Two teenagers, the Fox sisters, are credited with igniting the Spiritualist movement. At its height, by the late 1800s, upwards of 8 million people across the US and Europe were said to subscribe to spiritualist beliefs. But, in 1888, the Fox Sisters admitted that it was all fake. They were not mediums - none of that was real Every message, knock, or rapping from the other side was all manufactured by them. What audiences thought were messages from their deceased loved ones, were actually just them cracking their toes and ankles really loudly.

This is the story of the Fox sisters.

To accompany episode 49 about Starvation Doctor Linda Hazzard, I am going to tell more Victorian scandals, that had society clutching their pearls, including that of Dr. Hazard’s bigamist husband.

Linda Hazzard developed her own fasting protocol that she said was a “panacea for all manner of illnesses, ridding the body of toxins that caused imbalances in the body." She said all disease was caused by “impure blood” brought on by “impaired digestion,” and that her method could cure anything from toothache to tuberculosis. In 1898 Linda decided her husband the the two children they’d had together were holding her back, and she left them to go pursue her career.

As you know, each regular episode of A Good Night For a Murder covers a Victorian era true crime case, and that includes scam artists. Since the Victorian era was the golden age of spiritualism, there was no shortage of psychics and mediums floating about. And if you’re a fan of the pod, you know many of them were fraudsters. When fraudulent mediums come up, there is often one person in particular who is mentioned who specialized in debunking mediums and their abilities. That person, is famous magician, Harry Houdini.

To accompany episode 48 about Sally Cochran, who was murdered by sleepwalker, I am going to tell you another story where someone claimed to have committed murder while sound asleep. This is the story of Albert Jackson Tirrell.

Hello everyone, welcome to season 4 of A Good Night for a Murder, a Victorian true crime podcast.

My name is Kim, tonight’s story might leave you a little uneasy as you prepare to climb in to bed tonight. 

This is the story of Sally Cochran, who was murdered by sleepwalker.