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In addition to being the focus of corporate machinations, the Ouija board has also been invoked in many legal cases and has been featured in pop culture throughout the 20th century. But how does it work, psychologically speaking? Research: “Items Personal and Social.” Denton Journal. January 31, 1891. https://www.newspapers.com/image/7111598/?terms=ouija&match=1 “’Ouija’ Board Her Advisor.” Baltimore Sun. March 26, 1905. https://www.newspapers.com/image/371127794/?terms=ouija&match=1 “Editor ‘Answers.’” Baltimore Evening Sun. August 23, 1911. https://www.newspapers.com/image/365492915/?terms=ouija&match=1 French, Chris. “The Unseen Force That Drives Ouija Boards and Fake Bomb Detectors.” The Guardian. April 27, 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/apr/27/ouija-boards-dowsing-rods-bomb-detectors “Ouija Killer Sentenced.” Spokesman-Review. July 9, 1934. https://www.newspapers.com/image/567588953/?terms=%22dorothea%20irene%20turley%22&match=1 Clark, A. Campbell. “Automatic Writing. V.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 1, no. 1723, 1894, pp. 37–37. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20226992 “Ouija Board Maker Killed.” Evening Journal (Wilmington, Delaware). Feb. 25, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/image/160190008/?terms=%22william%20fuld%22&match=1&clipping_id=99079163 Goodman, Edgar. “Pedigree of the ‘Witch Board.’” Omaha Daily News. June 13, 1920. https://www.newspapers.com/image/738037975/?terms=%22Fuld%20vs.%20Fuld%22&match=1 “Charge of Witch Hunting Enters Assault Case – Indian Woman is Accused of Attack With Hammer.” The Buffalo News. Oct. 26, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/image/838894818/?terms=%22lila%20Jimerson%22&match=1 Waxman, Olivia B. “Ouija: Origin of Evil and the True History of the Ouija Board.” TIME. Oct. 21, 2016. https://time.com/4529861/ouija-board-history-origin-of-evil/ Cassie, Ron. “Not Dead Yet.” Baltimore Mgazine. https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/artsentertainment/the-dark-and-fascinating-history-of-the-ouija-board-baltimore-origins/ “OUIJA!” The Norfolk Landmark. January 29, 1891. https://www.newspapers.com/image/604944772/?terms=ouija&match=1&clipping_id=99064762 “The New ‘Planchet.’” Chicago Tribune. April 3, 1886. https://www.newspapers.com/image/349738032/?terms=%22talking%20board%22&match=1&clipping_id=99068585 “The President’s ‘Witch Board.’” New York Times. June 16, 1886. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1886/06/16/109786158.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 McRobbie, Linda Rodriguez. “The Strange and Mysterious History of the Ouija Board.” Smithsonian. October 27, 2013. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-strange-and-mysterious-history-of-the-ouija-board-5860627/ “True Stories of the Supernatural, Told by Readers of the Sun.” The Baltimore Sun. February 14, 1909. https://www.newspapers.com/image/371064146/?terms=ouija&match=1 “Lie is Passed to Ouija, and By a Woman!” Chicago Tribune. Jan. 25, 1921. https://www.newspapers.com/image/355093958/?terms=ouija&match=1 Connoly, James P. “Ouija board boom on? Yes, Says Ouija Board.” Baltimore Evening Sun. May 18, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/369642710/ “William Fuld Made $1,000,000 on Ouija Board But Has No Faith in It.” Baltimore Sun. July 4, 1920. https://www.newspapers.com/image/372844631/?terms=William%20Fuld&match=1&clipping_id=99076192 “Partners at Odds.” Baltimore Sun. Dec. 5, 1901. https://www.newspapers.com/image/365328757/?terms=%22William%20Fuld%22&match=1 Rensink, Ronald A., et al. “Expression of nonconscious knowledge via ideomotor actions.” Consciousness and Cognition. February 2012. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221872925_Expression_of_nonconscious_knowledge_via_ideomotor_actions/download Murch, Robert. WilliamFuld.com. https://www.williamfuld.com/index.html “The Ouija Craze.” Catoctin Clarion. January 22, 1891. https://www.newspapers.com/image/339101621/?terms=ouija&match=1&clipping_id=99064534 “Ouija-board Will Rejected by Supreme Court.” Newport Daily Express. Aug. 12, 1938. https://www.newspapers.com/image/659566078/?terms=Helen%20Dow%20Peck&match=1 “Former Beauty is Convicted.” Arizona Republic. June 11, 1934. https://www.newspapers.com/image/117191175/?terms=irene%20turley&match=1 “Blame Ouija Board for Parent’s Death.” Bristol Herald Courier. Dec. 23, 1933. https://www.newspapers.com/image/585774218/?terms=irene%20turley&match=1 “Girl Kills Her Dad to Let Her Ma Wed Lover.” The Independent-Rcord. Dec. 27, 1933. https://www.newspapers.com/image/528011403/?terms=irene%20turley&match=1 “Aged Ouija Board Murderess Planning Insanity Defense.” Daily News. March 16, 1930. https://www.newspapers.com/image/412836335/?terms=ouija&match=1 Rogers, Donald. “Fickle Ouija Board Deserts Its Victim.” Oakland Tribune. July 22, 1934. https://www.newspapers.com/image/106298034/?terms=irene%20turley&match=1 Eberle, Scott G., Ph.D. “The Ouija Board Explained.” Psychology Today. May 16, 2012. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/play-in-mind/201205/the-ouija-board-explained Olson JA, Jeyanesan E, Raz A. “Ask the pendulum: personality predictors of ideomotor performance. Neurosci Conscious.” National Library of Medicine. Aug. 2, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5858027/ D’Agostino, Thomas. “Helen Dow Peck’s Amazing Will.” The Yankee Express. Dec. 18, 2020. https://www.theyankeexpress.com/2020/12/18/341774/helen-dow-peck-s-amazing-will See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

26 Okt 202241min

The rise of the Ouija board in North America involves corporate intrigue, family betrayal, a lot of litigation, and very little spiritualism. Today’s episode covers how “talking boards” went from divination tool to big business. Research:  “Items Personal and Social.” Denton Journal. January 31, 1891. https://www.newspapers.com/image/7111598/?terms=ouija&match=1 “’Ouija’ Board Her Advisor.” Baltimore Sun. March 26, 1905. https://www.newspapers.com/image/371127794/?terms=ouija&match=1 “Editor ‘Answers.’” Baltimore Evening Sun. August 23, 1911. https://www.newspapers.com/image/365492915/?terms=ouija&match=1 French, Chris. “The Unseen Force That Drives Ouija Boards and Fake Bomb Detectors.” The Guardian. April 27, 2013. https://www.theguardian.com/science/2013/apr/27/ouija-boards-dowsing-rods-bomb-detectors “Ouija Killer Sentenced.” Spokesman-Review. July 9, 1934. https://www.newspapers.com/image/567588953/?terms=%22dorothea%20irene%20turley%22&match=1 Clark, A. Campbell. “Automatic Writing. V.” The British Medical Journal, vol. 1, no. 1723, 1894, pp. 37–37. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20226992 “Ouija Board Maker Killed.” Evening Journal (Wilmington, Delaware). Feb. 25, 1927. https://www.newspapers.com/image/160190008/?terms=%22william%20fuld%22&match=1&clipping_id=99079163 Goodman, Edgar. “Pedigree of the ‘Witch Board.’” Omaha Daily News. June 13, 1920. https://www.newspapers.com/image/738037975/?terms=%22Fuld%20vs.%20Fuld%22&match=1 “Charge of Witch Hunting Enters Assault Case – Indian Woman is Accused of Attack With Hammer.” The Buffalo News. Oct. 26, 1932. https://www.newspapers.com/image/838894818/?terms=%22lila%20Jimerson%22&match=1 Waxman, Olivia B. “Ouija: Origin of Evil and the True History of the Ouija Board.” TIME. Oct. 21, 2016. https://time.com/4529861/ouija-board-history-origin-of-evil/ Cassie, Ron. “Not Dead Yet.” Baltimore Mgazine. https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/artsentertainment/the-dark-and-fascinating-history-of-the-ouija-board-baltimore-origins/ “OUIJA!” The Norfolk Landmark. January 29, 1891. https://www.newspapers.com/image/604944772/?terms=ouija&match=1&clipping_id=99064762 “The New ‘Planchet.’” Chicago Tribune. April 3, 1886. https://www.newspapers.com/image/349738032/?terms=%22talking%20board%22&match=1&clipping_id=99068585 “The President’s ‘Witch Board.’” New York Times. June 16, 1886. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1886/06/16/109786158.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 McRobbie, Linda Rodriguez. “The Strange and Mysterious History of the Ouija Board.” Smithsonian. October 27, 2013. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-strange-and-mysterious-history-of-the-ouija-board-5860627/ “True Stories of the Supernatural, Told by Readers of the Sun.” The Baltimore Sun. February 14, 1909. https://www.newspapers.com/image/371064146/?terms=ouija&match=1 “Lie is Passed to Ouija, and By a Woman!” Chicago Tribune. Jan. 25, 1921. https://www.newspapers.com/image/355093958/?terms=ouija&match=1 Connoly, James P. “Ouija board boom on? Yes, Says Ouija Board.” Baltimore Evening Sun. May 18, 1944. https://www.newspapers.com/image/369642710/ “William Fuld Made $1,000,000 on Ouija Board But Has No Faith in It.” Baltimore Sun. July 4, 1920. https://www.newspapers.com/image/372844631/?terms=William%20Fuld&match=1&clipping_id=99076192 “Partners at Odds.” Baltimore Sun. Dec. 5, 1901. https://www.newspapers.com/image/365328757/?terms=%22William%20Fuld%22&match=1 Rensink, Ronald A., et al. “Expression of nonconscious knowledge via ideomotor actions.” Consciousness and Cognition. February 2012. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/221872925_Expression_of_nonconscious_knowledge_via_ideomotor_actions/download Murch, Robert. WilliamFuld.com. https://www.williamfuld.com/index.html “The Ouija Craze.” Catoctin Clarion. January 22, 1891. https://www.newspapers.com/image/339101621/?terms=ouija&match=1&clipping_id=99064534 “Ouija-board Will Rejected by Supreme Court.” Newport Daily Express. Aug. 12, 1938. https://www.newspapers.com/image/659566078/?terms=Helen%20Dow%20Peck&match=1 “Former Beauty is Convicted.” Arizona Republic. June 11, 1934. https://www.newspapers.com/image/117191175/?terms=irene%20turley&match=1 “Blame Ouija Board for Parent’s Death.” Bristol Herald Courier. Dec. 23, 1933. https://www.newspapers.com/image/585774218/?terms=irene%20turley&match=1 “Girl Kills Her Dad to Let Her Ma Wed Lover.” The Independent-Rcord. Dec. 27, 1933. https://www.newspapers.com/image/528011403/?terms=irene%20turley&match=1 “Aged Ouija Board Murderess Planning Insanity Defense.” Daily News. March 16, 1930. https://www.newspapers.com/image/412836335/?terms=ouija&match=1 Rogers, Donald. “Fickle Ouija Board Deserts Its Victim.” Oakland Tribune. July 22, 1934. https://www.newspapers.com/image/106298034/?terms=irene%20turley&match=1 Eberle, Scott G., Ph.D. “The Ouija Board Explained.” Psychology Today. May 16, 2012. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/play-in-mind/201205/the-ouija-board-explained Olson JA, Jeyanesan E, Raz A. “Ask the pendulum: personality predictors of ideomotor performance. Neurosci Conscious.” National Library of Medicine. Aug. 2, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5858027/ D’Agostino, Thomas. “Helen Dow Peck’s Amazing Will.” The Yankee Express. Dec. 18, 2020. https://www.theyankeexpress.com/2020/12/18/341774/helen-dow-peck-s-amazing-will See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

24 Okt 202232min

This 2014 episode covers the 1930 vanishing of Joseph Force Crater. His missing person cases has fueled decades of speculation about what exactly happened to the New York State Supreme Court justice.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 Okt 202226min

Holly and Tracy talk about the prediction of Houdini's death, and Rose Mackenberg's abundant bravado. They also discuss the long road the movie 'Till" took to get to the screen, and the film's careful handling of Mamie and Emmett's story. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 Okt 202218min

The movie "Till" tells the story of Mamie Till-Mobley and her son Emmett. Actor Jalyn Hall and director Chinonye Chukwu talked with the podcast about the research and planning that went into bringing this important historical event to life.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19 Okt 202229min

Rose Mackenberg spent decades working to uncover fraud taking place in the name of Spiritualism, first working for Houdini, and then on her own. In her work, she said she received messages from 1,000 dead husbands that never existed. Research: “Says Lawmakers Consult Mediums.” New York Times. Feb. 27, 1926. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1926/02/27/98846926.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0 “Houdini to Appear.” Evening Star. Feb. 21, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/image/618515204/?fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjYxODUxNTIwNCwiaWF0IjoxNjYzNTk5MzU4LCJleHAiOjE2NjM2ODU3NTh9.B3_XUq4J-qd4aqWqqKe1SI5DVkQq6h7mOHCD_T8D-LY Edwards, Gavin. “Overlooked No More: Rose Mackenberg, Houdini’s Secret ‘Ghost-Buster.’” New York Times. Dec. 6, 2019. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/06/obituaries/rose-mackenberg-overlooked.html Williamson, E.W. “Spirit Fakers of City Fatten on War Grief.” Chicago Tribune. Aug. 5, 1945. https://www.newspapers.com/image/371848849 Mackenberg, Rose. “Her Business Is Exposing Spirit Fakers.” St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Sept. 12, 1937. https://www.newspapers.com/image/legacy/138984895/?clipping_id=81525804&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjEzODk4NDg5NSwiaWF0IjoxNjYzNTk4NjcxLCJleHAiOjE2NjM2ODUwNzF9.9dPqyrWvZ5eDs0bMQcmYOXPCMJwJQN1mN2tz1KdgctQ “Houdini Urges Bill to Curb Mediums.” Evening Star. Feb. 26, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/image/618515404/?clipping_id=81527215 Hartman, William C. “Hartmann’s Who’s Who in Occult, Psychic and Spiritual Realms.” 1925. http://www.ehbritten.org/docs/1925_hartmann_whos_who_in_occult_psychic_and_spiritual_realms_r.pdf “Christ Coming in 2,000, Says Pastor.” Inidianapolis Star. Dec. 1, 1924. https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46052740/christ-coming-in-2000-says-pastor/ Lee, Karen. “The Astonishing Adventures of Houdini’s Favorite Detective.” Newspapers.com. July 20, 2021. https://blog.newspapers.com/astonishing-adventures-of-houdinis-favorite-detective/ Welshimer, Helen. “Made a Frump out of Herself to Expose the Fake Mediums.” Ogden Standard Examiner. Aug. 15, 1937. https://www.newspapers.com/image/596893320/?terms=Rose%20Mackenberg&match=1 “Pastor Defends Klan.” Indianapolis News. Oct. 2, 1922. https://www.newspapers.com/image/39565036/? “HINTS OF SEANCES AT WHITE HOUSE.” New York Times. May 19, 1926. https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1926/05/19/98379175.html?pageNumber=26 “Magician Pulls Local Minister Out of Audience.” Indianapolis Star. October 13, 1925. https://www.newspapers.com/image/104820857/?terms=%22Magician%20Pulls%20Local%20Minister%22&match=1 “’Not Interested,” Say Coolidges of Spiritualism.” Atlanta Constitution. May 19, 1926. https://www.newspapers.com/image/397965606 Mackenberg, Rose. “When Crime Poses as Spiritualism.” San Francisco Examiner. March 12, 1939. https://www.newspapers.com/image/458113189/ Polidoro, Massimo. “Final Seance: The Strange Friendship Between Houdini and Conan Doyle.” Prometheus Books. 2010. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

17 Okt 202238min

This 2009 episode from previous hosts Katie and Sarah covers Harry Houdini, once known as the world's greatest magician. Houdini's reputation still resonates with modern fans of illusion and magic. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

15 Okt 202227min

Tracy and Holly discuss WWII submarine warfare as it related to Helen Duncan’s story. Tracy also shares her experience visiting the Mütter Museum when it was hosting an exhibit titled “Imperfecta.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

14 Okt 202219min