1 00:00:03,760 --> 00:00:08,000 Speaker 1: Our world is full of the unexplainable, and if history 2 00:00:08,039 --> 00:00:11,440 Speaker 1: is an open book, all of these amazing tales right 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: there on display, just waiting for us to explore. Welcome 4 00:00:17,760 --> 00:00:28,680 Speaker 1: to the Cabinet of Curiosities. Robert Burns put it best 5 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:31,400 Speaker 1: when he wrote, the best laid plans of mice and 6 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:35,960 Speaker 1: men often go awry. We prepare and we scheme, but 7 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:39,360 Speaker 1: inevitably it's not enough. We usually end up right back 8 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: where we started. Guillaume le gentil knew about making plans. 9 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:48,400 Speaker 1: Born in seventy five and Normandy, France. Guillaume's original plan 10 00:00:48,479 --> 00:00:51,360 Speaker 1: had been to join the clergy. Then he looked up 11 00:00:51,400 --> 00:00:55,520 Speaker 1: to the stars. One years earlier, Galileo Galilei had done 12 00:00:55,520 --> 00:00:58,120 Speaker 1: the same and observed the Moon, the Milky Way, and 13 00:00:58,280 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: much more. Through his own telescope. Geo managed to observe 14 00:01:02,600 --> 00:01:07,080 Speaker 1: dwarf galaxies and constellations. His discoveries gained him a reputation 15 00:01:07,120 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: in the scientific community, which helped earn him a spot 16 00:01:09,959 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 1: on a special astronomical project, the goal to measure the 17 00:01:13,959 --> 00:01:17,440 Speaker 1: distance from the Earth to the Sun. It was commissioned 18 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: by a Russian scientist named Mikhail Lomonosov and the French 19 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,560 Speaker 1: Academy of Sciences, Lomanesov figured out that by observing how 20 00:01:24,640 --> 00:01:27,840 Speaker 1: Venus traveled between the Sun and a superior planet from 21 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:30,720 Speaker 1: different locations on Earth, it could be possible to measure 22 00:01:30,760 --> 00:01:33,600 Speaker 1: the distance to the Sun. This phenomenon was known as 23 00:01:33,640 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 1: the Transit of Venus. Seventeen sixty one would be the 24 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: date of the next transit, and Guillaume was tasked with 25 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:43,039 Speaker 1: viewing it from India. He knew of a French owned 26 00:01:43,080 --> 00:01:46,120 Speaker 1: territory on the southeastern coast called Ponda Cherry that would 27 00:01:46,120 --> 00:01:49,320 Speaker 1: be a perfect spot for watching the transit. Yom started 28 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 1: out in Paris in March of seventeen sixty and traveled 29 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: across the Indian Ocean to the Aisle de France four 30 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: months later. He would have liked to have begun the 31 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,400 Speaker 1: second leg of his trips soon after, but the rest 32 00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:01,920 Speaker 1: of the world had other plans. As he reached Aisle 33 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 1: de France, Britain and France started fighting in what would 34 00:02:04,800 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: come to be known as the Seven Years War, so 35 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: it wouldn't be until February of seventeen sixty one that 36 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:12,800 Speaker 1: Guillaume found passage on a military ship headed toward the 37 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:17,400 Speaker 1: Indian coast. However, more complications presented themselves. The closer he 38 00:02:17,440 --> 00:02:19,720 Speaker 1: got to June sixth, the date when the transit the 39 00:02:19,800 --> 00:02:24,040 Speaker 1: Venus would occur, for one monsoon season was approaching. Strong 40 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:26,480 Speaker 1: winds set his ship adrift in the Indian Ocean for 41 00:02:26,520 --> 00:02:29,720 Speaker 1: five weeks, and that's when the second obstacle came his way. 42 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:32,119 Speaker 1: By the time he finally reached India, he found out 43 00:02:32,120 --> 00:02:35,040 Speaker 1: that the British had captured Ponda Cherry, preventing him from 44 00:02:35,160 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: entering the town. Defeated, he stayed on the ship as 45 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:41,239 Speaker 1: he returned to the Isle de France. The transit passed 46 00:02:41,240 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 1: above right on schedule, but Guillaume and his instruments couldn't 47 00:02:44,400 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 1: track it properly due to the rocking of the waves. 48 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:50,400 Speaker 1: But he had another idea. The next transit would occur 49 00:02:50,520 --> 00:02:53,839 Speaker 1: eight years later, in June of seventeen sixty nine. Rather 50 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:56,160 Speaker 1: than try to complete his journey from scratch again, he 51 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:58,880 Speaker 1: decided to stay on the aisle close to the viewing spot. 52 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: This time. How her, it was Manila that would provide 53 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:05,799 Speaker 1: the best viewing angle of the transit. He set out 54 00:03:05,840 --> 00:03:08,640 Speaker 1: on May Onet of seventeen sixty six and stepped foot 55 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:11,639 Speaker 1: in Manila three months later. His welcome there was less 56 00:03:11,680 --> 00:03:14,880 Speaker 1: than hospitable. Though practically run out of town by the governor, 57 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 1: he fled back to pond a cherry, which was once 58 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:20,400 Speaker 1: again under French control. He was greeted with a feast 59 00:03:20,440 --> 00:03:23,080 Speaker 1: and the opportunity to choose the ideal spot from which 60 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,600 Speaker 1: to watch the transit. June was fast approaching. He set 61 00:03:27,639 --> 00:03:30,080 Speaker 1: up making his makeshift observatory in the ruins of a 62 00:03:30,080 --> 00:03:32,840 Speaker 1: building lost during the war. The governor joined him on 63 00:03:32,880 --> 00:03:35,120 Speaker 1: the night before the transit, and the two gazed up 64 00:03:35,120 --> 00:03:37,800 Speaker 1: at a star filled sky. It was so clear they 65 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:41,840 Speaker 1: could see several of Jupiter's moons through the telescope. The 66 00:03:41,880 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 1: transit wouldn't occur until the following day, when the sun 67 00:03:44,400 --> 00:03:46,720 Speaker 1: was up, so he bid the governor good nights and 68 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: went to sleep. Hours later, he awoke something was bothering him. 69 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:53,680 Speaker 1: The sun had yet to rise, but he could sense 70 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:57,000 Speaker 1: a problem with his plan. It wasn't the telescope, which 71 00:03:57,040 --> 00:04:01,600 Speaker 1: was working properly. Still, he had a feeling, despite the 72 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: years away from home he had spent traveling for this 73 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,520 Speaker 1: one specific purpose, despite all the planning and the hardships 74 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,640 Speaker 1: that he had faced to witness Venus's migration across the sun. 75 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: Guillaume le Gentil never accounted for the one thing that 76 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:30,800 Speaker 1: could prevent it all a cloudy day. A little bit 77 00:04:30,800 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 1: of hope can go a long way. People in poverty 78 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:36,599 Speaker 1: often hope for a way out, an act of God 79 00:04:36,640 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: to pluck them from their situation and drop them into 80 00:04:39,240 --> 00:04:42,800 Speaker 1: a more comfortable life, no more hardships, no more wondering 81 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:46,520 Speaker 1: where their next meal is going to come from. Oscar 82 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 1: Hartzell wanted to make sure his fellow Iowans never had 83 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: to struggle to pay their rent or their bills ever again. 84 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 1: In he'd learned about a large sum of money owned 85 00:04:55,880 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 1: by the British government. It had been part of Sir 86 00:04:58,320 --> 00:05:01,400 Speaker 1: Francis Drake's estates and had spent the last three hundred 87 00:05:01,440 --> 00:05:05,039 Speaker 1: years collecting interest, bringing the total value of the unclaimed 88 00:05:05,080 --> 00:05:09,560 Speaker 1: money to around one hundred billion dollars. Hertzel had an idea. 89 00:05:09,920 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: He knew he could sue the British government to release 90 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:15,039 Speaker 1: the funds if enough of Drake's heirs came forward to 91 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:17,800 Speaker 1: collect the inheritance. He put out a call to anyone 92 00:05:17,800 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 1: in Iowa with the last name of Drake in order 93 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:22,240 Speaker 1: to get the money owed to them. However, they had 94 00:05:22,240 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 1: to invest their own with Hertzel, who would act on 95 00:05:24,640 --> 00:05:29,440 Speaker 1: their behalf in the lawsuits. He welcomed investments of all sizes, 96 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:33,599 Speaker 1: promising massive returns. For every one dollar invested, that person 97 00:05:33,640 --> 00:05:36,560 Speaker 1: would get back another five hundred. He also promised the 98 00:05:36,560 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: English city of Portsmouth as part of that package, yeah 99 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:45,360 Speaker 1: the entire city. Hope sprung eternal throughout Iowa as farmers, families, 100 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: and folks from all walks of life dug into their savings. 101 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:50,839 Speaker 1: It seemed everyone wanted a chance at a slice of 102 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:54,400 Speaker 1: that pie. Hertzel collected investments from tens of thousands of 103 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:57,280 Speaker 1: hard working Iowans. When the money started to dry up, 104 00:05:57,320 --> 00:05:59,920 Speaker 1: he brought in his scope and invited people from other 105 00:06:00,080 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 1: states to invest, even folks whose last names weren't Drake. 106 00:06:04,600 --> 00:06:07,359 Speaker 1: With a tidy sum under his belt, Hartzel felt that 107 00:06:07,400 --> 00:06:09,359 Speaker 1: he had enough to take to the British government and 108 00:06:09,400 --> 00:06:12,839 Speaker 1: claim what was due to his fellow Iowans. In nineteen four, 109 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: he moved his whole operation to England, where he immediately 110 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,520 Speaker 1: got to work. Once he got there, though he ran 111 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:21,920 Speaker 1: into some hurdles. For one, the British Home Office claimed 112 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,520 Speaker 1: that there had never been any estate belonging to Sir 113 00:06:24,600 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: Francis Drake, but Hartzel knew the real story. The money 114 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:30,760 Speaker 1: had been placed the name of one of Sir Francis's descendants, 115 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: Drexel Drake, and Hartzel was well within his rights to 116 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:37,280 Speaker 1: claim it. The more he fought, the more it cost him. 117 00:06:37,320 --> 00:06:39,839 Speaker 1: Before he'd left Iowa, Hartzel had tasked a few people 118 00:06:39,839 --> 00:06:42,719 Speaker 1: there to act as his collection agents. Whenever he'd ask 119 00:06:42,800 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 1: for more money to cover his legal costs, they would 120 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,640 Speaker 1: solicit previous investors who were only too happy to oblige. 121 00:06:49,480 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 1: The month dragged on, and Hartzel was up to his 122 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,880 Speaker 1: eyeballs in legal proceedings and paperwork. At least that's what 123 00:06:55,960 --> 00:06:59,159 Speaker 1: he told everyone back home. Instead, he was living the 124 00:06:59,200 --> 00:07:02,640 Speaker 1: life of a wealthy man off everyone else's hard earned money. 125 00:07:03,120 --> 00:07:05,480 Speaker 1: There had never been a government plot to keep the 126 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:08,640 Speaker 1: Drake estate from American hands, because there had never been 127 00:07:08,680 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 1: any estate to begin with. The whole thing had been 128 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: a con. In fact, it wasn't even Hartzel's con. In 129 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: nineteen fifteen, two men had approached him with the same scheme, 130 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 1: asking him to invest six thousand dollars, which they would 131 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:24,120 Speaker 1: turn into six million once Sir Francis Drake's funds were released. 132 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: Hartzel saw through their game and declined, but the experience 133 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:30,920 Speaker 1: did give him a bright idea, which he spun to 134 00:07:31,080 --> 00:07:34,520 Speaker 1: his own advantage. What's more, even after news of his 135 00:07:34,560 --> 00:07:37,080 Speaker 1: fraud came to light, there were still people back in 136 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: Iowa who continued to send him money. They refused to 137 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:42,800 Speaker 1: give up hope, even if it meant going bankrupt in 138 00:07:42,840 --> 00:07:47,280 Speaker 1: the process. Hartzel was sent back to the United States 139 00:07:47,280 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: in nineteen thirty three, where he was tried and convicted 140 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 1: a fraud, his sixty eight thousand dollars in legal fees 141 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:57,440 Speaker 1: covered by donations from his faithful investors. He continued to 142 00:07:57,520 --> 00:08:00,120 Speaker 1: run his scam from prison for the next ten years. 143 00:08:01,160 --> 00:08:03,680 Speaker 1: Hartzel died there in jail, but with the help of 144 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,600 Speaker 1: his agents on the outside, he managed to collect hundreds 145 00:08:06,600 --> 00:08:09,560 Speaker 1: of thousands of dollars, all of it from folks just 146 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,160 Speaker 1: looking for a happy ending to their story, no matter 147 00:08:13,200 --> 00:08:18,960 Speaker 1: what the cost. I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour 148 00:08:19,120 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 1: of the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, 149 00:08:23,280 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: or learn more about the show by visiting curiosities podcast 150 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:31,000 Speaker 1: dot com. The show was created by me Aaron Manky 151 00:08:31,120 --> 00:08:34,560 Speaker 1: in partnership with how Stuff Works, I make another award 152 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:38,200 Speaker 1: winning show called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, 153 00:08:38,240 --> 00:08:40,840 Speaker 1: and television show and you can learn all about it 154 00:08:40,920 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: over at the world of Lore dot com. And until 155 00:08:44,520 --> 00:08:46,479 Speaker 1: next time, stay curious.