1 00:00:01,280 --> 00:00:04,000 Speaker 1: Welcome to Stuff You Missed in History Class, a production 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:12,760 Speaker 1: of I Heart Radios How Stuff Works. Hello, and welcome 3 00:00:12,760 --> 00:00:15,880 Speaker 1: to the podcast. I'm Holly Fry and I'm Tracy V. Wilson. 4 00:00:16,320 --> 00:00:18,880 Speaker 1: And now we're in the thick of Halloween happenings, which 5 00:00:18,960 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: means it is time for a ghost story. Who doesn't 6 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: love a ghost story? Although this one is problematic in 7 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:27,440 Speaker 1: a variety of ways. You may recall an episode that 8 00:00:27,480 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 1: Sarah and Deblina did in twelve about London's Cocklane ghost 9 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: who accused a living person of murder that is also 10 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,320 Speaker 1: going to come up as a classic uh in the 11 00:00:36,360 --> 00:00:38,479 Speaker 1: not too distant future. So if you didn't listen to 12 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:40,479 Speaker 1: it in twelve and don't feel like looking for it, 13 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:44,480 Speaker 1: you're going to get it automatically in your feed very soon. Uh. 14 00:00:44,479 --> 00:00:46,440 Speaker 1: And this one is in a similar vein, but it 15 00:00:46,520 --> 00:00:49,400 Speaker 1: is a West Virginia story of a ghost who gave 16 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:53,440 Speaker 1: details about her murder and uh, we are about to 17 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 1: go on tour, as we've said so, uh, we were 18 00:00:57,200 --> 00:01:01,440 Speaker 1: considering this as as possibly one of the topics that 19 00:01:01,480 --> 00:01:04,319 Speaker 1: we would cover in one leg of our our upcoming tour, 20 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: but as I started doing the research on it, it 21 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: pretty quickly became apparent that this is a little too 22 00:01:09,760 --> 00:01:13,520 Speaker 1: unsettling for our no bummer's rule for live shows. Uh. 23 00:01:13,520 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 1: And there is are some aspects to this story that 24 00:01:15,880 --> 00:01:18,920 Speaker 1: just would not be fun bantery things to talk about 25 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,760 Speaker 1: in a live show. Uh. That means this is also 26 00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:26,759 Speaker 1: your warning that this story features multiple instances of spousal abuse, 27 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: specifically a man abusing his wives. So if that is 28 00:01:29,560 --> 00:01:32,800 Speaker 1: something that you would rather not hear about, that is understandable, 29 00:01:32,840 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: and this one might be best to skip over. We 30 00:01:35,560 --> 00:01:39,440 Speaker 1: are talking today about the Greenbrier Ghost. It's spousal abuse 31 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 1: up to and potentially including murder. So yeah, it's uh 32 00:01:44,240 --> 00:01:46,640 Speaker 1: not to be a spoiler, but there's a lot going on. 33 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:50,000 Speaker 1: There's a plaque which is a state historical marker that 34 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:53,880 Speaker 1: stands near a West Virginia cemetery and tells an incredible tale. 35 00:01:53,920 --> 00:01:58,600 Speaker 1: Here's what it says. Quote Greenbrier Ghost, interred in nearby 36 00:01:58,680 --> 00:02:03,120 Speaker 1: cemetery is na houster shoe. Her death in eight was 37 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,280 Speaker 1: presumed natural until her spirit appeared to her mother to 38 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: describe how she was killed by her husband. Trout autopsy 39 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,840 Speaker 1: on the exhumed body verified the apparition's account. Trout found 40 00:02:15,919 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 1: guilty of murder was sentenced to the state prison. Only 41 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 1: known case in which testimony from ghost helped convict a murderer. 42 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:27,639 Speaker 1: So first we are going to talk about Mr Shoe. 43 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:32,360 Speaker 1: His full name was Erasmus Stribbling Trout Shoe, and he 44 00:02:32,440 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 1: had a problematic past long before he met Zona. When 45 00:02:36,160 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: he changed his name from Erasmus to Edward is unknown, 46 00:02:39,800 --> 00:02:41,440 Speaker 1: although it could have been connected to one of the 47 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,240 Speaker 1: times he had some legal trouble, but he went by 48 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:48,120 Speaker 1: Trout to most people. Shoe had a history of abuse, 49 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 1: Like we alluded to earlier, in the winter of eighteen 50 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:54,480 Speaker 1: eighty six to eighty seven, there were stories of incidents 51 00:02:54,520 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: in which he had whipped his first wife, Her name 52 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: was ali Estelene cut Lip McMillan, and those stories had 53 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:05,359 Speaker 1: spread and become so common that a number of teenagers 54 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:07,960 Speaker 1: and their teacher decided to go do something about it. 55 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:11,840 Speaker 1: According to an account by one of the boys involved, G. S. McKeever, 56 00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,239 Speaker 1: the group went to the Shoe cabin on Rock Camp Run, 57 00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: which was an offshoot of Spring Creek, late one night 58 00:03:18,320 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 1: and they knocked on the door. Obviously, we should say 59 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,560 Speaker 1: this account was given many many years after all of 60 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:25,920 Speaker 1: this took place to just keep that in mind. But 61 00:03:26,040 --> 00:03:29,240 Speaker 1: when Shoe answered, several of the youths jumped him and 62 00:03:29,280 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: they took him to a watering hole and they dunked 63 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:34,920 Speaker 1: him in the icy water. The temperature that night was 64 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: below freezing, and they told him they were doing it 65 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:40,360 Speaker 1: because he was known to beat his wife. And the 66 00:03:40,400 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: next morning Shoe pressed charges against the three boys who 67 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,080 Speaker 1: were his primary attackers. So there was a minor bit 68 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:49,560 Speaker 1: of addressing the charges and bringing the first of the 69 00:03:49,600 --> 00:03:52,720 Speaker 1: defendants to court, but there were plenty of people willing 70 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: to serve as witnesses for all the young people involved. 71 00:03:56,280 --> 00:03:59,960 Speaker 1: All three warrants were abandoned by the court. Shoe's wife, 72 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,920 Speaker 1: Ali moved back to her family home and later divorced him, 73 00:04:03,960 --> 00:04:08,680 Speaker 1: and she did that while he was incarcerated for horse theft. Yeah, basically, 74 00:04:08,720 --> 00:04:12,120 Speaker 1: when the first of the young men, who they were teenagers, 75 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: so the boys involved, went before the court, there were 76 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:16,760 Speaker 1: like three people ready to go No, he wasn't, he 77 00:04:16,839 --> 00:04:19,120 Speaker 1: wasn't where they're saying he is. And they realized like 78 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: there was never going to be anything to come of it, 79 00:04:21,800 --> 00:04:24,359 Speaker 1: So that's why they dismissed all of those others. Um 80 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 1: I think probably also the judge knew what was up 81 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:28,640 Speaker 1: and was like, I'm not going to punish these kids 82 00:04:28,640 --> 00:04:31,320 Speaker 1: for trying to do something right. Shoe got married again, 83 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:35,560 Speaker 1: in this time to Lucy and Tritt, and Lucy was 84 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 1: only sixteen when she and Trout married. She did not 85 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:41,600 Speaker 1: live to see seventeen. Eight months into the marriage, she 86 00:04:41,680 --> 00:04:44,160 Speaker 1: fell and died when she hit her head on a rock. 87 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,679 Speaker 1: At least that was trout story. There was some doubt 88 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: in the community about whether that was true, but Trout 89 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: was never charged with any wrongdoing in her death, and 90 00:04:53,560 --> 00:04:55,599 Speaker 1: her death was written up in the paper as just 91 00:04:55,680 --> 00:05:00,120 Speaker 1: a sudden death. And then in the On of You 92 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:03,840 Speaker 1: met Elva Zona Heaster, who went by Zona. Before long 93 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:08,120 Speaker 1: they were married. Trout Shoe had only recently started working 94 00:05:08,120 --> 00:05:11,080 Speaker 1: in Greenbrier County and he drew a lot of attention. 95 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:14,800 Speaker 1: He was handsome and cocky, and Zona really fell for him, 96 00:05:14,839 --> 00:05:18,719 Speaker 1: and their wedding itself was a peculiarity. When the Methodist 97 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: minister are are Little arrived at the Shoe home for 98 00:05:21,440 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 1: the ceremony, The bride and the guests were there, but 99 00:05:24,720 --> 00:05:27,960 Speaker 1: trout Shoe was not. He had gone to get the 100 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 1: marriage license, is what the minister was told, and, according 101 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,120 Speaker 1: to an account that was given by Reverent Little again 102 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:36,760 Speaker 1: much later after the fact, they all sat there and 103 00:05:36,800 --> 00:05:40,000 Speaker 1: waited a very long time for Trout to return. He 104 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: left them waiting from early afternoon until approximately midnight. Then 105 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 1: when Trout finally did get there, there was a problem 106 00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: with the marriage license itself. It had been issued in 107 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:54,719 Speaker 1: Greenbrier County, but the shoe home was located in Pocahonas County. 108 00:05:54,960 --> 00:05:58,080 Speaker 1: Little refused to perform the ceremony in any other county 109 00:05:58,240 --> 00:06:01,520 Speaker 1: than the one where the license had been issued. I 110 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: don't know how West Virginia law works, but that is 111 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:07,479 Speaker 1: how the law works some places. She convinced everybody in 112 00:06:07,520 --> 00:06:10,279 Speaker 1: attendance to walk a mile down the road so that 113 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:13,120 Speaker 1: they would be in Greenbrier County, and then the ceremony 114 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:16,960 Speaker 1: started there on the road. So here is what happened next, 115 00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 1: according to Reverend Little's account, quote, when I came to 116 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,400 Speaker 1: the part of the ceremony where it says, if anyone 117 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:27,440 Speaker 1: has objections, speak now or forever hold your peace. I waited, 118 00:06:28,080 --> 00:06:32,040 Speaker 1: and after some time I said I object I told 119 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,000 Speaker 1: him for the reason that the girl he wished to 120 00:06:34,040 --> 00:06:37,599 Speaker 1: marry was a mere child. None of her people are present. 121 00:06:38,040 --> 00:06:40,039 Speaker 1: It is now one o'clock in the morning, and we 122 00:06:40,120 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 1: are all here on a country road. A marriage ceremony 123 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,040 Speaker 1: is a sacred rite and should at least be performed 124 00:06:46,120 --> 00:06:50,080 Speaker 1: under ordinary circumstances. I cannot help but think there is 125 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,359 Speaker 1: something not right in this case, and I will go 126 00:06:52,440 --> 00:06:55,080 Speaker 1: no further. So there will be no wedding, so far 127 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,479 Speaker 1: as I am concerned. The minister said that he later 128 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:01,679 Speaker 1: learned that Zonah was very young, just fifteen years old. 129 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:05,560 Speaker 1: You'll recall that Trout's previous wife, Lucy, had only been sixteen. 130 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 1: It was probably not accurate, though she was probably closer 131 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: to twenty. Her exact birthdate is unknown, and different accounts 132 00:07:14,440 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 1: of how old she was are really all over the map. Yeah, 133 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:21,800 Speaker 1: there are a lot of question marks surrounding Zona and 134 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,880 Speaker 1: her personality and who she was. There are some stories 135 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 1: that will tell you that she had actually had a 136 00:07:28,400 --> 00:07:30,880 Speaker 1: child out of wedlock the year before, which would have 137 00:07:30,920 --> 00:07:33,600 Speaker 1: been very um scandalous at the time. The year before 138 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: she met she, others will paint a completely different picture 139 00:07:37,680 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: of her. And because there are so little records, it's 140 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:45,160 Speaker 1: really hard to know. What is just country community gossip 141 00:07:45,280 --> 00:07:47,760 Speaker 1: that has spread versus what is truth, which is part 142 00:07:47,800 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 1: of why this story is tricky to begin with. But 143 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 1: we know that trout Shoe had gotten this young woman 144 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 1: away from her family and had rushed this wedding. And 145 00:07:57,080 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 1: even though Reverend Little refused to perform the ceremony, the 146 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:02,880 Speaker 1: next morning, Trout just took Zona to another town in 147 00:08:02,960 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: Greenbrier County and they got married there. Trout and Zonah 148 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,440 Speaker 1: were together only a couple of months, It's between two 149 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,560 Speaker 1: and three months before she died. In early January of 150 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: eighteen nine seven, Zona became ill with something that's not 151 00:08:17,120 --> 00:08:21,680 Speaker 1: totally clear. The local doctor, doctor George W. Knap, called 152 00:08:21,680 --> 00:08:24,560 Speaker 1: on the Shoes to check on Zonah regularly and to 153 00:08:24,720 --> 00:08:28,840 Speaker 1: monitor her health. On January two, Trout paid a visit 154 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: to the home of a woman known as Aunt Martha Jones. 155 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:34,840 Speaker 1: Martha had a son named Anderson who was eleven at 156 00:08:34,840 --> 00:08:37,880 Speaker 1: the time, and trout Shoe asked if Anderson could go 157 00:08:37,920 --> 00:08:39,880 Speaker 1: to the Shoe home and take care of some chores 158 00:08:39,960 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: for Zona. Anderson had done this kind of work for 159 00:08:42,520 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 1: them before, and he was told that Anderson had some 160 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:47,599 Speaker 1: other errands that he needed to do first, but that 161 00:08:47,720 --> 00:08:50,520 Speaker 1: he would eventually make his way there, and over the 162 00:08:50,559 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 1: course of the morning, in the very early afternoon, Trout 163 00:08:53,360 --> 00:08:56,480 Speaker 1: stopped at the Jones home four different times to repeat 164 00:08:56,520 --> 00:09:00,760 Speaker 1: that request. Anderson Jones did. Eventually, I get to Trout 165 00:09:00,800 --> 00:09:03,720 Speaker 1: and Zona's home, and we'll get to the particulars of 166 00:09:03,720 --> 00:09:05,920 Speaker 1: what he found there. After we paused for a quick 167 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:16,320 Speaker 1: sponsor break. According to an account given by Anderson Jones 168 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:19,240 Speaker 1: decades later, when he was a grown man, he finally 169 00:09:19,240 --> 00:09:22,000 Speaker 1: got to the Shoe home a little after one pm, 170 00:09:22,040 --> 00:09:24,280 Speaker 1: and he felt that there was something off about the 171 00:09:24,320 --> 00:09:26,800 Speaker 1: house as he approached it, and as he got to 172 00:09:26,840 --> 00:09:29,960 Speaker 1: the porch, he said that he saw blood. He knocked 173 00:09:29,960 --> 00:09:31,679 Speaker 1: on the door, but he got no answer, and then 174 00:09:31,720 --> 00:09:34,400 Speaker 1: he tried the door, which was unlocked, and he entered 175 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: the house. He followed the trail of blood through the 176 00:09:38,080 --> 00:09:40,560 Speaker 1: kitchen to the door to the dining room, and as 177 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 1: with the exterior door, that dining room door was closed, 178 00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:46,240 Speaker 1: and he knocked and got no answer, and then he 179 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:49,440 Speaker 1: opened the door himself. When he did this, Anderson Jones 180 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: stumbled over the body of Zona, lying face up on 181 00:09:53,200 --> 00:09:56,960 Speaker 1: the floor with her eyes open. He shook her and 182 00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,000 Speaker 1: found that she was cold to the touch. Immediately realized 183 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: she was dead. He ran from the house and yelled 184 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:05,320 Speaker 1: to his mother as he made his way home that 185 00:10:05,480 --> 00:10:08,080 Speaker 1: Mrs Shoe was dead, and then he went onto the 186 00:10:08,120 --> 00:10:11,240 Speaker 1: blacksmith shop where Trout she worked to tell him this 187 00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:15,560 Speaker 1: terrible news about his wife. According to Anderson Jones, Shoe 188 00:10:15,679 --> 00:10:19,440 Speaker 1: ran home and he Anderson went to fetch Dr. Nap, 189 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:21,440 Speaker 1: and by the time they got to the Shoe home 190 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:24,720 Speaker 1: that meaning Anderson and the doctor, Trout had moved his 191 00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:27,440 Speaker 1: wife from the floor to the bed and dressed her 192 00:10:27,480 --> 00:10:30,280 Speaker 1: in address with a high collar and a scarf, and 193 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:34,320 Speaker 1: was sitting on the bed cradling her body. Trout allegedly 194 00:10:34,400 --> 00:10:37,680 Speaker 1: held her head close to his chest and wasn't willing 195 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,240 Speaker 1: to let go of it even as the doctor tried 196 00:10:40,240 --> 00:10:44,400 Speaker 1: to examine the body. Nap determined that Zonah had experienced 197 00:10:44,400 --> 00:10:49,600 Speaker 1: heart failure and said that her death was quote everlasting faint. 198 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:53,720 Speaker 1: Zona had died on a Friday, and on Saturday, her 199 00:10:53,720 --> 00:10:56,400 Speaker 1: body was taken to her mother's home, which was on 200 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:58,880 Speaker 1: a nearby mountain, where there was a period of visitation 201 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:04,240 Speaker 1: before the burial on Monday, January. During the visitation, Trout 202 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:07,800 Speaker 1: was similarly unwilling to step away from Zona or her coffin, 203 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:10,400 Speaker 1: choosing to stay seated at the head of it rather 204 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: than stand to greet visitors, and any time there was 205 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,559 Speaker 1: someone there, Trout was there at the coffin and allegedly 206 00:11:16,600 --> 00:11:20,360 Speaker 1: did not allow anyone to approach it. So now we 207 00:11:20,360 --> 00:11:22,480 Speaker 1: need to take a moment to talk about Zona's mother. 208 00:11:22,760 --> 00:11:25,720 Speaker 1: Her name was Mrs Mary Jane Heister, and she was 209 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:29,560 Speaker 1: not a fan of Trout. That cause of death, recorded 210 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,080 Speaker 1: as everlasting feint, did not sit well with her. To 211 00:11:33,640 --> 00:11:36,880 Speaker 1: Mary Heaster, that didn't sound like a valid reason for 212 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:41,480 Speaker 1: her young, previously pretty healthy daughter to have died. And 213 00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 1: beginning a few days after Zona was buried, Mrs Heaster 214 00:11:45,200 --> 00:11:49,160 Speaker 1: had what is sometimes characterized as four dreams, also sometimes 215 00:11:49,640 --> 00:11:53,440 Speaker 1: described as some other event in which her daughter appeared 216 00:11:53,480 --> 00:11:58,640 Speaker 1: to her. These became very significant events uh. Mrs Heaster 217 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:02,000 Speaker 1: describes them as her daughter being real and corporeal and 218 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 1: able to be touched. And that first night, Mrs Easter 219 00:12:05,280 --> 00:12:07,480 Speaker 1: felt that she had awakened when she heard a noise 220 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:09,600 Speaker 1: in her room, and as her eyes grew accustomed to 221 00:12:09,600 --> 00:12:13,120 Speaker 1: the darkness, she made out the shape of her daughter Zona. 222 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 1: But when Mary reached out on that first night, her 223 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:20,160 Speaker 1: daughter disappeared On the second night, after Mary prayed repeatedly 224 00:12:20,200 --> 00:12:22,560 Speaker 1: that she wanted to see Zonah again, she said that 225 00:12:22,559 --> 00:12:26,040 Speaker 1: the deceased daughter appeared to her again, and this time 226 00:12:26,080 --> 00:12:29,920 Speaker 1: the apparition spoke to her, wanting her mother to understand 227 00:12:29,960 --> 00:12:33,840 Speaker 1: what had really happened. Zona made a third appearance on 228 00:12:33,920 --> 00:12:36,240 Speaker 1: the following night, and then a fourth the night after that, 229 00:12:36,360 --> 00:12:39,520 Speaker 1: and it was during that final night that Zona really 230 00:12:39,559 --> 00:12:42,199 Speaker 1: told her mother all of the details of her death. 231 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:45,840 Speaker 1: The most significant part of Mary Heaster's account of Zonah's 232 00:12:45,880 --> 00:12:51,440 Speaker 1: dream communications with her involved details of the murder, specifically 233 00:12:51,520 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 1: how Trout had broken her neck. Mrs Easter did not 234 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: keep these communications from Zona to herself. She told people 235 00:12:58,400 --> 00:13:02,640 Speaker 1: all about it. They're initial reaction to Mary telling friends 236 00:13:02,679 --> 00:13:06,440 Speaker 1: and neighbors about these dreams and subsequent suspicion of her 237 00:13:06,440 --> 00:13:10,880 Speaker 1: son in law's involvement in Zona's death was pretty polite disbelief. 238 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: The general opinion seemed to be that grief was leading 239 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:17,640 Speaker 1: Mrs Hoister to come to wild conclusions and to just 240 00:13:17,800 --> 00:13:21,600 Speaker 1: cling to some sort of explanation for her daughter's untimely death, 241 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 1: one that would offer her a chance at some kind 242 00:13:24,120 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 1: of retribution. But Mary Heister was adamant that her daughter 243 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:31,800 Speaker 1: was actively communicating with her, so much that she started 244 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:34,480 Speaker 1: to convince people that that was what was happening. A 245 00:13:34,520 --> 00:13:37,400 Speaker 1: few people at a time, and once Mary convinced her 246 00:13:37,440 --> 00:13:41,360 Speaker 1: brother in law, Johnson Heister, things really started to change. 247 00:13:41,600 --> 00:13:44,719 Speaker 1: So first the pair actually went to visit Shoe. They 248 00:13:44,720 --> 00:13:47,679 Speaker 1: were trying not to tip their hand, but they wanted 249 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:50,760 Speaker 1: to talk about what had happened when Zona died, and 250 00:13:50,760 --> 00:13:53,600 Speaker 1: they came away from that visit believing with certainty that 251 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:56,920 Speaker 1: he had killed his young wife. They also spoke to 252 00:13:57,000 --> 00:14:00,120 Speaker 1: Anderson Jones and several other people in the community d 253 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:02,319 Speaker 1: who had been at the house the day Zona's body 254 00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:06,559 Speaker 1: was discovered. With Johnson's involvement and not nearly that of 255 00:14:06,600 --> 00:14:09,240 Speaker 1: a distraught mother who people were happy to kind of 256 00:14:09,280 --> 00:14:12,439 Speaker 1: write off, the Easters were able to move their suspicions 257 00:14:12,440 --> 00:14:16,280 Speaker 1: into action. First, they met with John A. Preston, who 258 00:14:16,280 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 1: was the Louisbourg prosecutor who had already heard plenty of 259 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:22,640 Speaker 1: rumors going on about Zona's mother trying to have Trout 260 00:14:22,680 --> 00:14:26,800 Speaker 1: convicted for murder. As news had spread, various people offered 261 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:30,000 Speaker 1: up examples of what they perceived after the fact. Who 262 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,560 Speaker 1: have been strange behavior on Trout's part and the fact 263 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,359 Speaker 1: that he had been unwilling to let Dr Nap examine 264 00:14:36,520 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 1: Zonah's head started to seem less like a deeply aggrieved 265 00:14:40,520 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 1: husband who could not bear to let go of his 266 00:14:43,280 --> 00:14:46,600 Speaker 1: last beloved and maybe more like somebody who was trying 267 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:50,120 Speaker 1: to cover something up. After meeting with Mary and Johnson, Heaster, 268 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,240 Speaker 1: Preston took things to the next step. He went to 269 00:14:53,280 --> 00:14:56,280 Speaker 1: speak with Dr Napp, and Dr Napp admitted that he 270 00:14:56,400 --> 00:14:59,160 Speaker 1: might have been wrong in ruling Zona's death a heart failure. 271 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:02,920 Speaker 1: He mentioned that in the moment, and not thinking with 272 00:15:02,960 --> 00:15:06,240 Speaker 1: any sort of suspicious thoughts, he had seen Trout as 273 00:15:06,280 --> 00:15:08,240 Speaker 1: a man in shock, and he didn't want to press 274 00:15:08,280 --> 00:15:12,200 Speaker 1: the matter to examine Zona's body more thoroughly. Preston and 275 00:15:12,360 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 1: Nap came to the conclusion that the only way to 276 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:18,800 Speaker 1: truly learn the facts the case was to autopsy Zona's body, 277 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,560 Speaker 1: and the two of them gathered Anderson Jones and Aunt 278 00:15:21,640 --> 00:15:25,200 Speaker 1: Martha Jones and Trout to the next morning. They informed 279 00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 1: to that they intended to exhume Zona, and then the 280 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:31,360 Speaker 1: entire party made their way to the grave site. Trout 281 00:15:31,560 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 1: was insistent that they would find nothing. He said that 282 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:38,920 Speaker 1: over and over throughout the remainder of this story. Uh 283 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: When they reached the grave, several men who lived nearby 284 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:44,680 Speaker 1: were ordered by the prosecutor to assist and dig up 285 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:47,400 Speaker 1: the coffin, and once it had been removed from the ground, 286 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:50,640 Speaker 1: it was taken to a nearby schoolhouse for examination. And 287 00:15:50,760 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: Shoe and Anderson Jones both witnessed the autopsy. So we 288 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,880 Speaker 1: should have a quick sidebar here about Anderson Jones, because 289 00:15:57,880 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 1: he was eleven and watching an auto popsy. It also 290 00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: seems like he was used as kind of a pawn 291 00:16:04,000 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: to discover Zona's body, and this is because of an 292 00:16:08,240 --> 00:16:11,320 Speaker 1: element of racism that was here Trout Shoe was white 293 00:16:11,360 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: and Anderson was black. And back in tween, the American 294 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:19,880 Speaker 1: Psychological Association's Journal of Personality and Social Psychology featured a 295 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 1: study from U. C. L A that stated, quote, children 296 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:25,440 Speaker 1: in most societies are considered to be in a distinct 297 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: group with characteristics such is innocence and the need for protection. 298 00:16:29,520 --> 00:16:32,280 Speaker 1: Our research found that black boys can be seen as 299 00:16:32,320 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 1: responsible for their actions at an age when white boys 300 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:38,560 Speaker 1: still benefit from the assumption that children are essentially innocent. 301 00:16:39,040 --> 00:16:41,120 Speaker 1: That is, of course, not a new thing, even though 302 00:16:41,160 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 1: that research was conducted five years ago, and I think 303 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:48,480 Speaker 1: it's fair to assume that Anderson was probably not treated 304 00:16:48,520 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 1: with the care and concern for his well being that 305 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 1: a white child probably would have received. Um. That is 306 00:16:54,480 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 1: something that does not come up very often when you 307 00:16:56,760 --> 00:17:00,240 Speaker 1: hear about this story. People will mention that the ownes 308 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:02,960 Speaker 1: as were black, but they will not really nobody really 309 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 1: addresses the fact that, like, this child was in the 310 00:17:05,359 --> 00:17:09,679 Speaker 1: middle of all of this potentially very disturbing stuff. And 311 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:11,960 Speaker 1: even when he talks about finding the body, which he 312 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 1: did many years later, he sort of says like, I 313 00:17:14,560 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: don't I don't know how I did it. I don't 314 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 1: know how I reached down and shook her because it 315 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:22,600 Speaker 1: was clear she was dead, And he doesn't really speak 316 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 1: at length about his experience with the autopsy. It's almost 317 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: like he compartmentalizes. Tracy and I talked about this beforehand, 318 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:31,679 Speaker 1: and it's like there is that thing where like in 319 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,040 Speaker 1: in country communities, kids that grow up in the country 320 00:17:34,119 --> 00:17:37,320 Speaker 1: or in rural areas around farms are often exposed to 321 00:17:37,359 --> 00:17:39,480 Speaker 1: things that city kids would not be, some of which 322 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,760 Speaker 1: might uh seem a little bit gruesome. I grew up 323 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:47,960 Speaker 1: on a farm. I watched animals get slaughtered. I think 324 00:17:48,040 --> 00:17:50,320 Speaker 1: my Again, it's a different time period, obviously, but I 325 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:52,040 Speaker 1: think my parents would not have been cool with me 326 00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:57,400 Speaker 1: seeing a human person be autopsied or dissected. But it's 327 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:00,280 Speaker 1: one of those things that um is not just gust 328 00:18:00,320 --> 00:18:01,920 Speaker 1: as we said, but it just seems like it would 329 00:18:01,960 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 1: be remiss not to call attention to that particular angle 330 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:07,399 Speaker 1: of the whole thing, at least briefly, and just make 331 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,879 Speaker 1: it something that people think about. We'll get back to 332 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:13,399 Speaker 1: what happened after Zona's body was autopsy, but first we 333 00:18:13,440 --> 00:18:23,040 Speaker 1: will take a breather for a little sponsor break. Over 334 00:18:23,080 --> 00:18:25,360 Speaker 1: the course of the next three days, Dr Nap carefully 335 00:18:25,440 --> 00:18:29,000 Speaker 1: examined the body and eventually found that Zona's neck had 336 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:32,240 Speaker 1: been snapped, and in fact, it was broken in exactly 337 00:18:32,280 --> 00:18:34,879 Speaker 1: the place that Mary Heaster had described. That was the 338 00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 1: place that Zonah told her it had been broken. Trout 339 00:18:38,080 --> 00:18:41,080 Speaker 1: was arrested, charged with murder, and put on trial. The 340 00:18:41,119 --> 00:18:44,520 Speaker 1: pocahon Iss Times reported the story of the exlimation and 341 00:18:44,560 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 1: the horrific findings of the autopsy. Quote on the throat 342 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:51,280 Speaker 1: were marks of fingers, indicating that she had been choken. 343 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:55,280 Speaker 1: That the neck was dislocated between the first and second vertebrae. 344 00:18:55,760 --> 00:18:59,200 Speaker 1: The ligaments were torn and ruptured. The wind pipe had 345 00:18:59,200 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: been crushed at a point in front of the neck. 346 00:19:01,800 --> 00:19:06,160 Speaker 1: Trout's defense, led by William Parks Rucker and James P. D. Gardner, 347 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 1: actually decided that in the midst of the trial they 348 00:19:09,040 --> 00:19:11,520 Speaker 1: would call Mary Heaster to the stand. They thought it 349 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,679 Speaker 1: was going to help their case. Their strategy was to 350 00:19:14,680 --> 00:19:17,560 Speaker 1: show that she was clearly a grieving mother, out of 351 00:19:17,560 --> 00:19:20,199 Speaker 1: touch with reality due to the shock and sorrow of 352 00:19:20,280 --> 00:19:23,920 Speaker 1: losing her daughter. But she was very steadfast in her testimony, 353 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:28,199 Speaker 1: and that approach failed miserably. When the defense asked her, quote, 354 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:31,080 Speaker 1: I have heard that you had some dream or vision 355 00:19:31,200 --> 00:19:35,000 Speaker 1: which led to this post mortem examination, she replied, quote, 356 00:19:35,400 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 1: they saw enough their selves without me telling them. It 357 00:19:38,200 --> 00:19:41,200 Speaker 1: was no dream. She came back and told me that 358 00:19:41,240 --> 00:19:43,639 Speaker 1: he was mad that she didn't have no meat cooked 359 00:19:43,640 --> 00:19:47,320 Speaker 1: for supper. But she said she had plenty, and said 360 00:19:47,359 --> 00:19:50,639 Speaker 1: that she had butter and apple butter apples, and named 361 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:53,560 Speaker 1: over two or three kinds of jellies, pears and cherries 362 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:57,160 Speaker 1: and raspberry jelly. And she says, I had plenty. She says, 363 00:19:57,520 --> 00:19:59,960 Speaker 1: don't you think that he was mad and just took 364 00:20:00,040 --> 00:20:02,320 Speaker 1: down all my nice things and packed them away and 365 00:20:02,359 --> 00:20:04,680 Speaker 1: just ruined them. And she told me where I could 366 00:20:04,720 --> 00:20:07,239 Speaker 1: look down back of Aunt Martha Jones, is in the 367 00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,720 Speaker 1: meadow in a rocky place that I could look in 368 00:20:09,760 --> 00:20:12,680 Speaker 1: a cellar behind some loose plank and see it was 369 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:15,440 Speaker 1: a square log house. It was hued up to the square. 370 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:17,919 Speaker 1: And she said for me to go look right at 371 00:20:17,920 --> 00:20:19,800 Speaker 1: the right hand side, at the door as you go in, 372 00:20:19,960 --> 00:20:22,439 Speaker 1: and at the right hand corner as you go in. Well, 373 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:24,679 Speaker 1: I saw the place just exactly as she told me, 374 00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 1: and I saw blood right there where she told me, 375 00:20:27,080 --> 00:20:30,720 Speaker 1: And she told me something about that meat. Every night 376 00:20:30,760 --> 00:20:33,760 Speaker 1: she came just as she did the first night. She 377 00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:37,280 Speaker 1: came four times and four nights. But the second night 378 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:39,679 Speaker 1: she told me that her neck was squeezed off at 379 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:43,840 Speaker 1: the first joint, and it was just as she told me. So, Um, 380 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:46,399 Speaker 1: that is a little bit different than the version of 381 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:49,200 Speaker 1: progression that we mentioned earlier, in terms of like her 382 00:20:49,320 --> 00:20:52,720 Speaker 1: coming the first night in disappearing and then coming the 383 00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:54,840 Speaker 1: second night in the fourth night being the one. I 384 00:20:54,880 --> 00:20:57,159 Speaker 1: included both of those, and part of that is is 385 00:20:57,200 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: something we're going to talk about at the very end 386 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:02,119 Speaker 1: of the episode about how much this story has become 387 00:21:02,119 --> 00:21:04,440 Speaker 1: a legend and it has shifted, and even when you're 388 00:21:04,480 --> 00:21:09,159 Speaker 1: looking at historians documents and accounts of people there in 389 00:21:09,200 --> 00:21:11,639 Speaker 1: the midst of it, because there's a book written about 390 00:21:11,760 --> 00:21:14,159 Speaker 1: forty years after all of this took place, and and 391 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:18,040 Speaker 1: accounts of the surviving people involved were interviewed. It's just 392 00:21:18,160 --> 00:21:21,280 Speaker 1: very interesting to me to hear how even though Mrs 393 00:21:21,320 --> 00:21:24,080 Speaker 1: Heaster was was pretty adamant about the whole thing throughout 394 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:26,920 Speaker 1: those facts, and I have to use the air quotes 395 00:21:26,960 --> 00:21:29,560 Speaker 1: there change a little bit in the telling, even by 396 00:21:29,600 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 1: people who were first hand witnesses to the whole thing. 397 00:21:32,560 --> 00:21:35,240 Speaker 1: The questioning of Mrs Heaster went on to ask her 398 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: repeatedly if she really saw her daughter, eventually posing the 399 00:21:39,280 --> 00:21:42,320 Speaker 1: possibility that these visions may have been quote nothing more 400 00:21:42,440 --> 00:21:46,119 Speaker 1: or less than four dreams founded upon your distress. But 401 00:21:46,200 --> 00:21:49,440 Speaker 1: Mary Jane Heaster replied confidently and repeatedly that these were 402 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:52,639 Speaker 1: not mere dreams, but true visitations from her daughter's ownA. 403 00:21:53,000 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 1: When trout she took the stand, he stayed there for 404 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:59,639 Speaker 1: almost an entire day. He denied everything any witness had 405 00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:02,000 Speaker 1: said it against him. He rambled on in a lot 406 00:22:02,000 --> 00:22:05,399 Speaker 1: of detail about odd particulars of his life that weren't 407 00:22:05,440 --> 00:22:08,280 Speaker 1: really directly related to the case, and told the jury 408 00:22:08,320 --> 00:22:11,240 Speaker 1: that he truly loved his wife. He asked them to 409 00:22:11,240 --> 00:22:13,800 Speaker 1: look into his eyes and then decide if he was guilty, 410 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:17,240 Speaker 1: and he came off very poorly, so much so that 411 00:22:17,320 --> 00:22:21,560 Speaker 1: when the Greenbrier Independent reported on his testimony, the article 412 00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,480 Speaker 1: insisted that the jury had to find him guilty. Yeah 413 00:22:24,520 --> 00:22:27,000 Speaker 1: that that peace came out very quickly. They were essentially 414 00:22:27,080 --> 00:22:31,200 Speaker 1: running like real time extras to cover the case because 415 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:34,560 Speaker 1: the jury only had a pretty short deliberation. They came 416 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:37,439 Speaker 1: back that same day and they returned a guilty verdict 417 00:22:37,480 --> 00:22:40,440 Speaker 1: with a recommendation of life imprisonment. And while most of 418 00:22:40,480 --> 00:22:43,879 Speaker 1: the community agreed that he was guilty, imprisonment rather than 419 00:22:43,880 --> 00:22:46,840 Speaker 1: the death penalty was seen as a miscarriage of justice 420 00:22:46,880 --> 00:22:50,639 Speaker 1: by many. A vigilante mob formed to storm the county 421 00:22:50,720 --> 00:22:53,359 Speaker 1: jail and hang Shoe before he could be transferred to 422 00:22:53,400 --> 00:22:57,320 Speaker 1: the penitentiary, but the sheriff interceded and talked them out 423 00:22:57,320 --> 00:23:00,960 Speaker 1: of their plan. Edward Trout Shoe was moved by train 424 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:03,320 Speaker 1: to the Mounds Built Penitentiary and he died there in 425 00:23:03,359 --> 00:23:06,199 Speaker 1: March of nineteen dred. So again, this is one of 426 00:23:06,200 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: those historical stories whereas I was just saying, the details 427 00:23:08,880 --> 00:23:12,399 Speaker 1: get fudged or shifted around pretty frequently. Some of that 428 00:23:12,480 --> 00:23:15,080 Speaker 1: is simply because original records of things like births and 429 00:23:15,119 --> 00:23:17,960 Speaker 1: deaths from that time are not always available, and also 430 00:23:18,000 --> 00:23:21,520 Speaker 1: because some records have simply been lost, and as I said, 431 00:23:21,760 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 1: firsthand accounts shift. We talked about this on the show 432 00:23:24,040 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: all the time that, especially four decades later, people are 433 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:28,720 Speaker 1: going to tell the story maybe a little differently than 434 00:23:28,720 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 1: they were telling it at the time that it was 435 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:34,880 Speaker 1: actually going on. But the inaccuracy of reporting on this 436 00:23:34,920 --> 00:23:38,560 Speaker 1: case was actually happening from the very beginning. So here's 437 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:40,960 Speaker 1: the brief ride up of the murder and the trial, 438 00:23:41,040 --> 00:23:45,199 Speaker 1: as reported by the Baltimore American on July under the 439 00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:49,280 Speaker 1: headline mother in Law's visions as evidence quote. Some time ago, 440 00:23:49,359 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: the wife of E. S. Shoe was found dead in 441 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:55,040 Speaker 1: her home. A coroner's jury rendered a verdict death by 442 00:23:55,119 --> 00:23:59,040 Speaker 1: heart disease. Neighbors were not satisfied, and the woman's body 443 00:23:59,119 --> 00:24:02,760 Speaker 1: was exhumed at her was found broken. She was indicted, convicted, 444 00:24:02,800 --> 00:24:06,160 Speaker 1: and sentenced to the penitentiary for life. The principal evidence 445 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: was that if she was mother in law who testified 446 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:10,560 Speaker 1: that her daughter's spirit had come to her at a 447 00:24:10,680 --> 00:24:13,960 Speaker 1: seance and said she had killed her by breaking her neck, 448 00:24:14,320 --> 00:24:18,000 Speaker 1: all other evidence was purely circumstantial. So while the broad 449 00:24:18,040 --> 00:24:21,639 Speaker 1: strokes of that account are correct, uh, the mention of 450 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:25,280 Speaker 1: the neighbors initiating the investigation and the appearance of Zona 451 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:29,480 Speaker 1: at a seance stand out as problematic and incorrect, And 452 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:31,960 Speaker 1: even the framing of the case as an instance of 453 00:24:31,960 --> 00:24:36,600 Speaker 1: a ghost's account convicting a murderer isn't really accurate. The 454 00:24:36,720 --> 00:24:40,160 Speaker 1: markings and damage to Zona's neck and shoes odd behavior 455 00:24:40,320 --> 00:24:44,440 Speaker 1: probably went farther in the jury's decision than Mrs heasters testimony, 456 00:24:44,520 --> 00:24:47,600 Speaker 1: even though it was her insistence that catalyzed the re 457 00:24:47,680 --> 00:24:51,320 Speaker 1: examination of the case. This is one that I love 458 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:55,560 Speaker 1: this story because even though it is not pleasant, UH, 459 00:24:55,560 --> 00:24:59,560 Speaker 1: it's a good example of of where factual history and 460 00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 1: mytho g start to become a very blurry space together. 461 00:25:04,560 --> 00:25:06,560 Speaker 1: Because it is one of those things that's like a 462 00:25:07,119 --> 00:25:10,000 Speaker 1: classic ghost story of West Virginia, and it gets told 463 00:25:10,040 --> 00:25:12,200 Speaker 1: in a lot of different ways. One thing that also 464 00:25:12,320 --> 00:25:14,280 Speaker 1: comes up all the time when you're reading it is 465 00:25:14,320 --> 00:25:17,679 Speaker 1: that Sho died eight years later in prison, but his 466 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,400 Speaker 1: death is reported as nineteen hundred, which is only three 467 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:22,760 Speaker 1: years later. I don't know if that's just a record 468 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:24,800 Speaker 1: where three looked like an eight. Someone ran with it 469 00:25:24,840 --> 00:25:27,000 Speaker 1: and everybody else picked it up. That kind of stuff 470 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:31,159 Speaker 1: happens all the time. Yeah, it's it's why we always 471 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:35,240 Speaker 1: encourage everybody to, you know, really look at any account 472 00:25:35,280 --> 00:25:39,760 Speaker 1: of any event in history. Uh, just with a sense 473 00:25:39,800 --> 00:25:42,560 Speaker 1: of knowing that you know, primary sources are your best. 474 00:25:42,920 --> 00:25:46,040 Speaker 1: But even then, like we said, interviews with with people 475 00:25:46,040 --> 00:25:48,119 Speaker 1: who were there at the time aren't always accurate and 476 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:51,800 Speaker 1: they don't always reflect the exact same details, especially when 477 00:25:51,840 --> 00:25:55,760 Speaker 1: they're conducted a lot later, as was the case some 478 00:25:55,800 --> 00:25:58,200 Speaker 1: of the ones in this story. Uh So that is 479 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:02,520 Speaker 1: the Greenbrier ghost, who's fascinating uh and a good a 480 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:07,159 Speaker 1: good ghost story for Halloween, but also a good example of, uh, 481 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:10,800 Speaker 1: the scariness of how information can get cloudy and change 482 00:26:10,840 --> 00:26:15,040 Speaker 1: pretty rapidly in the historical record. Uh So, hopefully that 483 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:18,960 Speaker 1: was an enjoyable ride. Um, I have a listener mail 484 00:26:19,000 --> 00:26:22,280 Speaker 1: that I love from our listener and uh Chris Deer, 485 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:24,880 Speaker 1: Holly and Tracy. I was delighted by your double podcast 486 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:27,440 Speaker 1: on the history of commercial aviation in the United States. 487 00:26:27,720 --> 00:26:30,080 Speaker 1: Is a huge fan of John Hodgment and an aviatrix 488 00:26:30,119 --> 00:26:32,080 Speaker 1: I was. It was a double whammy for me. I 489 00:26:32,119 --> 00:26:35,160 Speaker 1: am a pilot at a major US airline headquartered in Atlanta, 490 00:26:35,240 --> 00:26:39,720 Speaker 1: and I especially appreciated your nod to the female pioneers. Unfortunately, 491 00:26:39,760 --> 00:26:42,560 Speaker 1: female pilots still only make up less than five percent 492 00:26:42,600 --> 00:26:45,879 Speaker 1: of pilots holding an Airline Transport Certificate a t P. 493 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:49,760 Speaker 1: That's the certificate needed to fly large transport jets. Hopefully 494 00:26:49,840 --> 00:26:53,439 Speaker 1: the statistic will continue to improve. Besides having the ultimate 495 00:26:53,480 --> 00:26:55,320 Speaker 1: office with a view, my favorite part of my job 496 00:26:55,400 --> 00:26:57,399 Speaker 1: is the unique benefit of being able to see the 497 00:26:57,400 --> 00:26:59,920 Speaker 1: world with my family. Every time we set out on 498 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:01,960 Speaker 1: a new adventure, I check your archives to see if 499 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 1: I can find any podcast relevant to where we are 500 00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:06,639 Speaker 1: in the world. We decided to check out the Alhambra 501 00:27:06,720 --> 00:27:09,000 Speaker 1: because of stuff you missed in history class, and Ephesus 502 00:27:09,080 --> 00:27:11,600 Speaker 1: is on the top of our list. Your overview with 503 00:27:11,720 --> 00:27:14,520 Speaker 1: John about the medallion points structure was especially helpful to me, 504 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:17,280 Speaker 1: as most of US pilots are completely oblivious to how 505 00:27:17,320 --> 00:27:20,080 Speaker 1: it works. This was disappointing to my next door neighbor 506 00:27:20,119 --> 00:27:23,560 Speaker 1: who has gold medallion status who regularly brates me about 507 00:27:23,640 --> 00:27:26,720 Speaker 1: changes to his medallion status, that I should probably say 508 00:27:26,720 --> 00:27:29,840 Speaker 1: something to someone at headquarters about the medallion policy. I 509 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:31,959 Speaker 1: will get right on that. Thanks for all you do. 510 00:27:34,080 --> 00:27:38,000 Speaker 1: She also sent us a video about Delta's annual what's 511 00:27:38,000 --> 00:27:40,879 Speaker 1: called wing. It's women Inspiring the Next Generation flight and 512 00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:42,639 Speaker 1: that was just featured on the Today Show, which is 513 00:27:42,680 --> 00:27:45,600 Speaker 1: really cool. Um, it is interesting. It's one of those 514 00:27:45,600 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 1: things that I know. I still when I am on 515 00:27:48,600 --> 00:27:51,240 Speaker 1: a flight, which is frequent, if the captain comes on 516 00:27:51,280 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 1: to make an announcement and it's a woman, I'm like, hey, 517 00:27:53,359 --> 00:27:56,320 Speaker 1: it's a woman. Like it's still notable enough that it 518 00:27:56,560 --> 00:27:59,080 Speaker 1: pretty clearly illustrates exactly what she's saying. It is a 519 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:01,440 Speaker 1: very very tiny portion of the pilots in the year 520 00:28:01,480 --> 00:28:04,160 Speaker 1: that are women, so and is one of those people 521 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:07,320 Speaker 1: still changing it. Uh. That sounds like a job that 522 00:28:07,359 --> 00:28:09,160 Speaker 1: I would be terrified to do, but I'm sure glad 523 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:12,880 Speaker 1: people do. If you would write to us, you could 524 00:28:12,880 --> 00:28:15,400 Speaker 1: do so at History Podcast at house works dot com. 525 00:28:15,440 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 1: You can also find us everywhere on social media as 526 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:20,639 Speaker 1: Missed in History and Missed in History dot Com is 527 00:28:20,760 --> 00:28:22,440 Speaker 1: the website you r l if you want to come 528 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:24,560 Speaker 1: and visit us there. If you would like to subscribe 529 00:28:24,560 --> 00:28:26,720 Speaker 1: to the show, you can do that on Apple podcast 530 00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:29,760 Speaker 1: the I Heart Radio app, or wherever you get your podcasts. 531 00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:37,000 Speaker 1: Stuff you Missed in History Class is a production of 532 00:28:37,040 --> 00:28:40,080 Speaker 1: I Heart Radios How stuff Works. For more podcasts For 533 00:28:40,200 --> 00:28:43,400 Speaker 1: my heart Radio, visit the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 534 00:28:43,520 --> 00:28:45,440 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.