In 1916 an American circus elephant named Mary was hanged before a crowd of 3,000 onlookers. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll review the sad series of events that led Mary to a Tennessee railroad crane.

We'll also get an update on a very inventive bank robbery and puzzle over the escalators in London's Tube stations.

Our feature on Mary was based chiefly on Charles Edwin Price's 1992 book The Day They Hung the Elephant.

Our first lateral thinking puzzle this week was contributed by listener Paul Sophocleous. The second is from Kyle Hendrickson's 1998 book Mental Fitness Puzzles.

Here are two links with more information about the bank robbery described in Episode 58's puzzle. (Warning -- spoilers!)

Enter coupon code CLOSET at Harry's to get $5 off a special Father's Day razor set.

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Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode.

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