The Wild Wild Death
Discover the untold stories of the Wild West with The Wild Wild Death podcast. Dive into gripping tales of unusual deaths, historical tragedies, and the life-threatening dangers faced by pioneers in the 19th century. From bizarre medical mishaps to true crime, we talk about the dark side of frontier life. Perfect for history enthusiasts and true crime fans seeking the wildest stories of the past.
Episodes
24 episodes
The Hangman
George Maledon spent decades dropping killers through trapdoors with clinical precision—and total peace of mind. Justice was simple and the mechanics of a hanging were precise. But when the man who killed his daughter got life instead of the no...
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Season 2
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Episode 9
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18:47
The Only Law West of the Pecos
Judge Roy Bean may have been THE LAW west of the Pecos River, but he NEVER followed the rules.If you’d like to learn more about the history behind this episode of The Wild Wild Death, check out these links:Hi...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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22:00
The Shoemaker
During the gold rush of Alder Rush, was Clubfoot George Lane merely a mild-mannered shoemaker with a limp? Or was he part of the notorious road agent gang who called themselves “The Innocents?”If you'd like to know more about the history...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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25:38
Freezing with John C. Fremont
Find out what happened when “The Pathfinder” John C. Fremont loses his way, taking 35 men and 120 mules with him. If you’d like to know more about the history behind this episode, check out the sources below:Frémont’s Fo...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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17:36
Elizabeth Markham says "THE HELL WITH IT!"
The Oregon Trail was a test of endurance for everyone, but especially for women pioneers. What happens when one woman has had enough?If you'd like to know more of the history behind this episode of The Wild Wild Death, please check out t...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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22:29
Out for Blood: The Taylor-Sutton Feud
In this episode of Wild Wild Death, we delve into the harrowing saga of the Sutton-Taylor Feud, a violent clash that tore through Southeast Texas during the Reconstruction era. Starting with a string of deadly encounters between the Ta...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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24:17
The Pearl of Cripple Creek
Pearl Devere was the madam of a very successful and exclusive bordello in Cripple Creek. But even the most savvy of businesswomen can make a fatal miscalculation.If you'd like to know more of the history behind this episode of The Wild W...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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24:03
The Story of Big Nose George Parrott
Big Nose George Parrott yearned to be a famous outlaw. But his claim to fame was for something he never dreamed could happen.If you'd like more information about the history behind this episode of The Wild Wild Deat...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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25:38
The Children's Blizzard of 1888
On January 12, 1888, Nebraska farm children headed off to their sod hut schoolrooms under sunny and warm blue skies. None of them knew that a massive blizzard was barreling toward them... and it would test everyone’s survival skills.If y...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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25:44
Fort Worth Five Photo Fiasco
In this episode of The Wild, Wild Death, we unravel how the Wild Bunch gang went from pulling off million-dollar heists to accidentally sabotaging their own careers with one ill-advised glamour shot. It’s a story of hubris, high fashio...
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Season 1
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Episode 14
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19:57
The Afterdeath Life of Elmer McCurdy
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we explore the hilariously tragic saga of Elmer McCurdy, the outlaw who was better at botching robberies than being a criminal mastermind. But Elmer’s story didn’t end with his final, drunken sho...
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Season 1
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Episode 13
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19:08
The Bullet and the Sponge
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we explore the strange and tragic story of James King of William, a crusading newspaper editor who was shot in broad daylight. When a group of esteemed doctors race to save his life, their medica...
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Season 1
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Episode 12
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19:16
The Wild Wild Death: Trailer
The history of the Wild Wild West is a saga of grit, glory, endurance and independence; of the people who faced the challenge of the West head-on and survived. We’re here to tell the stories of those who did not....
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Season 1
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Episode 0
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0:51
The Rope Walker
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we journey back to 1884 in Corsicana, Texas, when the grand opening of a Dry Goods Emporium turned into a day of tragedy. A tightrope walker, known only as “The Rope Walker,” attempts a daring fe...
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Season 1
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Episode 11
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24:18
Getting Away with Murder
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we dive into the twisted tale of Eadweard Muybridge, the photography pioneer who didn’t just invent motion pictures—he also made sure his wife’s lover never moved again. Fueled by jealousy and mu...
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Season 1
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Episode 10
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28:06
Duel in the Street
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we dive into the legendary duel between Jim Courtright, a former lawman who traded his badge for extortion, and Luke Short, a gambler who wasn’t about to be strong-armed. When Courtright demanded...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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30:14
'Til Death Us Do Part
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we delve into the curious case of Minnie Wallace Walkup, a teenage bride whose wealthy husband suddenly dropped dead just a month into their marriage. Was it the aphrodisiac he was taking, or did...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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30:13
How to Kill a Town
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we explore how William G. Butler, a cattleman with a grudge, made sure the thriving town of Helena, Texas dried up faster than a saloon on Sunday. Join us for a tale of how one man’s vendetta wip...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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23:50
The Bloody Benders
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we dive into the bizarre and bloody tale of the Bender family, who turned their Kansas inn into the final stop for unlucky travelers in the 1870s. With a dad who muttered like a horror movie vill...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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26:48
Suicide or Murder: The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we delve into the mysterious death of Meriwether Lewis, one of America’s most celebrated explorers. After leading the legendary Lewis and Clark Expedition, Lewis met a tragic and untimely end at ...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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19:41
The Crash at Crush
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we recount the spectacular disaster that was the 1896 “Crash at Crush.” What started as a publicity stunt involving two steam locomotives and a crowd of 40,000 eager onlookers quickly went off th...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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17:54
Clowns on the Barbary Coast
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we dive into the twisted story how a night at the circus turned deadly. Thirteen-year-old Willie Snyder was just trying to enjoy the show when a clown named Manuel Reys...
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Season 1
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Episode 3
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25:19
Black Jack Ketchum: The Bandit Who Lost His Head
In this episode of The Wild Wild Death, we explore the unfortunate fate of Tom “Black Jack” Ketchum, an outlaw whose last heist went off the rails—literally. After being caught, Tom faced the gallows, but when the big moment came, Tom’...
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Season 1
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Episode 2
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21:23