Russel Colvin’s Return from the Dead

Russel Colvin’s Return from the Dead

Author: Ben Cutmore May 17, 2023 Duration: 1:10:51
In 1812, in the Manchester settlement of Vermont, a local man named Russell Colvin mysteriously vanished, and despite extensive searches, no trace of him was found. Years later, rumours began to circulate that Russell had been murdered and buried in a cellar on a piece of local farmland. Ghosts were seen, arrests were made, confessions witnessed and convictions completed, before Colvin strolled back into town, dashing the whole thing against the rocks and creating a case that would go on to be remembered for well over a century as “The Manchester Mystery.” SOURCES McFarland, Gerald (1990) The Counterfeit Man. Pantheon Books, NY, USA.   Boorn, Jesse & Boorn, Stephen (1820) Trial of Stephen and Jesse Boorn, for the Murder of Russell Colvin. Fay & Burt, VT, USA.   Sergeant, Leonard (1873) The Trial, Confessions and Conviction of Jesse and Stephen Boorn, for the Murder of Russell Colvin. Journal Book & Job Office, VT, USA.   Manchester Historical Society (1930) Early History of Manchester. The Society, VT, USA.   ------- This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/darkhistories and get on your way to being your best self.   ------- For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at darkhistories.com Support the show by using our link when you sign up to Audible: http://audibletrial.com/darkhistories or visit our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: http://author.to/darkhistories Dark Histories merch is available here: https://bit.ly/3GChjk9 Connect with us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast Or find us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/darkhistories & Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/ Or you can contact us directly via email at contact@darkhistories.com or join our Discord community: https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every two weeks, Ben Cutmore invites you into the shadowy corners of our past, where facts blur with folklore and case files remain stubbornly open. Dark Histories is less a lecture and more an exploration, weaving meticulous research into compelling narratives that linger long after the episode ends. You’ll hear detailed accounts of events that defy easy explanation, from long-forgotten crimes and bizarre hoaxes to oddities that shaped societies. The focus is always on the human stories within these enigmatic tales, told with a careful balance of skepticism and an appreciation for the strange. This isn't just about ghosts or monsters, but the very real, often unsettling peculiarities documented throughout history. Each installment of this podcast feels like piecing together a puzzle where some pieces are forever missing, offering no easy answers but plenty to ponder. It’s for anyone who finds themselves drawn to the edges of the map, where the documented record meets the unexplained. Settle in for a journey through the archives of the bizarre and the unresolved, where every story is a reminder that the past is rarely as simple as it seems.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Dark Histories
Podcast Episodes
Christmas Campfire 2024 (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:28
Hey everyone! Merry Christmas (Eve)! Here is this years Christmas Campfire, or at least the first half of it. Thanks for everyone for taking part, I hope you enjoy some spooky stories and have a wonderful Christmas Day!…
The Life and Hauntings of Violet Tweedale [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:18
The life of Violet Tweedale was one of some fantasy and interest. A Victorian woman, powerful and wealthy in a time when women were not often such, she spent her days writing, socialising and hobnobbing with the elite. D…
The Murderous Life of Dr Thomas Neill Cream (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:21:47
Dr. Thomas Neill Cream, a physician with a respectable facade, became one of the most notorious figures in Victorian London’s dark history. Under the guise of providing medical care, he secretly dispensed deadly doses of…
The Murderous Life of Dr Thomas Neill Cream (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:10
Dr. Thomas Neill Cream, a physician with a respectable facade, became one of the most notorious figures in Victorian London’s dark history. Under the guise of providing medical care, he secretly dispensed deadly doses of…
The Porthole Mystery: James Camb & The Death of Gay Gibson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:34:31
On a misty night in October 1947, the luxury liner Durban Castle sailed smoothly across the dark waves of the Atlantic. Aboard was Gay Gibson, a young actress with dreams of stardom, and James Camb, a steward with a cheq…
Farrant, Manchester & The Highgate Vampire [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:16
In the 1970s, the shadowy depths of Highgate Cemetery, London became the centre of what would go on to become an enduring urban legend. As two men, both with their own views on what the cemetery was hiding, dug deep into…
The Case of Elizabeth Fenning & The Poison Dumplings [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:05
In the streets of Regency London,the young servant, Elizabeth Fenning, faced a sinister charge - attempted murder by poison. Accused of lacing her employer’s dinner with arsenic, the 21-year-old cook quickly found hersel…
The Ghost Hunts of George Albert Smith: Mesmerist & Film Maker [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:05
The life and times of George Albert Smith are not particularly well known. Despite working for several years as a stage hypnotist and psychic, the owner of a popular pleasure park and then eventually a pioneering invento…
Sorcery, Witchcraft & Murder: The Affair of the Poisons [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:14:45
In France during the 17th Century, a string of unexpected deaths lead to a murder inquiry that uncovered the dark practices of a serial poisoner, who had plied her trade in the streets of Paris, using the popular alchemy…
Summer Holiday 2024 - Algernon Blackwood [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:41
This week I'm off on my Summer holiday for a trip in the woods, so what better episode to do than read a few stories from Algernon Blackwood, all about weird woods. What was I thinking... ------- For almost anything, hea…