The Ancient and Esoteric Order of the Jackalope

We are the Ancient and Esoteric Order of the Jackalope, a secret society devoted to unearthing and sharing forgotten knowledge. And we have a podcast. https://order-of-the-jackalope.com

[orderjackalope]

114: Unhuman Animals [the Salus-Grady Libel Act of 1903]

In 1903 Pennsylvania found the recipe for disaster: two of the greatest political cartoonists of the day, and an easily caricatured governor with no sense of humor. Their battle went to some… unexpected places.

https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/unhuman-animals

Key sources for this episode include… Stephen Piott's "The Right of the Cartoonist: Samuel Pennypacker and the Freedom of the Press," contemporary newspaper reports… and that's it. Almost every other source I found either did not go into any detail about the act, or got the specifics so very wrong (like confusing the Pusey and Salus-Grady bills) to the point where I had to doubt everything else it had to say.

The Ancient and Esoteric Order of the Jackalope is a secret society devoted to the idea that that which is least known is best to know. Each episode we share a strange story or amazing fact, and no topic is off limits -- if it's interesting or entertaining, we'll cover about it!

Email: [email protected] Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/order-of-the-jackalope.com Discord: https://discord.gg/Mbap3UQyCB TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@orderjackalope Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/orderjackalope YouTube: https://youtube.com/@orderjackalope

[orderjackalope]

111: Samozvantsy [false Dmitrys in the Time of Troubles]

The Tsarevich Dmitry Ivanovich died from an accidental self-inflicted knife wound in 1591… but that didn't stop him from popping up to try and reclaim his throne in 1604. And 1607. And 1611. And 1612. And…

https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/samozvantsy

Key sources for this episode include Chester S.L. Dunning's Russia's First Civil War: The Time of Troubles and the Romanov Dynasty; Maureen Perrie's Pretenders and Popular Monarchism in Early Modern Russia: The False Tsars of the Time of Troubles; Paul Avrich's Russian Rebels, 1600-1800; and Peter Julicher's Renegades, Rebels and Rogues Under the Tsars.

Special thanks to Kristen Harkness for her help with Russian transliteration and pronunciation. (Sorry, Kristen, I still beefed it!)

The Ancient and Esoteric Order of the Jackalope is a secret society devoted to the idea that that which is least known is best to know. Each episode we share a strange story or amazing fact, and no topic is off limits -- if it's interesting or entertaining, we'll cover about it!

Email: [email protected]

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/order-of-the-jackalope.com

Discord: https://discord.gg/Mbap3UQyCB

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@orderjackalope

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/orderjackalope

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@orderjackalope

[orderjackalope]

War! The balance of power in the Cola Wars has been shifting for years. In a stunning move, Coke has swept into NASA and is about to send its signature beverage into orbit… but not if the underdogs at Pepsi have anything to say about it…

https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/the-choice-of-the-next-generation/

Key sources for this episode include Charles T. Bourland and Gregory L. Vogt's The Astronaut's Cookbook; David H. Harland's The Story of the Space Shuttle; Tony Reichart's Space Shuttle: The First 20 Years; numerous patent applications; and contemporary newspaper reports.

You're Wrong About: The Cola Wars

Coca-Cola Space Can at the Smithsonian

Pepsi Space Can at the Smithsonian

Pepsi MIR Ad

I'll be presenting at the Intelligent Speech conference on February 8, 2025! Register now at https://intelligentspeechonline.com/ and get 10% off with the promo code JACKALOPE!

The Ancient and Esoteric Order of the Jackalope is a secret society devoted to sharing strange stories and amazing facts. No topic is off limits -- if it's interesting or entertaining, we'll do an episode about it!

Email: [email protected] Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/orderjackalope.bsky.social Discord: https://discord.gg/Mbap3UQyCB TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@orderjackalope Tumblr: https://orderjackalope.tumblr.com YouTube: https://youtube.com/@orderjackalope

[orderjackalope]

UFO cultist George Hunt WIlliamson's "Other Tongues, Other Flesh" has a picto-dictionary of Solex-Mal, the universal language. The glyphs are fascinating and baffling. Here is the symbol of creation, an eye in a twelve-petaled flower in a four-pointed star. (Just don't count the number of petals.) That's twelve (or eleven) petals for the twelve (or eleven) planets, of course. order-of-the-jackalope.com/the-number-o...

[orderjackalope]

On This Day (January 16) in 1795 Carl Christian Rafn is born in Denmark. Rafn is best known for his hypothesis that the Vikings had colonized the New World hundreds of years before other Europeans. Rafin was 100% correct…

...but his specific claims were 100% wrong.

He believed that Bristol, RI was the site of Vinland; that the Newport Tower was a Norse-style church; that the Fall River skeleton was Thorvald Eriksson; and that Dighton Rock was covered with runes.

Despite less-than-convincing evidence, the idea was wildly popular in New England. For more than a century Yankee cranks searched vainly for Vinland, and only gave up in the 1960s when actual Viking ruins were discovered in Newfoundland.

(For more fun with fake "Viking relics" in the New World, check out our Westward Huss series: https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/westward-huss-new-england/)

[orderjackalope]

On This Day (January 14) in 1945, retired burlesque comedian Billy Watson is killed by a gas leak at his home in Lake Como, NJ.

During his career he was famous for two things.

First, for feuding with another comedian over the name "Billy Watson," which led to our Billy being billed as "Original" Billy Watson and the other being billed as "Sliding" Billy Watson. (The irony, of course, is that "Original" Billy Watson was not actually Billy Watson at all. his real name was Isaac Levie and he stole the name from a third comedian!)

The second was his back-up act: "The Beef Trust," a chorus line of obese women. The act appealed to old-timers who prefered a zaftig body type, as well as the finicky fetishists who were quickly becoming burlesque’s primary audience. Watson made bank with the Beef Trust, and eventually retired to manage his real estate investments. He licensed out the rights to the Beef Trust act, which continued to do well until the burlesque circuit finally died.

(This is an extremely condensed version of the episode "The Spirit of Capitalism Made Flesh": https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/the-spirit-of-capitalism-made-flesh/)

[orderjackalope]

New Age types keep saying that there are twelve planets. Where does that number come from, and what are these three extra planets supposed to be? (Plus: a detour to the world of ancient astronauts.)

https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/the-number-of-the-stars/

Key sources for this episode include Gottfried de Purucker's Fundamentals of the Esoteric Philosophy and The Fountain-Source of Occultism; Govert Schilling's The Hunt for Planet X: New Worlds and the Fate of Pluto; Maureen Temple Richmond's "The Threefold Rulership System in Esoteric Astrology"; Michael Heiser's website sitchiniswrong.com; and the collected works of Zecharia Sitchin.

Unidentified: Zecharia Sitchin's Made-Up Ancient Aliens History

Unidentified: Fear of a 12th Planet

Unidentified: Nibiru Needs Gold (and Sperm, for Some Reason)

404 Media: If Planet X Exists, It's Running Out of Places to Hide

This week we're promoting our friends the Paranoid Strain, where the Fearful Jesuit and Dana Unicorn explain why so many people believe ridiculous conspiracy theories. https://www.theparanoidstrain.com/

I'll be presenting at the Intelligent Speech conference on February 8, 2025! Register now at https://intelligentspeechonline.com/ and get 10% off with the promo code JACKALOPE!

The Ancient and Esoteric Order of the Jackalope is a secret society devoted to sharing strange stories and amazing facts. No topic is off limits -- if it's interesting or entertaining, we'll do an episode about it!

[orderjackalope]

Bound in Mystery and Shadow [the 1928 York County Hex Murder]

In 1929 it was a sensation, "the most notorious witchcraft trial since Salem." Today it's all but forgotten. Let's talk about the York Count

On This Day (December 27) in 1894 John Blymire is born in York, PA. His family are prosperous farmers and also known to be powerful brauchers, practitioners of the folk magic known locally as pow-wow.

At first it appears John is going to follow in his family's footsteps, but as a teenager he seemingly loses his powers and goes on a quest to regain them. Eventually he comes to believe he has been cursed by a fellow braucher, the reclusive Nelson Rehmeyer.

On November 25, 1928 Blymire and two teenage accomplices call on Rehmeyer, beat him to death, and then try to burn down his the house to cover their tracks. It doesn't work, and they are soon arrested and put on trial for murder.

The resulting trial is an embarrassment to local officials who fear it makes York look backwards and superstitious. All mention of pow-wow and witchcraft is forbidden in the courtroom. The three murderers are convicted and spend years in prison.

Blymire's sentence is commuted in 1953 and he is paroled shortly thereafter. He died in 1972, having never recovered his supposed mystical abilities.

(You can learn more about the whole strange story in our episode "Bound in Mystery and Shadow": https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/bound-in-mystery-and-shadow/)

[orderjackalope]

Unto Us A Child Is Born [William W. Davies and the Walla Walla Jesus]

Mormons believe that Jesus once lived in the Americas. Some of them once believed he lived on the outskirts of Walla Walla, WA from 1868-188

On This Day (December 25) in 1824 Joseph Morris is born in Burwardsley, Chestershire, England. He becomes an early convert to Mormonism and emigrates to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1853.

Morris's his holier-than-though attitude quickly earns him the nickname "Praying Joe" and an excommunication from the Mormon church. Morris begins preaching that Christ will return on December 31, 1861 to smite the Mormons. Only his followers will be saved.

A small group of Morrisites holes up in Kington Fort to wait out the apocalypse, and settle into an armed standoff with the territorial government. After months of armed conflict they surrender on June 15, 1862… and Morris himself is summarily executed by overzealous Mormon militiamen.

The surviving Morrisites flee the Utah territory spread out over the west, and start their own Mormon splinter groups. Some of which got quite weird indeed.

(Learn more about the whole sad story in our episode "Unto Us A Child Is Born": https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/unto-us-a-child-is-born/)

[orderjackalope]

Everybody always asks, "If this is the future, where's my jetpack?" but only Richard Timewell was bold enough to do something about it. And by "do something" I mean "sell jetpacks through the mail."

https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/your-eyebrows-will-grow-back/

Presented by #42 (Alex Baumans): Pathologically interested in anything unusual and obscure. Closet goth, armchair general and amateur theologian. Favorite animals are ducks, octopodes and pigs. You will also find me surprisingly knowledgable about K-Pop girl groups.

Key sources for this episode include contemporary newspaper reports, with some added material from the Secret Projects forum.

This week we're promoting our friends Imperfect Men, the show about the heroes, legends, and sometimes utter goobers who actually founded America. Join Steve and Cody every other week as they figure out who's a Founding Father and who's a Floundering Father. https://shows.acast.com/imperfect-men

I'll be presenting at the Intelligent Speech conference on February 8, 2025! Register now at https://intelligentspeechonline.com/ and get 10% off with the promo code JACKALOPE!

The Ancient and Esoteric Order of the Jackalope is a secret society devoted to sharing strange stories and amazing facts. No topic is off limits -- if it's interesting or entertaining, we'll do an episode about it!

[orderjackalope]

Helen Duncan was the last person persecuted in Britain for being a witch. Except she wasn't the last, she wasn't a witch, and she wasn't exactly persecuted either…

https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/deeply-impressed/

Key sources for this episode include C.E. Bechhofer Roberts' The Trial of Mrs. Duncan; Gena Brealey and Kay Hunter's The Two Worlds of Helen Duncan; Harry Price's Leaves of a Psychist's Case-Book; Marion Gibson's Witchcraft: A Story in Thirteen Trials; Paul Tabori's Harry Price: The Biography of a Ghost Hunter; Ruth Paley and Simon Fowler's Family Skeletons: Exploring the Lives of Our Disreputable Ancestors; and contemporary newspaper reports.

This week we're promoting our friends The Penny Peepshow -- presenting a range of podcast-play series for your edification and delight. The Pirate Queen! The Devil's Bed & Breakfast! The Edge of Infinity! Our Lady of the Egregious Assumption! Humanity's Last Hope! A Process of Elimination! And more!

I'll be presenting at the Intelligent Speech conference on February 8, 2025! Register now at https://intelligentspeechonline.com/ and get 10% off with the promo code JACKALOPE

Email: [email protected]

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/orderjackalope.bsky.social

Discord: https://discord.gg/Mbap3UQyCB

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orderjackalope/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orderjackalope/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@orderjackalope

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@orderjackalope

[orderjackalope]

I suppose I should actually show you what George Gray Barnard's sculpture groups for the Pennsylvania State Capitol actually look like, huh?

https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/a-palace-of-the-arts/

[orderjackalope]

On This Day (November 25) in 1899 the Franklin Syndicate collapses.

For eighteen months the Syndicate, run by William F. Miller ("the Boy Napoleon of Finance"), has been promising a 10% weekly return on investments . The offer seems too good to be true and thousands of people have taken him up on it.

It was too good to be true: no actual investments were being made, and new deposits were being used to pay the interest owed to existing accounts. Once the number of new investors slows down, the whole scheme collapses overnight.

Miller cuts his losses and flee to Canada. He entrusts his ill-gotten gains to a lawyer, Colonel Robert Ammon, who double-crosses Miller so he can keep everything for himself. The resulting court cases take years to resolve and both men go to prison.

Decades later their exploits inspire young Italian immigrant Carlo Ponzi to refine and perfect the scheme, which now bears his name.

(You can hear the whole sordid story in the episode "520%": https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/520-percent/)

[orderjackalope]

George Gray Barnard's sculptures have been installed in front of the Pennsylvania State Capitol since 1911… but the story of their creation is a long and tortured one, featuring the strangest act of self-censorship you'll ever see.

https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/cloud-dongs/

Key sources for this episode include Dan Williams' "George Grey Barnard"; Ingrid Steffensen's "Toward an Iconography of a State Capitol: The Art and Architecture of the Pennsylvania State Capitol in Harrisburg"; Ruth Hoover Seitz's Pennsylvania's Capitol; Samuel W. Pennypacker's The Desecration and Profanation of the Pennsylvania Capitol; the catalog of Pennsylvania State University's George Grey Barnard: Centenary Exhibition; the proceedings of the Dedication Ceremonies of the Barnard Statues, State Capitol Building, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Oct 4, 1911; and contemporary newspaper reports.

This week we're promoting our friends the Curiosity of!? -- where a father and son discuss things they are curious about, from science and history to monsters and games. They look at the quirky and unusual from around the world as well as seeking out local history, events, and characters.

I'll be presenting at the Intelligent Speech conference on February 8, 2025! Register now at https://intelligentspeechonline.com/ and get 10% off with the promo code JACKALOPE!

[orderjackalope]

The Sanctified Band was driven from their homes on Chincoteague Island, forced to live in floating arks, and persecuted up and down the Eastern Seaboard… and all they really wanted was freedom to worship as they pleased.

https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/wild-frantics/

Key sources for this episode include Harry J. Collins, Jr. and Floyd L. Hagan, Sr.'s History of Christ's Santified Holy Church; Kirk Mariner's Once Upon an Island: The Story of Chincoteague; Vinson Synan's The Holiness-Pentecostal Movement in the United States; and contemporary newspaper reports.

This week we're promoting our friends @apocrypals -- a podcast where two non-believers read through the Bible but try not to be jerks about it. Join comics writers Benito Cereno and Chris Sims as they journey through the Good Book from Acts to Zephaniah, with stops in the Apocrypha along the way. https://apocrypals.libsyn.com

I'll be presenting at the Intelligent Speech conference on February 8, 2025! Register now at https://intelligentspeechonline.com/ and get 10% off with the promo code JACKALOPE!

Email: [email protected]

Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/orderjackalope.bsky.social

Discord: https://discord.gg/Mbap3UQyCB

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/orderjackalope/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/orderjackalope/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@orderjackalope

Twitter: https://twitter.com/orderjackalope

YouTube: https://youtube.com/@orderjackalope

[orderjackalope]

On This Day (October 20) in 1864, the British "extreme clipper" Sea King stops in Madeira for coaling, where she is sold to the Confederate States of America and transformed into the Confederacy's final commerce raider: the CSS Shenandoah.

For the next year the Shenandoah is the terror of the Seven Seas, capturing dozens of ships and crippling the whaling industry. In one week alone they capture over twenty-five ships in the Arctic Ocean.

Alas most of those prizes are taken after the Confederacy falls, making them illegitimate. The Shenandoah has been just ahead of the news for months, and when it finally catches up to them they have a major freakout.

(We discussed the strange round-the-world voyage of the Shenandoah in the episode "The Sea King." https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/the-sea-king/)

[orderjackalope]

On This Day (October 10) in 1774, a militia commanded by Colonel Andrew Lewis defeats an army of Shawnee braves at the confluence of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers, the site of modern-day Point Pleasant, WV.

The battle rages all day, and Virginians' losses are terrible; some 75 are killed and another 140 are wounded. The Shawnee only lose 40 braves but fail to dislodge the Virginians, who are soon reinforced.

The Battle of Point Pleasant is the only major military action of Lord Dunmore's War, which establishes a fragile peace along the frontier which is then blown up six months later by the start of the American Revolution.

(We discuss Lord Dunmore's War and the Battle of Point Pleasant in "The First Battle of the American Revolution." https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/the-first-battle-of-the-american-revolution/)