Hello friends! Welcome to the History Spelunkers Podcast. In this show we delve deep into the bowels of history in order to discover stories of the niche and obscure aspects that are so often forgotten or left out of wider narratives. Whether you are wanting to study up for a trivia competition, or are just listen to some friends talk about strange things, this is the podcast for you! We have everything from space sandwiches and American emperors, to Mormon wars and glowing cats. If any of those sounds interesting to you, hopefully you will join us as we dive down the rabbit hole!
In the thrilling conclusion of our deep dive into the Lincoln Assassination, we focus on the Manhunt for John W. Booth and the other conspirators and their historic trial. Apologies on some of the audio quality for the first couple of minutes and at the very end of of the episode; there were technical difficulties in during editing. Also content warning for description of severe medical wounds.
Shownotes:
Episode art: Lincoln Borne by Loving Hands, oil painting by Carl Berch depicting his eyewitness view of the transporting of President Lincoln's body away from Ford's
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-clouds
Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson
Assassination Vacation by Sarah Vowell
https://fs.blog/lincolns-last-public-address/ (https://fs.blog/lincolns-last-public-address/)
http://livinghistoryofillinois.com/pdf_files/Trial-of-the-Assassins-and-Conspirators-for-the-Murder-of-President-Abraham-Lincoln.pdf (http://livinghistoryofillinois.com/pdf_files/Trial-of-the-Assassins-and-Conspirators-for-the-Murder-of-President-Abraham-Lincoln.pdf)
https://lincolnconspirators.com/the-trial/may-15-1865 (https://lincolnconspirators.com/the-trial/may-15-1865/)
https://www.nps.gov/rich/learn/historyculture/the-trial-of-jefferson-davis-cancelled-february-15-1869.htm
https://www.fjc.gov/history/exhibits/circuit-court-opinions/Case-of-Davis
https://www.nps.gov/drto/learn/historyculture/fort-jefferson.htm
https://drmudd.org/about-dr-mudd/
Presidents Reagan and Carter's letters on the Dr. Mudd situation, on pages 48-60 of https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/public/2023-05/40-744-5752507-019-012-2023.pdf
13 Apr 2026
EP 54: The Lincoln Conspiracy Pt. 1
Welcome back to another episode of History Spelunkers! In today's episode is part one of our in depth discussion about the Lincoln Assassination, and the surrounding conspiracy leading up to the moment John Wilkes Booth pulled the trigger.
Shownotes:
Episode art: Benn Pitman's print of the assassination conspirators, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Episode music special: "The Ballad of Booth" by Stephen Sondheim from the musical Assassins
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-clouds
Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination That Changed America Forever by Bill O'Reilly and Martin Dugard
Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln's Killer by James L. Swanson
20 Jan 2026
EP 53: Mormon Sucession Crisis
In this episode we revisit the Mormons and discuss how their early history caused a series of schisms which led to the plethora of so-called "Mormon denominations". These include presidential debates, a King of Beaver Island, and massive governmental raids!
Shownotes:
https://northernmichiganhistory.com/james-strangs-assassination/ (https://northernmichiganhistory.com/james-strangs-assassination/)
https://gtjournal.tadl.org/2015/the-murder-of-james-jesse-strang-ruler-of-the-mormon-colony-at-beaver-island-1856/ (https://gtjournal.tadl.org/2015/the-murder-of-james-jesse-strang-ruler-of-the-mormon-colony-at-beaver-island-1856/)
Special Thanks to American Zion: A New History of Mormonism; Book by Benjamin Park
Music is an excerpt from "All-American Prophet" from The Book Of Mormon (Original Broadway Cast Recording) (2011) written by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez, Matt Stone.
Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/through-the-clouds
LDS Resource on Polygamy: https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/polygamy-latter-day-saints-and-the-practice-of-plural-marriage
https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/mormons-polygamy/
https://www.sltrib.com/religion/2025/06/02/church-that-traces-back-joseph/
https://kutv.com/news/local/process-begins-to-select-new-church-of-jesus-christ-of-latter-day-saints-leadership
https://youtu.be/W-jrlaqqw00?si=A7KOuIwPqfaSzyHc
https://youtu.be/r1ssF7PV27c?si=M4ydSZ58UlYF6S-9
https://youtu.be/Fiorzo4nOwg?si=I27tylzqrVYFuoGX
https://youtu.be/FtkYSuRY8Jc?si=w1V3au6w0ZBPWEhN
https://youtu.be/aaDm_m9yYRQ?si=6UKiZD8KfD2_idhR
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