In this haunting episode of Headlines and Tidbits, we revisit a chilling headline from the Omaha Morning Bee in December 1935: “Slayer Uses Children’s Play Rope to End Lives.” Charles Cobb, a seemingly ordinary husband and father, shocked his Nebraska community when he murdered his wife, two sons, and even the family dog before taking his own life. Through letters he left behind, we uncover the crushing debt, shame, and delusional reasoning that drove him to commit an unthinkable act. We also hear from an Omaha psychiatrist of the time, whose chilling insights strip away Cobb’s self-justification and reveal the dangerous psychology of a “family annihilator.” As always, we’ll close with a quirky tidbit from the past—a 1921 fashion note on how a young woman “should” dress. It’s a sobering journey into history that reminds us how headlines hide entire worlds of human struggle.

In this episode of Headlines and Tidbits, we dive into a bizarre and mysterious headline from The Denver Post in 1921: “City Doctors Dodge Care of Mystery Girl”. A young woman was found wandering the streets of Denver, dazed and confused, with no memory of who she was. She had expensive clothing, a gold watch, and a single embroidered handkerchief—yet no ID. Doctors, authorities, and newspapers scrambled to uncover her true identity. Was she Helen Reed from Montana? Leona Reid from Texas? Or someone else entirely?

Follow the twists and turns of this gripping true story as doctors use controversial “truth tests,” strangers come forward claiming to know her, and a shocking revelation finally uncovers the truth. Plus, stay tuned for the Tidbits segment, where we explore strange and fascinating newspaper clippings from the past.

Welcome to the very first episode of Headlines and Tidbits! Each week, we dig into bizarre, shocking, and fascinating newspaper stories from the past—along with some scandalous and entertaining tidbits you won’t believe were printed!

In this episode, we explore a jaw-dropping headline from The Rocky Mountain News (1911): "Will You Sell Your Tongue? Missouri Girl Needs One and Offers to Buy It." Meet Inez Long, a young woman willing to pay for a tongue graft after a freak accident left her in desperate need of one. How did this wild request unfold? And did she ever find a willing donor?

Plus, we round out the episode with some intriguing tidbits, including emergency calls from 1966 and a piece titled "Walk to Your Meals Like a Man."

Buckle up for a weird, wild, and fascinating journey through the headlines of the past!

Ever come across a newspaper headline so bizarre that you couldn't believe it was real? Headlines like 'Will You Sell Your Tongue? Missouri Girl Needs One and Offers to Buy It.' Well, this is what Headlines and Tidbits is all about: finding the craziest & wackiest headlines from old newspapers. But I’m not just going to read you headlines; that would be weird. Instead, you’ll get the backstory behind the headlines. So, buckle up for a time-traveling adventure filled with laughter, oddities, and a newfound appreciation for the craziness of the past. Subscribe, and let's embark on this journey!