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cover of episode THE MURDEROUS HARPE BROTHERS: A Reign of Terror By America’s First Serial Killers

THE MURDEROUS HARPE BROTHERS: A Reign of Terror By America’s First Serial Killers

2025/6/12
logo of podcast Weird Darkness: Stories of the Paranormal, Supernatural, Legends, Lore, Mysterious, Macabre, Unsolved

Weird Darkness: Stories of the Paranormal, Supernatural, Legends, Lore, Mysterious, Macabre, Unsolved

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Darren Marlar
专业声优和播客主持人,创办并主持《Weird Darkness》播客,获得多项播客和广播奖项。
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Darren Marlar: 我讲述了哈普兄弟的故事,他们是18世纪末肯塔基边境的连环杀手。他们的残暴行径甚至让那些铁石心肠的歹徒都感到厌恶。他们不分青红皂白地杀害任何挡路的人,包括妇女和儿童。其中一个兄弟甚至残忍地将自己哭闹的婴儿女儿的头撞在树上,仅仅因为她哭闹让他心烦。他们的犯罪行为包括盗窃牲畜、谋杀、抢劫过路的船只,以及对受害者进行残忍的肢解和抛尸。他们的恶行最终引起了执法部门的注意,并在一次追捕中被击毙。小哈普后来也因参与犯罪活动而被处决。他们的故事是美国早期边境地区无法无天和暴力的一个缩影。

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The Harpe brothers, Joshua and William, terrorized the Kentucky and Illinois frontier in the 1790s. They indiscriminately killed anyone in their path, even women and children, culminating in the heinous murder of Big Harp's own infant daughter. Their killing spree finally ended with the capture and death of both brothers.
  • Harpe brothers terrorized the frontier
  • indiscriminate killings of women and children
  • murder of Big Harp's daughter
  • capture and death of both brothers

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In the lawless Kentucky frontier of the 1790s, two brothers unleashed a reign of terror so savage that even hardened outlaws were sickened by their bloodlust—culminating in an act so heinous that one brother murdered his own crying infant daughter by smashing her head against a tree.Join the DARKNESS SYNDICATE: https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate)ABOUT WEIRD DARKNESS: Weird Darkness is a true crime and paranormal podcast narrated by professional award-winning voice actor, Darren Marlar. Seven days per week, Weird Darkness focuses on all thing strange and macabre such as haunted locations, unsolved mysteries, true ghost stories, supernatural manifestations, urban legends, unsolved or cold case murders, conspiracy theories, and more. On Thursdays, this scary stories podcast features horror fiction along with the occasional creepypasta. Weird Darkness has been named one of the “Best 20 Storytellers in Podcasting” by Podcast Business Journal. Listeners have described the show as a cross between “Coast to Coast” with Art Bell, “The Twilight Zone” with Rod Serling, “Unsolved Mysteries” with Robert Stack, and “In Search Of” with Leonard Nimoy.DISCLAIMER: Ads heard during the podcast that are not in my voice are placed by third party agencies outside of my control and should not imply an endorsement by Weird Darkness or myself. *** Stories and content in Weird Darkness can be disturbing for some listeners and intended for mature audiences only. Parental discretion is strongly advised.IN THIS EPISODE: Are ghosts and shadow people the same thing? Author Jacob Shelton doesn’t think so – and gives us an in-depth essay behind his reasoning. (Ghosts And Shadows) *** In September, 1935, the Labor Day Hurricane obliterated the Florida Keys, killing hundreds.  Even today, more than 83 years later, skeletal remains still continue to occasionally be found… as do some of their ghosts.  (Ghosts Of The Labor Day Hurricane) *** Nathaniel Bar-Jonah was accused of murdering a child. Soon, his neighbors remembered the strange meat he'd given them years before.  (Child Killer and Cannibal) *** Was the notorious Dr Crippen, convicted and executed in 1910 for the murder of his wife Cora, actually innocent? (Dr. Crippen and the Chamber of Murder and Horror) *** Two women decide to move into a flat together – but quickly find out they might have a paranormal third roommate they didn’t know about. (The Other Flatmate) *** In the wild frontier of the 1790s, Americans had much to be worried about.  Drought, famine, being injured with no one there to get help for you, poisonous snakes, hungry wolves, even being scalped by bloodthirsty natives of the land.  But nothing was so scary as… the Harpe brothers.  You see, the Harpe brothers didn’t choose their victims – they simply killed anyone who got in their way, including women and children. (Two of the Outlaws of Cave-In Rock) *** “The Witch in My Dream” *** “The Old Hag” *** “The Aunt and the TV” *** “The Phone Call” *** “The Terrifying Vision of a Hanging Man” *** “The Tugging Ghost of Alabama” *** “The Return of the Living Dead” *** “The Sinister Dark Shadows That Haunt My Life” *** “A Thrill From Contacting The Dead” *** "Haunted Road" *** "Greenville’s Haunted Herdklotz Park" *** "Kitchen Poltergeist" *** "Lifted Off His Feet" *** "The Strange Tale of the Italian Bride - The Haunting Story of Julia Buccola Petta" *** "Castle of the White Lady"CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…(Sorry, this information has been lost over time.)SOURCES AND RESOURCES FROM THE EPISODE…(Sorry, sources for many of the stories in this episode have been lost over time.)“Ghosts and Shadows” by Jacob Shelton”: http://ow.ly/QWtJ30m1gGF)“Child Killer and Cannibal” by Wyatt Redd: http://ow.ly/w3LT30m1fSy)“Ghosts Of The Labor Day Hurricane” posted at Ghosts N Ghouls: http://ow.ly/ZsTX30m1gcb)“Dr. Crippen and the Chamber of Murder and Horror” posted at The Unredacted: http://ow.ly/MsGr30m1fx1)“The Harpe Brothers: Two Of The Outlaws Of Cave-In Rock” by Troy Taylor: http://ow.ly/hk4930m1fy1)“The Other Flatmate” by Jubeele: http://ow.ly/wSxJ30m1fzu)=====(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2025, Weird Darkness.=====Originally aired: September 29, 2018EPISODE PAGE at WeirdDarkness.com (includes list of sources): https://weirddarkness.com/HarpeBros)