Morritt was one of the most famous magicians of his time, Monson was a notorious criminal let off scot-free. What could possibly go wrong when these two household names join forces for a tour? In 1893, Charles Morritt was running highly successful nights at the Prince’s Theatre in London’s Piccadilly. Alfred John Monson was in the centre of the Ardlamont Murder, a famous case that took place in Scotland. The case inspired William Roughead, one of the pioneers of true crime writing, who provides some of the commentary in this episode.  
 
Also this week Jim takes a look at gender issues - 1949 style, and Sally’s sister has some scathing poetry.
 
Newspaper archives used in this episode:
British Newspaper Archive www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
TROVE (National Library of Australia) http://trove.nla.gov.au/
 
More on Morritt and Monson:
Hiding the Elephant: How Magicians Invented the Impossible by Jim Steinmeyer
The Scotsman, 2005 http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/the-ardlamont-mystery-tragic-mistake-or-calculated-evil-1-466095
Full court transcript https://archive.org/stream/trialofajmonson00mons/trialofajmonson00mons_djvu.txt
 
Yesterday’s Chip Paper online:
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Follow us on on Twitter: www.twitter.com/paperpodcast
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15. Murder and the Magician

On episode 16 of Yesterday's Chip Paper, Jim regales Violet with the terrible tale of Alexander Pearce, an Irishman sentenced to transportation in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) in the early 19th century. A repeated escape artist, Pearce and his companions took off one fine day and made good their escape from camp. The events that took place in the following weeks would be murderous, terrifying and life-ruining. 

For our letter and poem, Violet found a missive from an irresponsible psychic and a poem about a shrill child who meets a tragic end. 

Yesterday's Chip Paper is a fortnightly (bi-monthly) podcast that delves into the world of historical newspapers, unearthing tales of murder, mischief, mayhem and more.

Newspaper archives used in this episode:
British Newspaper Archive www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
TROVE (National Library of Australia) trove.nla.gov.au/

Yesterday’s Chip Paper online:
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/paperpodcast
Follow us on on Twitter: www.twitter.com/paperpodcast
Review us on iTunes GB: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/yeste…d1165838795?mt=2
Review us on iTunes US: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yeste…d1165838795?mt=2

16. Terror in Tasmania: the Alexander Pearce story

Ingenious inventor or crackpot fraud? This is the question on everyone’s mind with this edition of Yesterday’s Chip Paper. When an English inventor lights up the world’s imaginations with claims of his invisible Death Ray, the War Office is quick to try and validate it. So is Harry Grindell Matthews onto something or is this a fraudulent story gone way too far? 
 
Also this week, Jim finds the shortest poem in the world and an ode to the old Hollywood great John Wayne.
 
Yesterday’s Chip Paper is a fortnightly(ish) history podcast that looks into the strange, macabre and downright terrifying stories found in historic newspaper archives. Whether it be true crime, tales of adventure or unbelievable characters from history, it’s guaranteed to be downright bonkers. Your hosts, Jim and Violet, are two amateur researchers based on opposite sides of the Atlantic who love delving into the crazy world of historic newspapers and getting to the bottom of history’s strangest headlines from across the world.
 
Newspaper archives used in this episode:
British Newspaper Archive www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
Newspapers.com
TROVE (National Library of Australia) trove.nla.gov.au/
 
More on Harry Grindell Matthews: 
http://www.rexresearch.com/grinmatth/grmatthews.htm
http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/03/harry-grindell-matthews-madcap-inventor-of-the-death-ray-and-the-sky-projector/

Yesterday’s Chip Paper online:
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/paperpodcast
Follow us on on Twitter: www.twitter.com/paperpodcast
Review us on iTunes GB: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/yeste…d1165838795?mt=2
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17. Hokum or Broken? Debunking Dr. Death Ray

In this episode, Jim goes a little off piste and takes liberties with what is and isn't a newspaper, but nonetheless unearths squalid stories of a half-hanged man and the most lavish con man who ever conned. 

In our letters to the editor, we have mystery vegetables that are probably hilarious and a poem from a child with no friends. 

Yesterday's Chip Paper is a fortnighly(ish) history podcast that looks at true crime, bizarre stories, and curious characters from historic newspaper archives. Your hosts, Jim and Violet, are two amateur researchers based on opposite sides of the Atlantic - Jim in New York and Violet in London - who come together twice a month to tell each other about the bonkers tales they've found in historic newspaper archives from across the world.

Archives used in this episode:
British Newspaper Archive www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
The New Newgate Calendar @ archive.org

Yesterday’s Chip Paper online:
Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/paperpodcast
Follow us on on Twitter: www.twitter.com/paperpodcast
Review us on iTunes GB: itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/yeste…d1165838795?mt=2
Review us on iTunes US: itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/yeste…d1165838795?mt=2

18. Selected Tales from Criminal History. And a Potato.

Fortnightly(ish) podcast delving into incredible, macabre and bizarre stories from historic newspapers.

Violet and Jim are two amateur researchers based on opposite sides of the Atlantic, Violet in London and Jim in New York, and every couple of weeks or so they get together via the magic power of the internet to discuss the stories, poems and letters to the editor that they’ve found in the archives. 

Whether it’s global headline-making stories completely forgotten today or unusual reporting of famous events, it’s always guaranteed to be downright bonkers.