:34:22,520 --> 00:34:26,239 Speaker 1: tell you what happened to your money. Yeah. Now, after 661 00:34:26,280 --> 00:34:28,760 Speaker 1: a quick break. I'll be right back with some paperwork, 662 00:34:28,800 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 1: could tell you the end of this story. So they're 663 00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:55,080 Speaker 1: down in El Paso when Evelyn McLean starts to get 664 00:34:55,120 --> 00:34:57,719 Speaker 1: like more than suspicious of Gaston Means his stories are 665 00:34:57,760 --> 00:35:00,360 Speaker 1: no longer holding, the Fox bit is no longer working. 666 00:35:00,400 --> 00:35:02,760 Speaker 1: She's like, I'm out of here. She goes back to Washington, 667 00:35:02,880 --> 00:35:04,960 Speaker 1: d C. She goes right to the Department of Justice. 668 00:35:05,160 --> 00:35:08,040 Speaker 1: She goes, give me Jagger Hoover, I've got a story 669 00:35:08,080 --> 00:35:10,279 Speaker 1: for him, right, and then so Jack hoopers like, what's 670 00:35:10,280 --> 00:35:13,160 Speaker 1: the deal. He's like, Gaston means that old so and 671 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:15,880 Speaker 1: so and so. Then they put out an arrest warrant 672 00:35:15,920 --> 00:35:19,040 Speaker 1: for Gaston Means, and you know, it's now official. She's 673 00:35:19,080 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 1: been robbed by this notorious con man. Because Diag Hoover 674 00:35:22,239 --> 00:35:25,080 Speaker 1: is like, oh, I can tell you some stories about Gaston. Yeah. Yeah, 675 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:29,480 Speaker 1: So the FBI starts hunting down Gasting Means. Now, meanwhile, 676 00:35:29,520 --> 00:35:31,759 Speaker 1: they're still looking for the Lindbergh Baby. The FBI is 677 00:35:31,800 --> 00:35:34,239 Speaker 1: like beating all the bushes trying to on the Lindbergh Baby, 678 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:37,040 Speaker 1: and now they got to divide them their resources and 679 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:40,000 Speaker 1: try to find Gaston Means. Luckily, it doesn't take them long. 680 00:35:40,400 --> 00:35:43,480 Speaker 1: They find him. He's in a Washington d C spotted 681 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:46,080 Speaker 1: in a high powered car driven by a chauffeur. The 682 00:35:46,160 --> 00:35:48,400 Speaker 1: FBI agents chase after his car, and they managed to 683 00:35:48,400 --> 00:35:51,440 Speaker 1: cut him off on a on the city street. He's grabbed, arrested, 684 00:35:51,480 --> 00:35:54,800 Speaker 1: and charged with embezzlement and bribery. The FBI agents demand 685 00:35:54,800 --> 00:35:57,360 Speaker 1: to know where is Evelyn McLean's money. He's like, you 686 00:35:57,360 --> 00:36:00,480 Speaker 1: know what, I got a story about that. Like, I'll 687 00:36:00,480 --> 00:36:04,560 Speaker 1: be right back. So he's like, look, okay, now, this 688 00:36:04,680 --> 00:36:06,920 Speaker 1: is the story, according to Gaston Means be told by 689 00:36:06,920 --> 00:36:10,840 Speaker 1: Evelyn McLean. Okay, so, and I quote Means said, he 690 00:36:10,880 --> 00:36:13,120 Speaker 1: went to conquered North Carolina, got the money, and on 691 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:16,000 Speaker 1: the way back with stopped in Alexandria, Virginia by a 692 00:36:16,040 --> 00:36:20,400 Speaker 1: mysterious stranger who whispered to him eleven. Now Means had 693 00:36:20,400 --> 00:36:22,880 Speaker 1: been conducting himself in storybook detective fashion. He had as 694 00:36:22,880 --> 00:36:24,920 Speaker 1: signed numbers to all the principles in the case, and 695 00:36:25,000 --> 00:36:28,960 Speaker 1: eleven was Mrs McLean's secret designation. So with a stranger 696 00:36:28,960 --> 00:36:32,239 Speaker 1: whispered eleven to him, Means was quoted, I thought I 697 00:36:32,239 --> 00:36:35,279 Speaker 1: was being approached by someone directly representing Mrs McClean, so 698 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:37,920 Speaker 1: I gave him the hundred thousand dollars. So he claims 699 00:36:37,960 --> 00:36:41,000 Speaker 1: that someone came up and whispered eleven, his secret code word, 700 00:36:41,000 --> 00:36:43,160 Speaker 1: because he had asigned numbers to everybody and so they 701 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:44,960 Speaker 1: just happened to whisper eleven. He's like, this must be 702 00:36:45,000 --> 00:36:48,560 Speaker 1: the one, and anyone believes him anymore. I mean he's 703 00:36:48,640 --> 00:36:51,440 Speaker 1: arrested by the way that. You know what's interesting about 704 00:36:51,440 --> 00:36:55,759 Speaker 1: that town in North Carolina, they pronounced it Concorde. Now 705 00:36:55,800 --> 00:37:02,200 Speaker 1: here we say conquered, conquered, and like Lexington and conquered. Okay, Concord, Okay, Concorde. 706 00:37:02,360 --> 00:37:06,080 Speaker 1: I'm sorry, North Carolina. So gas Means gets arrested for 707 00:37:06,120 --> 00:37:10,800 Speaker 1: embezzlement robbery, and he gets convicted and sentenced fifteen years 708 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:14,800 Speaker 1: in prison. Wow, okay, you can't come one of the 709 00:37:14,880 --> 00:37:20,200 Speaker 1: richest people in the world. They have powerful friends. So convicted, sentence. 710 00:37:20,320 --> 00:37:23,120 Speaker 1: Money never shows up, that's my question. None. He never 711 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:25,799 Speaker 1: shows back up. He's got he's got this, like Confederate, 712 00:37:25,840 --> 00:37:28,400 Speaker 1: he was helping him. People think that person has the money. 713 00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:31,920 Speaker 1: Money disappears six years later, still behind bars. Gas de 714 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:35,560 Speaker 1: Means dies takes the secret to the grave with him. Ah, 715 00:37:36,440 --> 00:37:41,280 Speaker 1: how old. Is he same as Harding? Yeah? That interesting, 716 00:37:41,719 --> 00:37:45,080 Speaker 1: well yeah, both of them expectancy. Meanwhile, when he was 717 00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:49,160 Speaker 1: in prison, he became friends with al Capone. Yeah, so 718 00:37:49,200 --> 00:37:52,480 Speaker 1: he's been he spent time in Alcatraz. And now he 719 00:37:52,600 --> 00:37:55,040 Speaker 1: may have told al Capone about the who like the 720 00:37:55,480 --> 00:37:57,520 Speaker 1: story behind eleven and all that, But other than that, 721 00:37:57,560 --> 00:37:59,640 Speaker 1: he didn't tell anybody and al Capone, you know, I 722 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:02,080 Speaker 1: doubt he told a Capone. I just like saying, let's 723 00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:07,200 Speaker 1: let's say invented detail. Yeah he told al Capone. Those two, 724 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:10,359 Speaker 1: like you know, they told each other. They told each 725 00:38:10,400 --> 00:38:14,320 Speaker 1: other things they've never told the private secrets. They're intimate fears. 726 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:17,560 Speaker 1: So the New York Times when they get an obituary 727 00:38:17,560 --> 00:38:21,240 Speaker 1: at Gaston means and they wrote means sorry quote means 728 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:24,200 Speaker 1: offered no deathbed statement. He had met earlier attempts of 729 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:27,080 Speaker 1: g men to obtain here the inside story of the 730 00:38:27,080 --> 00:38:30,680 Speaker 1: case with stony silence. So that's when he doesn't have 731 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:33,520 Speaker 1: anything to say about it. Yeah, you can't go somewhere 732 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:36,920 Speaker 1: and say there's no right back. He's like, look, you 733 00:38:37,040 --> 00:38:38,680 Speaker 1: let me out of prison, then I ain't telling me nothing. 734 00:38:39,560 --> 00:38:42,760 Speaker 1: Now there's one last mystery to this story. What happened 735 00:38:42,760 --> 00:38:47,520 Speaker 1: to the Lindbergh Baby. I know it wasn't good. Yeah. 736 00:38:47,680 --> 00:38:50,279 Speaker 1: So basically, for years, and I'm talking like well into 737 00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:52,680 Speaker 1: the seventies, young men would come forward. I guess by 738 00:38:52,680 --> 00:38:54,880 Speaker 1: the seventies was no young men, but men would come 739 00:38:54,920 --> 00:38:57,200 Speaker 1: forward and be like, Oh, I am the Lindbergh Baby. 740 00:38:57,239 --> 00:38:59,240 Speaker 1: They kidnapped me and left me and I was raised 741 00:38:59,239 --> 00:39:01,279 Speaker 1: in this farm and finally I'm free. Can I have 742 00:39:01,360 --> 00:39:03,680 Speaker 1: my dad's money? And then I'm like, no, bro. But 743 00:39:03,760 --> 00:39:05,640 Speaker 1: the truth is there's no happy ending to the story. 744 00:39:05,640 --> 00:39:11,760 Speaker 1: The Lindbergh Baby was not surviving the ordeal now Evelyn 745 00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:16,279 Speaker 1: McLean she told reporters the sad fate and also how 746 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:19,520 Speaker 1: she felt about being conned by Gaston means you could 747 00:39:19,520 --> 00:39:22,160 Speaker 1: think about it, It's like she suffers that loss and 748 00:39:22,200 --> 00:39:25,120 Speaker 1: then she gets conned, and then is so invested in 749 00:39:25,160 --> 00:39:28,440 Speaker 1: the Lindburg case and then has to go through that 750 00:39:28,480 --> 00:39:31,680 Speaker 1: tragedy and trauma again. Yeah, she basically reopens herself up 751 00:39:31,719 --> 00:39:33,840 Speaker 1: to the same trauma and has the same result, and 752 00:39:34,040 --> 00:39:36,800 Speaker 1: even her money can't do anything for her both times. 753 00:39:36,920 --> 00:39:38,799 Speaker 1: I think, you know, I'm I like to I was 754 00:39:39,040 --> 00:39:40,640 Speaker 1: poking fun at her, but I think we'd all be 755 00:39:40,719 --> 00:39:43,040 Speaker 1: dinghy if we'd gone through some of that stuff, I 756 00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:45,879 Speaker 1: think diggy before. But yeah, I agree, and now I don't. 757 00:39:46,719 --> 00:39:48,839 Speaker 1: What does she have to say about that? Well, here's 758 00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:51,800 Speaker 1: what Evelyn McLean told the reporters quote. I had lived 759 00:39:51,880 --> 00:39:54,200 Speaker 1: more than a score of years, haunted daily by the 760 00:39:54,239 --> 00:39:56,920 Speaker 1: fear of just what was happening to the Lindbergh's. I 761 00:39:56,960 --> 00:39:59,960 Speaker 1: tried to do what millions wished they might. In my case, 762 00:40:00,120 --> 00:40:03,040 Speaker 1: the wish was harnessed to my money. I'm sorry that 763 00:40:03,120 --> 00:40:06,200 Speaker 1: I failed, that I was tricked, but I shall always 764 00:40:06,200 --> 00:40:08,400 Speaker 1: be glad that, in my heart, I was compelled to 765 00:40:08,440 --> 00:40:11,720 Speaker 1: take part in the effort to ransom the Lindbergh baby. 766 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:15,359 Speaker 1: So she at least got to feel honorable in her failure. Yeah. 767 00:40:16,160 --> 00:40:18,640 Speaker 1: So it's not the happiest note to end on, but 768 00:40:19,000 --> 00:40:21,560 Speaker 1: it is definitely the end of the story of Gaston. 769 00:40:21,680 --> 00:40:25,400 Speaker 1: Means Yeah, so, what is your ridiculous takeaway from a 770 00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:30,160 Speaker 1: man Gaston? Well, I think I really he's not a 771 00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:32,799 Speaker 1: good dude, but I do like his whole I'll be 772 00:40:32,920 --> 00:40:37,000 Speaker 1: right back. Look at this paperwork. People's eyes glaze over 773 00:40:37,000 --> 00:40:40,400 Speaker 1: with paperwork, and if you can paper them with phony paperwork, 774 00:40:40,440 --> 00:40:42,759 Speaker 1: and then meantime, be like, look over there and then 775 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:44,759 Speaker 1: make a run for it. I'll be right back. Yeah, 776 00:40:44,920 --> 00:40:47,399 Speaker 1: I'll be right back. That's pretty clever. He got really 777 00:40:47,440 --> 00:40:51,640 Speaker 1: far being stupidly clever. And I dare I say ridiculous, 778 00:40:52,120 --> 00:40:55,960 Speaker 1: dare dare away, what about you? My ridiculous takeaway is 779 00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:59,280 Speaker 1: never trust the police. That's always no. I'm just kidding. 780 00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:02,759 Speaker 1: But basically, you gotta question anybody because their authority doesn't 781 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:04,719 Speaker 1: mean that you know, you gotta listen to them gas, 782 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:08,400 Speaker 1: it means is proof positive of that. Yeah, well, thanks 783 00:41:08,400 --> 00:41:11,839 Speaker 1: for joining us. I'm Elizabeth Dutton. I am Zaren Burnett. 784 00:41:12,280 --> 00:41:14,399 Speaker 1: You can find us online a Ridiculous Crime on both 785 00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:16,879 Speaker 1: Twitter and Instagram. You got a tip for us about 786 00:41:16,920 --> 00:41:19,680 Speaker 1: a ridiculous crime you'd like to hear about, one you 787 00:41:19,719 --> 00:41:22,279 Speaker 1: want to confess to, or one that you know about 788 00:41:22,320 --> 00:41:24,960 Speaker 1: from your family stories, let us know, give us a jingle, 789 00:41:25,000 --> 00:41:27,920 Speaker 1: a ring, or email us at Ridiculous Crime at gmail 790 00:41:28,160 --> 00:41:30,799 Speaker 1: dot com. That's all for this week's Post'll be back 791 00:41:31,239 --> 00:41:33,200 Speaker 1: next week with a new story or in a couple 792 00:41:33,200 --> 00:41:36,080 Speaker 1: of days, depends on how you never quits lues it's free, 793 00:41:36,239 --> 00:41:38,279 Speaker 1: or you can just you know, click on us. Do 794 00:41:38,320 --> 00:41:46,760 Speaker 1: another story Right Now. Ridiculous Trying To hosted by Elizabeth 795 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:49,600 Speaker 1: Dutton and Zaren Burnett, produced and edited by Chief Inspector 796 00:41:49,680 --> 00:41:53,040 Speaker 1: Dave Couston. Researches by special Agent Marissa Brown. The theme 797 00:41:53,120 --> 00:41:56,560 Speaker 1: song is by Thomas the California Fox, Lee and Travis 798 00:41:56,640 --> 00:42:00,279 Speaker 1: called Me a Levin Dutton. Executive producers are Ben That's 799 00:42:00,280 --> 00:42:02,960 Speaker 1: a Big Diamond Bowling and nol leet Me at ol 800 00:42:03,000 --> 00:42:10,920 Speaker 1: Passo Brown. Ridiculous Crime is a production of I Heart Radio. 801 00:42:11,200 --> 00:42:13,320 Speaker 1: For more podcasts to my Heart Radio, visit the i 802 00:42:13,400 --> 00:42:16,200 Speaker 1: heeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to 803 00:42:16,239 --> 00:42:17,120 Speaker 1: your favorite shows.