News of the Times

Two Tales of RevengeNews of the Times Episode 302 | 1849 & 1934In todays episode we look at two tales were mothers feature strongly as does revenge.Our first story from 1849 sees young John Ward making advances to the household servant which is not reciprocated. Wishing to marry her, the mother steps in forcibly with fatal consequences.Our second story from 1934 is highly unusual in several ways: the age of the bride, the carrier pigeon, the strong role of the mothers, and the twisting pa...

The Regent Square Murder: Scotland Yard CasebookNews of the Times Episode 301 | 1917C1917 London and in posh Regent Square a bundle has been found left by an early morning street sweeper. Upon investigation, the body of a woman, missing both head and hands, is found mostly nude and mangled. Scotland Yard are brought on. With no head or hands, identifying the victim is difficult. However, the sacking the body has been placed in offers a wealth of clues to Scotland Yard.We tak...

The Babington Plot against Queen Elizabeth INews of the Times Episode 299 | 1586 It is 1587 and England is undergoing simmering tension within the country, and externally from international pressure. The Pope has ex-communicated Queen Elizabeth I and actively encourages true Catholics to remover her from the throne. The figure head for the opposition is the imprisoned Mary Stuart, Queen of the Scots.This and other failed attempts to oust Queen Elizabeth leads to the infamous Babington P...

The Southwestern Train MurderNews of the Times Episode 298 | 1901 It is 1901 and there are three people travelling towards London in a third class railway carriage. All of the sudden, one of the passengers gets up, shoots point blank at a fellow passenger, and then shoots the other in the face when she speaks.There were very few stories that could make the papers during this time of Queen Victoria’s death, but this was one of them. The execution style killing on a train shocked th...

Aristocratic Chronicles: Two Tales of Murderous PhilipsNews of the Times Episode 297 | 1678 & 1688In today’s episode we look at two murderous cases, within aristocratic circles, involving protagonists named Philip.In our first case of 1678, Charles II - the party king - is the reigning monarch. Philip, The 7th earl of Pembroke seems to have inherited his father's notorious quick and violent temper. Having just been released from the Tower of London, he visits a pub where...

The Murder of the Duchess de PraslinNews of the Times Episode 296 | 1847It is 1847 Paris France and astoundingly, the Duchess of Praslin has been found in a room, bolted from the inside, shockingly brutally murdered. She has put up a tremendous fight as bloody clumps of hair are found dotted around the room. In her death throes, she managed to violently ring the bell, thus bringing the skeleton staff rushing to her aid - most probably unexpectedly by the murderer.This case rocked Europe...

The Assassin Madame WeissNews of the Times Episode 53 | 1840 In 1891 The international papers were fascinated by the story of Madame Weiss and the murderous love triangle in which she took centre stage.Madame Weiss, married to ex-army soldier M Weiss and with two children, falls passionately in love with visiting engineer M Roque. Their torrid romance becomes known to her husband who forgives her and shoulders some of the blame for his wife’s deception.M Roque, a man of strong passion a...

Murder Among the Monied - Frightful FridaysNews of the Times Episode 294 | 1746 & 1885Our first case from 1746 London, involves footman Matthew Henderson who has worked in the Dalrymple household, the master of the house will soon become Lord Dalrymple, for five years. Whether cheekily or not, he steps on Lady Dalrymple’s toe which she scolds him for.The scolding does not sit well with Matthew, and he plots a bloody revenge.Our second case from 1885 takes place on the grounds of the...

Stories of Sibling MurderNews of the Times Episode 293 | 1873-1875The killing of a sibling, another child one has grown up with, without the motivation of financial gain, is relatively rare.In today’s episode we look at three cases where the sibling has been convicted of their sibling’s murder.Our first case from 1873 is particularly odd as it recounts the story of a woman of some 75 years who murders her older sister, with a pitchfork. Her older sister is around 80 years of age. ...

The Murder of Rhoda CarterNews of the Times Episode 292 | 18931893 Watchfield in Berkshire and relatively newly married Rhoda Carter has gone missing. It is high summer, yet John, her husband, has had a huge fire going on in the washroom giving off a terrible stench. His story of his wife going to help her pregnant sister turns out to be false. Returning to ask more questions, John himself has vanished.This case gripped the papers due to the extreme mutilations of the body. ...