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In the early 1900s, young men sometimes wanted to get out of their boring hometowns and out from under their parents' thumbs. The flashy lights, roar of the animals and the big top tents often seemed to call to them offering a more exciting life. Countless teens ran off and joined the circus, some made a career out of it, some came crawling back home to their parents never wanting to leave again. Others, like the two boys discussed in this episode had their lives changed forever.

Learn about Sheridan Justus and Ross Habernick and their brief times with the Ringling Bros. Circus caravan.

An unbelievable true story pulled from newspaper headlines in 1910 and 1911.

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In this chilling dive into the history of psychiatry, we uncover the controversial legacy of Dr. Henry Cotton, the medical director of the New Jersey State Hospital for the Insane in the early 20th century. Driven by a misguided obsession with infection as the root cause of mental illness, Cotton’s radical treatments, including tooth and organ removal, left a trail of suffering and death in their wake. From his meteoric rise to his shocking methods and eventual downfall, we explore the man, his madness, and the dark chapters he wrote in the history of mental health care.

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In the rugged hills of post-Civil War Missouri, a group of masked men set out to restore order in a lawless land. Led by the towering and enigmatic Nat Kinney, the Bald Knobbers began as vigilantes seeking justice in the absence of reliable law enforcement. But as their power grew, so did their reputation for brutality, leading to deadly feuds, splintered loyalties, and a fall from public favor.

In this episode, we dive deep into the rise and fall of the Bald Knobbers, exploring the turbulent world of Taney County in the 1880s, the dark turn from protectors to villains, and the sensational trials that marked their end. Along the way, we’ll also look at why vigilante groups emerge, other famous examples in American history, and how the spirit of vigilante justice persists even today.

Join us as we untangle the thin line between justice and vengeance in this gripping tale of power, morality, and the consequences of taking the law into your own hands.

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