Stephanie Hoover Has That Story

In October 1857, British citizen Charles McKay left London for North America and an extensive tour of the U.S. and Canada. He was writing about his adventures for a British newspaper.
Five months into the trip, during a stop in Alabama, he saw the elegant steamship Eliza Battle moored on a landing along the Tombigbee River. Its size and grandeur made a strong impression on McKay. That's why, just days later, he was shocked to learn that the side-wheeled paddle steamer had burned, killing many passengers and crew in the inferno, or forcing them to freeze to death in the icy river water.
This sinking was, at the time, one of the largest losses of life on a United States river. Some residents of Nanfalia, Alabama say that, on a quiet night, they still hear the screams of the victims today.
To read Stephanie's feature article, on which this episode is based, visit this page:
http://www.cloudedinmystery.com/ghost-ship-eliza-battle.html
For more information on this podcast on Stephanie's books, visit StephanieHoover.com.
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The following sound effects (or edited pieces thereof) were used in this episode:
~ Jazz Me Blues by E's Jammy Jams (YouTube Creator Library)
~ Water Lapping on Lake Pukaki by laughatlantic (FreeSound.org)
~ Water Lapping River by Ceich93 (FreeSound.org)
~ Human Male Scream Small Crowd Panic by Johnson Branding Editing (FreeSound.org)
~ Vintage Riverboats by Craigsmith (FreeSound.org)

In 1935, Gloria Lawson learned that she was pregnant for the third time. She left her home in Calvert County, Maryland for what she thought would be a brief visit to Dr. Harry C. Zimmerly's makeshift, back alley abortion clinic in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. When she didn't return home after a few days, her family began looking for her.
No one was prepared for what was discovered at Zimmerly's rundown farm. In the driveway were bits of human bone interspersed with ash. In the "clinic" were bloody mattresses and rusty surgical instruments. And caught in a wire bedframe were strands of blond hair - just like Gloria's.
This is the story of Dr. Zimmerly's house of horrors, an illegal hospital where more than one desperate woman lost her life. It's the first episode in a special six-part series running throughout the Halloween season.
For more information on this podcast, visit Stephanie Hoover Has That Story.
To read Stephanie's feature article, on which this episode is based, visit Hauntingly PENNSYLVANIA.

This is the story of the killing of John Sharpless. It's the story of a rich white man and the black man (Samuel Johnson) unjustly accused of causing his death. It's a story of money and murder... corruption, and a criminal justice system sorely lacking in justice. It's a case that could have happened yesterday. But, it didn't. It happened 135 years ago.
This episode is excerpted from Stephanie's book, The Killing of John Sharpless: The Pursuit of Justice in Delaware County (History Press, 2013.) For more information on the book or this podcast, visit StephanieHoover.com.
You can subscribe to Stephanie Hoover Has That Story on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts or your favorite platform.

On Labor Day in 1921, women across the nation were - for the first time - registering to vote in state primary elections. They had, just a year earlier, won this right and were now arming themselves for the next battle: equal pay for equal work.

Meanwhile, in the east coast beach resort of Atlantic City, nine "beauty maids" were competing in what would become the first ever Miss America Pageant. These contestants, as young as 16 years of age, hoped to win - among other prizes - a golden trophy worth more than many professional, skilled women earned in a year.
And, while this chasm between women's priorities loomed large in Atlantic City, it was hardly the only social dichotomy. In 1921, nearly 12% of the nation's workforce was unemployed - a fact lost on the wealthy industrialists, socialites and political power brokers who'd arrived at the resort in luxury excursion trains, fancy new motorcars and yachts.

Truth is, among the monied class in Atlantic City on Labor Day 1921, thoughts were on everything BUT the men and women on whose labor this nation relied.
In this episode, Stephanie tells the story of the first Miss America pageant, and its tone deafness toward what was happening to rest of America - working women, in particular.
To subscribe to Stephanie Hoover Has That Story, visit: https://www.stefhoover.com/stephanie-hoover-podcast.html.

In 1969, you did not want your birthdate to be September 14th.

Why? Because if you were born on that date between the years 1944 and 1950, you were "number one" in the December 1, 1969 Vietnam draft lottery. Without a deferment of some kind, you were almost guaranteed to be sent to Vietnam.

In this episode, Stephanie explains the December 1, 1969 Vietnam draft lottery - the 90 minutes of American history that changed half a million lives.

For more information about this podcast, visit Stephanie Hoover Has That Story.

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The following music (or pieces thereof) were used in this episode:
• Prize Wheel from tony-bear
• Last Post 3 from benboncan
• Civil War Music from adeluc4
All can be found at FreeSound.org.