1 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: Welcome to Aaron Menkey's Cabinet of Curiosities, a production of 2 00:00:07,480 --> 00:00:13,840 Speaker 1: I Heart Radio and Grim and Mild. Our world is 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 1: full of the unexplainable, and if history is an open book, 4 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: all of these amazing tales are right there on display, 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:27,600 Speaker 1: just waiting for us to explore. Welcome to the Cabinet 6 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:39,560 Speaker 1: of Curiosities. History is full of daring escapes and near missus. 7 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,960 Speaker 1: One of the most famous involved in ninety four mass 8 00:00:43,080 --> 00:00:46,360 Speaker 1: escape of Allied soldiers from a German pow camp. The 9 00:00:46,400 --> 00:00:49,000 Speaker 1: story eventually became the subject of a book by one 10 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,319 Speaker 1: of the Royal Australian Air Force pilots imprisoned there. It 11 00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 1: was then adapted into a film in nineteen sixty three 12 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:59,320 Speaker 1: starring Steve McQueen and Richard Attenborough. The Great Escape is 13 00:00:59,360 --> 00:01:03,520 Speaker 1: remembered today as a cinema classic. A similar event occurred 14 00:01:03,560 --> 00:01:06,880 Speaker 1: eighty years prior, during the Civil War. Hundreds of Union 15 00:01:06,880 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 1: officers were being held at Libby Prison in Virginia, a 16 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:14,280 Speaker 1: Confederate prison where captives faced dismal living conditions. There wasn't 17 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:17,720 Speaker 1: enough food, disease ran rampant, and many men were crammed 18 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:21,160 Speaker 1: into cells shoulder to shoulder. The prisoners dug a tunnel 19 00:01:21,200 --> 00:01:24,120 Speaker 1: for months, carving through the bricks behind the kitchen stove. 20 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:28,280 Speaker 1: On February nine, they got their chance. One nine Union 21 00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: prisoners of war crawled dozens of feet through the darkness, 22 00:01:31,880 --> 00:01:34,959 Speaker 1: rats scurrying around them until they were able to breathe 23 00:01:34,959 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: the fresh air of freedom. Though almost fifty were caught 24 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:40,800 Speaker 1: in the following days, about sixty made it back to 25 00:01:40,959 --> 00:01:45,280 Speaker 1: Union lines, many by Valentine's Day. But there is another 26 00:01:45,400 --> 00:01:49,080 Speaker 1: historical great escape, one that has eluded the publishing world 27 00:01:49,120 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: and Hollywood. It's a tale of deception, cunning and bravery, 28 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:55,480 Speaker 1: and it occurred while the enemy watched the whole thing 29 00:01:55,520 --> 00:01:59,320 Speaker 1: happened in front of him. In twelve sixty four, Lord 30 00:01:59,440 --> 00:02:02,840 Speaker 1: Edward the Fist of England based off against Simon de Montfort. 31 00:02:03,240 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: The Montfort had been an advisor to edwards father, King 32 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,560 Speaker 1: Henry the Third, but the two grew apart over Montfort's 33 00:02:09,639 --> 00:02:13,519 Speaker 1: displeasure over Henry's ruling style. You see, Henry was a 34 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,640 Speaker 1: dictator who often went against the wishes of his barons, 35 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:20,280 Speaker 1: while Montfort preferred a more limited form of government, one 36 00:02:20,320 --> 00:02:23,280 Speaker 1: where a monarch was kept in check by elected officials 37 00:02:23,280 --> 00:02:26,800 Speaker 1: and barons. Simon de Montfort united the other barons and 38 00:02:26,800 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 1: their armies against Henry's and edwards forces. The two sides 39 00:02:30,800 --> 00:02:33,480 Speaker 1: confronted each other in the town of Lewis in Sussex. 40 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: Henry's army was almost double the size of Montfort's. A 41 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 1: truce was attempted, but the king was confident that he 42 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:44,359 Speaker 1: could overpower his former advisor with ease. With the formalities 43 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 1: out of the way, Montfort ordered his forces to split 44 00:02:47,240 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: into teams of four in order to attack from different sides. 45 00:02:50,720 --> 00:02:53,720 Speaker 1: They struck at dawn. Edward managed to push one section 46 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: of the baronial army into a neighboring town, but his 47 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 1: efforts left his father's men wide open to an attack 48 00:02:59,639 --> 00:03:02,840 Speaker 1: from the enemy. Simon de Montfort gained the upper hand 49 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:06,200 Speaker 1: and was able to overwhelm the King's forces. His army 50 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:09,960 Speaker 1: killed many Royalist soldiers while the others fled. Some were 51 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:13,520 Speaker 1: taking his prisoners. With the Royalists defeated, Simon had a 52 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,680 Speaker 1: few friars deliver a message to the King the time 53 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,400 Speaker 1: had come for peace. He would release all of the 54 00:03:19,440 --> 00:03:23,520 Speaker 1: prisoners if Henry and Edward surrendered themselves. He didn't want 55 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: to fight anyone. He only wanted what was best for England, 56 00:03:27,760 --> 00:03:31,839 Speaker 1: and Prince Edward agreed. He gave up himself as requested, 57 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:35,720 Speaker 1: and though he was technically Simon's prisoner, he was afforded 58 00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: certain luxuries. For example, the prince often went out to 59 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 1: ride horses with the few guards nearby, to make sure 60 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 1: that he didn't escape well. One day, Simon was gifted 61 00:03:46,160 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 1: a horse from a nobleman who had come to visit. 62 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: It was strong and fast, the kind of horse that 63 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,160 Speaker 1: might serve well in battle, and Simon instructed one of 64 00:03:54,200 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: his servants to take it along whenever Edward went on 65 00:03:56,800 --> 00:03:59,520 Speaker 1: his rides, so as to catch him if he tried 66 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:03,160 Speaker 1: to flee. Edward caught a glimpse of the powerful creature, 67 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,120 Speaker 1: and he got an idea. He challenged the guards to 68 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:09,800 Speaker 1: a race. Each guard, one by one took off after 69 00:04:09,880 --> 00:04:12,760 Speaker 1: the prince on horseback, before returning with him back to 70 00:04:12,800 --> 00:04:16,040 Speaker 1: the starting point. After all the guards had raised him, 71 00:04:16,080 --> 00:04:19,400 Speaker 1: Simon de Montfort's new horse was brought out last. Edward 72 00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 1: took the reins and mounted it himself, waving goodbye as 73 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:27,320 Speaker 1: he bolted away. The guards took off after him. Unfortunately, 74 00:04:27,440 --> 00:04:30,280 Speaker 1: Edward had already pulled one over on them in racing, 75 00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:33,760 Speaker 1: their horses earlier he had exhausted them. The animals were 76 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:37,240 Speaker 1: too tired to give chase, and so the prince got away. 77 00:04:38,240 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: A few months later, Edward met up with Simon de Montfort. Again. 78 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,560 Speaker 1: Things didn't go so well for Simon. This time his 79 00:04:44,680 --> 00:04:47,520 Speaker 1: army was defeated in battle, and he was killed by 80 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: a lance through the neck. Several years later, Edward ascended 81 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:55,080 Speaker 1: to the throne, all because his captor had loosened the 82 00:04:55,120 --> 00:05:12,240 Speaker 1: reins and allowed him to make hay. When Tom Moore Jr. 83 00:05:12,320 --> 00:05:14,480 Speaker 1: Died at the age of ninety eight, the people of 84 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:17,719 Speaker 1: McLean County, Texas remembered him for the colorful life he'd led. 85 00:05:18,040 --> 00:05:21,039 Speaker 1: He had practiced law for nearly seventy years and showed 86 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: up at the law firm every day well into his nineties. 87 00:05:24,040 --> 00:05:27,280 Speaker 1: Those who met him said that he was compassionate, highly intelligent, 88 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:30,320 Speaker 1: and had a keen sense of humor. Because of his 89 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:34,680 Speaker 1: advanced age, judges allowed him and only him, to appear 90 00:05:34,720 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 1: in court without a tie. He had earned the right, 91 00:05:37,720 --> 00:05:40,680 Speaker 1: the judges said, although more still wore a tie if 92 00:05:40,680 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 1: a jury was present. He had strong work ethics too. 93 00:05:44,279 --> 00:05:46,359 Speaker 1: He'd worked his way up in life, starting at his 94 00:05:46,400 --> 00:05:49,080 Speaker 1: father's lumber yard, where he continued to work while putting 95 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:52,359 Speaker 1: himself through college at Baylor University. He served in the 96 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:55,240 Speaker 1: army from nineteen forty three to forty six, and then 97 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:57,560 Speaker 1: from nineteen fifty two to fifty eight. He worked as 98 00:05:57,600 --> 00:06:00,720 Speaker 1: the county's district attorney during the early days of television. 99 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:02,960 Speaker 1: In fact, he made the news when he served as 100 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,000 Speaker 1: the prosecutor for the first televised criminal trial case in 101 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:09,039 Speaker 1: the US in nineteen fifty five. The case was a 102 00:06:09,160 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: national sensation. The local news reported that more women tuned 103 00:06:12,640 --> 00:06:15,600 Speaker 1: into the trial during the afternoon than their favorite soap operas. 104 00:06:16,040 --> 00:06:19,040 Speaker 1: More won the case by the way the accused murderer, 105 00:06:19,080 --> 00:06:23,520 Speaker 1: Harry Washburn, was found guilty. In nineteen sixty seven, More 106 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,000 Speaker 1: was elected to the Texas House of Representatives, where he 107 00:06:26,040 --> 00:06:29,159 Speaker 1: served until nineteen seventy three. He became part of a 108 00:06:29,200 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: group labeled the Dirty thirty when he and others set 109 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:36,640 Speaker 1: aside party loyalty to oust their speaker, Gus Mutcher, who 110 00:06:36,680 --> 00:06:39,520 Speaker 1: was involved in a stock fraud scandal. More said that 111 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 1: he and the others considered themselves reformers, ridding their party 112 00:06:43,200 --> 00:06:47,280 Speaker 1: of corruption. More returned to practicing law after that and 113 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,560 Speaker 1: mentored other attorneys. They recall his strong ethics and advice. 114 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 1: If it smells, he told them, don't do it. But 115 00:06:55,240 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 1: when most people retired, More kept going. In his later years, 116 00:06:58,720 --> 00:07:01,520 Speaker 1: he took part in meals on wheels for aging citizens, 117 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:03,960 Speaker 1: although by this time he was older than most of 118 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: the recipients, and when some of his legal clients couldn't pay, 119 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:11,360 Speaker 1: More just worked for free. He remained social too, playing 120 00:07:11,400 --> 00:07:14,680 Speaker 1: cards with his friends for over forty years, rarely missing 121 00:07:14,720 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 1: a night. But none of those accomplishments are what people 122 00:07:17,720 --> 00:07:21,720 Speaker 1: remember about Tom Moore, from the serious to the mundane. 123 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:25,360 Speaker 1: Writing and voting on legislation was part of Moore's and 124 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:29,360 Speaker 1: his fellow representatives duties in the late sixties and early seventies, 125 00:07:29,720 --> 00:07:32,960 Speaker 1: and it wasn't uncommon to pass resolutions to honor citizens 126 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:36,720 Speaker 1: for their hard work or their social contributions. Such was 127 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: the case when Moore presented a resolution to the House 128 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 1: of Representatives in nineteen seventy one. He wrote that his 129 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:46,320 Speaker 1: nominee had served the country, states, and community with dedication 130 00:07:46,400 --> 00:07:49,640 Speaker 1: and devotion. More also was quick to point out that 131 00:07:49,680 --> 00:07:55,320 Speaker 1: the state of Massachusetts had already officially recognized the nominees methods. However, unconventional. 132 00:07:55,360 --> 00:08:00,400 Speaker 1: They might have been in population control and applied psychology. Sure, 133 00:08:00,440 --> 00:08:03,400 Speaker 1: the facts and events surrounding the nominee service were vague, 134 00:08:03,640 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 1: and more had intentionally and carefully worded the resolution. Still, 135 00:08:08,160 --> 00:08:11,920 Speaker 1: the House voted unanimously in favor of it. Now, I'm 136 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 1: sure that a lot of things ran through Moore's mind 137 00:08:14,160 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: by then. Although slightly horrified, he also wasn't surprised in 138 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:20,760 Speaker 1: a strange sort of way. He also found it amusing 139 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:24,200 Speaker 1: and could barely contain his laughter. You see, he'd proven 140 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: a point that no one he worked with actually read 141 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:29,920 Speaker 1: the resolutions they voted on, and that they hadn't for 142 00:08:29,960 --> 00:08:33,520 Speaker 1: a very long time, and thanks to Moore's experiment, they 143 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:36,400 Speaker 1: literally had no idea who they had just honored for 144 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:40,800 Speaker 1: their work on population control. Within minutes of approval, he 145 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,560 Speaker 1: withdrew his proposal, and everyone appeared stunned that he would 146 00:08:44,559 --> 00:08:47,640 Speaker 1: pull the resolution before the ink had even dried, and 147 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:51,480 Speaker 1: so they waited for an explanation. Now, back then, he 148 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 1: still wore a tie to work, and he might have 149 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,120 Speaker 1: tugged at it just a little before reminding them of 150 00:08:56,120 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 1: the date April one, and his resolution had been part prank, 151 00:09:00,720 --> 00:09:05,080 Speaker 1: part test to see if these professional politicians actually paid 152 00:09:05,120 --> 00:09:08,280 Speaker 1: attention to the job that they had been elected to perform. 153 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: Considering the results of the vote, it was clear that 154 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: they most certainly did not, because Moore's carefully rewarded proposal 155 00:09:15,640 --> 00:09:18,240 Speaker 1: was designed to honor a man named Albert de Salvo, 156 00:09:18,760 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 1: otherwise known as the famous serial killer from Massachusetts, the 157 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:29,880 Speaker 1: Boston Strangler. I hope you've enjoyed today's guided tour of 158 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:33,880 Speaker 1: the Cabinet of Curiosities. Subscribe for free on Apple Podcasts, 159 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:37,480 Speaker 1: or learn more about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast 160 00:09:37,720 --> 00:09:41,679 Speaker 1: dot com. The show was created by me Aaron Manky 161 00:09:41,800 --> 00:09:45,280 Speaker 1: in partnership with how Stuff Works. I make another award 162 00:09:45,280 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: winning show called Lore, which is a podcast, book series, 163 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:51,520 Speaker 1: and television show, and you can learn all about it 164 00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 1: over at the World of Lore dot com. And until 165 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:57,160 Speaker 1: next time, stay curious.