Episode 424: The Horrifying Crimes of Dellen Millard and Mark Smich

In the depths of American history there are few examples of mass hysteria that loom larger than the Salem witch trials of 1692. As horrific as it was, it was far from the only example of witch-hunting in Massachusetts’ history. In fact, ten years before hysteria over black magic gripped the village of Salem, similar accusations of witchcraft were aimed at Mary Webster of Hadley, a small village in Western Massachusetts.   Thank you to the incredible Dave White for Research assistance. References Clancy, Hal. 1977. "In good old days, wicthes would hang for a May snow." The Boston Globe, May 14: 1. Judd, Sylvester. 1905. History of Hadley. Springfield, MA: H.R. Hunting. Manning, Alice. 1976. "Witches in the Connecticut Valley: a historical perspective." Daily Hampshire Gazette, December 15: 35. Marshall, Bridget. 2003. "Mary (Reeve) Webster, the "Witch" of Hadley." University of Massachusetts Lowell. Accessed August 28, 2023. https://faculty.uml.edu//bmarshall/Mary%20Webster.htm. Mather, Cotton. 1967. Magnalia Christi Americana. New York, NY: Russell and Russell. Perera, Lisa. 1992. "Before Salem, Valley had witch trials of its own." Daily Hampshire Gazette, May 16: 22. Smith, Anna. 2019. The Witch of Hadley: Mary Webster, the Weird, and the Wired. October 15. Accessed August 28, 2023. https://www.massreview.org/node/7575. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Did you know that on The ReWatcher: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ash & Alaina find themselves in Sunnydale every single Monday? Yup, Welcome to The Hellmouth Weirdos! They’re watching Buffy from the very beginning. Alaina grew up a diehard fan of Buffy, and Ash is watching it for the very first time. Each week, they break down Buffy and her friends’ heroism and heartbreak through weekly recaps, categories and awards, while Ash takes some (wooden stake) stabs at predicting what she thinks will happen next to Buffy, Willow, Spike, and the rest. They also welcome the occasional Buffy cast member to join in the slaying. Follow and Listen to The ReWatcher Buffy the Vampire Slayer here:  http://wondery.fm/The_Rewatcher and follow @The_ReWatcher on Instagram. You can listen early and ad-free by subscribing to Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts or the Wondery app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On August 6, 1978, the body of thirty-five-year-old bar owner Jack Tupper was found in a vacant lot in the Bronx, just across the street from the local firehouse. His face had been severely slashed, his head and body badly beaten, he had been shot seven times, and finally, he had been set on fire. Witnesses reported seeing a small group of men in the lot attempting to set fire to a box earlier that day, including three witnesses who identified former racehorse trainer Howard “Buddy” Jacobson as one of the men, and one who was able to provide detectives with the license plate number of the car they were driving. Buddy Jacobson was quickly arrested for Tupper’s murder and the story quickly became New York’s latest scandal: Former horse trainer murders man in love triangle. Jacobson had indeed killed Tupper because the younger man was having an affair with Jacobson’s girlfriend but, while the motive may have been a classic, the story was far more sensational and salacious than anyone could have expected, and it turned out the arrest was just the beginning. Thank you to David White for research assistance :) Resources: Allen, Joy. 1978. "Family is embittered in 'triangle' slaying." Newsday, August 9: 17. Arnett, Peter, and Jane See White. 1978. "Life and death on fast track for a model." Newsday, August 21: 4. Associated Press. 1979. "Jacobson defense alleges cocaine plot by victim." Newsday, October 11: 19. —. 1979. "'Triangle' case hearing could clear defendant." The Journal News, October 24: 4. Christine, Bill. 1988. "The odyssey of Buddy Jacobson: Horses, models and a murder sentence." Los Angeles Times, January 10. Cummings, John, and Peggy Brown. 1980. "Buddy Jacobson escapes prison." Newsday, June 01: 3. Cummings, Jophn, and Joy Allen. 1978. "'Triangle' murder probers hear horseman's ex-wife." Newsday, August 16: 17. Fried, Joseph P. 1980. "Jacobson's 'friends and relatives' said to have helped in recapture." New York Times, July 11: A1.     New York, NY: Macmillan. —. 1978. "Love and Death on the Upper East Side." New York Magazine, September 11. McFadden, Robert D. 1979. "'Gag' order covers murder trial." New York Times, October 23: B8. McFadden, Robert. 1980. "Jacobson, in calls from jail, speaks of his 'betrayal'." New York Times, 07 July: A1. New York Times. 1978. "Jacobson warned of bail revocation." New York Times, November 10: B7. Newton, Edmund, and Sheryl Kornman. 1980. "Cops hunt Buddy Jacobson around the world." Newsday, June 2: 4. The Reporter Dispatch. August. "Hunt widens in triangle slaying." The Reporter Dispatch, 10 1978: D14. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On August 6, 1978, the body of thirty-five-year-old bar owner Jack Tupper was found in a vacant lot in the Bronx, just across the street from the local firehouse. His face had been severely slashed, his head and body badly beaten, he had been shot seven times, and finally, he had been set on fire. Witnesses reported seeing a small group of men in the lot attempting to set fire to a box earlier that day, including three witnesses who identified former racehorse trainer Howard “Buddy” Jacobson as one of the men, and one who was able to provide detectives with the license plate number of the car they were driving. Buddy Jacobson was quickly arrested for Tupper’s murder and the story quickly became New York’s latest scandal: Former horse trainer murders man in love triangle. Jacobson had indeed killed Tupper because the younger man was having an affair with Jacobson’s girlfriend but, while the motive may have been a classic, the story was far more sensational and salacious than anyone could have expected, and it turned out the arrest was just the beginning. Thank you to David White for research assistance :) Resources: Allen, Joy. 1978. "Family is embittered in 'triangle' slaying." Newsday, August 9: 17. Arnett, Peter, and Jane See White. 1978. "Life and death on fast track for a model." Newsday, August 21: 4. Associated Press. 1979. "Jacobson defense alleges cocaine plot by victim." Newsday, October 11: 19. —. 1979. "'Triangle' case hearing could clear defendant." The Journal News, October 24: 4. Christine, Bill. 1988. "The odyssey of Buddy Jacobson: Horses, models and a murder sentence." Los Angeles Times, January 10. Cummings, John, and Peggy Brown. 1980. "Buddy Jacobson escapes prison." Newsday, June 01: 3. Cummings, Jophn, and Joy Allen. 1978. "'Triangle' murder probers hear horseman's ex-wife." Newsday, August 16: 17. Fried, Joseph P. 1980. "Jacobson's 'friends and relatives' said to have helped in recapture." New York Times, July 11: A1.     New York, NY: Macmillan. —. 1978. "Love and Death on the Upper East Side." New York Magazine, September 11. McFadden, Robert D. 1979. "'Gag' order covers murder trial." New York Times, October 23: B8. McFadden, Robert. 1980. "Jacobson, in calls from jail, speaks of his 'betrayal'." New York Times, 07 July: A1. New York Times. 1978. "Jacobson warned of bail revocation." New York Times, November 10: B7. Newton, Edmund, and Sheryl Kornman. 1980. "Cops hunt Buddy Jacobson around the world." Newsday, June 2: 4. The Reporter Dispatch. August. "Hunt widens in triangle slaying." The Reporter Dispatch, 10 1978: D14. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On the morning of December 31, 1946, nineteen-year-old Pearl Lusk boarded a crowded subway train in Brooklyn. A few days earlier, she’d met a man named Allen in a bar who offered her a very strange, yet simple job: she was to follow a young woman named Olga and take a photo to determine whether she was wearing any stolen jewelry.  That morning, as Pearl and Olga exited the crowded subway train, Pearl raised the camera in Olga’s direction and pulled the wire to take a photo, but what happened next would put into motion a series of events that rivals fiction. Thank you to the wonderful Dave White for Research assistance! References Adams, Toni. 1947. "Troopers hunt and kill Alphonse Rocco." Kingston Daily Freeman, January 7: 1. Brooklyn Daily Eagle. 1947. "Camera-gun suspect flees in stolen car." Brooklyn Daily Eagle, January 6: 2. Buffalo Evening News. 1947. "'Camera' shooting victim asks N.Y. City to pay her $200,000." Buffalo Evening News, February 14: 1. —. 1953. "Court frees city of liability for not averting shooting." Buffalo Evening News, April 22: 25. —. 1947. "Police press quest for spouse of camera-gun victim." Buffalo Evening News, January 2: 9. —. 1946. "Times Square Station is scene of shooting." Buffalo Evening News, December 31: 10. International News Service. 1947. "Estranged wife and family glad Ruocco is dead." Buffalo Evening News, Janaury 7: 1. Kingston Daily Freeman. 1947. "Victim of camera shooting guarded." Kingston Daily Freeman, January 2: 18. McKelway, St. Clair. 1953. The Perils of Pearl and Olga. August 8. Accessed August 10, 2023. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/1953/08/08/the-perils-of-pearl-and-olga. New York Times. 1947. "Camera-gun victim files for $200,000." New York Times, February 15: 17. —. 1947. "'Camera-gun' victim loses a leg." New York Times, Janaury 3: 1. —. 1947. "Girl, dupe in plot, shoots woman with 'camera' gun." New York Times, January 1: 1. —. 1947. "Lusk girl freed; will leave city." New York Times, Janaury 11: 20. —. 1947. "Rocco killed by the police in Catskills." New York Times, January 7: 1. Smith, Delos. 1947. "Gullible girl hoaxed into plot on life of estranged wife." Daily Boston Globe, January 1: 13. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.