For Kentucky, it was the crime of the 19th century. On December 23rd, 1881, just before Christmas, a home in Ashland, Kentucky, became the scene of a premeditated and brutal act of staggering evil. Three teenagers were murdered. What followed was a storm of missteps, red herrings, mob violence, political maneuvering, and a governor’s defiant stand that would turn the case into a national spectacle.

In this episode, Alfred Dockery is joined by Professor Kevin McQueen, author of "Murder in Old Kentucky: True Crime Stories from the Bluegrass," to unravel the dark and complex tale of the Ashland Tragedy. We explore the botched initial suspect, the shocking confession, a dramatic riverboat chase on the Ohio, a deadly militia shooting, and the legacy of a case that remains one of Kentucky’s most infamous crimes.

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Murder in Old Kentucky (Amazon)