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Clip of the Week: November 13, 2024
On November 13, 2024 by ElyseThis is what happens when you hire Florida Man as your attorney: Attorney William F. Koegler had been acting as special prosecutor in the Miami (Florida) Court of Crimes all the week. Then he changed his role and defended a youth charged with stealing a watch. He ended his speech to the jury with the
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Tabloid Typecasting
On October 16, 2024 by ElyseLongtime Second Glance History readers no doubt remember what happens when Americans go abroad. (Reminder: They get accused of being German spies.) But what does the rest of the world think of Americans back home? While the answer to that question is as varied as the people responding, the results of my unscientific, niche survey of 19th- and
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Clip of the Week: September 18, 2024
On September 18, 2024 by ElyseWe all have that one friend who takes the joke too far: A singular and amusing case came up at Dublin Police-court on Saturday, a clerk, named Thomas Summer, being charged with handcuffing Richard M’Cormack. The evidence showed that the prisoner and a friend visited the Tivoli Music-hall on the previous evening, and there witnessed
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Jail Bail Fail
On May 29, 2024 by ElyseWarrior Run, Pennsylvania was piloting an open prison concept before it was cool: Breaking out of jail at Warrior Run to engage a lawyer to defend them at their trial, Joseph Widemsky and John Prolesky made a new record in escapes. After getting out by prying open the bars on their cell door and squeezing
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Clip of the Week: April 17, 2024
On April 17, 2024 by ElyseYou’ve heard of the movie “Death at a Funeral,” but what about “Arrest at a Funeral?” While conducting a funeral in Woodgrane Park Cemetery, Joseph Barker, an undertaker, of Shoreditch, was arrested. Yesterday he was charged at Lambeth with feloniously receiving three pairs of feather plumes and three pairs of horse velvets, well knowing them
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How to Make a Citizen’s Arrest
On January 10, 2024 by ElyseWe’ve all been there: the guy sitting next to you on the bus isn’t wearing deodorant; you’re rushing to check out at the store, but there’s a Karen in front of you; or my personal hell, someone is walking too slowly on the sidewalk ahead of you. Who you gonna call? Not the Ghostbusters—you’ll have
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Mind Your Manners
On October 18, 2023 by Elyse“Manners easily and rapidly mature into morals,” the politician Horace Mann is said to have declared. While the stories below suggest otherwise, there’s no denying that good manners can make all the difference in just about any situation. If you follow the etiquette you (hopefully) learned in preschool, you’ll go far—into the judicial system, that
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Crêpe and Punishcake
On June 28, 2023 by ElyseWhat’s better for defending your home than an assault rifle? Why, a-syrup rifle, of course! A Paris message says: An elderly lady, Mme. Mouillebois, was engaged in frying pancakes in her rooms in the Rue de la Maison Blance on Saturday, when she was alarmed by hearing the door of her flat open. A man
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CSI: Valencia
On June 14, 2023 by ElyseSunscreen? ✔ Duolingo app for Spanish? ✔ The song “O Valencia!” on repeat? ✔ Crime scene investigation kit? X Doh, I knew I was forgetting to pack something. Fortunately for me, I’m in good hands, er, paws on my weekend jaunt with the Valencian Lassie. The sagacity of a dog has brought to justice a