1 00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:03,920 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Crime is a production of iHeartRadio Saren. 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:07,800 Speaker 2: Hey, Elizabeth, now are you friend? I've been better, but 3 00:00:07,840 --> 00:00:10,040 Speaker 2: I'm good. I'm fine. I think I'm doing well. I'm 4 00:00:10,080 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 2: above boards and above earth and you know, still sitting 5 00:00:13,320 --> 00:00:14,080 Speaker 2: upright and taking nurse. 6 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:16,079 Speaker 3: There it is above ground and getting paid? 7 00:00:16,160 --> 00:00:17,959 Speaker 2: Is there you go? Yeah, on the right side of 8 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:18,360 Speaker 2: the grass. 9 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:20,079 Speaker 3: Do you know it's ridiculous? 10 00:00:20,079 --> 00:00:23,400 Speaker 2: Oh my god? Yes. So it was just recently the 11 00:00:23,400 --> 00:00:26,119 Speaker 2: Easter season, right, and I was thinking about it because, 12 00:00:26,200 --> 00:00:28,640 Speaker 2: like like you, I was raised Catholic and I used 13 00:00:28,640 --> 00:00:31,560 Speaker 2: to love to tell my mom inappropriate Jesus jokes around 14 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:34,959 Speaker 2: the holidays. So you're not going to yeah, I'm doing 15 00:00:34,960 --> 00:00:37,879 Speaker 2: a Jesus joke, Elizabeth. So what was ridiculous is I 16 00:00:37,880 --> 00:00:40,120 Speaker 2: found one that I was like, oh man, this guy's great. 17 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:41,840 Speaker 2: I got to send it to better realize my mother 18 00:00:41,880 --> 00:00:43,559 Speaker 2: doesn't do memes, but I thought i'd just share it 19 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:45,800 Speaker 2: with you. Okay, let me see how well this plays 20 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 2: as you just say it out louds. I'm gonna tell 21 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:50,159 Speaker 2: it your on the phone. Ready, here's the joke. This 22 00:00:50,240 --> 00:00:53,000 Speaker 2: is from a guy named Bennett who is imagine a 23 00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 2: guy on Twitter. So here's the joke. You're ready, Yeah, 24 00:00:57,360 --> 00:01:01,040 Speaker 2: guy who only knows Jesus professionally, Honey, did. 25 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:07,479 Speaker 4: You hear they crucified our carpenter. No, I love that 26 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,880 Speaker 4: they crucified our carpenter. I don't love hilarious the guy 27 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:12,440 Speaker 4: who only knows Jesus professionally. 28 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:14,840 Speaker 2: I'm not gonna explain it to you. It's awesome. 29 00:01:15,440 --> 00:01:17,160 Speaker 3: It's ridiculous. I get it. 30 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 2: It's ridiculous. How excited I am to tell my mother 31 00:01:19,200 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 2: that you you. 32 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:22,600 Speaker 3: Really went out there on this one. 33 00:01:23,080 --> 00:01:25,280 Speaker 2: That it's an easter thing between my mother and I. 34 00:01:25,360 --> 00:01:27,000 Speaker 3: Okay and the Lord. You and the Lord. 35 00:01:27,200 --> 00:01:29,720 Speaker 2: He forgives me. He forgives me. It's so easy. I 36 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 2: just asked. He's like, you're forgiven. And by the way, 37 00:01:31,800 --> 00:01:36,400 Speaker 2: Killer Saint Peter and I were still chuckling. I'm getting 38 00:01:36,400 --> 00:01:38,680 Speaker 2: in on. They're gonna grease the rails for me to 39 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:41,279 Speaker 2: get into having Elizabeth. They're just gonna they got. 40 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 3: It all like a skid road, easy peasy. Do you 41 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:47,640 Speaker 3: want to know what else is ridiculous? 42 00:01:47,680 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 5: Oh? 43 00:01:47,840 --> 00:01:51,160 Speaker 3: I'd love to being such a good con artist that 44 00:01:51,240 --> 00:02:15,760 Speaker 3: you get recognized on the street. This is Ridiculous Crime. 45 00:02:15,880 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 3: A podcast about absurd and outrageous capers, heists, and cons. 46 00:02:20,840 --> 00:02:23,680 Speaker 3: It's always ninety nine percent murder free and one hundred 47 00:02:23,680 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 3: percent ridiculous. 48 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 2: No, you don't heard that. 49 00:02:27,840 --> 00:02:30,760 Speaker 3: Shape shifting cons are fascinating to me. 50 00:02:31,040 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 2: It shape shifting You are the ones. 51 00:02:32,960 --> 00:02:35,160 Speaker 3: Who like become whoever they need to be in the 52 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:36,760 Speaker 3: moment to pull one over on the mark. 53 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:38,359 Speaker 2: Ah okay, yes, like not. 54 00:02:38,639 --> 00:02:40,119 Speaker 3: Literal shape shifters. 55 00:02:40,240 --> 00:02:42,839 Speaker 2: No, I didn't think that's what people. I didn't think 56 00:02:42,880 --> 00:02:46,040 Speaker 2: that's a lizard david people. Yeah. 57 00:02:46,120 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 3: No, these are the people who make themselves so intriguing 58 00:02:49,080 --> 00:02:52,000 Speaker 3: and so irresistible that people will get swept up and 59 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 3: do whatever the con wants. Ah. Yes, the influencer cons, 60 00:02:55,600 --> 00:02:57,639 Speaker 3: they just want people just want to be near them, 61 00:02:57,720 --> 00:02:59,560 Speaker 3: or to be liked or loved by them, to be 62 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:00,480 Speaker 3: part of their orbit. 63 00:03:00,560 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 2: Yes, just warm their hands by their fire. 64 00:03:02,360 --> 00:03:05,120 Speaker 3: Yes, I have one of those for you today. So yeah. 65 00:03:05,160 --> 00:03:08,960 Speaker 3: Her name was Sophia Ivanovna. 66 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 2: Is it now? 67 00:03:14,919 --> 00:03:22,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, bustein the whole thing, bless me. Uh okay, her 68 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 3: name was Sophia Ivanovna Blustein. 69 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,680 Speaker 2: If you say so, bless me, bless you. 70 00:03:30,280 --> 00:03:33,639 Speaker 3: But everyone called her Sonya gold Hand. 71 00:03:34,320 --> 00:03:36,720 Speaker 2: That is an amazing name. 72 00:03:36,920 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 3: She was the queen. My god, that's good, Queen of 73 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,160 Speaker 3: the thieves in Imperial Russia. 74 00:03:42,360 --> 00:03:46,200 Speaker 6: Oh and she was a theem fatal Oh my god. 75 00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:49,360 Speaker 3: She lived this incredible life from start to finish. 76 00:03:49,400 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 2: How is she not more famous? I've never heard of that. 77 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 3: I'm working on it. 78 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:53,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, build the foundation. 79 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 3: Let's go back to the start. Let's let's start at 80 00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:56,760 Speaker 3: the beginning. 81 00:03:57,400 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 2: She was born, small black child. 82 00:04:01,040 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 3: She's born in a district of. 83 00:04:02,400 --> 00:04:05,200 Speaker 2: Warsaw, poor black child, Loisa. 84 00:04:05,840 --> 00:04:09,040 Speaker 3: Back so back when she was born in eighteen forty six. Sure, 85 00:04:09,120 --> 00:04:12,200 Speaker 3: her area of Warsaw was just like a little village 86 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 3: of eight buildings next to a Russian army base. 87 00:04:15,080 --> 00:04:17,640 Speaker 2: That's not a village, No, it's like a bunch of 88 00:04:17,760 --> 00:04:19,560 Speaker 2: washer people get together housing. 89 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:22,960 Speaker 3: But it's like in this like outskirt area of Warsaw, 90 00:04:23,320 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 3: and that part of Poland was part of Russia. Okay, Yeah, 91 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:30,080 Speaker 3: So her early life story is a little hazy, in 92 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:33,240 Speaker 3: part because she told a lot of tall tales, and 93 00:04:33,320 --> 00:04:35,480 Speaker 3: so there are nuggets of truth in there, but much 94 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 3: of what we know is likely fabrication. 95 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 2: Also, a great thing about the nineteenth century is like 96 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:42,040 Speaker 2: somebody would come and take over your whole country, and 97 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:43,760 Speaker 2: your country disappear and you're like, I used to be 98 00:04:43,800 --> 00:04:45,800 Speaker 2: a count, but the country's gone. Then all send your 99 00:04:45,800 --> 00:04:47,680 Speaker 2: country's back. You're like, oh, I'm fighting to get back 100 00:04:47,720 --> 00:04:50,320 Speaker 2: by so, like everybody always so was so fluid. It's 101 00:04:50,360 --> 00:04:52,039 Speaker 2: totally because of all the Empire stuff. 102 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:54,919 Speaker 3: And I'm fine with those fabrications, like We're just going 103 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:57,680 Speaker 3: to rocket like it's it's the truth because Zaren, it's 104 00:04:57,760 --> 00:04:58,400 Speaker 3: her truth. 105 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:00,760 Speaker 2: It is. Let's let it being in her truth. 106 00:05:01,160 --> 00:05:04,919 Speaker 3: So she she came from an eccentric and bohemian Jewish family, 107 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:09,400 Speaker 3: and bohemian in the sense of artistic and nonconforming, not geographic. 108 00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:09,840 Speaker 2: Yeah no. 109 00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:13,960 Speaker 3: She liked to tell people that she was born into 110 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:18,280 Speaker 3: a family of smugglers, like you love this, and it 111 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:20,360 Speaker 3: could have been true, but there's also evidence that her 112 00:05:20,440 --> 00:05:24,239 Speaker 3: dad was a simple barber. But you know what, why 113 00:05:24,279 --> 00:05:24,839 Speaker 3: not both? 114 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:27,520 Speaker 2: I ask if Bob Dylan gets the backstory he wants, 115 00:05:27,560 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 2: so does she exactly? 116 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:30,760 Speaker 3: And what does it matter anyway? 117 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:32,080 Speaker 2: A good story? 118 00:05:32,200 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, so, Sonia's house was usually full of shady foreign 119 00:05:35,480 --> 00:05:40,080 Speaker 3: characters growing up. People people came and went, stayed for 120 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,640 Speaker 3: a while, helped out or got help, and then moved on. 121 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 3: So if this was indeed a smuggler's house. She met 122 00:05:46,320 --> 00:05:49,880 Speaker 3: a lot of criminals from all over with various specialties. 123 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 2: I like to say, interesting fellows, interesting travelers, yes, fellow travelers. 124 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 3: Because of this international parade through her home, she learned 125 00:05:58,320 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 3: to speak five languages. Yeah, and this would come in 126 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:04,360 Speaker 3: very handy later because she would use the language skills 127 00:06:04,760 --> 00:06:07,400 Speaker 3: to pose as like different nationality. 128 00:06:06,920 --> 00:06:07,719 Speaker 2: Of course nice. 129 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,080 Speaker 3: And she was also just this incredible mimic and observer. 130 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,560 Speaker 3: So she would watch and she became really acquainted with 131 00:06:14,720 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 3: the etiquette of nobility, memorized it. 132 00:06:18,600 --> 00:06:20,560 Speaker 2: Did she have like an opportunity to study them, Like 133 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 2: did she work in like, you know, a house or something. 134 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 3: So, but she started her criminal career when she was thirteen. 135 00:06:28,760 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 3: She would steal stuff from third class train cars. 136 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:36,000 Speaker 2: Okay, so they should class. It's such a crazy distinction. 137 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 3: Right, she get noticed in the first class? 138 00:06:37,839 --> 00:06:40,039 Speaker 2: Can here in second class? You got just enough money 139 00:06:40,320 --> 00:06:43,080 Speaker 2: to be in a class exactly? Like that is such 140 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:44,039 Speaker 2: a bizarre thing. 141 00:06:44,760 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 3: Well, she'd stick out in first class, so you know, 142 00:06:48,920 --> 00:06:52,159 Speaker 3: she she it was a different story in third class. 143 00:06:52,200 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 3: And she brought her sister with her and apparently, like 144 00:06:54,680 --> 00:06:59,760 Speaker 3: her sister wasn't that great a theft but Sonia and I, yeah, exactly, 145 00:07:00,279 --> 00:07:04,479 Speaker 3: Sonya is amazing, And I say Sonya right, because there's 146 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:08,599 Speaker 3: it's weird translations where she's born so fast she gets 147 00:07:08,600 --> 00:07:11,160 Speaker 3: called Sonya Russia an different things. 148 00:07:12,280 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 2: You got a chart out, Yeah, she goes. 149 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 3: At this point, she's so no, okay, people start calling 150 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 3: her Golden Hand because she's so adept at pickpocketing and 151 00:07:22,000 --> 00:07:22,920 Speaker 3: palming goods. 152 00:07:23,600 --> 00:07:25,840 Speaker 2: Wonder Goldhand's super smooth with that. 153 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:29,720 Speaker 3: She's the greatest picture beautiful. So that adds to the 154 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:32,920 Speaker 3: mystique in the legend of this, like golden criming goddess. 155 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 2: How close you can get to her victims. 156 00:07:34,760 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's exactly. That totally is what helps. So when 157 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:41,600 Speaker 3: she's fifteen, she leaves home, she marries this tradesman, but 158 00:07:41,640 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 3: it doesn't last long because like even though they're married, 159 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 3: she got around like she's say, yeah, so shed on 160 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,400 Speaker 3: her husband just over and over again, until finally he 161 00:07:50,480 --> 00:07:51,720 Speaker 3: was like, I've had enough. 162 00:07:51,880 --> 00:07:53,600 Speaker 2: You're embarrassing me. I can't even go to get a 163 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:54,880 Speaker 2: haircut without people laughing. 164 00:07:54,800 --> 00:07:57,360 Speaker 3: Right, so you know, he takes off. Her second husband 165 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 3: was a professional card sharper, and so he knew how 166 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,680 Speaker 3: to make money and he expanded her repertoire from pickpocketing 167 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:06,800 Speaker 3: to just straight up fraud. 168 00:08:06,880 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, that's a professional criminal, that's all he knows. 169 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:11,320 Speaker 2: She has no marketable. 170 00:08:10,880 --> 00:08:13,480 Speaker 3: Skills, none, none, so she but she soaked up all 171 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:19,320 Speaker 3: of those marketable skills, the knowledge, the advices. Pretty soon 172 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 3: the student became the master. Yeah, she started working alone. 173 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 3: She's like you hold, she could charm any man, like cops, detectives, soldiers, nobility, 174 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 3: anybody would just it was bizarre, like she just had 175 00:08:34,679 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 3: instant charm over them, and she was convincing in her seductions, 176 00:08:39,880 --> 00:08:43,400 Speaker 3: like these guys really honestly believed that she was in 177 00:08:43,400 --> 00:08:46,199 Speaker 3: love with them and that she was just as gripped 178 00:08:46,280 --> 00:08:49,040 Speaker 3: by passion as they were. And like these dudes would 179 00:08:49,080 --> 00:08:53,240 Speaker 3: risk it all for her, and they lost it all families, jobs, fortunes, 180 00:08:53,760 --> 00:08:55,680 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, they'd throw it all away from her, and 181 00:08:55,760 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 3: for the most part, she would then slip away and 182 00:08:57,880 --> 00:09:02,240 Speaker 3: move on to the next. So she got married a lot, Okay. 183 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:05,600 Speaker 3: Newspaper reports on both sides of the Atlantic put the 184 00:09:05,600 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 3: count at sixteen marriages. 185 00:09:07,480 --> 00:09:09,920 Speaker 2: WHOA, yeah, you said a lot. I was thinking seven, 186 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:10,440 Speaker 2: And I. 187 00:09:10,520 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 3: Think I think there's there's a lot of exaggeration back 188 00:09:13,880 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 3: then in the papers, so we'll guess it's a little 189 00:09:15,960 --> 00:09:16,480 Speaker 3: south of there. 190 00:09:16,520 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 2: But still this is like the yellow journalism era papers details, 191 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:20,800 Speaker 2: what do they matter? 192 00:09:21,760 --> 00:09:23,920 Speaker 3: So the marriages, they're part of the can of course, 193 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:28,360 Speaker 3: the bulk of her scams they worked like this. She'd 194 00:09:28,360 --> 00:09:31,360 Speaker 3: pass herself off as this upper class woman, and she'd 195 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:34,679 Speaker 3: slip into stranger's hotel rooms early in the morning and 196 00:09:34,760 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 3: steal things. And if she got caught, like she'd see 197 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:40,480 Speaker 3: like it was a man's hotel room. If she got caught, 198 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:42,880 Speaker 3: she'd say she was confused as to what room she 199 00:09:42,960 --> 00:09:45,520 Speaker 3: was in. She'd apologize, she'd leave, but she's so well 200 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:49,240 Speaker 3: dressed and so well Maddy, and oh, I'm so you know, 201 00:09:49,320 --> 00:09:50,680 Speaker 3: I'm so embarrassed. 202 00:09:50,200 --> 00:09:52,319 Speaker 2: And they want to be gracious and gentlemanly about it. 203 00:09:52,400 --> 00:09:55,120 Speaker 3: Right. She called this act the guten Morgan. 204 00:09:57,000 --> 00:09:59,920 Speaker 2: She's like an ocean's eleven yesh i pull a guten Morgan. 205 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 3: So a variation of it is that if the resident 206 00:10:03,360 --> 00:10:05,080 Speaker 3: of the hotel room was a gentleman who was like 207 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 3: pleasantly startled to see her standing there look at all gorgeous, 208 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:12,080 Speaker 3: she'd still act like she was confused and embarrassed for 209 00:10:12,120 --> 00:10:15,280 Speaker 3: having gone to the wrong room, all apologies, but then 210 00:10:15,559 --> 00:10:18,000 Speaker 3: she'd play it like she was so captivated by this 211 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:20,160 Speaker 3: guy she couldn't help but look at him with this 212 00:10:20,240 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 3: look of lust and desire. On her way out the door, 213 00:10:23,440 --> 00:10:25,480 Speaker 3: she's like, oh, this is so embarrassed, and she'd blush 214 00:10:25,520 --> 00:10:27,120 Speaker 3: and then go to leave, and most of the time 215 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:30,320 Speaker 3: the guy'd be like, no, no, no, stay. And so for 216 00:10:30,400 --> 00:10:32,800 Speaker 3: he too, I do am gripped with desire and lust. 217 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:35,559 Speaker 3: So now like she's got her clause in him right, 218 00:10:35,679 --> 00:10:39,360 Speaker 3: So then like they'd hook up. They would they'd make 219 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:42,480 Speaker 3: promises to each other, and he'd offer her diamonds and 220 00:10:42,559 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 3: jewels and money to come run away with him, because 221 00:10:45,440 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 3: he's got this countess, you know, all of a sudden 222 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:49,880 Speaker 3: in the room, and she'd rebuff him, and then she'd 223 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:53,000 Speaker 3: finally relent and he'd hand over these gifts and then 224 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 3: suddenly she's gone, yeah. So she ran the largest gang 225 00:10:59,800 --> 00:11:04,440 Speaker 3: of thieves in Saint Petersburg, just saying something, it's like 226 00:11:04,440 --> 00:11:07,120 Speaker 3: a sort of forty elephants group. So she directed the 227 00:11:07,120 --> 00:11:11,360 Speaker 3: group to steal various stuff like shoplifting types of crime, 228 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,679 Speaker 3: and then like had certain fences for the goods. Some 229 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 3: of them had to be accomplices or like play characters 230 00:11:18,559 --> 00:11:24,199 Speaker 3: in her schemes made all that kind of stuff. Everyone 231 00:11:24,559 --> 00:11:28,120 Speaker 3: respected her and obeyed her, and so when she there, 232 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:31,520 Speaker 3: she is pulling off these larger scams, seducing men, taking 233 00:11:31,559 --> 00:11:33,200 Speaker 3: them for all their worth, and they're just doing like 234 00:11:33,200 --> 00:11:37,280 Speaker 3: the street level stuff constantly. So one of her most 235 00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,280 Speaker 3: famous small time heights happened in an upscale hat boutique, 236 00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:45,079 Speaker 3: because luxury place. She was disguised as a foreign countess 237 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:47,320 Speaker 3: when she went in. So she rolls up into the 238 00:11:47,320 --> 00:11:49,720 Speaker 3: shop just before it closes, and she said she wanted 239 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,040 Speaker 3: quote something suitable for the Vienna Opera season. 240 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 7: Of course, I. 241 00:11:54,360 --> 00:11:55,839 Speaker 2: Love this, Yes, we've got a perfect hate. 242 00:11:57,120 --> 00:11:59,160 Speaker 3: Sales girl is like, oh my god, I've got like 243 00:11:59,200 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 3: this countess here, and she wants help, and she's all flustered, 244 00:12:02,320 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 3: and she lays out the absolute most expensive hats in 245 00:12:04,800 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 3: the joints, and Sonya, she tries on hat after hat, 246 00:12:08,280 --> 00:12:10,880 Speaker 3: and she's asking for mirrors and she's adjusting the feather 247 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 3: those hats right yeah, And she's like, oh, can I 248 00:12:15,360 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 3: get a different veil on this one? And she's got 249 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:20,800 Speaker 3: the clerk running from room to room and but she's 250 00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:23,160 Speaker 3: fun with it. And so the clerk is like excited. 251 00:12:23,240 --> 00:12:24,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, they're hunting for the perfect hat. 252 00:12:24,760 --> 00:12:27,240 Speaker 3: And thinking like I'm about to make these huge sales 253 00:12:27,320 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 3: right before we close for the day. Yeah, they're getting together. Yeah, 254 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:33,400 Speaker 3: so you know, Sony's trying them all and then she 255 00:12:33,520 --> 00:12:36,120 Speaker 3: like gas goes through her handbag. It's like, oh my god, 256 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:39,640 Speaker 3: I forgot my wallet. This is horrible. So she's like, look, 257 00:12:39,800 --> 00:12:43,559 Speaker 3: I'm gonna go back to my hotel. I'll be back 258 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 3: in twenty minutes. I'm just gonna go get my purse. 259 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 3: And so the clerk is like, okay, you know, Sonya 260 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:52,520 Speaker 3: breezes out. Clerk goes to kind of gather up the 261 00:12:52,559 --> 00:12:55,400 Speaker 3: hats that are all over the shop now and realizes 262 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:58,600 Speaker 3: that two of the most expensive ones are gone, and 263 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:02,479 Speaker 3: that Sonia had come in wearing this like really gorgeous 264 00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:06,720 Speaker 3: velvet cloak and she tucked the hats under the cloak 265 00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 3: when she swept out after her performance. Yes, so she 266 00:13:10,240 --> 00:13:12,240 Speaker 3: had mentioned to the clerk that she was staying at 267 00:13:12,240 --> 00:13:14,560 Speaker 3: the Grand Hotel, and the clerk sent someone to go 268 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:16,880 Speaker 3: get the countess and the money, like, oh, she took 269 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,199 Speaker 3: two hats. So they get to the suite at the 270 00:13:19,240 --> 00:13:21,960 Speaker 3: hotel and there's a maid there who said the quote 271 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,960 Speaker 3: Countess had just left for the port, that she was 272 00:13:25,200 --> 00:13:29,160 Speaker 3: headed on the steamship to Constantinople. That's what the accomplice 273 00:13:29,200 --> 00:13:32,880 Speaker 3: maid said to like intercept. So sorry, too late. She 274 00:13:32,920 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 3: didn't limit herself to Saint Petersburg. She worked all over Russia. 275 00:13:36,320 --> 00:13:37,840 Speaker 2: I'm assuming that was a faint by the way, Like 276 00:13:37,880 --> 00:13:39,960 Speaker 2: she did not really go take the steamers. She was 277 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:41,359 Speaker 2: over there in the hideout. 278 00:13:41,120 --> 00:13:45,800 Speaker 3: Exactly exactly, So she was all over Russia. She went beyond. 279 00:13:46,600 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 3: In Moscow, she once went to this really high end 280 00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 3: jewelry boutique and said that she was buying an engagement 281 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:56,600 Speaker 3: present for her niece. I need a stunning bracelet, she said, 282 00:13:57,120 --> 00:13:59,200 Speaker 3: So bring me a tray of them. Let me see everything. 283 00:13:59,240 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 2: You have rocks on front of me. 284 00:14:01,280 --> 00:14:03,280 Speaker 3: And the owner's like okay, and like brings out this 285 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:08,560 Speaker 3: absolutely dazzling array of pricey pieces, and she's portraying herself 286 00:14:08,600 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 3: as this filthy rich woman. This could be a huge sale. 287 00:14:11,679 --> 00:14:13,120 Speaker 2: Oh yeah. So he's putting all the icy as on 288 00:14:13,160 --> 00:14:13,560 Speaker 2: the glass. 289 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:17,680 Speaker 3: So she's like pointing all these pieces and she's like 290 00:14:17,760 --> 00:14:21,160 Speaker 3: feigning indecision, and she's slipping the bracelets on and off 291 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:23,680 Speaker 3: her wrist and telling the jeweler that, like everything's just 292 00:14:23,720 --> 00:14:26,480 Speaker 3: too beautiful. I can't decide, like, maybe I should get 293 00:14:26,480 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 3: one for myself too, you know, a little self care, right, 294 00:14:29,760 --> 00:14:34,680 Speaker 3: treat yourself, so you know, and it's just this fun whirlwind, right. 295 00:14:35,160 --> 00:14:37,280 Speaker 3: So then just then a member of her crew, this 296 00:14:37,360 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 3: boy posing as this really loud and insistent delivery boy, 297 00:14:41,640 --> 00:14:46,400 Speaker 3: comes bursting in and the jeweler is apologizing profusely to Sonya, 298 00:14:46,640 --> 00:14:48,480 Speaker 3: and he's like, let me step away for a second 299 00:14:48,520 --> 00:14:50,920 Speaker 3: and deal with this crazy delivery boy who's yelling at 300 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 3: me now. And that's when Sonia struck. So she palmed 301 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:57,440 Speaker 3: a bracelet and then replaced it with a nearly identical 302 00:14:57,520 --> 00:14:58,920 Speaker 3: fake that she'd brought with her. 303 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:00,480 Speaker 2: Oh so they really came the job. 304 00:15:00,400 --> 00:15:03,280 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, and she came prepared. So what she stole 305 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,520 Speaker 3: was worth nearly ten thousand roubles and that's like, at 306 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:09,400 Speaker 3: the time, the equivalent of a few years wages for 307 00:15:09,480 --> 00:15:14,440 Speaker 3: people one bracelet. And so you know, this, this this 308 00:15:14,560 --> 00:15:18,520 Speaker 3: accomplice of hers, the delivery boy, he makes this huge 309 00:15:18,560 --> 00:15:20,040 Speaker 3: fit and it turns out no, it's supposed to be 310 00:15:20,080 --> 00:15:21,200 Speaker 3: next door whatever. 311 00:15:21,240 --> 00:15:23,160 Speaker 2: It takes like a whack on the head and leave, Yeah. 312 00:15:22,960 --> 00:15:25,160 Speaker 3: Exactly, and then she's like, you know what, let me 313 00:15:25,200 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 3: think about it. I'll come back. So it wasn't until 314 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 3: a couple days later that the jeweler. 315 00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,520 Speaker 2: Noticed, of course, yeah, because it's so identical. 316 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 3: And it was too late because like by that point 317 00:15:33,880 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 3: she's totally long gone. In Odessa, she hit up this 318 00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 3: fashionable tailor's shop once again. She's a countess and she 319 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:45,760 Speaker 3: wants to commission a new bespoke travel coat, and so 320 00:15:45,840 --> 00:15:48,520 Speaker 3: she made the show off. She's like examining the fabrics, 321 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:51,680 Speaker 3: trying on all these samples. She asked the tailor to 322 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:53,440 Speaker 3: step into the back room to get her a better 323 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,720 Speaker 3: fabric swatch, like you have this in a thicker fabric. 324 00:15:57,280 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 3: So while he's gone, she quickly rolls up three embroidered 325 00:16:00,600 --> 00:16:04,680 Speaker 3: coats into her travel bag, leaves a handwritten note thanking him, 326 00:16:04,680 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 3: and then heads out the door. By the time he 327 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:09,680 Speaker 3: gets back, she's gone, and then it's like thousands of 328 00:16:09,720 --> 00:16:12,520 Speaker 3: rubles worth of herch she was. 329 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,720 Speaker 2: One thing I'm noticing is that these shops are understaffed. 330 00:16:16,240 --> 00:16:18,640 Speaker 2: One I can go to the back and another person 331 00:16:18,640 --> 00:16:20,200 Speaker 2: should be there. I think they need to do for 332 00:16:20,200 --> 00:16:21,119 Speaker 2: at least another. 333 00:16:20,880 --> 00:16:22,680 Speaker 3: Person but you know what's thin margins. 334 00:16:22,720 --> 00:16:24,840 Speaker 2: Maybe family business. Maybe get a kid in there who 335 00:16:24,920 --> 00:16:25,880 Speaker 2: can just like watch. 336 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:28,520 Speaker 3: The door exactly, that's what you need. So one another 337 00:16:28,560 --> 00:16:31,240 Speaker 3: one she did was she went to this high end 338 00:16:31,280 --> 00:16:35,280 Speaker 3: accessories boutique that specialized in gloves and fans. It'll make 339 00:16:35,320 --> 00:16:35,800 Speaker 3: stores like that. 340 00:16:35,880 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 2: I'm just gonna say, sound like somewhere you would know 341 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:37,720 Speaker 2: a good one. 342 00:16:37,720 --> 00:16:40,400 Speaker 3: Well, I could. I usually carry a fan in my bag, 343 00:16:40,520 --> 00:16:42,480 Speaker 3: especially in the warmer months, but you never know when 344 00:16:42,520 --> 00:16:44,480 Speaker 3: you're going to be overtaken by the heat. True, you 345 00:16:44,880 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 3: got to turn a Schwitz into a glow. 346 00:16:48,680 --> 00:16:51,440 Speaker 2: So anyway, sonya, I'm so much past Schmitz. That'd be 347 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:52,880 Speaker 2: like backtracking to get to Schmitz. 348 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:56,920 Speaker 3: She it was this old man that owned the shop, 349 00:16:56,960 --> 00:17:00,800 Speaker 3: and she just charmed him with like her polite find speech, 350 00:17:00,880 --> 00:17:04,200 Speaker 3: and she told this tragic tale about her husband's death, 351 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:07,040 Speaker 3: that she was a war widow. He was high ranking 352 00:17:07,080 --> 00:17:10,359 Speaker 3: and he lost his life in the crimean. Yeah, and 353 00:17:10,440 --> 00:17:14,520 Speaker 3: so she distracts him with conversation and tea. And she 354 00:17:14,800 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 3: as she's doing this, she's discreetly sliding like a dozen 355 00:17:18,560 --> 00:17:21,920 Speaker 3: silk gloves and two ivory handled fans into her coat. 356 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:27,840 Speaker 3: Sleeves and like she later Yeah, apparently she had also 357 00:17:28,000 --> 00:17:30,720 Speaker 3: sown secret pockets into the lining and her clothing for 358 00:17:30,800 --> 00:17:34,359 Speaker 3: exactly this purpose, Like the forty they were around the 359 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:36,720 Speaker 3: same time, like maybe they knew about each other. Anyway, 360 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,960 Speaker 3: When the shopkeeper discovered the theft after she'd left, he 361 00:17:40,080 --> 00:17:42,639 Speaker 3: was too embarrassed to report it, really because he'd been 362 00:17:42,680 --> 00:17:46,320 Speaker 3: just smitten by her and this young, beautiful, wealthy woman 363 00:17:46,400 --> 00:17:48,280 Speaker 3: had wanted to hear what he had to say and 364 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 3: had been paying full attention to him, and he hadn't 365 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,040 Speaker 3: noticed a thing, as she's just like taking the valuable stop. 366 00:17:54,119 --> 00:17:55,960 Speaker 2: So he was a mote. 367 00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:59,200 Speaker 3: Let's take a break. We'll have more Sonia when we 368 00:17:59,240 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 3: get back. 369 00:18:00,040 --> 00:18:29,200 Speaker 7: In her. 370 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:24,920 Speaker 3: Zaren Darren Elizabeth Sonia golden Man. 371 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:26,640 Speaker 2: I'm still loving that name. 372 00:18:26,800 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 3: Her life is full of these kind of anecdotes of 373 00:18:29,359 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 3: these little con jobs that she'd pull off. Uh, you know, 374 00:18:33,160 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 3: jewelry shops, boutiques. Here's another one for you. I like 375 00:18:36,119 --> 00:18:38,040 Speaker 3: this one. She pulled this one in a lot of 376 00:18:38,040 --> 00:18:41,199 Speaker 3: different jewelry stores, so like she'd do the same, Like 377 00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:44,840 Speaker 3: I'm a baroness or a diplomat's wife or whatever. Yeah, 378 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:49,119 Speaker 3: and she's luxury and aristocracy with just money to burn. 379 00:18:49,160 --> 00:18:51,800 Speaker 2: And possibly silliness where she's like, oh, I forgot this 380 00:18:51,800 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 2: thing and could I have three of them? Right? 381 00:18:53,840 --> 00:18:58,040 Speaker 3: Yeah? Very kind of like a little absent minded and fun. 382 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 3: So she she'd have all these posh clothes and she'd 383 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:05,200 Speaker 3: have an immaculate manicure, and but one of the nails 384 00:19:05,280 --> 00:19:08,760 Speaker 3: was not hers. It was a custom made false nail 385 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,760 Speaker 3: that was lacquered and painted to match her real ones, 386 00:19:12,280 --> 00:19:14,879 Speaker 3: except this one was designed to open and close like 387 00:19:14,960 --> 00:19:19,400 Speaker 3: a tiny hinged lid. What like, how long were her nails. 388 00:19:19,160 --> 00:19:21,560 Speaker 2: And how big were her nails if you could hold 389 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:27,959 Speaker 2: anything behind that lacquered there, crazy, my nails do not 390 00:19:28,000 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 2: lift that high? 391 00:19:28,800 --> 00:19:34,680 Speaker 3: I long? And then like I don't know, I guess 392 00:19:34,920 --> 00:19:38,520 Speaker 3: that guess with the curvatureath and it's thicker so people 393 00:19:38,560 --> 00:19:41,600 Speaker 3: can't see it. So she'd go into the jewelry shop 394 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:46,240 Speaker 3: in like the full get up veil, gloves, furs and 395 00:19:46,359 --> 00:19:49,920 Speaker 3: like that. She did this like aristocratic boredom really well. 396 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:53,840 Speaker 3: And so she'd ask to see loose diamonds or unset stones, 397 00:19:54,040 --> 00:19:57,800 Speaker 3: because that's something that only a serious buyer one, oh yeah, yeah, 398 00:19:57,960 --> 00:19:59,600 Speaker 3: And so the jeweler would lay them out and they 399 00:19:59,600 --> 00:20:02,399 Speaker 3: would talk about the cut and the clarity, and she 400 00:20:02,440 --> 00:20:05,359 Speaker 3: would like pick it up and examine it closely and 401 00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:08,160 Speaker 3: hold it between her thumb and her forefinger, like really 402 00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:12,760 Speaker 3: close to her eye, and then in one motion she'd 403 00:20:12,800 --> 00:20:15,600 Speaker 3: slip the gem into the compartment beneath her false nail, 404 00:20:16,880 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 3: and then she'd return a duplicate stone, a fake or 405 00:20:20,119 --> 00:20:21,560 Speaker 3: even like sometimes nothing. 406 00:20:21,359 --> 00:20:24,000 Speaker 2: At all, so like a cubic zirconium or something like that, 407 00:20:24,000 --> 00:20:26,080 Speaker 2: like where it's like a just a piece. 408 00:20:25,840 --> 00:20:28,480 Speaker 3: Of glass, and then like put it in there, palm 409 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:31,200 Speaker 3: the rest of the scene with chatter compliments like oh, 410 00:20:31,200 --> 00:20:33,600 Speaker 3: she would just keep the whole show going and then 411 00:20:33,720 --> 00:20:36,159 Speaker 3: out the door. And it was never it would always 412 00:20:36,200 --> 00:20:39,160 Speaker 3: take them a few days before they'd realize it. Then 413 00:20:39,160 --> 00:20:44,080 Speaker 3: there's no proof, you know, no no forced entry. Yeah exactly, 414 00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:45,639 Speaker 3: they hadn't noticed it. 415 00:20:46,280 --> 00:20:48,800 Speaker 2: She's getting it, like basically the but if you. 416 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:50,880 Speaker 3: Run in these things, maybe more than one a day. 417 00:20:51,000 --> 00:20:52,040 Speaker 2: Who that's a job. 418 00:20:52,359 --> 00:20:57,359 Speaker 3: Yeah. So she didn't always target merchants though. In October 419 00:20:57,400 --> 00:21:01,520 Speaker 3: of eighteen eighty four, there was this banker Dogmroov. He 420 00:21:01,640 --> 00:21:05,360 Speaker 3: was sitting in a cafe in Odessa, and a bodacious 421 00:21:05,359 --> 00:21:10,000 Speaker 3: babe that she's stunning. She made eye contact back. He 422 00:21:10,080 --> 00:21:14,560 Speaker 3: goes over and introduces himself. No, she's I am missus 423 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:19,360 Speaker 3: Sophia san Donato. That's a great aga, Soia. 424 00:21:20,720 --> 00:21:23,800 Speaker 2: Of course, yeah, this Italian lady written me off. 425 00:21:23,880 --> 00:21:27,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, exactly. So she chats for a while, flirts it up, 426 00:21:27,160 --> 00:21:29,040 Speaker 3: and then she asked him for a favor. She's like, 427 00:21:29,119 --> 00:21:31,199 Speaker 3: I'm so sorry, this is so embarrassing, but can you 428 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:33,440 Speaker 3: I was hoping that you could change a thousand rouble 429 00:21:33,480 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 3: bill for him, that the big stuff, Like, dang, that's 430 00:21:38,160 --> 00:21:41,360 Speaker 3: a big bills. Like, of course, I work at a bank. 431 00:21:41,400 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 3: Come by the bank later. She's like, so great. And 432 00:21:44,560 --> 00:21:46,640 Speaker 3: then she's like, the thing is I'm leaving for Moscow 433 00:21:46,680 --> 00:21:49,479 Speaker 3: on the train tonight, and he's like, wait, so am I. 434 00:21:50,280 --> 00:21:52,040 Speaker 3: He's like, I I got to take some stuff to 435 00:21:52,080 --> 00:21:54,679 Speaker 3: the main bank over there. Why don't we travel together? 436 00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:58,600 Speaker 3: But she's like, what a coincidence. I had no idea 437 00:21:58,640 --> 00:22:01,400 Speaker 3: you were going to be on that train. She's got 438 00:22:01,400 --> 00:22:04,600 Speaker 3: eyes and ears everywhere planned this out. So they continued 439 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:06,600 Speaker 3: chatting and then they meet up at the train station 440 00:22:06,720 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 3: later and they shared a sleeping compartment, which I'm sure 441 00:22:10,560 --> 00:22:11,840 Speaker 3: was a delight for dogmrov. 442 00:22:12,080 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 2: I'm betting yeah. 443 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:15,560 Speaker 3: So they continue their chat. They're like cracking each other up. 444 00:22:16,080 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 2: We're talking peak life moment. 445 00:22:17,680 --> 00:22:20,560 Speaker 3: For right, he picked up this rich lady and. 446 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 2: Like on a train, a sleeper car. Strange. Everything's like 447 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:25,240 Speaker 2: his life is sexy, romantic fun. 448 00:22:25,359 --> 00:22:29,480 Speaker 3: You're having these deep conversations, having deep conversations, indulged in 449 00:22:29,520 --> 00:22:31,480 Speaker 3: a luxurious box of chocolate. 450 00:22:31,160 --> 00:22:34,159 Speaker 2: Bad luxury chocolate, luxury chocolate. This is like one of 451 00:22:34,200 --> 00:22:37,040 Speaker 2: my peak life just described a damn doga morov. 452 00:22:37,840 --> 00:22:41,480 Speaker 3: So night fell. By morning he had enjoyed a sound, 453 00:22:41,560 --> 00:22:42,480 Speaker 3: contented sleep. 454 00:22:42,800 --> 00:22:43,240 Speaker 2: I bet. 455 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:46,800 Speaker 3: The light began to peek through the curtains in the 456 00:22:46,840 --> 00:22:50,360 Speaker 3: train car and he looked around. No Sophia sun Donato. 457 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:54,320 Speaker 3: He reached for his travel case. The cash he'd been 458 00:22:54,359 --> 00:22:58,040 Speaker 3: carrying was gone, as well as forty three thousand roubles 459 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:03,920 Speaker 3: and securities documents. She took him. Uh, there was one heist, though. 460 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:05,760 Speaker 2: I got it. One thing I had to say about 461 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:08,800 Speaker 2: that that sucks to go from that peak moment to 462 00:23:08,920 --> 00:23:12,000 Speaker 2: the absolutely the mountains slipped and now you're at the 463 00:23:12,040 --> 00:23:14,520 Speaker 2: bottom of the valley that was just as high as 464 00:23:14,520 --> 00:23:15,040 Speaker 2: the mountain. 465 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:18,879 Speaker 3: Because you think about it, you have to explain what happened. 466 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:21,359 Speaker 3: You've got chocolate on your ship. 467 00:23:23,880 --> 00:23:26,199 Speaker 2: Chocolate what happened? 468 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:30,720 Speaker 3: But you don't understand h So there's this one heist. 469 00:23:30,760 --> 00:23:33,399 Speaker 3: So this is the one that cemented her as queen 470 00:23:33,440 --> 00:23:36,439 Speaker 3: of the thieves. And like the ultimate con artists, a 471 00:23:36,560 --> 00:23:44,600 Speaker 3: full on ConA. It was a grand performance with identity, theft, seduction, forgery, escape. 472 00:23:44,920 --> 00:23:48,879 Speaker 3: I'm bu she pulls us off with like complete elegance 473 00:23:49,040 --> 00:23:52,680 Speaker 3: and cunning and when it was revealed, it pretty much 474 00:23:52,720 --> 00:23:56,160 Speaker 3: made Golden Hand a household name across Imperial Russia. 475 00:23:56,760 --> 00:23:58,520 Speaker 2: Go on, tell me, it's called the. 476 00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:04,200 Speaker 3: Von Mel Heist me life. May eighteen eighty three. Three okay, 477 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 3: So Sonya showed up at the von Mel jewelry store, 478 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:09,960 Speaker 3: done up in all our finery. This time she was 479 00:24:10,000 --> 00:24:12,320 Speaker 3: not a countess or a baroness. She said she was 480 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:15,959 Speaker 3: the wife of a very well known and very wealthy psychiatrist. 481 00:24:16,760 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 3: That she said she was in the market for some 482 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:21,600 Speaker 3: fine jewelry. She wanted to treat herself, and her husband said, 483 00:24:21,640 --> 00:24:23,720 Speaker 3: you know what, spare no expense, not yourself. 484 00:24:23,720 --> 00:24:23,920 Speaker 7: Phone. 485 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:26,480 Speaker 3: He came from money. He wanted her to have it all. 486 00:24:26,880 --> 00:24:29,000 Speaker 3: So she picked out a bunch of different pieces with 487 00:24:29,040 --> 00:24:34,199 Speaker 3: a value all together of almost fifty thousand roubles. That 488 00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:38,280 Speaker 3: was an incredible sum. So that's like the equivalent of 489 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:41,560 Speaker 3: showing up on a whim to a jewelry store today 490 00:24:41,640 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 3: and being like, show me two million dollars in bobbles, 491 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:48,640 Speaker 3: you know those things because I feel like it. Yeah, exactly, 492 00:24:48,760 --> 00:24:52,280 Speaker 3: let's so break me. So she picked out what she wanted, 493 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:56,119 Speaker 3: She gave the jeweler her home address. She said that 494 00:24:56,160 --> 00:24:57,760 Speaker 3: her husband had the money to pay for it. She 495 00:24:57,800 --> 00:24:59,480 Speaker 3: certainly wasn't going to walk around with that kind of 496 00:24:59,520 --> 00:25:00,120 Speaker 3: cash on her. 497 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:03,520 Speaker 2: And from what we've talked about previously, in Russian like exchanges, 498 00:25:03,720 --> 00:25:06,840 Speaker 2: you can get your bills settled up much later. Yeah, yeah, 499 00:25:08,760 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 2: very understood. 500 00:25:09,720 --> 00:25:12,879 Speaker 3: She wasn't taking possession of the jewelry right then. She 501 00:25:13,040 --> 00:25:15,800 Speaker 3: was like, you bring it to my house and you know, 502 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:19,560 Speaker 3: my husband will pay you. It'll be easy that way. 503 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:22,080 Speaker 3: It's like you'll cash on delivery totally. 504 00:25:22,400 --> 00:25:23,960 Speaker 2: Zaren Cod huh. 505 00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:28,560 Speaker 3: Cod, close your eyes. Oh, I want you to picture it. 506 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:33,720 Speaker 3: You are a courier for Carl von mel, a fancy jeweler. 507 00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:37,439 Speaker 3: He made a huge sale today and the two of 508 00:25:37,440 --> 00:25:39,240 Speaker 3: you are off to deliver it to the woman who 509 00:25:39,240 --> 00:25:43,840 Speaker 3: bought the gems. Apparently her husband is incredibly wealthy, filthy rich, 510 00:25:44,320 --> 00:25:47,359 Speaker 3: and he's going to pay upon delivery. You're carrying the 511 00:25:47,400 --> 00:25:49,320 Speaker 3: case with the jewelry in it, and von Mel is 512 00:25:49,320 --> 00:25:51,399 Speaker 3: there to get the money and schmooz up with the couple. 513 00:25:52,040 --> 00:25:54,520 Speaker 3: The two of you walk briskly down a leafy boulevard 514 00:25:54,520 --> 00:25:57,840 Speaker 3: in Saint Petersburg. It's a lovely spring day. The sun 515 00:25:57,960 --> 00:25:59,920 Speaker 3: is out and the chill is fading from the air. 516 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:04,040 Speaker 3: Horses with shiny coats pulling gilded carriages roll by on 517 00:26:04,080 --> 00:26:07,720 Speaker 3: the street. You are in a very nice neighborhood. The 518 00:26:07,800 --> 00:26:10,399 Speaker 3: horse and carts where you live are more, shall we 519 00:26:10,400 --> 00:26:14,119 Speaker 3: say rusty. People in their finery, well crafted hats and 520 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:17,520 Speaker 3: luxurious coats of embroidered fine fabric brush past you on 521 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:22,120 Speaker 3: a sidewalk with polite nods and smiles. Von Mel is giddy. 522 00:26:22,600 --> 00:26:25,000 Speaker 3: He makes some big sales at the shop, but nothing 523 00:26:25,080 --> 00:26:28,520 Speaker 3: like this, and the potential for establishing a good relationship 524 00:26:28,560 --> 00:26:32,800 Speaker 3: with this wealthy couple has him excited. There's a pepinist step. 525 00:26:33,240 --> 00:26:35,920 Speaker 3: He's promised you a bonus too. You're in your best suit, 526 00:26:35,960 --> 00:26:38,960 Speaker 3: looking clean and sharp. This is a great day. You 527 00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:41,320 Speaker 3: reach the address the woman gave you and ring the bell. 528 00:26:41,880 --> 00:26:44,879 Speaker 3: After a pause, the large lacquered door opens and a 529 00:26:44,880 --> 00:26:47,680 Speaker 3: butler appears. He welcomes you out of the din of 530 00:26:47,720 --> 00:26:50,359 Speaker 3: the street and into the dark, lush interior of the 531 00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:54,160 Speaker 3: town home. Von Mell announces himself and the butler leads 532 00:26:54,160 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 3: you down a rich hallway, shine parquet floors and walls 533 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:01,919 Speaker 3: thick with expensive oil paintings, to a very comfortable and 534 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:06,199 Speaker 3: inviting study. Heavy leather club chairs face a rich mahogany 535 00:27:06,240 --> 00:27:10,240 Speaker 3: desk with intricate carved scroll work. A grandfather clock ticks 536 00:27:10,240 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 3: behind you. The woman is waiting in the office and 537 00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:15,399 Speaker 3: rises from one of the chairs to greet you. You 538 00:27:15,480 --> 00:27:18,679 Speaker 3: doff your cap. Von Mel bows and kisses the woman's 539 00:27:18,720 --> 00:27:21,280 Speaker 3: offered hand. She invites him to sit in the chair 540 00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:24,800 Speaker 3: beside hers. He accepts and instructs you to stand where 541 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:27,280 Speaker 3: you are to the side. She tells Von Mel that 542 00:27:27,320 --> 00:27:29,639 Speaker 3: her husband will be in momentarily and how much she 543 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:33,400 Speaker 3: appreciates the home delivery. She shoots you a sparkling smile 544 00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 3: and a small wink. You go weak in the knees. 545 00:27:37,040 --> 00:27:39,360 Speaker 3: She's so beautiful, and she has this quality you can't 546 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:41,919 Speaker 3: quite put your finger on, but you get this flash 547 00:27:41,960 --> 00:27:44,639 Speaker 3: that maybe she's sweet on you. Oh, that can't be, 548 00:27:45,119 --> 00:27:48,320 Speaker 3: but the look was undeniable. You blush a little. The 549 00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:53,199 Speaker 3: grandfather clock chimes two. Von Mel clears his throat and 550 00:27:53,240 --> 00:27:56,120 Speaker 3: tells you to present the case to madame. You approach 551 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:58,680 Speaker 3: the woman and gently hand her the case full of jewels. 552 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:02,159 Speaker 3: She takes it in her hands. You look at the 553 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:05,720 Speaker 3: turn of her wrist. She is intoxicating. You blush again 554 00:28:05,760 --> 00:28:08,600 Speaker 3: and step back to your spot against the bookcase. Just then, 555 00:28:08,840 --> 00:28:11,560 Speaker 3: the door to the study opens. An older man in 556 00:28:11,560 --> 00:28:14,800 Speaker 3: a perfectly cut suit strides in, followed closely by two 557 00:28:14,840 --> 00:28:17,840 Speaker 3: other men in white outfits. The husband asks von Mel 558 00:28:17,920 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 3: what he's doing there. Von Mel pauses a little confused 559 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:25,360 Speaker 3: and compliments the psychiatrist on his beautiful wife's incredible taste. Now, 560 00:28:25,359 --> 00:28:28,159 Speaker 3: if he could just get payment for these items. The 561 00:28:28,200 --> 00:28:31,359 Speaker 3: two men in orderly's whites come from behind the psychiatrist 562 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 3: and grab von Mel by the upper arms. They lift 563 00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:36,400 Speaker 3: her from the chair and began to drag him out 564 00:28:36,400 --> 00:28:39,680 Speaker 3: of the room. Von Mell is stunned, he protests, but 565 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:42,320 Speaker 3: they're having none of it. Von Mel calls out for you, 566 00:28:42,400 --> 00:28:45,280 Speaker 3: and you look back and forth. A psychiatrist and his wife. 567 00:28:45,600 --> 00:28:48,320 Speaker 3: You briefly contemplate grabbing the case of jewelry, but this 568 00:28:48,360 --> 00:28:50,800 Speaker 3: whole thing is so strange that you just stand there 569 00:28:50,800 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 3: and stunned silence. The psychiatrist shouts in a booming voice 570 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 3: for you to leave, to get out of his office. 571 00:28:56,680 --> 00:28:58,360 Speaker 3: You put your head down and make for the door. 572 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:00,400 Speaker 3: When you get out on the street, do you see 573 00:29:00,480 --> 00:29:03,800 Speaker 3: von Mell being crammed into a carriage Mark Saint Petersburg 574 00:29:03,840 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 3: Asylum on the side. He's still protesting as the carriage 575 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:09,360 Speaker 3: rolls away. You can't go back to the shop, you 576 00:29:09,360 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 3: don't have key. You side the head home and hope 577 00:29:11,880 --> 00:29:16,440 Speaker 3: everything makes sense to Wow. Yeah, Zaren, what just happened? 578 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 2: I think only this got like shanghaied to a mental hospital. 579 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:24,360 Speaker 3: We need to rewind a little bit. So before von 580 00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:27,960 Speaker 3: Mel and the fictional Zaron arrived at the home, Sonia 581 00:29:28,000 --> 00:29:30,880 Speaker 3: got there first, and she asked to see the psychiatrist. 582 00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:33,640 Speaker 3: And of course she's not married to him. We knew that, 583 00:29:33,920 --> 00:29:37,160 Speaker 3: but how did she get into the house. She introduces 584 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:40,960 Speaker 3: herself to the psychiatrist as von Mel's wife, and she 585 00:29:41,040 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 3: said that her husband was old and confused, losing his mind. 586 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:48,120 Speaker 3: It's impacting his business. It seems that he'd bought far 587 00:29:48,200 --> 00:29:50,560 Speaker 3: more diamonds than he could afford, and it was kind 588 00:29:50,560 --> 00:29:53,600 Speaker 3: of made him snap that he was going around telling 589 00:29:53,640 --> 00:29:55,560 Speaker 3: people that they had ordered diamonds and that he was 590 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,160 Speaker 3: there to deliver and take payment. And he'd done this 591 00:29:58,200 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 3: for a couple of weeks now and he's just like 592 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:04,160 Speaker 3: totally crackers. She needs, like, she needs to get him help. 593 00:30:04,600 --> 00:30:07,160 Speaker 3: He had a full on nervous breakdown. She's like, I 594 00:30:07,240 --> 00:30:11,480 Speaker 3: need to have him committed. So she pays the psychiatrist 595 00:30:11,560 --> 00:30:14,280 Speaker 3: up front for the treatment. She's like, my husband will 596 00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:16,240 Speaker 3: be here shortly, and you know what, he's gonna put 597 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:20,240 Speaker 3: up a fight, but this is for his own good 598 00:30:20,400 --> 00:30:22,800 Speaker 3: that he just needs to be hauled away, no matter 599 00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:26,600 Speaker 3: what he says. And he was. He was hauled away, 600 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:29,280 Speaker 3: as we saw, and then Sonia and the jewels gone. 601 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:33,000 Speaker 3: So obviously the jeweler and the psychiatrist they figured it out, 602 00:30:33,240 --> 00:30:36,040 Speaker 3: you know, later on when it happened. But at that point, 603 00:30:36,240 --> 00:30:36,880 Speaker 3: she's gone. 604 00:30:36,960 --> 00:30:39,920 Speaker 2: All she needs that night's ride. 605 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:43,320 Speaker 3: So let's pause here. When we get back from these ads, 606 00:30:43,360 --> 00:30:45,400 Speaker 3: I'm going to tell you how things finally caught up 607 00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 3: with Golden. 608 00:30:45,920 --> 00:31:10,880 Speaker 6: Pandaren, Yes, Zaren Golden Hand, dude. 609 00:31:11,120 --> 00:31:13,920 Speaker 2: That was the I'm still reeling from that story, like 610 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:16,360 Speaker 2: I've you know, that's a lot of old radio shows. 611 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 2: I had had an episode on Suspense that basically did that. 612 00:31:20,240 --> 00:31:23,120 Speaker 2: It was slightly different, but where they turnt they conned. 613 00:31:23,160 --> 00:31:25,480 Speaker 2: It was the doctor was conning people, and then when 614 00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 2: the cops would show up, he would con the cops 615 00:31:27,360 --> 00:31:30,760 Speaker 2: into believing that the people he'd abducted were mentally unwell 616 00:31:30,800 --> 00:31:33,040 Speaker 2: and that's why they're protesting, and so he was like 617 00:31:33,240 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 2: and he's doing experiments on fear. It was it was 618 00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:38,840 Speaker 2: a great episode, but that's a much better use of 619 00:31:38,920 --> 00:31:40,400 Speaker 2: the same ideas. 620 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:42,920 Speaker 3: Thinking about how at this time, you know, it's like 621 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:45,000 Speaker 3: this burgeoning yan. 622 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:48,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's very well respected and they're trying to 623 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:50,560 Speaker 2: help people and this is for your gold. But they're 624 00:31:50,560 --> 00:31:51,240 Speaker 2: gonna take you. 625 00:31:51,200 --> 00:31:53,840 Speaker 3: Off serious science. Yeah, doctors, but they. 626 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:55,520 Speaker 2: Can throw you in like a rubber room, in like 627 00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:58,000 Speaker 2: one of those like straight jacket and there's nothing you 628 00:31:58,000 --> 00:31:59,440 Speaker 2: can do for like what seventy. 629 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:01,440 Speaker 3: Two hours, right, And so for this one, it's especially 630 00:32:01,440 --> 00:32:05,520 Speaker 3: if she's so put together, presents herself and do you want. 631 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 2: To save her from this man? All you have to 632 00:32:07,640 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 2: do is just lock up her husband and then of 633 00:32:10,600 --> 00:32:12,760 Speaker 2: course you know that dispels all suspicion. 634 00:32:13,360 --> 00:32:16,320 Speaker 3: So she she's doing these kind of cops. That's the 635 00:32:16,360 --> 00:32:19,000 Speaker 3: big one. Where Ever, it's just like wow, respect that 636 00:32:19,080 --> 00:32:22,200 Speaker 3: was amazing masterpiece. Yeah so that. But she doesn't just 637 00:32:22,280 --> 00:32:24,760 Speaker 3: hit Russia, like I said, She pulled these scams all 638 00:32:24,760 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 3: over Europe and she played the countess or the rich lady. 639 00:32:29,000 --> 00:32:31,600 Speaker 3: She would seduce guys and get them to lavish her 640 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:34,720 Speaker 3: with expensive gifts. She did some of like the merchant 641 00:32:34,720 --> 00:32:38,080 Speaker 3: ones as well, but traveling money. Yeah. Mostly it was 642 00:32:38,120 --> 00:32:40,520 Speaker 3: like she would just travel in these like the same thing. 643 00:32:40,440 --> 00:32:42,240 Speaker 2: As like the sting. You're gonna have your big scores 644 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:43,880 Speaker 2: and you gotta have your little scores in between your. 645 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:46,400 Speaker 3: Big scores, right right, And so she would. She'd promise 646 00:32:46,520 --> 00:32:49,360 Speaker 3: marriage a lot of times and then usually bailed before 647 00:32:49,360 --> 00:32:51,720 Speaker 3: that could happen. But obviously sometimes she had to go 648 00:32:51,880 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 3: through with it and marry the guy. That's how she 649 00:32:54,560 --> 00:32:55,760 Speaker 3: racked up all those marriages. 650 00:32:55,840 --> 00:32:59,520 Speaker 2: So she really did stand there and somebody it was 651 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:01,880 Speaker 2: her name exactly, but she did went through the process 652 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:02,720 Speaker 2: and along. 653 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:03,800 Speaker 3: The way she had two kids. 654 00:33:04,200 --> 00:33:06,920 Speaker 2: Wow. Yeah, really you saved that one. 655 00:33:07,120 --> 00:33:11,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, So she has was on purpose. Yeah, she's two girls. 656 00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:14,320 Speaker 3: She was able to send them off to really really 657 00:33:14,400 --> 00:33:18,040 Speaker 3: expensive and prestigious boarding schools in Europe, and she didn't 658 00:33:18,080 --> 00:33:20,760 Speaker 3: want them to know what she really did, so they 659 00:33:20,800 --> 00:33:24,920 Speaker 3: were just like cartel daughters yet total cartel daughters and 660 00:33:25,000 --> 00:33:27,360 Speaker 3: like so pretty soon though, she shows up in America 661 00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:31,520 Speaker 3: at least she did according to our papers. Well, in 662 00:33:31,560 --> 00:33:35,120 Speaker 3: reading all yeah, in reading all the accounts, it seems 663 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 3: like some of the stories that they tell are almost 664 00:33:37,600 --> 00:33:40,960 Speaker 3: identical to tales of her exploits in Russia and across Europe, 665 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:44,560 Speaker 3: Like too much of the detail is exactly the same. Okay, 666 00:33:44,720 --> 00:33:46,920 Speaker 3: Like maybe, yeah, she has a set playlist of what 667 00:33:47,000 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 3: she does. But I think that in that era, like 668 00:33:49,720 --> 00:33:52,320 Speaker 3: you were saying before yellow journalism, that they just grabbed 669 00:33:52,320 --> 00:33:53,400 Speaker 3: wire stories and get in there. 670 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:55,960 Speaker 2: Sidicated stories were like a new thing basically, So you 671 00:33:55,960 --> 00:33:57,840 Speaker 2: would take a story and know that nobody in tepeak 672 00:33:57,880 --> 00:33:59,000 Speaker 2: had seen this, you could run it. 673 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 3: And then there's one where they're like I almost felt 674 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:03,400 Speaker 3: like they were going to run a story and knew 675 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:05,440 Speaker 3: that people would call him on it, so they created 676 00:34:05,440 --> 00:34:08,200 Speaker 3: even more of a backstory. So this is this article 677 00:34:08,239 --> 00:34:11,200 Speaker 3: from the Brooklyn Citizen in July of eighteen eighty nine 678 00:34:11,760 --> 00:34:14,480 Speaker 3: that claimed that Goldenhan once lived in Brooklyn. 679 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:17,319 Speaker 2: The local girl. 680 00:34:17,440 --> 00:34:20,200 Speaker 3: How did they know this, they said? The paper said 681 00:34:20,200 --> 00:34:22,400 Speaker 3: they got a letter from an American official who was 682 00:34:22,400 --> 00:34:25,600 Speaker 3: living in Paris, who told of her exploits in the 683 00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:29,440 Speaker 3: United States, and the stories were supposedly backed up by 684 00:34:29,440 --> 00:34:33,640 Speaker 3: the recollections quote of an old Brooklyn detective, an old 685 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:36,960 Speaker 3: Bertain detective who happened to be an ex Pankerton detective. 686 00:34:36,600 --> 00:34:38,520 Speaker 2: To oh, of course, was he was he named? Or 687 00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:39,400 Speaker 2: is he go unnamed? 688 00:34:39,640 --> 00:34:45,000 Speaker 3: Unnamed cars from the article quote Goldenhan's husband's continued. The 689 00:34:45,040 --> 00:34:49,000 Speaker 3: official like the numerous fictitious names which she adopted were 690 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:52,560 Speaker 3: taken from all nationalities, and she regarded neither age nor 691 00:34:52,640 --> 00:34:55,719 Speaker 3: creed in choosing her victims. She ran away from two 692 00:34:55,760 --> 00:34:58,600 Speaker 3: in France, three in Germany, one in Spain, one in England, 693 00:34:58,600 --> 00:35:01,359 Speaker 3: and others in Italy. I had several in Russia and 694 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:04,839 Speaker 3: the United States. She was in America in eighteen seventy eight, 695 00:35:04,840 --> 00:35:06,839 Speaker 3: and I saw her there, but she had a new 696 00:35:06,880 --> 00:35:10,319 Speaker 3: assumed name and was so rehabilitated in appearance that I 697 00:35:10,400 --> 00:35:13,000 Speaker 3: did not recognize her until one night after having met 698 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:15,920 Speaker 3: her several times. The next day she disappeared with the 699 00:35:15,960 --> 00:35:19,160 Speaker 3: confiding broker's diamonds, and I did not see or hear 700 00:35:19,280 --> 00:35:22,279 Speaker 3: her again until some two or three years afterwards, when 701 00:35:22,320 --> 00:35:25,799 Speaker 3: she appeared in Paris. I love that he's saying, she 702 00:35:25,840 --> 00:35:27,440 Speaker 3: looks totally different, but it had to be her. 703 00:35:27,560 --> 00:35:29,880 Speaker 2: Yeah. I saw her a while back, and then I 704 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:31,680 Speaker 2: was like, this isn't this is a new look for her. 705 00:35:31,680 --> 00:35:34,840 Speaker 3: The letter to the paper is supposed to be like 706 00:35:35,040 --> 00:35:37,200 Speaker 3: completely like unsolicited. 707 00:35:37,400 --> 00:35:40,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, and also that it goes unnamed. He's not giving 708 00:35:40,160 --> 00:35:42,600 Speaker 2: any details that you can be like, oh not just 709 00:35:43,000 --> 00:35:45,080 Speaker 2: it's something he could confirm, but it would make sense, 710 00:35:45,120 --> 00:35:46,640 Speaker 2: like why he would come across her like, oh we 711 00:35:46,680 --> 00:35:49,080 Speaker 2: did this. She told me about this and connected to Russia. 712 00:35:49,080 --> 00:35:53,520 Speaker 2: It's just like, okay, you met goldenand okay, sure, well, let's. 713 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:55,839 Speaker 3: Let's just go with it. Okay, let's it makes it worse. 714 00:35:56,800 --> 00:35:57,439 Speaker 2: Let's say it happen. 715 00:35:57,480 --> 00:35:59,120 Speaker 3: If she made it states I do like it. So 716 00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:01,239 Speaker 3: the reporter was like, I got this letter and I 717 00:36:01,239 --> 00:36:03,399 Speaker 3: ignored it because I thought it was stupid. I thought 718 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:06,000 Speaker 3: he published it, you'll fight well no, Then so he 719 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:08,880 Speaker 3: gets the letter. Then there's a description of this lady 720 00:36:08,920 --> 00:36:13,120 Speaker 3: con artist. That sounds familiar, So the reporter finds the 721 00:36:13,160 --> 00:36:16,520 Speaker 3: old letter and then runs the stories by an ex Pinkerton, 722 00:36:17,080 --> 00:36:19,680 Speaker 3: who said that the description from the American in Paris 723 00:36:19,760 --> 00:36:22,520 Speaker 3: was spot on with a woman he had followed in 724 00:36:22,560 --> 00:36:24,239 Speaker 3: Brooklyn in eighteen seventy two. 725 00:36:24,480 --> 00:36:26,080 Speaker 2: Do we think this is one of those journalists is 726 00:36:26,120 --> 00:36:28,560 Speaker 2: making up their sources and then he makes up a 727 00:36:28,560 --> 00:36:31,520 Speaker 2: source for his made up so he's now doubling down 728 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:33,239 Speaker 2: on like that, and then he ads a whole little 729 00:36:33,280 --> 00:36:35,560 Speaker 2: I dismissed it previously, that's baby. 730 00:36:36,040 --> 00:36:42,200 Speaker 3: So apparently according to the expats god, she was calling 731 00:36:42,280 --> 00:36:46,440 Speaker 3: herself miss Pauline clan Cardi. That wow, that's she's a Russian, 732 00:36:46,480 --> 00:36:49,160 Speaker 3: pulling off like a convincing Irish woman. 733 00:36:49,239 --> 00:36:51,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, she was the red hair. 734 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:54,480 Speaker 3: She was living with a Frenchman, a card sharp. 735 00:36:54,200 --> 00:36:55,919 Speaker 2: Who hasn't done that in Brooklyn. 736 00:36:55,680 --> 00:36:57,600 Speaker 3: Height, right? Who among us in Brooklyn Heights? 737 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:01,240 Speaker 2: So that or a saxophone player French. 738 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:08,240 Speaker 3: So she'd seduce men and then the Frenchman would storm 739 00:37:08,320 --> 00:37:13,000 Speaker 3: in and act like her enraged brother, irate that someone 740 00:37:13,040 --> 00:37:17,640 Speaker 3: had taken his sister's virtue. Then they'd blackmail the guy 741 00:37:17,640 --> 00:37:20,200 Speaker 3: who was almost always married and the guy would pay 742 00:37:20,239 --> 00:37:23,040 Speaker 3: the French quote brother to keep him calm and quiet. 743 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:25,120 Speaker 2: Huh, I was like something you'd expecting, like dead wood. 744 00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:29,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's so bizarre. One wealthy merchant though he'd had enough. 745 00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:32,920 Speaker 3: He contacted the detective and this is from the article quote. 746 00:37:33,280 --> 00:37:36,040 Speaker 3: It took me but a short time, said the old detective, 747 00:37:36,160 --> 00:37:40,360 Speaker 3: continuing his story, to find proofs of the conspiracy. But 748 00:37:40,440 --> 00:37:43,319 Speaker 3: the old merchant had not the moral courage even then 749 00:37:43,360 --> 00:37:47,360 Speaker 3: to face a public scandal. By shrewd work, the agency 750 00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:50,080 Speaker 3: for which I was then working managed to frighten the 751 00:37:50,120 --> 00:37:54,000 Speaker 3: Frenchman into leaving the country, and finding that the merchant 752 00:37:54,000 --> 00:37:58,160 Speaker 3: would no longer suffer the imposition practiced upon him, the 753 00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:02,520 Speaker 3: adventurous soon after word disappeared, probably to join her fellow 754 00:38:02,640 --> 00:38:06,600 Speaker 3: swindler in some new field of action. Referring to thick 755 00:38:06,680 --> 00:38:09,799 Speaker 3: volumes of criminal history, the detective traced the career of 756 00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:13,400 Speaker 3: a woman who he is sure was identical with Golden 757 00:38:13,400 --> 00:38:16,400 Speaker 3: Hand in various schemes in other parts of this country. 758 00:38:16,760 --> 00:38:18,719 Speaker 2: One thing I love about in the nineteen start, like 759 00:38:18,719 --> 00:38:21,120 Speaker 2: the eighteen nineties, eighteen eighties, they write like they have 760 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:22,000 Speaker 2: so much time. 761 00:38:22,160 --> 00:38:24,279 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, not a care on the world. 762 00:38:24,280 --> 00:38:25,960 Speaker 2: We're going to get to the point, but first I 763 00:38:26,000 --> 00:38:28,000 Speaker 2: want to take you through some details. It's some turns 764 00:38:28,040 --> 00:38:28,400 Speaker 2: of frames. 765 00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:29,040 Speaker 3: Slow it down. 766 00:38:29,120 --> 00:38:29,640 Speaker 2: I like that. 767 00:38:29,920 --> 00:38:34,560 Speaker 3: Slow it down every So the detective said that he 768 00:38:34,640 --> 00:38:36,319 Speaker 3: caught up with a woman a couple of years later 769 00:38:36,320 --> 00:38:37,040 Speaker 3: in Baltimore. 770 00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:39,280 Speaker 2: Oh god, he's not much At the same time. 771 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:41,080 Speaker 3: She's supposed to be ping ponging all over Europe. 772 00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:43,080 Speaker 2: But anyways, apparently she makes her scores and comes over 773 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:44,080 Speaker 2: to celebrate in Baltimore. 774 00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:46,360 Speaker 3: I want an eighties style T shirt that says Golden 775 00:38:46,400 --> 00:38:50,600 Speaker 3: hand with like the cities listed below, Moscow, Paris, Balta, 776 00:38:50,680 --> 00:38:52,320 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, Fresno. 777 00:38:54,520 --> 00:38:55,120 Speaker 2: Yeah. 778 00:38:55,160 --> 00:38:59,239 Speaker 3: So the detective was chasing an embezzler. This is a 779 00:38:59,280 --> 00:39:01,680 Speaker 3: guy who'd gotten the gig as the treasurer at a 780 00:39:01,719 --> 00:39:04,200 Speaker 3: religious society in New York, and then he made off 781 00:39:04,200 --> 00:39:07,680 Speaker 3: with thirty five thousand dollars of their funds. So, as 782 00:39:07,719 --> 00:39:11,480 Speaker 3: the detective described it quote, this sanctimonious fraud was a 783 00:39:11,520 --> 00:39:15,920 Speaker 3: good deal of a swell. Could see he was running 784 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:20,480 Speaker 3: with the fancy, So the detective went undercover, as you do. 785 00:39:21,840 --> 00:39:24,400 Speaker 3: He ran with the rich and fabulous of Baltimore too. 786 00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:26,680 Speaker 2: A big Wallers mustache and had fun Oh, my god. 787 00:39:26,800 --> 00:39:29,480 Speaker 3: Yes, and so it was there that he crossed paths 788 00:39:29,520 --> 00:39:32,080 Speaker 3: with golden hand. So he told the baby. 789 00:39:32,160 --> 00:39:33,040 Speaker 2: A story story goes. 790 00:39:33,600 --> 00:39:35,600 Speaker 3: So he said that she was posing as a young 791 00:39:35,680 --> 00:39:41,960 Speaker 3: Russian heiress named Princess Nita Alexandria of Romanovmanov. I need 792 00:39:41,960 --> 00:39:46,319 Speaker 3: a Romanov by estimates with what he knew later, she 793 00:39:46,360 --> 00:39:48,120 Speaker 3: had to be like in her forties, but he said 794 00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:49,560 Speaker 3: she looked like she was in her twenties. 795 00:39:50,640 --> 00:39:52,200 Speaker 2: It was definitely her great skincare. 796 00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:56,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, the detective told the reporters. Quote. She was supposed 797 00:39:56,560 --> 00:39:59,319 Speaker 3: to be unable to speak much English and was accompanied 798 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:02,160 Speaker 3: by a vinegar old Russian woman who passed is her 799 00:40:02,200 --> 00:40:05,160 Speaker 3: aunt and performed the functions of a chaperone with hawk 800 00:40:05,360 --> 00:40:06,120 Speaker 3: like vigilance. 801 00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:09,240 Speaker 2: Oh somebody got denied, yeah, Vinigary. 802 00:40:08,920 --> 00:40:13,040 Speaker 3: I love this quote. Quote. The Princess Nita was quite 803 00:40:13,120 --> 00:40:15,880 Speaker 3: the rage in Baltimore society when I made my debut 804 00:40:15,920 --> 00:40:19,600 Speaker 3: as an amateur dude, and she was certainly a captivating creature. 805 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:23,240 Speaker 3: Surrounded with all the accompaniments of wealth. She was greatly 806 00:40:23,320 --> 00:40:26,960 Speaker 3: improved in appearance, though I at once recognized her as 807 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:29,920 Speaker 3: the same blackmailer whom I had driven out of Brooklyn. 808 00:40:30,160 --> 00:40:32,000 Speaker 3: It took some time to get a trace of the 809 00:40:32,000 --> 00:40:34,600 Speaker 3: oily rascal for whom I was looking, and I saw 810 00:40:34,640 --> 00:40:38,040 Speaker 3: the princess often. She was reputed to have endless wealth, 811 00:40:38,400 --> 00:40:41,080 Speaker 3: kept a stylish turnout, and lived in a mansion taken 812 00:40:41,120 --> 00:40:41,760 Speaker 3: for the season. 813 00:40:42,239 --> 00:40:45,160 Speaker 2: I cannot tell which I prefer to imagine that he 814 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:47,399 Speaker 2: made all this up and then he makes himself this 815 00:40:47,520 --> 00:40:50,680 Speaker 2: dude who's chasing after the golden hand and she's denying him, 816 00:40:50,719 --> 00:40:53,239 Speaker 2: but he still is there, or if this actually did 817 00:40:53,280 --> 00:40:55,960 Speaker 2: happen and he was some one and just another schmuck, 818 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:59,520 Speaker 2: which she basically, yeah, got excited and then turned and 819 00:40:59,520 --> 00:41:01,560 Speaker 2: he got too. Now he's like, oh I ran round 820 00:41:01,560 --> 00:41:06,640 Speaker 2: of Brooklyn apprentic. Yeah, right, is like, man, come on. 821 00:41:06,800 --> 00:41:09,680 Speaker 3: Well, So one night, the detectives at this posh party 822 00:41:09,719 --> 00:41:13,480 Speaker 3: at some banker's house and he's wandering around. He found 823 00:41:13,480 --> 00:41:16,360 Speaker 3: a place in the conservatory to smoke a cigar, and 824 00:41:16,400 --> 00:41:18,480 Speaker 3: he's trying to keep an eye on that embezzler that 825 00:41:18,520 --> 00:41:19,000 Speaker 3: he's tracked. 826 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:21,840 Speaker 2: And that place was not outside. No, that's awesome. 827 00:41:22,080 --> 00:41:26,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, so's he's tracking the embezzler with a cigar with 828 00:41:26,640 --> 00:41:28,400 Speaker 3: a cigar, wants to keep an eye on him, so 829 00:41:28,440 --> 00:41:33,480 Speaker 3: he posted up behind a plant in a conservatory and 830 00:41:33,520 --> 00:41:36,120 Speaker 3: like did a little steak out, Like he just sat 831 00:41:36,480 --> 00:41:39,400 Speaker 3: tooting on it, and like pretty soon here's the rustle 832 00:41:39,440 --> 00:41:42,399 Speaker 3: of a ball gown behind him and whispering. And then 833 00:41:42,440 --> 00:41:45,719 Speaker 3: a couple brushes past him and goes into an alcove 834 00:41:45,840 --> 00:41:48,960 Speaker 3: next to him. And they didn't see him, according to. 835 00:41:48,960 --> 00:41:50,919 Speaker 2: Him, because he was so well hidden behind the planet 836 00:41:50,920 --> 00:41:51,840 Speaker 2: with his cigar. 837 00:41:52,000 --> 00:41:54,480 Speaker 3: He peeked at them through the plants fronds, and he 838 00:41:54,560 --> 00:41:58,960 Speaker 3: watched the whole scene. It was very deer penthouse. He 839 00:41:59,080 --> 00:42:02,880 Speaker 3: saw princess and to quote all, a tremble with emotion 840 00:42:03,480 --> 00:42:05,800 Speaker 3: hanging on the arm of a scion of a leading 841 00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:09,960 Speaker 3: Baltimore family, who pressed one of her hands fervently in 842 00:42:10,040 --> 00:42:14,200 Speaker 3: the alcove. The youth dowered forth a passionate appeal, urging 843 00:42:14,200 --> 00:42:17,320 Speaker 3: the princess to fly with him that night, et cetera, 844 00:42:18,480 --> 00:42:18,879 Speaker 3: et cetera. 845 00:42:19,520 --> 00:42:22,040 Speaker 2: Pressing hands like he's pressing, touching flesh. 846 00:42:22,120 --> 00:42:23,600 Speaker 3: You're just like pressure. 847 00:42:23,680 --> 00:42:27,399 Speaker 2: I dare to impress upon you the rustling of fat, 848 00:42:27,719 --> 00:42:29,040 Speaker 2: feel heart beat in my hand. 849 00:42:29,239 --> 00:42:32,240 Speaker 3: But so then he hears Nita, who supposedly does't be English, 850 00:42:32,440 --> 00:42:35,759 Speaker 3: confess her love to the guy in perfect English, and 851 00:42:35,840 --> 00:42:42,600 Speaker 3: she said she was too. She said, I want to 852 00:42:42,640 --> 00:42:47,040 Speaker 3: run off with you tonight, come down. But I doubt 853 00:42:47,080 --> 00:42:50,640 Speaker 3: your devotion. I doubt your devotion to sparkle motion. 854 00:42:50,760 --> 00:42:52,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, I want to see it in money. 855 00:42:52,400 --> 00:42:55,480 Speaker 3: Where's your commitment? So are you using me just in 856 00:42:55,520 --> 00:42:58,320 Speaker 3: this moment? Are you just caught up in the intoxicating 857 00:42:58,320 --> 00:42:59,040 Speaker 3: moment of it all? 858 00:42:59,440 --> 00:42:59,520 Speaker 5: Like? 859 00:42:59,600 --> 00:43:02,120 Speaker 3: How do I know that you're true? What she said? 860 00:43:02,960 --> 00:43:05,759 Speaker 3: So he pulls from his pocket a handful of diamonds. 861 00:43:05,880 --> 00:43:09,239 Speaker 3: According to the detective, so apparently he knew he was 862 00:43:09,280 --> 00:43:11,080 Speaker 3: going to meet up with the princess and he wanted 863 00:43:11,120 --> 00:43:15,240 Speaker 3: to impress her, so he stole his mom's diamonds worth 864 00:43:15,400 --> 00:43:19,400 Speaker 3: ten grand, and he hands them to Nita possibly golden hand, 865 00:43:19,640 --> 00:43:24,319 Speaker 3: as proof of his love. And so suddenly like yeah, 866 00:43:24,640 --> 00:43:28,400 Speaker 3: the diamonds hit her golden hand. Suddenly that quote Vinegary 867 00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:32,640 Speaker 3: chaperone shows up and she's got this big scary Egor 868 00:43:32,760 --> 00:43:36,319 Speaker 3: dude with her. They pitch a fit and they like 869 00:43:36,440 --> 00:43:40,000 Speaker 3: whisk the princess away. Igor's like I'll meet you outside tomorrow, 870 00:43:40,600 --> 00:43:45,040 Speaker 3: I'll beat you, and so the like rich sale Sun 871 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:50,160 Speaker 3: is just weeping. The next morning, Princess Nita Alexandra Romanov's 872 00:43:50,200 --> 00:43:55,239 Speaker 3: mansion empty, no sign of the entourage. They've skipped down her. 873 00:43:55,000 --> 00:43:58,759 Speaker 2: And then the Vinegary matron and eared. 874 00:43:58,520 --> 00:44:01,839 Speaker 3: Guy, they're all gone, gone gone. There were sightings by 875 00:44:01,880 --> 00:44:05,040 Speaker 3: this detective of Golden Hand and other cities before she 876 00:44:05,080 --> 00:44:08,600 Speaker 3: scooted off back to Europe. One was in Cincinnati, naturally 877 00:44:09,960 --> 00:44:11,719 Speaker 3: now she seduced a lawyer there. 878 00:44:12,000 --> 00:44:13,879 Speaker 2: Okay, lawyers there. 879 00:44:13,960 --> 00:44:17,560 Speaker 3: The back in Mother Russia, Goldenhand had become a folk hero. 880 00:44:20,040 --> 00:44:23,520 Speaker 3: Everyone loved the stories of her exploits. So it got 881 00:44:23,560 --> 00:44:25,759 Speaker 3: to the point where people were recognizing her on the 882 00:44:25,760 --> 00:44:28,600 Speaker 3: street for business. 883 00:44:28,719 --> 00:44:30,759 Speaker 2: That's never good for business. I thought people were doing 884 00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:32,400 Speaker 2: like pamphlets about her. It's all of a sudden, now 885 00:44:32,400 --> 00:44:33,359 Speaker 2: you got sketches of her. 886 00:44:33,520 --> 00:44:35,080 Speaker 3: They were writing songs. 887 00:44:35,400 --> 00:44:36,600 Speaker 2: Oh damn, and she's in. 888 00:44:36,560 --> 00:44:39,040 Speaker 3: The paper and everyone loves the stories of the exploits. 889 00:44:39,520 --> 00:44:41,680 Speaker 3: But yeah, so it's like it's getting harder for her 890 00:44:41,719 --> 00:44:44,719 Speaker 3: to do this possible. As she got older, she also 891 00:44:44,760 --> 00:44:47,440 Speaker 3: got a softer touch, like not with crime but other humans. 892 00:44:47,440 --> 00:44:50,120 Speaker 3: So she became more and more charitable, and that only 893 00:44:50,200 --> 00:44:52,920 Speaker 3: enhanced her reputation as this folk hero, but also made 894 00:44:52,960 --> 00:44:56,440 Speaker 3: her more vulnerable. Her daughters were thriving. They grew up, 895 00:44:56,560 --> 00:44:59,480 Speaker 3: one went into the theater and they knew who their 896 00:44:59,520 --> 00:45:01,960 Speaker 3: mother was at that point, but like didn't let anyone 897 00:45:01,960 --> 00:45:02,360 Speaker 3: else know. 898 00:45:02,680 --> 00:45:05,640 Speaker 2: She became an actress a different names, natural talents exactly. 899 00:45:06,640 --> 00:45:10,080 Speaker 3: So in the end she got busted for going too big. 900 00:45:11,480 --> 00:45:14,799 Speaker 3: Thank you for asking, she I did, that's good. She 901 00:45:14,880 --> 00:45:17,279 Speaker 3: found herself in the court of the Czar, in the 902 00:45:17,280 --> 00:45:19,440 Speaker 3: presence of the Shaw of Persia. 903 00:45:19,719 --> 00:45:20,400 Speaker 2: Oh wow. 904 00:45:20,680 --> 00:45:22,840 Speaker 3: And she tried to pull a move and take the 905 00:45:22,880 --> 00:45:26,080 Speaker 3: Shaw's jewels and got caught. She mad. She had her 906 00:45:26,120 --> 00:45:29,239 Speaker 3: private train car attached to the Shaw's special train. 907 00:45:29,440 --> 00:45:29,960 Speaker 2: Wow. 908 00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:31,440 Speaker 3: But then like everyone got wise. 909 00:45:31,200 --> 00:45:34,400 Speaker 2: To romance, uh huh uh huh. 910 00:45:34,719 --> 00:45:38,440 Speaker 3: One thing to hit merchants in like low level. She 911 00:45:38,480 --> 00:45:41,000 Speaker 3: went after a big dog in the biggest dog's house. 912 00:45:41,080 --> 00:45:43,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, and that's the emperor visiting emperors. We can't rip 913 00:45:43,760 --> 00:45:45,879 Speaker 2: him off. They're both going to because and they were. 914 00:45:45,960 --> 00:45:49,560 Speaker 3: So she gets arrested. She stands trial, convicted. They shipped 915 00:45:49,600 --> 00:45:53,080 Speaker 3: her off to Siberia. Yeah, she wasn't there long though 916 00:45:54,160 --> 00:45:56,279 Speaker 3: before she seduced the war. 917 00:45:56,760 --> 00:45:57,360 Speaker 2: Of course. 918 00:45:57,800 --> 00:46:00,279 Speaker 3: So they get married and they run off married, they 919 00:46:00,360 --> 00:46:05,600 Speaker 3: run off together to Constantinople leaves the prison. He's like 920 00:46:05,719 --> 00:46:07,839 Speaker 3: run away with me. She's like, of course, I'd love 921 00:46:07,880 --> 00:46:13,120 Speaker 3: to Constantinople. Now is stanble? So she left him there 922 00:46:14,040 --> 00:46:16,560 Speaker 3: and then went back to Russia, and she was living 923 00:46:16,719 --> 00:46:19,439 Speaker 3: under the radar for two years before they caught her again, 924 00:46:20,000 --> 00:46:22,319 Speaker 3: just you know, going about her business. She goes to 925 00:46:22,360 --> 00:46:26,960 Speaker 3: trial again. When she gets caught, her defense lawyer Constantinople. 926 00:46:27,160 --> 00:46:30,560 Speaker 3: I guess not defense lawyer got to see her in action, 927 00:46:31,120 --> 00:46:33,600 Speaker 3: because like he go. After the trial, he goes to 928 00:46:33,680 --> 00:46:35,799 Speaker 3: visit her in prison, and she just keeps telling him 929 00:46:35,800 --> 00:46:38,560 Speaker 3: how grateful she is for his hard work, even though 930 00:46:38,560 --> 00:46:41,960 Speaker 3: she'd been sentenced to go back to Siberia. Please accept 931 00:46:41,960 --> 00:46:44,759 Speaker 3: this token of thanks, she says, and she hands him 932 00:46:44,760 --> 00:46:47,120 Speaker 3: a gold watch and chain and she puts it on 933 00:46:47,160 --> 00:46:49,680 Speaker 3: the table in front of him. He looks down and 934 00:46:49,719 --> 00:46:53,600 Speaker 3: he's like, I recognize that that's my watch, Shane. She 935 00:46:53,880 --> 00:46:56,280 Speaker 3: picked his pocket and presented him with his own. 936 00:46:57,640 --> 00:46:59,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, she should have given this. 937 00:47:00,280 --> 00:47:05,400 Speaker 3: She gets sent to Smolensk, escaped there a couple of times. 938 00:47:05,440 --> 00:47:07,760 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, she would like disguise herself as. 939 00:47:07,640 --> 00:47:10,120 Speaker 2: A soldier and oh I thought she had got she'd 940 00:47:10,120 --> 00:47:11,319 Speaker 2: seduced a soldier and got him. 941 00:47:11,560 --> 00:47:14,960 Speaker 3: She escaped. They're like Okay, we're gonna send you to 942 00:47:15,000 --> 00:47:19,439 Speaker 3: the prison on the island of Sokolin, Oh in the north. 943 00:47:19,520 --> 00:47:19,680 Speaker 2: Yeah. 944 00:47:19,760 --> 00:47:22,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, this is the territory that the Russians were fighting 945 00:47:22,960 --> 00:47:27,640 Speaker 3: with the Japanese. Yeah, very remote. She skipped out there 946 00:47:27,640 --> 00:47:29,400 Speaker 3: a couple of times too, but she would get caught 947 00:47:29,440 --> 00:47:32,560 Speaker 3: and they finally put her in solitary and she was 948 00:47:32,600 --> 00:47:36,160 Speaker 3: basically tortured. They kept her in chains. They sold photos 949 00:47:36,160 --> 00:47:39,000 Speaker 3: of her like that as postcards, and those became really 950 00:47:39,040 --> 00:47:43,160 Speaker 3: popular all over Russian Yeah, all chained up. The Russians 951 00:47:43,160 --> 00:47:44,200 Speaker 3: are dark souls. Dude. 952 00:47:44,280 --> 00:47:46,399 Speaker 2: Well I don't mean yeah whatever, but like the that's 953 00:47:46,440 --> 00:47:47,359 Speaker 2: just like. 954 00:47:48,000 --> 00:47:51,560 Speaker 3: She said that the postcard was the worst punishment. Of course, 955 00:47:51,680 --> 00:47:55,719 Speaker 3: I quote, this is such a picture of human degradation. 956 00:47:55,840 --> 00:47:58,040 Speaker 3: They tortured me with these photographs. 957 00:47:58,280 --> 00:48:00,759 Speaker 2: I completely agree. I mean it's not only did they 958 00:48:00,800 --> 00:48:04,640 Speaker 2: dehumanize her, but then they made her an image of dehumanization, right. 959 00:48:04,920 --> 00:48:06,840 Speaker 3: So while she was there, she had visitors. 960 00:48:07,239 --> 00:48:09,440 Speaker 2: She's the living symbol. Now, I mean that just sucks. 961 00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:11,120 Speaker 3: Anton Chekhov came calling. 962 00:48:11,280 --> 00:48:14,520 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, he's like, I'm gonna name uncle Vanya after you. 963 00:48:14,719 --> 00:48:17,719 Speaker 3: He wrote, quote, looking at her, it is impossible to 964 00:48:17,719 --> 00:48:20,680 Speaker 3: believe that not long ago. She was beautiful to such 965 00:48:20,719 --> 00:48:23,160 Speaker 3: a degree that she charmed her prison guards, as she 966 00:48:23,239 --> 00:48:26,600 Speaker 3: did in Smolensk, for example, where the overseer helped her 967 00:48:26,640 --> 00:48:29,840 Speaker 3: to escape and himself ran away with her. He described 968 00:48:29,840 --> 00:48:32,920 Speaker 3: her as quote, small, skinny, already graying woman with a 969 00:48:32,960 --> 00:48:35,880 Speaker 3: crumpled old womanish face. And at this point she's in 970 00:48:35,920 --> 00:48:38,759 Speaker 3: her late forties. So it took a toll, but it 971 00:48:38,800 --> 00:48:42,120 Speaker 3: sounds like Tiberia is, oh god, five or so years 972 00:48:42,160 --> 00:48:43,279 Speaker 3: later though she's doing better. 973 00:48:43,360 --> 00:48:45,160 Speaker 2: I'd be willing to bet you if you look back. 974 00:48:45,280 --> 00:48:46,640 Speaker 2: She was like, you know, let me tell you a 975 00:48:46,680 --> 00:48:47,920 Speaker 2: little story about his shotgun. 976 00:48:50,840 --> 00:48:53,560 Speaker 3: There's this article in the Southern Daily Echo in Hampshire, 977 00:48:53,600 --> 00:48:57,840 Speaker 3: England that relayed the experiences of a man who visited 978 00:48:57,880 --> 00:49:02,960 Speaker 3: the Russian penal settlements. They're in sucklin' quote. Books have 979 00:49:03,040 --> 00:49:06,600 Speaker 3: been written and songs sung throughout Russia about the Golden 980 00:49:06,640 --> 00:49:09,120 Speaker 3: Hand who now lives in a pretty cottage on the 981 00:49:09,120 --> 00:49:15,760 Speaker 3: outskirts of Raikovskaya. I did not say that, and supplies 982 00:49:15,800 --> 00:49:20,920 Speaker 3: the village with eggs and vegetables. Sophie Bluffstein the name 983 00:49:20,960 --> 00:49:22,560 Speaker 3: she was using that did you have the gardeners and 984 00:49:22,640 --> 00:49:26,000 Speaker 3: chicken shoes keeping, received me very graciously and we passed 985 00:49:26,040 --> 00:49:28,839 Speaker 3: a pleasant hour together. For my hostess spoke French and 986 00:49:28,920 --> 00:49:32,960 Speaker 3: German fluently and was not unacquainted with London. She's a small, 987 00:49:33,040 --> 00:49:36,480 Speaker 3: slightly built woman with sharp, clearly cut features and clear 988 00:49:36,600 --> 00:49:39,520 Speaker 3: blue eyes and still shows traces of beauty that even 989 00:49:39,560 --> 00:49:42,839 Speaker 3: prison life has failed to obliterate. So they chat about 990 00:49:42,880 --> 00:49:46,120 Speaker 3: London and Paris. She's like, I love Paris. London's almost 991 00:49:46,160 --> 00:49:51,200 Speaker 3: as depressing as sad and sad as here. Yeah, so 992 00:49:51,400 --> 00:49:57,799 Speaker 3: like way to exaggerate, the author. Yeah, the author notes 993 00:49:57,840 --> 00:50:00,520 Speaker 3: at the end of his account, quote notwithstand. She is 994 00:50:00,560 --> 00:50:04,600 Speaker 3: a pleasant, cheerful little person. She's a cheerful little gal. 995 00:50:04,960 --> 00:50:07,880 Speaker 3: So she she died in nineteen oh two in Sokolen. 996 00:50:08,640 --> 00:50:11,960 Speaker 3: In addition to the folk songs, she was immortalized in 997 00:50:12,040 --> 00:50:17,920 Speaker 3: Russian films and literature. There's TV you know series. What's 998 00:50:18,040 --> 00:50:22,400 Speaker 3: wild is that there's this headless statue in a cemetery 999 00:50:22,400 --> 00:50:25,600 Speaker 3: in Moscow that is said to be her grave. Headless, 1000 00:50:26,040 --> 00:50:29,840 Speaker 3: it's just stylized, kind of just this body. There's debate 1001 00:50:29,840 --> 00:50:31,880 Speaker 3: about whether that is her grave, because a lot of 1002 00:50:31,920 --> 00:50:34,719 Speaker 3: people are like, she's actually buried in Siberia, but most 1003 00:50:34,840 --> 00:50:38,120 Speaker 3: believe that she's buried in that cemetery and it's become 1004 00:50:38,200 --> 00:50:39,680 Speaker 3: this place of pilgrimage. 1005 00:50:39,680 --> 00:50:40,319 Speaker 2: I love that. 1006 00:50:40,560 --> 00:50:44,960 Speaker 3: So her admirers to this day leave tokens and seek 1007 00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:47,280 Speaker 3: like spiritual assistance in their criming. 1008 00:50:47,560 --> 00:50:48,400 Speaker 2: Really, there are. 1009 00:50:48,239 --> 00:50:50,719 Speaker 3: Messages there that say stuff like sonya help us to 1010 00:50:50,760 --> 00:50:51,640 Speaker 3: become good thieves. 1011 00:50:51,680 --> 00:50:53,200 Speaker 2: She is a patron saint of crime. 1012 00:50:53,400 --> 00:50:57,400 Speaker 3: Crime. Yeah wow, so Zaren, what does your ridiculous takeaway? 1013 00:50:57,480 --> 00:50:59,880 Speaker 2: But of course Russia would have patron saints of crime. 1014 00:51:00,920 --> 00:51:03,480 Speaker 2: I love that. It's like the Narcolero. It's like, oh, yes, 1015 00:51:03,560 --> 00:51:05,479 Speaker 2: we have we have songs about crime, we have patron 1016 00:51:05,560 --> 00:51:07,359 Speaker 2: saints and crime. Rushia is like, yes, we. 1017 00:51:07,440 --> 00:51:11,840 Speaker 3: Understand, we have the queen, we have crime. What is yours? 1018 00:51:11,840 --> 00:51:14,200 Speaker 2: Elizabeth? What's your ridiculous take I wish? 1019 00:51:15,360 --> 00:51:17,320 Speaker 3: Oh my god, thank you so much. Thank you Elizabeth 1020 00:51:17,320 --> 00:51:20,680 Speaker 3: for asking Elizabeth. I was really shocked. I have never 1021 00:51:20,680 --> 00:51:22,120 Speaker 3: heard of her, stumbled upon her. 1022 00:51:22,200 --> 00:51:24,120 Speaker 2: What an incredible name, credible story. 1023 00:51:24,400 --> 00:51:27,000 Speaker 3: What's interesting, too, is that there was like a TV 1024 00:51:27,160 --> 00:51:30,720 Speaker 3: series I think like in the nineties. Yeah, in Russia 1025 00:51:31,280 --> 00:51:34,960 Speaker 3: that they a lot of news articles tell her story 1026 00:51:35,000 --> 00:51:38,000 Speaker 3: based on that. But then there's I found an interview 1027 00:51:38,120 --> 00:51:41,799 Speaker 3: in a Russian language paper that I translated out where 1028 00:51:41,800 --> 00:51:44,560 Speaker 3: they're like, yeah, we made up like ninety percent of 1029 00:51:44,719 --> 00:51:47,840 Speaker 3: the story and so, but people didn't find that. So 1030 00:51:48,080 --> 00:51:49,920 Speaker 3: it's really hard parsing. 1031 00:51:49,520 --> 00:51:51,200 Speaker 2: Out, like you had to go to that question papers. 1032 00:51:51,520 --> 00:51:53,759 Speaker 3: Yeah, but it was I I just can't believe we 1033 00:51:53,800 --> 00:51:55,640 Speaker 3: haven't heard more about her. She's fascinating. 1034 00:51:55,760 --> 00:51:58,319 Speaker 2: That's a great story. But also, how are you going 1035 00:51:58,360 --> 00:52:00,440 Speaker 2: to try to rip off the shop Persia while he's 1036 00:52:00,520 --> 00:52:02,040 Speaker 2: hanging out with the Emperor of Russia? 1037 00:52:02,239 --> 00:52:03,360 Speaker 3: Yeah, come on, come on. 1038 00:52:04,840 --> 00:52:06,800 Speaker 2: I guess she was just desperate, wanted like her retirement, 1039 00:52:07,120 --> 00:52:08,120 Speaker 2: like one last. 1040 00:52:08,000 --> 00:52:11,960 Speaker 3: One that was less Probably it I think we need 1041 00:52:12,000 --> 00:52:12,680 Speaker 3: to talk about. 1042 00:52:12,480 --> 00:52:14,799 Speaker 2: Hell yeah, we do produci D. Can you favor us 1043 00:52:14,840 --> 00:52:22,160 Speaker 2: with one? Super? 1044 00:52:24,280 --> 00:52:24,919 Speaker 3: I went cheap? 1045 00:52:29,120 --> 00:52:31,960 Speaker 5: I had a fourth grade student commit a ridiculous crime. 1046 00:52:32,400 --> 00:52:36,520 Speaker 5: What she did was independently right in print permission slips 1047 00:52:36,520 --> 00:52:38,319 Speaker 5: for the class to go to the zoo and then 1048 00:52:38,360 --> 00:52:43,080 Speaker 5: to Walmart to practice being Walmart greeters. It was five 1049 00:52:43,160 --> 00:52:45,319 Speaker 5: dollars cash that must be paid to her. She is 1050 00:52:45,400 --> 00:52:49,560 Speaker 5: the teacher's aid for the field trip, and she collected 1051 00:52:49,560 --> 00:52:52,520 Speaker 5: over fifty dollars in cash from her classmates. She would 1052 00:52:52,560 --> 00:52:54,520 Speaker 5: have gotten away with it, except on the day of 1053 00:52:54,560 --> 00:52:56,799 Speaker 5: the supposed field trip, a parent called to see if 1054 00:52:56,800 --> 00:52:58,200 Speaker 5: their child needed to bring lunch. 1055 00:52:59,320 --> 00:53:04,520 Speaker 3: Oh my god, our little golden han Wow that is 1056 00:53:04,800 --> 00:53:09,879 Speaker 3: that is brilliant and funny and terrifying. Yea god bless Look. 1057 00:53:09,920 --> 00:53:15,480 Speaker 3: You gotta gotta take care of your that's it for today. 1058 00:53:15,719 --> 00:53:18,160 Speaker 3: Who is a good one? You can find us online 1059 00:53:18,160 --> 00:53:22,440 Speaker 3: at ridiculous crime dot com. We're on blueskide Instagram. You 1060 00:53:22,480 --> 00:53:25,319 Speaker 3: can email us ridiculous Crime at gmail dot com. Of 1061 00:53:25,360 --> 00:53:28,080 Speaker 3: course we have a talk back on the iHeart app. 1062 00:53:28,320 --> 00:53:32,000 Speaker 3: But then also we have episodes on YouTube now, so 1063 00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:34,279 Speaker 3: we're trying to make it easier for people who use 1064 00:53:34,400 --> 00:53:38,160 Speaker 3: YouTube as like they're everything player. We're gonna start putting 1065 00:53:38,160 --> 00:53:40,319 Speaker 3: new episodes in there and like a steady stream of 1066 00:53:40,360 --> 00:53:43,799 Speaker 3: earlier ones. The episodes have looped animations, so you don't 1067 00:53:43,840 --> 00:53:46,600 Speaker 3: get to look at our ugly mugs, So they're meant 1068 00:53:46,600 --> 00:53:48,520 Speaker 3: for like if you have YouTube on in the background 1069 00:53:48,520 --> 00:53:52,960 Speaker 3: while you're doing other stuff. But the animation is amazing, 1070 00:53:53,360 --> 00:53:55,720 Speaker 3: It's so cute. Yeah, watching the dog. 1071 00:53:56,360 --> 00:53:57,040 Speaker 2: Did a great job. 1072 00:53:57,200 --> 00:54:00,719 Speaker 3: Incredible, And then it's also worth subscribing for people who 1073 00:54:00,760 --> 00:54:03,200 Speaker 3: listen in other ways because We're planning on putting like 1074 00:54:03,320 --> 00:54:05,600 Speaker 3: exclusive news, short bits and surprises all. 1075 00:54:05,480 --> 00:54:07,800 Speaker 2: There for time, so it a whole different channel of stuff. 1076 00:54:07,840 --> 00:54:09,680 Speaker 2: You have a different channel that channel, but a different 1077 00:54:09,719 --> 00:54:11,040 Speaker 2: stuff you want here here right. 1078 00:54:11,040 --> 00:54:13,600 Speaker 3: You won't find it anywhere else here here, It'll only 1079 00:54:13,640 --> 00:54:15,799 Speaker 3: be on YouTube, So subscribe even if that's not like 1080 00:54:15,840 --> 00:54:25,800 Speaker 3: your everyday thing. Basically connect guys, there it is. Ridiculous 1081 00:54:25,840 --> 00:54:29,000 Speaker 3: Crime is hosted by Elizabeth Dutton and Zaren Burnett, produced 1082 00:54:29,040 --> 00:54:32,520 Speaker 3: and edited by the original Golden Hand Countess Dave Cousten, 1083 00:54:33,000 --> 00:54:37,920 Speaker 3: starring Annalice Rutger as Judith. Research is by Silvertoe Marissa Brown. 1084 00:54:38,440 --> 00:54:41,040 Speaker 3: The theme song is by Tin Elbow, Thomas Lee and 1085 00:54:41,160 --> 00:54:45,000 Speaker 3: Copper Knee Travis Dutton. Post wardrobe is provided by Botany 1086 00:54:45,040 --> 00:54:48,760 Speaker 3: five hundred. Guest Haron, makeup by Sparkleshot and mister Andre. 1087 00:54:49,320 --> 00:54:52,959 Speaker 3: Executive producers are Bronze Ankle, Ben Bolan and Nickel Jaw 1088 00:54:53,160 --> 00:55:04,720 Speaker 3: Noel Brown. Crime Say It One More Time Udiquious Crime. 1089 00:55:05,800 --> 00:55:09,160 Speaker 1: Ridiculous Crime is a production of iHeartRadio. Four more podcasts 1090 00:55:09,160 --> 00:55:12,319 Speaker 1: from my heart Radio visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 1091 00:55:12,400 --> 00:55:14,240 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.