On December 24, 1924, Saltville, Virginia was covered in what witnesses described as a “blanket of white”. The town’s muck dam ruptured, sending tons of alkali sludge pouring into the community. Was the deadliest dam failure in Virginia history intentional? Who was responsible? Learn more about Saltville and see photos of the town in the days following the disaster in the show notes at southernmysteries.com

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MUSIC Theme Song “Dark & Troubled” by Panthernburn. Special thanks to Phillip St Ours for permission for use ***Additional Music: “Elegy” by Wayne Jones; "Passing Time”, “Fairy Tale Waltz”, “Dark Times” and “Drone in D” by Kevin McLeod. “Prelude No 1” by Chris Zabriske. All music licensed under Creative Commons

Episode 59 Christmas Eve Nightmare in Saltville

Exploring history and mysteries of the American South. Hosted by Shannon Ballard.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

True crime

The Nelms Sisters Mystery is one of the most sensational mysteries of the early 20th century, that most people have never heard of. In the summer of 1914, Eloise Nelms was in love with an attorney she planned to marry. Her sister Beatrice questioned the attorney’s motives and wanted proof that he had her sister's best interest at heart. The sisters took a train from Atlanta, headed to Texas to meet the attorney. They were never seen alive again. 
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Connect
Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @shannonballard_Email: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com 
Episode Sources
An Old Coot’s Essays About An Earlier Georgia and Other Topics by Eddie Rollins
Forgotten Stories: The World’s Worst Divorce Attorney
Atlanta West End: Historic West End
The Atlanta Constitution: Death Claims Him, March 1, 1911
Oakland Tribune: Mystery of Two Sisters Deepens, July 10, 1914
Charlotte Daily Observer: Search for Women Makes No Progress, July 11, 1914
Tampa Journal: Atlanta Quivers with Excitement in Letter Puzzle, July 12, 1914
The Atlanta Journal: Mother, Heartbroken, Tells of Power Innes Had Over Daughter, July 12, 1914 
San Francisco Examiner: Mrs. Nelms Bares Daughters Tragic Love, July 13, 1914
The Atlanta Journal: Womans Clubs Urged to Aid Nelms Search, July 13,1914
The Atlanta Journal: Evidence Sought to Hold Innes, July 16, 1914
The Eugene Guard: Former US District Attorney Arrested in Eugene, August 19, 1914
The Atlanta Journal: Strange Letters to Aid in Solving Nelms Mystery Case, August 21, 1914
The Macon Telegraph: Bones Found in Connect with Nelms Mystery Are Positively Identified As Human, September 9, 1914
The Americus Times Daily Recorder: Speculation Made in Case of INnes and wife, April 4, 1916
The Atlanta Constitution: Finger of Death Inscribes ‘Finis’ on Final Chapter of Nelms Case, April 1, 1936
Episode Music
Northern Lights by Chris Hauge.  Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.
Deep Haze by Kevin McLeod. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: http://incompetech.com

Episode 144 The Disappearance of the Nelms Sisters

The Battle of Blair Mountain, in the summer of 1921, was one of the largest civil uprisings in American History. Violent attacks on Appalachian miners and their families, dangerous working conditions and a forced debt system in company towns contributed to the largest and bloodiest armed uprising since the Civil War.
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Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries
Connect
Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @shannonballard_Email: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com 
Episode Sources
The Road to Blair Mountain by Charles Keeney
On Dark and Bloody Ground by Anne Lawrence
National Park Service: Introduction to the West Virginia Mine Wars
Smithsonian Magazine: What Made the Battle of Blair Mountain the Largest Labor Uprising in American History
Zinn Education Project: The Devil Is Here in These Hills
ReImagine Appalachia: The Battle of Blair Mountain
West Virginia Archives & History
United Mine Workers of America: Standing United, Living Divided: Black coal miners and their fight for justice
West Virginia Mine Wars Museum
JSTOR Daily: Rednecks: A Brief History. 
Episode Music
Out of the Mines by Ross Gentry. Used with permission of artist.
Resolution by Kevin McLeod. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: http://incompetech.com

Episode 143 Battle of Blair Mountain

The disappearance of 67 year old Ruth Dorsey has perplexed her family, friends and Lee County, Alabama law enforcement for half a century. In the summer of 1974 investigators launched what would become one of the most extensive searches to date in the east central part of the state. Ruth’s disappearance remains one of Alabama’s most baffling mysteries.
Want more Southern Mysteries? 
Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries
Connect
Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @shannonballard_Email: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com 
Episode Sources
The Charley Project: Ruth Purcell Murphree Dorsey
Encyclopedia of Alabama: Opelika
Opelika-Auburn News: Dorsey Family Needs Closure After 30 Years, April 16, 2006
Opelika-Auburn News: Only Spooky May Know What Happened, Aug 17, 1975
Opelika-Auburn News: Ruth Dorsey Still Missing After Seven Years, Aug 16, 1981
Opelika-Auburn News: E.S. (Pete) Dorsey, Lee Cattleman Dies at Home, June 22, 1965
Opelika-Auburn News: Opelika Missing After Car Found, Aug 19, 1974
Opelika-Auburn News: Helicopter Used to Search Area for Mrs. Dorsey, Aug 27, 1974 
Opelika-Auburn News: Aerial Search for Proves Fruitless In Search for Missing Opelikan
Opelika-Auburn News: Ruth Dorsey’s Disappearance, Aug 21, 1977
Opelika-Auburn News: After 3 Month Search, Dorsey Case Unsolved, Dec 3, 1974
Opelika-Auburn News: Reward Up to $1400, Aug. 30, 1974
RootsWeb: Dorsey Ancestry
Episode Music
Not Forgotten by Dan Lebowitz. Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

Episode 142 The Mysterious Disappearance of Ruth Dorsey

The New Orleans Trunk Murders are a long forgotten dark chapter in the city's history. The gruesome discovery of two dismembered bodies in the French Quarter in October 1927 was one of the most violent crimes reported in the city in the 1920s.
Want more Southern Mysteries? 
Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries
Connect
Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @shannonballard_Email: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com 
Episode Sources
The Historical New Orleans Collection: Amid Roaring Twenties New Orleans, a brutal French Quarter murder shocked the city
Bayou Justice: New Orleans’ infamous trunk murders revisited
Atlas Obscura: The Trunk Murders and ‘Sausage Ghost’ of 1920s New Orleans
Southern Spirit Guide: A Block of Death and Dismemberment – New Orleans
French Quarter Mangement District: History of French Quarter
Vieux Carré Digital Survey: 715 Ursulines St.
Find A Grave: Henry Moity
Find A Grave: Joseph Moity
Find A Grave: Theresa Alfano Moity
The Evergreen Courant: Henry Moity Captured
Orlando Evening Star: How Jealousy Turned a Devoted Husband into a Demon
Daily Advertiser: Be Careful in Marrying,Is Advice in Story Written by Woman Found Slain at N.O.
Episode Music
Dark Times and Long Note Two by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: http://incompetech.com

Episode 141 The New Orleans Trunk Murders

William and Ellen Craft escaped slavery in Macon, Georgia by traveling to Philadelphia in 1848. Ellen, the light skinned daughter of her mixed race mother and their enslaver, posed as a young white male planter and William posed as her slave.Their daring escape made international headlines and the Crafts became two of the most famous emancipated people in American history.
Want more Southern Mysteries? 
Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries
Connect
Website: southernmysteries.comFacebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @shannonballard_Email: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com 
Episode Sources
Running a Thousand Miles for Freedom: Or, the Escape of William and Ellen Craft from Slavery (Dover Thrift Editions: Black History) 
Time Magazine: The Remarkable True Story of the Couple Who Posed as Master and Slave to Escape Bondage
Smithsonian Magazine: The Great Escape From Slavery of Ellen and William Craft
National Park Service: "A Desperate Leap for Liberty": The Escape of William and Ellen Craft
History: The Daring Disguise that Helped One Enslaved Couple Escape to Freedom
Georgia Women of Achievement: Ellen Smith Craft
BBC: Ellen and William Craft: Blue plaque for abolitionists who fled slavery
Episode Music
Traveller by Kevin MacLeod  Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Source: http://incompetech.com

Episode 59 Christmas Eve Nightmare in Saltville

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