The Wild Wild Death

2222 Media, Jack James Busa, Susan Busa Leshner & Leslie Cidale
  • 5.0 (10)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Discover the untold stories of the Wild West with The Wild Wild Death podcast. Dive into gripping tales of unusual deaths, historical tragedies, and the life-threatening dangers faced by pioneers in the 19th century. From bizarre medical mishaps to true crime, we talk about the dark side of frontier life. Perfect for history enthusiasts and true crime fans seeking the wildest stories of the past.

  1. 05/22/2025

    The Death of Charles Bent

    Send us Fan Mail Charles Bent was always in the right place at the right time making the right choices.  And it made him a wealthy and powerful man right up until a cold day in January, 1847, when Bent was – finally - in the wrong place at the wrong time - with no idea of what was coming to his front door.  If you’d like to know more about the history behind this episode of The Wild Wild Death, check out these links: https://www.americanhistorycentral.com/entries/charles-bent/ https://sites.libraries.uta.edu/usmexicowar/topic/taosrevolt#:~:text=On%20January%2019%2C%201847%2C%20Pueblo,of%20collaborating%20with%20U.S.%20force https://www.nps.gov/people/charles-bent.htm https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6669910/silas-bent https://womenoftaos.org/women/profiles-legends?/item/74/Josefa-Carson-and-Ignacia-Bent https://www.legendsofamerica.com/bent-st-vrain-company/ https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/beol-enslavement.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlotte_and_Dick_Green

    22 min

  2. 05/15/2025

    The Hangman

    Send us Fan Mail George Maledon spent decades dropping killers through trapdoors with clinical precision—and total peace of mind. Justice was simple and the mechanics of a hanging were precise. But when the man who killed his daughter got life instead of the noose, Maledon finally called it quits. Turns out, mercy—not murder—was a dealbreaker for the Prince of Hangmen. If you’d like to know more about the history behind this episode of The Wild Wild Death, check out these links:  https://www.legendsofamerica.com/ar-georgemaledon/  https://truewestmagazine.com/article/the-prince-of-hangmen/  ncyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/george-maledon-5748/  https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/george-maledon-5748/  https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/151220571/anna-maledon  https://lawmen.genealogyvillage.com/lawmen/gmdead.htm  https://research.ebsco.com/c/siow6l/viewer/pdf/56t3fmhwqf

    19 min

  3. 05/08/2025

    The Only Law West of the Pecos

    Send us Fan Mail Judge Roy Bean may have been THE LAW west of the Pecos River, but he NEVER followed the rules. If you’d like to learn more about the history behind this episode of The Wild Wild Death, check out these links: History: Scoundrel Bean, bride wed San Fernando - https://www.mysanantonio.com/life/life_columnists/paula_allen/article/History-Scoundrel-Bean-bride-wed-San-Fernando-4392930.php Judge Roy Bean: The Law, the Lies, and Lillie - https://texashighways.com/travel-news/judge-roy-bean-the-law-the-lies-and-lillie-in-langtry/ Looking Back – Judge Roy Bean - https://www.harriscountylawlibrary.org/ex-libris-juris/2017/3/15/looking-back-judge-roy-bean PHOTOS OF THE JERSEY LILLY SALOON –  https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.tx0268.photos?st=gallery

    22 min

  4. 05/01/2025

    The Shoemaker

    Send us Fan Mail During the gold rush of Alder Rush, was Clubfoot George Lane merely a mild-mannered shoemaker with a limp? Or was he part of the notorious road agent gang who called themselves “The Innocents?” If you'd like to know more about the history behind this episode of The Wild Wild Death, check out the following links: THE ROAD AGENTS - https://southwestmt.com/blog/the-road-agents/#:~:text=Brief%20Account%3A%20Originally%20from%20Massachusetts%2C,and%20hang%20him%20as%20well THE VIGILANTES OF MONTANA – https://www.hhhistory.com/2018/06/the-vigilantes-of-montana.htmlCLUBFOOT  GEORGE’S CLUBFOOT - https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/6169#:~:text=Even%20after%2043%20years%2C%20George%27s,and%20straight%20razor  ONE FOOT IN THE PAST - https://westernwriters.org/round-up/ru-april22-vigilantes.pdf#:~:text=as%20%E2%80%9CClubfoot%20George,vicious%20gang%20of%20road%20agents PHOTO OF GEORGE LANE’S FOOT - https://truewestmagazine.com/article/lane-by-a-foot/

    26 min

  5. 04/17/2025

    Freezing with John C. Fremont

    Send us Fan Mail Find out what happened when “The Pathfinder” John C. Fremont loses his way, taking 35 men and 120 mules with him.  If you’d like to know more about the history behind this episode, check out the sources below: Frémont’s Fourth Expedition: A Documentary  Account of the Disaster of 1848–1849 Edited by LeRoy R. Hafen and Ann W. Hafen. Taos County Historical Society – The Lost Men of Frémont (1987)  Pueblo Chieftain – Tragic Expedition (1998)  GJ Sentinel – Disaster Struck When the Pathfinder Got Lost in Colorado (2020) http://backpacker.com/stories/fremonts-wrong-turn/ https://www.nps.gov/grsa/learn/historyculture/john-fremont-expeditions-1848-and-1853.htm

    18 min

  6. 04/10/2025

    Elizabeth Markham says "THE HELL WITH IT!"

    Send us Fan Mail The Oregon Trail was a test of endurance for everyone, but especially for women pioneers. What happens when one woman has had enough? If you'd like to know more of the history behind this episode of The Wild Wild Death, please check out these links: https://www.theresahuppauthor.com/blog/2017/03/22/elizabeth-markham-one-womans-perspective-on-the-oregon-trail-and-on-matrimony/https://www.history.com/news/9-things-you-may-not-know-about-the-oregon-trailhttps://www.grunge.com/1650142/most-brutal-deaths-oregon-trail/https://octa-trails.org/articles/life-and-death-on-the-oregon-trail/?srsltid=AfmBOopVvj_a0djifEfgQhQqBO2DCH4fqK4vWe2ocRSnsTvPL_4Sg0Fahttps://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=SJH18911211.2.34&srpos=2&e=------189-en--20--1--txt-txIN-elizabeth+markham-------1http://www.theragens.com/fifty_years/fifty_years_in_oregon_18-19.htmhttp://www.oregonpioneers.com/diaries.htmhttps://en.wikisource.org/wiki/History_of_Oregon_Literature/Chapter_27https://www.ebsco.com/research-starters/history/edwin-markham

    22 min

  7. 04/03/2025

    Out for Blood: The Taylor-Sutton Feud

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Wild Wild Death, we delve into the harrowing saga of the Sutton-Taylor Feud, a violent clash that tore through Southeast Texas during the Reconstruction era. Starting with a string of deadly encounters between the Taylor family and local lawmen, this feud spiraled into a bloody conflict involving ambushes, assassinations, and even the involvement of Texas Rangers and the notorious gunslinger John Wesley Hardin. By the time the dust settled, over 35 lives had been lost, leaving a trail of death and destruction that would haunt Texas history. Join us as we explore the origins, the battles, and the final bloody resolution of this epic and tragic feud. If you'd like to know more of the history behind this episode of The Wild Wild Death, please check out these links: https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/sutton-taylor-feudhttps://www.legendsofamerica.com/tx-suttontaylor/https://www.frontiertimesmagazine.com/blog/the-taylor-sutton-feud?srsltid=AfmBOopCH3m8CWG4CTKjYpH9L8vDP7EElvp1dHwF-fE_kO2rinyfSSY3Chuck Parsons, The Sutton-Taylor Feud: The Deadliest Blood Feud in Texas (A.C. Greene Series) (UNT Press, 2009)James M. Smallwood, The Feud That Wasn’t: The Taylor Ring, Bill Sutton, John Wesley Hardon, and Violence in Texas (Texas A&M Press, 2008)

    24 min

  8. 03/27/2025

    The Pearl of Cripple Creek

    Send us Fan Mail Pearl Devere was the madam of a very successful and exclusive bordello in Cripple Creek. But even the most savvy of businesswomen can make a fatal miscalculation. If you'd like to know more of the history behind this episode of The Wild Wild Death, please check out these links: ◦                https://www.legendsofamerica.com/co-pearldevere/ ◦                https://usrepresented.com/2023/03/18/pioneer-profiles-pearl-devere/ ◦                https://www.visitcos.com/directory/old-homestead-house-museum/ ◦                https://www.grunge.com/365939/what-you-didnt-know-about-pearl-de-vere/

    24 min
See All (25)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Discover the untold stories of the Wild West with The Wild Wild Death podcast. Dive into gripping tales of unusual deaths, historical tragedies, and the life-threatening dangers faced by pioneers in the 19th century. From bizarre medical mishaps to true crime, we talk about the dark side of frontier life. Perfect for history enthusiasts and true crime fans seeking the wildest stories of the past.

Information

  • Creator
    2222 Media, Jack James Busa, Susan Busa Leshner & Leslie Cidale
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    25
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Wild Wild Death
  • Show Website
    The Wild Wild Death