The 1981 shooting death of Paul Witte, a father of two in Indiana, seemed to be an accident: Paul's 15-year-old son Eric said he'd tripped while holding the gun, fatally wounding his dad as he napped on the living room couch. The case was considered closed -- until a few years later when a second accident befell the Witte family. This time, police dug deeper and found that Paul's wife, Hilma Marie Witte, had been the mastermind of two horrific tragedies. 



"Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history.



Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod



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S2 Ep35: Hilma Marie Witte: Fatal Manipulation

Crime is so commonplace that it takes something particularly shocking to be labelled the “crime of the century.” Even so, there are a lot of cases that have earned the distinction. In each episode of Crimes of the Centuries, award-winning journalist Amber Hunt will examine a case that’s lesser known today but was huge when it happened. The cases explored span the centuries and each left a mark. Some made history by changing laws. Others were so shocking they changed society.

History

Society & Culture

True crime

Italian-born Charles Ponzi had grown up hearing from his mother that he was destined for greatness, so it was no surprise to her when she visited him in America to find him wealthy beyond her wildest dreams. Ponzi had come up with a get-rich-quick scheme that he insisted was legal. To his credit, it took federal authorities a good seven months to figure out how it wasn't. In this episode, meet the man whose name would go down in history to be synonymous with "grifter."

 

"Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history



DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK!  Order today at www.centuriespod.com/book (https://www.centuriespod.com/book)!



Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod



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S4 Ep8: Charles Ponzi's Scheme

In the midst of nationwide bombings that pit union backers against anti-union bosses, an explosion at the Los Angeles Times building crossed a line that changed everything. At 1:07 a.m. on Oct. 1, 1910, a blast tore through the Times building, killing 21 people. Times officials immediately blamed organized labor, which ultimately bore out: Not only were three union-affiliated co-conspirators convicted soon after the bombing, but nearly 40 other union officials would eventually be convicted on charges related to that and other bombings that had been plaguing the country.



"Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history



DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK!  Order today at www.centuriespod.com/book (https://www.centuriespod.com/book)!



Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod



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• Ritual. Synbiotic+ and Ritual are here to celebrate, not hide, your insides. Get 25% off your first month for a limited time at ritual.com/cotc. 






S4 Ep7: The Los Angeles Times Bombing

In September 1944, a 24-year-old married woman named Recy Taylor was walking home with friends from church when a carload of seven men stopped her. Forced into the car, Recy, a Black woman, was repeatedly raped by six white men at gunpoint, then tossed roadside with a warning: Tell anyone about this, and you're dead. Recy ignored the threats and her tale soon galvanized activists throughout Alabama -- including a woman whose name would eventually become synonymous with the Civil Rights movement.



Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history



AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK - NOW AVAILABLE!  Order today at www.centuriespod.com/book (https://www.centuriespod.com/book)!



Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod



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• Smalls. Get 50% off your first order of protein-packed, preservative-free cat food by going to Smalls.com/cotc and use promo code COTC. 



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S4 Ep6: How the Assault of Recy Taylor Shaped Civil Rights Tactics

Hey, Crimes of the Centuries listeners! COTC is now part of Grab Bag Collab, a Patreon-based podcasting network. You can find our other shows available at patreon.com/grabbagcollab



Alcoholism, multiple husbands and boarding houses. This is the story of The Landlady. 



Dive deep into the upbringing and backstories of individuals who committed history's most notorious crimes, shedding light on the psychological factors that shaped their paths. With a suspenseful twist, the identities of these individuals won’t be unveiled until the end of each episode. ‘The Catalyst’ will unravel the complex narratives behind these disturbing cases and try to understand what triggered them.

From Grab Bag Collab: The Catalyst

When luggage leaking blood arrived at a Los Angeles train depot in 1931, the woman who'd traveled with the items feigned ignorance -- and then disappeared, leading to a nationwide manhunt that captivated the nation. Because one of the two victims found inside the Winnie Ruth Judd's trunks had been dismembered -- and because both she and the victims were beautiful women -- the case generated hundreds of headlines and a memorable moniker: The Trunk Murderess. But were prosecutors' theories about the Phoenix, Arizona, deaths really true? Or did Judd take the fall for a well-connected accomplice?



"Crimes of the Centuries" is a podcast from Grab Bag Collab exploring forgotten crimes from times past that made a mark and helped change history.



AND DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE CRIMES OF THE CENTURIES BOOK - NOW AVAILABLE!  Order today at www.centuriespod.com/book (https://www.centuriespod.com/book)!



Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @centuriespod



Episode sponsors:



• Hiya Health Products. Get 50% off your first order of Hiya Health’s best-selling children’s vitamin by going to hiyahealth.com/COTC



• Field of Greens. For 15% off your first order plus free rush shipping, visit FieldofGreens.com and use promo code COTC.


• Factor Meals. Head to factormeals.com/COTC50 and use code COTC50 to get 50% off.

S2 Ep35: Hilma Marie Witte: Fatal Manipulation

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