Elijah Hail
Jordan, Alex, and James are again joined in the studio by 64 Parish's Senior Managing Editor and Country Roads' former Arts & Entertainment Editor Chris Turner-Neal—this time, to unpack the gory facts (and lore) surrounding three historic Louisiana serial killers: Euzebe Vidrine of Acadiana, The Axeman of New Orleans; and Southwest Louisiana's Clementine Barnabet.
Reading List
Here, find articles that we either mentioned in the episode, or that we think might enrich and/or further the conversations we had.
The Life (and Death) of Euzebe Vidrine
By Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
The only public hanging ever held in Evangeline Parish
Jordan LaHaye Fontenot
The cover of Euzebe Vidrine's memoir, "The Life of Euzebe Vidrine"
The Axeman of New Orleans
By Alexandra Kennon
The history behind the Crescent City's unsolved axe murders of the early twentieth century
Image courtesy of the Historic New Orleans Collection, Acc. No. 2008.0052.
The cover of Joseph John Davilla's sheet music for "The Axman's Jazz (Don't Scare Me Papa)," inspired by the deadly attacks and released in 1919.
Oh My Darling, Clementine
By Chris Turner-Neal
Nineteen murders, a death cult, and a wild confession
Clippings from various newspapers across the country—including the Muskogee Times-Democrat, Austin-American Statesman, the Atlanta Constitution, the Shreveport Times, the Long Beach Telegram, New Jersey’s Daily Record, the Belvidere Daily Republican, The Crowley Post-Signal, and The Times-Democrat—covering the many murders of African American families, which were associated with Barnabet, as well as her own legal proceedings, during the timeframe of 1910-1912.
Read the entirety of our October 2022 Myths & Legends issue here.
October 2022
Other Myths & Legends content:
Strange Sightings in the Gulf Coast Region
By Alexandra Kennon, various
Monsters, cryptids, and other legends of the Bayou State—or are they legends at all?
Neil Rosenstech
Evangeline Endures
By Lauren Heffker
Deconstructing Louisiana's most beloved literary legend
George Rodrigue. Courtesy of Rodrigue Studio.
“Virtual Reality,” 1992. Oil on linen. 24 x 20 Inches. Private Collection.
Of Myths and Legends
By Ed Cullen
Rougarous, Loup-garous, and Sackabillies too
JR Korpa
Murder, She Rewrote
By Lucie Monk-Carter
Another look inside Goat Castle finds justice for its victims
Courtesy of Karen L. Cox.
Emily Burns (second row, far left) is the only person who went to jail for the 1932 murder of Jane Surget Merrill, despite evidence that more parties were involved.
One Man, One Gun, One Bullet?
By John Wirt
With ample evidence, Ernie Gremillion hopes to clear the name of Huey Long's alleged killer
Lucie Monk Carter
Ernie Gremillion (above) believes an innocent man was convicted of killing Sen. Huey Long (top).
Chupacabra Macabre
By Lucile Bayon Hume
From Spanish chupar (to suck) and cabra (goat), the name christens a beast that sucks in the vernacular as well as the literal
Illustration by David Norwood
The Pascagoula Abduction
By Alexandra Kennon
Nearly 50 years after becoming one of the most credible alien abductees in history, Calvin Parker shares his story
Illustration by Burton Durand
Cheniere Caminada's "Great October Storm"
By Christie Matherne Hall
The surprise hurricane that carried away a community
Photo by Christie Matherne Hall
Cheniere Caminada Cemetery
The Cheniere Caminada cemetery is a haunting reminder of the devastating hurricane that wiped out that community in 1893.
Other content referenced in the episode:
The Axeman of New Orleans: The True Story by Miriam C. Davis
Southern Mysteries Podcast Episode 79: Serial Killer Euzebe Vidrine
The Man from the Train: Discovering America's Most Elusive Serial Killer by Bill James and Rachel McCarthy James
Episode Ephemera
Alexandra Kennon
Hosts Jordan LaHaye Fontenot, James Fox-Smith, Alexandra Kennon, and Chris Turner-Neal in the East Baton Rouge Parish River Center Branch Library recording studio just prior to recording this episode.
