1 00:00:01,502 --> 00:00:03,253 On this episode of "Expedition Files"... 2 00:00:04,630 --> 00:00:05,838 [hawk screeches] 3 00:00:05,839 --> 00:00:08,382 Meriwether Lewis lives a life of acclaim 4 00:00:08,383 --> 00:00:10,885 as one of America's greatest explorers 5 00:00:10,886 --> 00:00:13,222 leading the Lewis and Clark expedition. 6 00:00:14,431 --> 00:00:17,059 When he dies by apparent suicide... 7 00:00:17,184 --> 00:00:18,684 [woman] Oh, my God! 8 00:00:18,685 --> 00:00:20,562 [Josh] ...many are in disbelief, 9 00:00:20,687 --> 00:00:22,814 wondering if it was, in fact, murder. 10 00:00:24,942 --> 00:00:27,194 Now we share the tragic truth. 11 00:00:29,029 --> 00:00:32,741 Then, in 1961, leader of the United Nations, 12 00:00:32,866 --> 00:00:36,702 Dag Hammarskjöld is on a peace mission to a war zone when 13 00:00:36,703 --> 00:00:38,955 his plane mysteriously crashes. 14 00:00:38,956 --> 00:00:40,414 [explosion blasts] 15 00:00:40,415 --> 00:00:42,876 The official account says this was an accident, 16 00:00:43,001 --> 00:00:44,961 but recently uncovered evidence 17 00:00:44,962 --> 00:00:47,506 suggests something much more sinister. 18 00:00:49,091 --> 00:00:50,424 [gavel bangs] 19 00:00:50,425 --> 00:00:53,928 And New York Supreme Court Judge Joseph Crater is riding 20 00:00:53,929 --> 00:00:58,558 high as the toast of 1930s Manhattan, but then suddenly 21 00:00:58,559 --> 00:00:59,768 disappears forever. 22 00:01:01,937 --> 00:01:06,065 A century later, long-hidden evidence suggests the true fate 23 00:01:06,066 --> 00:01:07,568 of the person once known 24 00:01:07,693 --> 00:01:09,695 as the "Missingest Man in New York." 25 00:01:13,615 --> 00:01:15,075 In the corridors of time... 26 00:01:17,578 --> 00:01:20,289 are mysteries that defy explanation. 27 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,335 Now, I'm traveling through history itself... 28 00:01:28,171 --> 00:01:29,673 on a search for the truth. 29 00:01:32,134 --> 00:01:33,135 New evidence. 30 00:01:35,137 --> 00:01:36,263 Shocking answers. 31 00:01:38,265 --> 00:01:39,266 I'm Josh Gates. 32 00:01:40,601 --> 00:01:41,602 And these... 33 00:01:43,895 --> 00:01:45,564 are my "Expedition Files." 34 00:01:50,611 --> 00:01:54,196 Colonel Mustard in the study with the candlestick. 35 00:01:54,197 --> 00:01:56,158 Who doesn't love the board game, Clue? 36 00:01:56,283 --> 00:01:58,326 There's nothing more satisfying than solving 37 00:01:58,327 --> 00:02:00,954 a clear-cut case of whodunit. 38 00:02:01,079 --> 00:02:03,289 But once you're outside of the world's most dangerous 39 00:02:03,290 --> 00:02:07,461 mansion, solving whodunits is sadly far from simple. 40 00:02:07,586 --> 00:02:10,796 But tonight, we'll try to play the real-world blame game 41 00:02:10,797 --> 00:02:14,550 anyway, rolling the dice to work out who's responsible in 42 00:02:14,551 --> 00:02:16,970 three historic murder mysteries. 43 00:02:17,095 --> 00:02:19,013 Hopefully, it won't be Miss Scarlet. 44 00:02:19,014 --> 00:02:20,182 She's my favorite. 45 00:02:20,307 --> 00:02:23,809 We begin in 1809, in the dead of night, 46 00:02:23,810 --> 00:02:26,104 outside a Tennessee roadside inn. 47 00:02:27,147 --> 00:02:30,692 The wilderness is quiet, but then the calm is broken 48 00:02:30,817 --> 00:02:33,362 by the desperate calls of a dying man. 49 00:02:33,487 --> 00:02:35,029 Help! 50 00:02:35,030 --> 00:02:36,572 Water, please! 51 00:02:36,573 --> 00:02:39,534 This is Meriwether Lewis, famed explorer from 52 00:02:39,660 --> 00:02:42,996 the Lewis and Clark expedition, and he's just been shot. 53 00:02:43,121 --> 00:02:46,248 Was he robbed, assassinated, or are his two 54 00:02:46,249 --> 00:02:48,751 gunshot wounds self-inflicted? 55 00:02:48,752 --> 00:02:51,672 He struggles back inside his cabin, where he will soon 56 00:02:51,797 --> 00:02:53,382 succumb to his fate. 57 00:02:53,507 --> 00:02:57,218 And with no witnesses and no arrests, conspiracy theories 58 00:02:57,219 --> 00:03:01,348 surrounding his death will linger for over 200 years, 59 00:03:01,473 --> 00:03:05,227 that is, until 2025, when a research team claims 60 00:03:05,352 --> 00:03:08,563 they have definitively explained the mysterious death 61 00:03:08,689 --> 00:03:10,649 of one of America's great heroes. 62 00:03:18,281 --> 00:03:19,408 [hawk screeches] 63 00:03:20,867 --> 00:03:24,620 Growing up on his stepfather's estate in rural Georgia, 64 00:03:24,621 --> 00:03:28,208 Meriwether Lewis spends his early years not in school, 65 00:03:28,333 --> 00:03:31,627 but instead mastering the skills of an outdoorsman, 66 00:03:31,628 --> 00:03:34,423 fostering a lifelong love of natural history. 67 00:03:37,676 --> 00:03:42,221 In 1795, at the age of 21, he joins the army. 68 00:03:42,222 --> 00:03:44,891 It's here that he first meets and forges a bond with 69 00:03:45,016 --> 00:03:47,728 his future partner, William Clark. 70 00:03:47,853 --> 00:03:51,397 The two men serve together on the Western frontier. 71 00:03:51,398 --> 00:03:53,400 Lewis rises to the rank of captain 72 00:03:53,525 --> 00:03:57,278 before leaving the army in 1801. 73 00:03:57,279 --> 00:04:01,908 At age 27, he becomes Thomas Jefferson's personal secretary, 74 00:04:02,033 --> 00:04:05,412 working directly with Jefferson on military intelligence. 75 00:04:05,537 --> 00:04:07,164 And we will be back as far as... 76 00:04:08,749 --> 00:04:11,251 [Josh] Jefferson has set his sights on expanding 77 00:04:11,376 --> 00:04:13,462 US territory to the Pacific. 78 00:04:13,587 --> 00:04:15,464 In 1803, he completes 79 00:04:15,589 --> 00:04:18,592 the Louisiana Purchase, acquiring French-controlled 80 00:04:18,717 --> 00:04:22,762 land for $15 million, a bargain that nearly doubles 81 00:04:22,763 --> 00:04:24,597 the nation's size. 82 00:04:24,598 --> 00:04:27,933 To explore the vast, uncharted Western Territory, 83 00:04:27,934 --> 00:04:31,270 Jefferson selects Lewis to lead the expedition. 84 00:04:31,271 --> 00:04:32,522 I will. 85 00:04:34,775 --> 00:04:38,194 [Josh] Lewis' mission is nothing short of monumental-- 86 00:04:38,195 --> 00:04:42,198 chart a route from St. Louis to the West Coast, forge alliances 87 00:04:42,199 --> 00:04:44,785 with native tribes, make detailed maps, 88 00:04:44,910 --> 00:04:47,829 and document unknown flora and fauna. 89 00:04:47,954 --> 00:04:48,955 No big deal. 90 00:04:52,292 --> 00:04:55,503 Knowing he can't do it alone, Lewis turns to an old 91 00:04:55,504 --> 00:04:58,881 army comrade, William Clark, to share command. 92 00:04:58,882 --> 00:05:02,302 Together, they form the Corps of Discovery, with a mission to 93 00:05:02,427 --> 00:05:07,349 traverse nearly 4,000 miles of rivers, plains and mountains, 94 00:05:07,474 --> 00:05:09,976 currently blank spaces on American maps. 95 00:05:11,895 --> 00:05:13,647 [triumphant music plays] 96 00:05:14,981 --> 00:05:17,983 Lewis and Clark, along with a party of more than 40, 97 00:05:17,984 --> 00:05:21,987 depart St. Louis in 1804, beginning an epic trek to 98 00:05:21,988 --> 00:05:23,782 the Pacific Coast and back again. 99 00:05:29,162 --> 00:05:32,373 The journey is harrowing, but the group soldiers on, 100 00:05:32,374 --> 00:05:35,377 surviving in no small part due to their Native American 101 00:05:35,502 --> 00:05:38,921 guide Sacagawea, who manages the first part of 102 00:05:38,922 --> 00:05:41,508 the journey pregnant and the rest with a baby 103 00:05:41,633 --> 00:05:43,051 on her chest. 104 00:05:43,176 --> 00:05:45,344 Along the way, Lewis and Clark carefully 105 00:05:45,345 --> 00:05:47,514 document their discoveries. 106 00:05:47,639 --> 00:05:51,267 They return with scientific samples and detailed maps that 107 00:05:51,268 --> 00:05:53,686 transform America's understanding of 108 00:05:53,687 --> 00:05:54,771 the Western frontier. 109 00:05:56,147 --> 00:05:57,357 [indistinct chatter] 110 00:05:57,482 --> 00:06:00,359 [Josh] Lewis is appointed governor of the newly explored 111 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:02,696 Louisiana Territory. 112 00:06:02,821 --> 00:06:05,532 But the position comes with serious challenges, 113 00:06:05,657 --> 00:06:10,452 and in accepting it, Lewis also inherits a bitter enemy. 114 00:06:10,453 --> 00:06:13,873 That's because to make Lewis governor, Jefferson has to fire 115 00:06:13,874 --> 00:06:16,668 the man currently in the post, James Wilkinson. 116 00:06:19,004 --> 00:06:22,757 Now responsible for almost a million square miles of land, 117 00:06:22,883 --> 00:06:26,219 Meriwether Lewis faces a challenging undertaking that 118 00:06:26,344 --> 00:06:28,054 pushes him to his limits. 119 00:06:28,179 --> 00:06:31,558 It turns out, governing the untamed Louisiana territory 120 00:06:31,683 --> 00:06:33,685 is far more difficult than exploring it. 121 00:06:35,687 --> 00:06:37,062 [indistinct chatter] 122 00:06:37,063 --> 00:06:40,065 [Josh] Supplying the growing outposts with horses and equipment 123 00:06:40,066 --> 00:06:42,068 requires large sums of money, 124 00:06:42,193 --> 00:06:44,362 much of it advanced personally by Lewis. 125 00:06:45,530 --> 00:06:49,242 The expenses quickly add up, and he accumulates significant 126 00:06:49,367 --> 00:06:50,869 debts while serving as governor. 127 00:06:52,245 --> 00:06:54,748 Lewis seeks reimbursement from the federal government. 128 00:06:55,957 --> 00:06:57,626 But by this time, Thomas Jefferson 129 00:06:57,751 --> 00:06:59,335 has left office. 130 00:06:59,336 --> 00:07:01,837 The new president, James Madison, is less 131 00:07:01,838 --> 00:07:04,090 responsive, and payment is delayed. 132 00:07:05,675 --> 00:07:09,304 This sends Lewis into a spiral of depression and anger, 133 00:07:09,429 --> 00:07:12,766 worsened by what many describe as a heavy drinking problem. 134 00:07:14,601 --> 00:07:16,185 How am I supposed to be governor 135 00:07:16,186 --> 00:07:17,687 if I don't get money from the government? 136 00:07:19,189 --> 00:07:20,190 I can't do this. 137 00:07:21,942 --> 00:07:22,943 I can't do this. 138 00:07:26,237 --> 00:07:30,366 In September of 1809, the disgruntled Lewis feels 139 00:07:30,367 --> 00:07:33,535 that he has no choice but to travel back to Washington to 140 00:07:33,536 --> 00:07:36,830 try to recover the money he believes he's owed. 141 00:07:36,831 --> 00:07:38,792 It's a journey which he won't survive. 142 00:07:42,170 --> 00:07:45,840 Lewis travels over 300 miles on horseback, arriving at 143 00:07:45,966 --> 00:07:49,552 the inn known as Grinder's Stand in Tennessee a month later. 144 00:07:50,887 --> 00:07:52,972 That night, he asks for his dinner to be brought 145 00:07:52,973 --> 00:07:55,891 to the cabin where he's staying alone. 146 00:07:55,892 --> 00:07:58,478 Once he's finished, he heads to bed without incident. 147 00:08:02,816 --> 00:08:06,319 But then, during the night, innkeeper Priscilla Grinder is 148 00:08:06,444 --> 00:08:08,863 awoken by the sounds of two gunshots 149 00:08:08,989 --> 00:08:10,365 emanating from Lewis' room. 150 00:08:10,490 --> 00:08:11,865 [gunshot blasts] 151 00:08:11,866 --> 00:08:13,994 But she's too terrified to investigate. 152 00:08:15,370 --> 00:08:17,663 At first light, a servant and Mrs. Grinder 153 00:08:17,664 --> 00:08:21,000 go to check on Lewis, only to find him fatally 154 00:08:21,001 --> 00:08:25,005 wounded by two bullets, one to his head and one to his body. 155 00:08:26,381 --> 00:08:27,632 He dies soon after. 156 00:08:30,468 --> 00:08:32,887 On October 20th, a Nashville paper breaks 157 00:08:33,013 --> 00:08:35,222 the news of Lewis' suicide. 158 00:08:35,223 --> 00:08:38,393 He's buried not far from Grinder's Stand. 159 00:08:38,518 --> 00:08:39,727 But hold on. 160 00:08:39,728 --> 00:08:43,105 We're in the era of single-shot flintlock guns. 161 00:08:43,106 --> 00:08:46,525 So how does one man manage to shoot himself twice? 162 00:08:46,526 --> 00:08:50,946 Plus, an examination of Lewis' body reveals cuts on his neck, 163 00:08:50,947 --> 00:08:54,074 arm and leg. Could those be defense wounds? 164 00:08:54,075 --> 00:08:55,409 And there's more. 165 00:08:55,410 --> 00:08:58,120 Supposedly, some of Lewis' money is missing. 166 00:08:58,121 --> 00:09:00,749 Add to all of this the fact that Grinder's Stand sits in 167 00:09:00,874 --> 00:09:04,293 the heart of bandit country, and locals start to say that 168 00:09:04,294 --> 00:09:07,630 his death has all the hallmarks of a robbery gone wrong. 169 00:09:09,883 --> 00:09:13,887 In 1848, the state of Tennessee exhumes Lewis' grave 170 00:09:14,012 --> 00:09:18,432 in order to rebury him alongside an official monument. 171 00:09:18,433 --> 00:09:21,894 As part of this process, they do a medical examination. 172 00:09:21,895 --> 00:09:23,604 Something that didn't take place 173 00:09:23,605 --> 00:09:24,939 immediately after his death. 174 00:09:26,066 --> 00:09:29,611 A local doctor reportedly noted that one gunshot wound appeared 175 00:09:29,736 --> 00:09:31,570 to be in the back of his head, 176 00:09:31,571 --> 00:09:33,740 an unlikely scenario for suicide. 177 00:09:34,949 --> 00:09:37,910 The exam concluded it was, quote, "more probable that 178 00:09:37,911 --> 00:09:40,121 he died at the hands of an assassin." 179 00:09:41,456 --> 00:09:44,083 But who would have wanted to kill him? 180 00:09:44,084 --> 00:09:46,335 Some speculate it was a robbery. 181 00:09:46,336 --> 00:09:47,796 He died along a route that was 182 00:09:47,921 --> 00:09:50,757 notorious at the time for bandit attacks. 183 00:09:50,882 --> 00:09:52,132 [loud cracking] 184 00:09:52,133 --> 00:09:54,469 - [man roars] - [gunshot blasts] 185 00:09:54,594 --> 00:09:55,720 [gunshot blasts] 186 00:09:57,430 --> 00:09:59,265 [Josh] Others point to James Wilkinson, 187 00:09:59,390 --> 00:10:03,477 the disgruntled former governor Lewis had replaced, whom Lewis 188 00:10:03,478 --> 00:10:06,688 had allegedly exposed in illegal land deals 189 00:10:06,689 --> 00:10:07,690 in St. Louis. 190 00:10:09,859 --> 00:10:11,152 What is clear is this-- 191 00:10:12,487 --> 00:10:14,655 Meriwether Lewis had enemies, 192 00:10:14,656 --> 00:10:16,741 and some had reason to want him dead, 193 00:10:17,742 --> 00:10:20,995 leading some to believe that Lewis' death was not a suicide 194 00:10:21,121 --> 00:10:24,164 at all, but a calculated act of revenge. 195 00:10:24,165 --> 00:10:25,625 [gunshot blasts] 196 00:10:33,508 --> 00:10:35,759 [Josh] Nearly 40 years after Meriwether Lewis' death, 197 00:10:35,760 --> 00:10:39,304 a medical examination raises suspicions that he may have 198 00:10:39,305 --> 00:10:42,391 been murdered rather than died by suicide. 199 00:10:42,392 --> 00:10:45,436 But no suspects are ever investigated. 200 00:10:45,562 --> 00:10:48,605 Today, Lewis' body remains uninvestigated by 201 00:10:48,606 --> 00:10:50,149 modern forensics. 202 00:10:50,150 --> 00:10:52,985 Academics instead turn to the historical record 203 00:10:52,986 --> 00:10:54,611 in search of answers. 204 00:10:54,612 --> 00:10:57,740 In 2021, physician David Peck and his wife, 205 00:10:57,866 --> 00:11:01,244 clinical psychologist Martie Peck, publish a new book 206 00:11:01,369 --> 00:11:02,662 reinvestigating the case. 207 00:11:05,456 --> 00:11:07,876 [David] Death of Meriwether Lewis is highly controversial. 208 00:11:09,127 --> 00:11:13,256 Was he murdered by somebody or robbed and murdered? 209 00:11:13,381 --> 00:11:17,509 [Martie] In our book, I create a psychological profile of 210 00:11:17,510 --> 00:11:19,344 Lewis' personality. 211 00:11:19,345 --> 00:11:22,181 Essentially, Meriwether Lewis 212 00:11:22,182 --> 00:11:24,934 had a genetic predisposition to depression. 213 00:11:26,519 --> 00:11:29,646 Only three years after the expedition ended, 214 00:11:29,647 --> 00:11:32,150 Lewis descended into 215 00:11:32,275 --> 00:11:36,153 a pit of depression and despair 216 00:11:36,154 --> 00:11:40,199 because things really shifted overnight 217 00:11:40,200 --> 00:11:42,118 with the change of presidential 218 00:11:42,243 --> 00:11:46,121 administrations and with his appointment as governor. 219 00:11:46,122 --> 00:11:50,209 And then, with the bottom dropping out of none of 220 00:11:50,210 --> 00:11:51,710 his efforts being supported, 221 00:11:51,711 --> 00:11:54,923 that just drove him further downward. 222 00:11:56,424 --> 00:11:58,550 After considering all of the theories that are put forth 223 00:11:58,551 --> 00:12:01,471 about Lewis' death, we think that the evidence is 224 00:12:01,596 --> 00:12:04,224 absolutely overwhelming that he committed suicide. 225 00:12:05,683 --> 00:12:09,228 [Josh] But what about the 1848 medical report that concluded 226 00:12:09,229 --> 00:12:11,189 Lewis was likely assassinated, 227 00:12:11,314 --> 00:12:13,900 referencing a gunshot wound to the back of his head? 228 00:12:16,444 --> 00:12:18,363 That finding may be flawed. 229 00:12:18,488 --> 00:12:21,073 By modern standards, the exam is considered 230 00:12:21,074 --> 00:12:24,661 unreliable because the remains were severely decomposed, 231 00:12:24,786 --> 00:12:27,913 making it impossible to determine soft tissue damage 232 00:12:27,914 --> 00:12:29,832 or the bullet's exact entry angles. 233 00:12:31,334 --> 00:12:34,837 There are also other plausible explanations for the so-called 234 00:12:34,963 --> 00:12:36,338 "defense wounds." 235 00:12:36,339 --> 00:12:39,008 Lewis had just ridden nearly 300 miles through 236 00:12:39,133 --> 00:12:43,345 the wilderness, leaving him exhausted and possibly injured. 237 00:12:43,346 --> 00:12:47,182 Or the cuts found on his body could have been self-harm. 238 00:12:47,183 --> 00:12:50,061 So perhaps Lewis really did kill himself, 239 00:12:50,186 --> 00:12:53,021 botching the first shot by grazing his head, 240 00:12:53,022 --> 00:12:55,483 then finishing the job with a shot to the body. 241 00:12:57,568 --> 00:13:00,445 Experts that I consulted, forensic pathologists, 242 00:13:00,446 --> 00:13:03,949 vascular trauma surgeons, all said that they're not even 243 00:13:03,950 --> 00:13:07,537 surprised that Lewis survived those wounds for two hours. 244 00:13:09,289 --> 00:13:12,249 Meriwether Lewis was traveling with a brace of two pistols, 245 00:13:12,250 --> 00:13:14,459 which would account for the two shots. 246 00:13:14,460 --> 00:13:16,129 [two gunshots blast] 247 00:13:17,505 --> 00:13:19,881 He would have simply held the gun up to his chest 248 00:13:19,882 --> 00:13:22,927 like this and pulled the trigger and/or shot himself in the head 249 00:13:23,052 --> 00:13:24,053 in the same manner. 250 00:13:24,178 --> 00:13:26,139 It's not something that would be difficult to do. 251 00:13:30,101 --> 00:13:32,937 The Pecks point to a document that may further prove 252 00:13:33,062 --> 00:13:36,231 their case that Meriwether Lewis committed suicide. 253 00:13:36,232 --> 00:13:38,901 Lewis' will, written right before he died. 254 00:13:41,654 --> 00:13:44,823 [Martie] En route to Fort Pickering, 255 00:13:44,824 --> 00:13:49,287 he wrote a will, a second will, 256 00:13:49,412 --> 00:13:51,914 because his first will, apparently, 257 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:53,708 William Clark was his executor. 258 00:13:55,585 --> 00:14:01,673 But writing a will like that very shortly before 259 00:14:01,674 --> 00:14:05,970 one would die is not something that would be considered 260 00:14:07,013 --> 00:14:11,767 a typical thing to do unless, on some level, a person was 261 00:14:11,768 --> 00:14:13,436 considering killing himself. 262 00:14:15,271 --> 00:14:18,482 [Josh] In that second will, Lewis replaced Clark and left 263 00:14:18,483 --> 00:14:22,153 his estate to his mother, an unexpected decision that 264 00:14:22,278 --> 00:14:24,280 adds to the mystery of his final days. 265 00:14:25,948 --> 00:14:29,993 [David] I think the end for Meriwether Lewis came when it did, 266 00:14:29,994 --> 00:14:32,662 in part because he was by himself. 267 00:14:32,663 --> 00:14:34,039 And his best friend in life, 268 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:36,166 William Clark, wasn't there for him. 269 00:14:36,167 --> 00:14:39,629 And he was on his way back to Washington to face a hostile 270 00:14:39,754 --> 00:14:41,339 political environment. 271 00:14:41,464 --> 00:14:44,216 And he also had returned to drinking. 272 00:14:44,217 --> 00:14:48,011 And I think that the effects of that was too much for him. 273 00:14:48,012 --> 00:14:51,349 And I think the opportunity to kill himself presented itself, 274 00:14:51,474 --> 00:14:54,559 and the demons knocked on his door, and Meriwether Lewis 275 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:55,561 answered the door. 276 00:14:57,688 --> 00:15:00,358 When William Clark found out about Lewis' death, 277 00:15:00,483 --> 00:15:04,820 he lamented, "I fear the weight of his mind has overcome him." 278 00:15:04,821 --> 00:15:07,656 The Pecks believe Clark's instincts were right and that 279 00:15:07,657 --> 00:15:10,159 Meriwether Lewis committed suicide. 280 00:15:10,284 --> 00:15:13,663 But let's remind ourselves, this is still just a theory. 281 00:15:13,788 --> 00:15:17,208 No one saw Lewis get shot or do the shooting. 282 00:15:17,333 --> 00:15:19,377 While the cause of Meriwether Lewis' death 283 00:15:19,502 --> 00:15:22,712 may be in doubt, the cause of his life isn't. 284 00:15:22,713 --> 00:15:24,923 Lewis was devoted to his country, 285 00:15:24,924 --> 00:15:28,052 and without his bravery and selflessness, we may never 286 00:15:28,177 --> 00:15:30,888 have come to know the United States of America 287 00:15:31,013 --> 00:15:32,014 as we do today. 288 00:15:37,353 --> 00:15:40,022 It's September 17th, 1961. 289 00:15:40,148 --> 00:15:42,357 It's just before 4 p.m. 290 00:15:42,358 --> 00:15:45,026 I'm in the Republic of the Congo in Africa as 291 00:15:45,027 --> 00:15:48,029 a Douglas DC-6 readies for takeoff. 292 00:15:48,030 --> 00:15:52,201 It's waiting for this man, who's embarking on a secret mission. 293 00:15:52,326 --> 00:15:56,371 His name is Dag Hammarskjöld, the Swedish Secretary-General 294 00:15:56,372 --> 00:15:58,039 of the United Nations. 295 00:15:58,040 --> 00:16:00,876 He is the most powerful diplomat on Earth. 296 00:16:00,877 --> 00:16:04,588 And right now, he's racing to stop a civil war from tearing 297 00:16:04,589 --> 00:16:06,048 the Congo apart. 298 00:16:06,174 --> 00:16:09,593 But with billions in resources and Cold War interests at 299 00:16:09,594 --> 00:16:13,055 stake, powerful forces are betting against him. 300 00:16:13,181 --> 00:16:16,808 And in just a few hours, this plane will crash 301 00:16:16,809 --> 00:16:18,935 and Hammarskjöld will be dead. 302 00:16:18,936 --> 00:16:21,146 Authorities will blame pilot error. 303 00:16:21,147 --> 00:16:24,734 But was it really an accident or an ambush in the skies? 304 00:16:24,859 --> 00:16:26,109 Strap in. 305 00:16:26,110 --> 00:16:28,571 We're heading for some serious turbulence. 306 00:16:38,372 --> 00:16:42,418 In 1953, Swedish diplomat Dag Hammarskjöld becomes 307 00:16:42,543 --> 00:16:44,754 the UN's second Secretary-General. 308 00:16:46,172 --> 00:16:48,673 Hammarskjöld brings charisma, idealism, 309 00:16:48,674 --> 00:16:52,094 and practicality to the role, believing the organization can 310 00:16:52,220 --> 00:16:54,138 hold a divided world together. 311 00:16:56,140 --> 00:16:58,976 In Africa, he faces his greatest test 312 00:16:59,101 --> 00:17:00,728 and his most dangerous mission. 313 00:17:02,563 --> 00:17:04,356 [crowd roaring distantly] 314 00:17:04,357 --> 00:17:07,984 [Josh] After decades of Belgian rule, the Congo gains independence 315 00:17:07,985 --> 00:17:12,490 in 1960, but quickly begins to fall apart as foreign powers 316 00:17:12,615 --> 00:17:15,159 compete for its mineral wealth. 317 00:17:15,284 --> 00:17:18,703 Its richest province, Katanga, tries to break away, 318 00:17:18,704 --> 00:17:21,123 with Belgium accused of supporting the split. 319 00:17:22,500 --> 00:17:24,961 Hammarskjöld sees this as a threat to the country's 320 00:17:25,086 --> 00:17:27,964 survival and moves to keep the Congo united. 321 00:17:29,298 --> 00:17:33,009 But the UN mission grows increasingly controversial. 322 00:17:33,010 --> 00:17:36,305 By September 1961, fighting escalates. 323 00:17:36,430 --> 00:17:38,557 Civilians are caught in the crossfire, 324 00:17:38,558 --> 00:17:41,519 and tensions rise with Western governments over how 325 00:17:41,644 --> 00:17:43,271 the situation is being handled. 326 00:17:44,438 --> 00:17:47,858 Determined to stop the crisis, Hammarskjöld secretly arranges 327 00:17:47,984 --> 00:17:50,819 is a meeting with Katangan leader Molïse Tshombe. 328 00:17:50,820 --> 00:17:52,863 in British-controlled Northern Rhodesia 329 00:17:52,989 --> 00:17:54,365 on September 18th. 330 00:17:57,034 --> 00:17:59,369 On the afternoon of September 17th, 331 00:17:59,370 --> 00:18:02,581 he boards a DC-6 named Albertina, 332 00:18:02,582 --> 00:18:05,542 with a crew of seven and eight UN aides 333 00:18:05,543 --> 00:18:08,587 and security personnel, led by 36-year-old 334 00:18:08,588 --> 00:18:10,756 American Sergeant, Harold Julien. 335 00:18:12,633 --> 00:18:15,177 But they will never arrive at their destination. 336 00:18:19,599 --> 00:18:20,600 Here are the facts. 337 00:18:22,727 --> 00:18:25,062 Shortly after midnight on September 18th, 338 00:18:25,187 --> 00:18:28,064 Hammarskjöld's plane, the Albertina, crashes in 339 00:18:28,065 --> 00:18:32,194 Congo's neighboring nation of Rhodesia, roughly nine miles 340 00:18:32,320 --> 00:18:35,197 from the Ndola airport runway. 341 00:18:35,323 --> 00:18:38,783 Fifteen hours later, search and rescue teams finally 342 00:18:38,784 --> 00:18:41,037 reach the crash site around 3 p.m. 343 00:18:42,830 --> 00:18:46,417 Of the 16 people aboard, 15 are already dead, 344 00:18:46,542 --> 00:18:48,002 including Dag Hammarskjöld. 345 00:18:50,379 --> 00:18:52,714 [man coughing] 346 00:18:52,715 --> 00:18:54,924 [Josh] Amazingly, one man survives. 347 00:18:54,925 --> 00:18:58,261 Security officer Harold Julien is badly burned 348 00:18:58,262 --> 00:18:59,263 and barely breathing. 349 00:19:02,933 --> 00:19:05,436 According to the accounts of the first responders, 350 00:19:05,561 --> 00:19:08,730 Dag Hammarskjöld lies just beyond the fuselage, 351 00:19:08,731 --> 00:19:13,277 on his back, clothes intact, oddly untouched by fire. 352 00:19:13,402 --> 00:19:15,738 The rest of the victims are charred almost 353 00:19:15,863 --> 00:19:16,864 beyond recognition. 354 00:19:18,908 --> 00:19:21,285 News of the tragedy shocks the world. 355 00:19:21,410 --> 00:19:24,996 Dag Hammarskjöld is mourned for his leadership and his belief 356 00:19:24,997 --> 00:19:28,250 that diplomacy could heal a broken world. 357 00:19:28,376 --> 00:19:32,254 I know that I'm speaking for all of my fellow Americans, 358 00:19:32,380 --> 00:19:37,592 expressing our deep sense of shock and loss in the untimely 359 00:19:37,593 --> 00:19:39,470 death of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, 360 00:19:39,595 --> 00:19:41,513 Mr. Dag Hammarskjöld. 361 00:19:41,514 --> 00:19:42,931 [Josh] After Hammarskjöld's death, 362 00:19:42,932 --> 00:19:46,142 violence in Katanga escalates, forcing the UN 363 00:19:46,143 --> 00:19:49,854 to launch one of its largest military operations, made up of 364 00:19:49,855 --> 00:19:52,607 international troops from member nations. 365 00:19:52,608 --> 00:19:56,111 Thousands move in, but it takes nearly a year and a half of 366 00:19:56,112 --> 00:19:58,197 heavy fighting to end the secession. 367 00:19:59,573 --> 00:20:01,324 Dag's UN mission to prevent 368 00:20:01,325 --> 00:20:04,328 civil war in the Congo ultimately succeeds, 369 00:20:04,453 --> 00:20:06,372 but he loses his life in the process. 370 00:20:08,082 --> 00:20:11,334 And many wonder whether his death was truly an accident 371 00:20:11,335 --> 00:20:14,630 or a deliberate attempt to stop peacekeeping efforts. 372 00:20:16,757 --> 00:20:19,343 In the immediate aftermath of the crash, the government of 373 00:20:19,468 --> 00:20:21,846 Northern Rhodesia launches an inquiry. 374 00:20:21,971 --> 00:20:24,347 Their conclusion? Pilot error. 375 00:20:24,348 --> 00:20:26,641 According to the official version, the crew of 376 00:20:26,642 --> 00:20:29,811 the Albertina navigating without radar in darkness 377 00:20:29,812 --> 00:20:32,189 toward an unfamiliar airstrip simply 378 00:20:32,314 --> 00:20:33,816 misjudged their altitude. 379 00:20:33,941 --> 00:20:37,319 The plane clipped trees, broke apart, and crashed. 380 00:20:37,445 --> 00:20:39,989 So, case closed? Not so fast. 381 00:20:41,657 --> 00:20:44,368 That's because the sole survivor of the crash tells 382 00:20:44,493 --> 00:20:45,744 a different story. 383 00:20:45,745 --> 00:20:49,165 And it could blow the pilot error theory wide open. 384 00:20:57,214 --> 00:20:58,965 [Josh] Dag Hammarskjöld's plane crash is originally dismissed as 385 00:20:58,966 --> 00:21:01,427 an accident caused by pilot error. 386 00:21:01,552 --> 00:21:05,222 But one eyewitness' account calls that into question. 387 00:21:05,347 --> 00:21:06,473 [coughs] 388 00:21:06,474 --> 00:21:08,767 [Josh] Against all odds, lone survivor, 389 00:21:08,768 --> 00:21:11,269 UN Security Officer Harold Julien, 390 00:21:11,270 --> 00:21:13,146 has made it out of the crash 391 00:21:13,147 --> 00:21:14,774 and lies in a hospital bed, 392 00:21:14,899 --> 00:21:16,776 badly burned and gravely injured. 393 00:21:16,901 --> 00:21:18,235 There was a big explosion... 394 00:21:18,360 --> 00:21:21,112 [Josh] In brief moments of consciousness, Harold describes 395 00:21:21,113 --> 00:21:24,908 the plane exploding midair, quote, "a lot of small 396 00:21:24,909 --> 00:21:26,075 explosions around," he says. 397 00:21:26,076 --> 00:21:27,453 ...there was a big explosion... 398 00:21:27,578 --> 00:21:30,581 [Josh] But if the crash was simply the result of navigational 399 00:21:30,706 --> 00:21:33,458 error, why were there explosions before impact? 400 00:21:33,459 --> 00:21:34,834 [indistinct chatter] 401 00:21:34,835 --> 00:21:37,588 [Josh] He clings to life for five days before succumbing to 402 00:21:37,713 --> 00:21:41,258 his injuries at Ndola Hospital on September 23rd. 403 00:21:42,468 --> 00:21:45,428 In their final report, Rhodesian authorities dismiss 404 00:21:45,429 --> 00:21:50,475 his testimony as the confused ramblings of a dying man. 405 00:21:50,476 --> 00:21:54,480 Officials also hear from local witnesses who claim a second, 406 00:21:54,605 --> 00:21:57,440 smaller plane was flying above Hammarskjöld's 407 00:21:57,441 --> 00:22:00,444 aircraft as it circled Ndola Airport that night. 408 00:22:01,529 --> 00:22:05,365 Several report loud explosions and say the Albertina burst 409 00:22:05,366 --> 00:22:08,994 into flames before crashing, raising the possibility that 410 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:10,579 the plane was shot down. 411 00:22:11,622 --> 00:22:14,667 Perhaps strangest of all, despite hundreds of photos 412 00:22:14,792 --> 00:22:17,837 taken at the crash site, the only images show him 413 00:22:17,962 --> 00:22:20,672 already laid out on a stretcher. 414 00:22:20,673 --> 00:22:23,634 Why was his body moved before he was photographed? 415 00:22:24,969 --> 00:22:28,221 And in one photo, some believe an Ace of Spades 416 00:22:28,222 --> 00:22:31,350 playing card can be seen tucked into Dag's collar, 417 00:22:31,475 --> 00:22:34,520 interpreted as a death card or a calling card 418 00:22:34,645 --> 00:22:35,813 from an assassin. 419 00:22:37,147 --> 00:22:41,527 In 1962, the UN launches its own investigation. 420 00:22:41,652 --> 00:22:44,362 Using evidence collected for the Rhodesian report, 421 00:22:44,363 --> 00:22:47,198 the UN investigators call out the sloppy search 422 00:22:47,199 --> 00:22:48,867 and rescue operation. 423 00:22:48,868 --> 00:22:52,204 Why, they ask, did it take 15 hours to locate 424 00:22:52,329 --> 00:22:56,207 a fiery plane crash only nine miles from the airport? 425 00:22:56,208 --> 00:23:00,420 But the UN Commission fails to find any evidence of sabotage 426 00:23:00,421 --> 00:23:04,549 or attack, saying the possible scenarios for the crash include 427 00:23:04,550 --> 00:23:07,594 pilot error and mechanical malfunction. 428 00:23:07,595 --> 00:23:10,889 It's a conclusion that doesn't exactly inspire confidence, 429 00:23:10,890 --> 00:23:13,933 but it's the final official word on the crash 430 00:23:13,934 --> 00:23:14,935 for half a century. 431 00:23:16,020 --> 00:23:19,606 Over the years, countless conspiracy theories swirl. 432 00:23:19,607 --> 00:23:22,233 Fingers are pointed in all directions. 433 00:23:22,234 --> 00:23:27,030 The Soviets, the British, South Africa, even the US 434 00:23:27,031 --> 00:23:29,366 is suspected of orchestrating the crash. 435 00:23:30,367 --> 00:23:32,870 All these nations had a stake in the Congo in the early 436 00:23:32,995 --> 00:23:37,541 1960s, but for the next four decades, no evidence emerges to 437 00:23:37,666 --> 00:23:40,209 prove any of them are responsible. 438 00:23:40,210 --> 00:23:44,589 Then, in the 2000s, a group of independent researchers uncover 439 00:23:44,590 --> 00:23:46,633 recently declassified documents 440 00:23:46,634 --> 00:23:49,218 and speak to newly found witnesses. 441 00:23:49,219 --> 00:23:53,598 These findings push the United Nations to finally take action. 442 00:23:53,599 --> 00:23:56,142 At the center of this unraveling mystery is 443 00:23:56,143 --> 00:23:59,437 journalist Ravi Somaiya, who has spent years chasing 444 00:23:59,438 --> 00:24:02,941 the story for his book, "The Golden Thread." 445 00:24:02,942 --> 00:24:06,070 [Ravi] In the 2010s, the UN itself reopened the inquiry, 446 00:24:06,195 --> 00:24:08,821 and it's unearthed significant new details. 447 00:24:08,822 --> 00:24:11,449 One of the things the United Nations discovered is that 448 00:24:11,450 --> 00:24:16,245 America had a plane parked near Ndola Airfield, but this plane 449 00:24:16,246 --> 00:24:19,666 was a mobile relay station for picking up signals 450 00:24:19,667 --> 00:24:23,128 and transmitting them to NSA and other listening stations 451 00:24:23,253 --> 00:24:24,837 around the world. 452 00:24:24,838 --> 00:24:28,091 So, unbeknownst to the UN at the time, the US 453 00:24:28,092 --> 00:24:31,469 had a spy plane on the ground in Ndola tasked with 454 00:24:31,470 --> 00:24:34,765 intercepting foreign aircraft communication, possibly 455 00:24:34,890 --> 00:24:36,308 even Hammarskjöld's. 456 00:24:36,433 --> 00:24:39,478 One of the reasons America has been keeping a lot of secrets 457 00:24:39,603 --> 00:24:41,938 is it doesn't want to admit that it's spying on 458 00:24:41,939 --> 00:24:43,147 the United Nations. 459 00:24:43,148 --> 00:24:45,024 You're not really supposed to do that. 460 00:24:45,025 --> 00:24:47,987 Now, decades later, former American intelligence 461 00:24:48,112 --> 00:24:51,698 officers have stepped forward to reveal for the first time 462 00:24:51,699 --> 00:24:55,494 what that spy plane may have overheard that fateful night. 463 00:24:55,619 --> 00:24:58,830 On the night that Hammarskjöld's plane went down, there was 464 00:24:58,831 --> 00:25:02,333 an operative for the NSA called Charles Southall. 465 00:25:02,334 --> 00:25:04,043 He was stationed in Cyprus. 466 00:25:04,044 --> 00:25:06,796 He heard radio communications which suggested a second plane 467 00:25:06,797 --> 00:25:09,466 was in the sky and targeting the Albertina. 468 00:25:09,591 --> 00:25:11,843 And then he said he heard the sound of gunfire. 469 00:25:11,844 --> 00:25:13,052 And then someone said, 470 00:25:13,053 --> 00:25:14,888 "I've hit it. It's going down," effectively. 471 00:25:16,807 --> 00:25:20,310 A second plane in the air. So who was flying it? 472 00:25:20,436 --> 00:25:24,856 In 1961, surely there weren't a lot of planes in rural Africa 473 00:25:24,857 --> 00:25:28,151 capable of taking down a DC-6. 474 00:25:28,152 --> 00:25:32,031 But it turns out one side of the conflict had exactly that, 475 00:25:32,156 --> 00:25:35,199 the Katanganese forces, who were determined to keep 476 00:25:35,200 --> 00:25:38,578 their mineral-rich region away from the newly independent 477 00:25:38,579 --> 00:25:42,415 Congo nation and directly opposing UN efforts to 478 00:25:42,416 --> 00:25:43,625 reunify the country. 479 00:25:46,003 --> 00:25:48,505 Their jet, known as a Fouga Magister, 480 00:25:48,630 --> 00:25:52,509 had twin machine guns and carried two bombs per mission. 481 00:25:52,634 --> 00:25:55,511 It wreaked havoc on the UN, bombing and strafing 482 00:25:55,512 --> 00:25:58,097 its ground forces in the Congo and crippling 483 00:25:58,098 --> 00:25:59,683 their cargo supply. 484 00:25:59,808 --> 00:26:02,602 This Fouga jet fighter was so infamous that Hammarskjöld was, 485 00:26:02,603 --> 00:26:07,191 in fact, writing really stern letters begging for help to try 486 00:26:07,316 --> 00:26:09,275 and get this jet fighter out of the air. 487 00:26:09,276 --> 00:26:11,236 It was really the bane of the existence 488 00:26:11,361 --> 00:26:13,530 of the United Nations in Katanga. 489 00:26:13,655 --> 00:26:17,283 And there's also significant evidence that a Belgian 490 00:26:17,284 --> 00:26:20,286 mercenary pilot was flying this plane. 491 00:26:20,287 --> 00:26:23,039 [Josh] Yes, investigators suspect a half-Belgian, 492 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:27,376 half-British, pilot named Jan van Risseghem was the man 493 00:26:27,377 --> 00:26:28,587 who shot down Dag. 494 00:26:29,838 --> 00:26:31,547 A U.S. State Department memo, 495 00:26:31,548 --> 00:26:34,093 dated just two days after the crash, 496 00:26:34,218 --> 00:26:38,429 but only declassified in 2014, states Hammarskjöld may have 497 00:26:38,430 --> 00:26:42,642 been shot down and lists Jan van Risseghem by name. 498 00:26:42,643 --> 00:26:44,393 He's now a central figure in 499 00:26:44,394 --> 00:26:46,230 the renewed UN investigation. 500 00:26:47,523 --> 00:26:49,733 When investigators examined his logbooks, 501 00:26:49,858 --> 00:26:53,611 they noticed something strange, the pages covering the days 502 00:26:53,612 --> 00:26:57,281 around Hammarskjöld's death looked different, written in 503 00:26:57,282 --> 00:27:00,785 a different handwriting and stamped unlike the rest, 504 00:27:00,786 --> 00:27:03,830 raising suspicions that they had been altered to hide 505 00:27:03,831 --> 00:27:07,792 that pilot Jan van Risseghem was flying near Hammarskjöld's 506 00:27:07,793 --> 00:27:09,294 plane the night it crashed. 507 00:27:12,005 --> 00:27:14,757 Van Risseghem died in 2007, 508 00:27:14,758 --> 00:27:16,718 taking any secrets to the grave. 509 00:27:17,761 --> 00:27:20,097 Then, in October 2024, 510 00:27:20,222 --> 00:27:22,598 the UN released a bombshell report 511 00:27:22,599 --> 00:27:25,811 reversing its 1962 findings, 512 00:27:25,936 --> 00:27:29,273 saying there is persuasive evidence Hammarskjöld's plane 513 00:27:29,398 --> 00:27:33,318 was deliberately brought down and urging the US and Britain 514 00:27:33,443 --> 00:27:35,404 to release their classified files. 515 00:27:36,655 --> 00:27:39,323 It now seems likely that Dag Hammarskjöld's plane 516 00:27:39,324 --> 00:27:41,659 was shot down, possibly by forces 517 00:27:41,660 --> 00:27:44,162 who saw the UN as a direct threat 518 00:27:44,163 --> 00:27:45,622 to Katanga's independence. 519 00:27:46,832 --> 00:27:50,835 And we even have the name of the most likely suspect. 520 00:27:50,836 --> 00:27:54,839 Over 60 years later, the UN investigation is still 521 00:27:54,840 --> 00:27:58,134 underway and new information could still develop, 522 00:27:58,135 --> 00:28:01,345 proving that those responsible for the plane crash may have 523 00:28:01,346 --> 00:28:04,141 ended Hammarskjöld's life, but not his mission. 524 00:28:07,352 --> 00:28:09,146 [big band jazz plays] 525 00:28:10,314 --> 00:28:13,317 It's August 6th, 1930, and I'm in Manhattan 526 00:28:13,442 --> 00:28:15,694 at Billy Haas' Chop House, said to be 527 00:28:15,819 --> 00:28:17,695 the best steak in the city, by the way. 528 00:28:17,696 --> 00:28:20,698 And dining right over there is another superlative, 529 00:28:20,699 --> 00:28:24,661 the most famous guy in town, Joseph Force Crater, 530 00:28:24,786 --> 00:28:26,746 a New York Supreme Court Justice 531 00:28:26,747 --> 00:28:28,540 and political power player. 532 00:28:28,665 --> 00:28:31,876 What happens next will become the talk of the Big Apple, 533 00:28:31,877 --> 00:28:34,212 because after dinner, Judge Crater leaves this 534 00:28:34,213 --> 00:28:37,256 restaurant and will never be seen again. 535 00:28:37,257 --> 00:28:40,426 His disappearance sparks one of the largest manhunts in 536 00:28:40,427 --> 00:28:43,679 American history, a search that turns up no body 537 00:28:43,680 --> 00:28:45,932 and no solid suspects. 538 00:28:45,933 --> 00:28:50,687 For 75 years, the mystery will remain unsolved until a series 539 00:28:50,812 --> 00:28:54,524 of shocking revelations reveal the scandalous truth behind 540 00:28:54,650 --> 00:28:57,361 the so-called "Missingest Man in New York." 541 00:29:06,119 --> 00:29:09,455 Born in 1889 in Easton, Pennsylvania, 542 00:29:09,456 --> 00:29:13,210 Joseph Force Crater seems destined for success. 543 00:29:13,335 --> 00:29:15,878 His family builds a prosperous business running 544 00:29:15,879 --> 00:29:18,090 a grocery store and surrounding orchards. 545 00:29:19,549 --> 00:29:21,968 But Joe Crater is not content to inherit 546 00:29:21,969 --> 00:29:23,387 the family enterprise. 547 00:29:23,512 --> 00:29:27,557 Smart and driven, stands out early, graduating at the top of 548 00:29:27,683 --> 00:29:30,268 his class before moving to New York City 549 00:29:30,269 --> 00:29:32,020 to attend Columbia Law School. 550 00:29:35,274 --> 00:29:38,776 In 1916, Crater opens a law practice in New York's 551 00:29:38,777 --> 00:29:41,738 Financial District, determined to make his mark on 552 00:29:41,863 --> 00:29:43,782 the city that never sleeps. 553 00:29:43,907 --> 00:29:47,785 At the same time, he plugs into the city's political machinery, 554 00:29:47,786 --> 00:29:50,621 joining the Cayuga Democratic Club. 555 00:29:50,622 --> 00:29:53,959 There, he helps organize voters, pours countless hours 556 00:29:54,084 --> 00:29:55,584 into election law cases, 557 00:29:55,585 --> 00:29:57,837 and begins building the connections that 558 00:29:57,838 --> 00:30:00,798 will quietly shape his rise. 559 00:30:00,799 --> 00:30:04,094 Over time, he becomes deeply embedded with the Cayuga Club's 560 00:30:04,219 --> 00:30:06,847 powerful parent organization, Tammany Hall. 561 00:30:09,099 --> 00:30:13,936 Founded in 1786, Tammany Hall is a political machine, 562 00:30:13,937 --> 00:30:17,441 a tightly run Democratic Party organization that controls 563 00:30:17,566 --> 00:30:19,818 jobs, favors, and elections 564 00:30:19,943 --> 00:30:21,777 across New York City. 565 00:30:21,778 --> 00:30:25,490 For nearly two centuries, it dominates city politics. 566 00:30:25,615 --> 00:30:27,450 If you want a Democratic nomination, 567 00:30:27,451 --> 00:30:28,994 you go through Tammany. 568 00:30:29,119 --> 00:30:32,205 And if you want influence, you better play by its rules. 569 00:30:34,166 --> 00:30:38,377 As Crater rises through Tammany Hall, he embraces its perks. 570 00:30:38,378 --> 00:30:41,380 By night, he dives into Jazz Age Manhattan, 571 00:30:41,381 --> 00:30:45,343 lavish dinners, Broadway shows, and Harlem clubs, 572 00:30:45,344 --> 00:30:48,138 quickly earning a reputation as a playboy. 573 00:30:48,263 --> 00:30:52,309 He mingles with chorus girls, escorts, and underworld figures 574 00:30:52,434 --> 00:30:53,976 like Arnold Rothstein 575 00:30:53,977 --> 00:30:55,520 and Jack "Legs" Diamond. 576 00:30:57,981 --> 00:31:00,859 Meanwhile, his legal career is surging. 577 00:31:00,984 --> 00:31:04,821 He soon lands a coveted post as law secretary to a powerful 578 00:31:04,946 --> 00:31:08,324 New York justice, opening the door to the city's 579 00:31:08,325 --> 00:31:09,868 backroom power deals. 580 00:31:13,038 --> 00:31:15,707 And in 1930, Joseph Force Crater makes 581 00:31:15,832 --> 00:31:18,667 his boldest move yet. He hands over 582 00:31:18,668 --> 00:31:23,672 a $22,500-contribution to Tammany Hall, 583 00:31:23,673 --> 00:31:26,176 more than 400 grand today. 584 00:31:27,386 --> 00:31:30,097 Where did Crater get such a huge sum of money? 585 00:31:31,223 --> 00:31:33,850 Could it be from organized crime? 586 00:31:33,975 --> 00:31:36,895 Did Crater do a deal with the devil? 587 00:31:44,444 --> 00:31:47,446 [Josh] In 1930s New York, Joseph Crater stands at 588 00:31:47,447 --> 00:31:50,450 the height of his career, a symbol of success in 589 00:31:50,575 --> 00:31:51,576 an iconic city. 590 00:31:52,577 --> 00:31:56,247 But behind the polished image, backroom deals and friendships 591 00:31:56,248 --> 00:32:00,127 with notorious gangsters raise an unsettling question. 592 00:32:00,252 --> 00:32:03,421 Was Crater's rise earned or bought? 593 00:32:03,422 --> 00:32:06,173 Crater now holds a coveted seat on New York's 594 00:32:06,174 --> 00:32:08,301 Supreme Court, appointed to the bench 595 00:32:08,427 --> 00:32:10,595 by then governor Franklin D. Roosevelt. 596 00:32:11,930 --> 00:32:15,182 He has made it to the top of the New York totem pole. 597 00:32:15,183 --> 00:32:18,602 With a 14-year term on the bench, he now has the power 598 00:32:18,603 --> 00:32:21,272 to sway politics in the wealthiest city 599 00:32:21,273 --> 00:32:22,274 in the nation. 600 00:32:24,484 --> 00:32:27,654 But despite seeming to have it all, Crater soon starts 601 00:32:27,779 --> 00:32:29,448 behaving erratically. 602 00:32:29,573 --> 00:32:32,159 It begins in 1930 on a vacation in Maine 603 00:32:32,284 --> 00:32:34,034 with his wife, Stella. 604 00:32:34,035 --> 00:32:36,663 On August 3rd, Crater receives a phone call from 605 00:32:36,788 --> 00:32:37,956 out of the blue. 606 00:32:38,081 --> 00:32:41,041 Shortly after, he hangs up and leaves Stella in 607 00:32:41,042 --> 00:32:44,128 their cabin, promising to return in a few days to 608 00:32:44,129 --> 00:32:46,380 celebrate her birthday on the 9th. 609 00:32:46,381 --> 00:32:47,799 It's a promise he'll never keep. 610 00:32:50,469 --> 00:32:52,720 When Crater arrives back in New York, 611 00:32:52,721 --> 00:32:55,389 he goes straight to his chambers at the courthouse. 612 00:32:55,390 --> 00:32:58,517 His assistant, Joseph Mara, is surprised to see him. 613 00:32:58,518 --> 00:33:01,605 Judge, I wasn't expecting you so-- so soon. 614 00:33:03,148 --> 00:33:06,484 [Josh] Mara says Crater is acting strange and secretive, 615 00:33:06,485 --> 00:33:09,236 going through his files, destroying documents, 616 00:33:09,237 --> 00:33:10,447 and removing others. 617 00:33:12,365 --> 00:33:13,991 He also asks Mara to cash 618 00:33:13,992 --> 00:33:18,330 two checks totaling the equivalent of $100,000 today. 619 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:25,669 A few days later, on August 6th, Judge Crater goes to that 620 00:33:25,670 --> 00:33:28,840 fateful dinner at Haas' Chop House alongside lawyer 621 00:33:28,965 --> 00:33:31,509 William Klein and Sally Lou Ritz, 622 00:33:31,510 --> 00:33:35,387 a showgirl and Crater's alleged mistress. 623 00:33:35,388 --> 00:33:38,517 Both friends report noticing the judge's strange mood. 624 00:33:40,685 --> 00:33:42,436 I'm fine. 625 00:33:42,437 --> 00:33:43,687 His friends last see him 626 00:33:43,688 --> 00:33:45,856 heading to a Broadway comedy performance 627 00:33:45,857 --> 00:33:47,566 that he bought a ticket for. 628 00:33:47,567 --> 00:33:50,903 At the theater, though, his seat remains empty. 629 00:33:50,904 --> 00:33:53,865 Despite never returning for his wife Stella's birthday, 630 00:33:53,990 --> 00:33:57,409 she doesn't report Crater missing until September 6th, 631 00:33:57,410 --> 00:34:01,039 a month after he's last seen, perhaps assuming that he was 632 00:34:01,164 --> 00:34:02,499 simply with another woman. 633 00:34:05,377 --> 00:34:08,922 As word of the party boy judge's disappearance gets out, 634 00:34:09,047 --> 00:34:11,882 the press picks up the story and Crater becomes 635 00:34:11,883 --> 00:34:13,717 a national sensation. 636 00:34:13,718 --> 00:34:16,471 They dub him "the Missingest Man in New York." 637 00:34:17,806 --> 00:34:21,892 The NYPD launches a massive investigation, chasing down 638 00:34:21,893 --> 00:34:23,561 hundreds of leads. 639 00:34:23,562 --> 00:34:27,106 Tips pour in from all across America, with sightings in 640 00:34:27,107 --> 00:34:30,317 California, Florida, even Mexico. 641 00:34:30,318 --> 00:34:32,444 But they all lead to nothing. 642 00:34:32,445 --> 00:34:35,824 It's as if Judge Crater simply evaporated into thin air. 643 00:34:37,993 --> 00:34:39,953 [siren wails] 644 00:34:40,078 --> 00:34:43,248 Although authorities can't find the judge himself, 645 00:34:43,373 --> 00:34:46,251 their investigation does uncover his deep web of 646 00:34:46,376 --> 00:34:50,297 corruption and vices that may have come back to bite him. 647 00:34:52,257 --> 00:34:55,301 It turns out Crater had expensive gambling debts at 648 00:34:55,302 --> 00:34:59,096 unsanctioned casinos and may have been involved in illegally 649 00:34:59,097 --> 00:35:00,724 selling judicial appointments. 650 00:35:02,267 --> 00:35:05,352 Curiously, four months after his disappearance, 651 00:35:05,353 --> 00:35:08,773 Crater's wife Stella also finds a note he had left for her 652 00:35:08,898 --> 00:35:10,609 in his desk drawer. 653 00:35:10,734 --> 00:35:13,485 The note ends, quote, "I am very weary," 654 00:35:13,486 --> 00:35:16,448 which some believe is evidence he took his own life. 655 00:35:18,617 --> 00:35:21,452 Most alarmingly, police discover Crater had 656 00:35:21,453 --> 00:35:22,828 recently been subpoenaed 657 00:35:22,829 --> 00:35:25,123 by the State Attorney General's Office as 658 00:35:25,248 --> 00:35:27,667 part of a huge anti-corruption investigation. 659 00:35:27,792 --> 00:35:29,002 Well, explain... 660 00:35:29,127 --> 00:35:31,963 [Josh] It makes them wonder, was he about to turn state's 661 00:35:32,088 --> 00:35:36,343 evidence against Tammany Hall, the powerful and corrupt 662 00:35:36,468 --> 00:35:39,095 democratic organization that got him appointed? 663 00:35:40,096 --> 00:35:41,973 Tell me who you paid and when. 664 00:35:45,310 --> 00:35:47,187 I'm in deep with Tammany Hall. 665 00:35:48,855 --> 00:35:51,398 If Crater turned his back on Tammany Hall, 666 00:35:51,399 --> 00:35:54,068 were they the ones behind his disappearance? 667 00:35:54,069 --> 00:35:57,529 For more than 75 years, we didn't have an answer. 668 00:35:57,530 --> 00:35:58,531 Now, we do. 669 00:36:05,622 --> 00:36:07,665 Famous New York lawman Judge Crater is officially declared 670 00:36:07,666 --> 00:36:11,753 dead in 1939, nine years after he vanished. 671 00:36:11,878 --> 00:36:13,755 In the decades since his disappearance, 672 00:36:13,880 --> 00:36:15,839 many theories have been proposed. 673 00:36:15,840 --> 00:36:18,634 Debt, adultery, corruption, snitching, 674 00:36:18,635 --> 00:36:20,427 but none with any proof. 675 00:36:20,428 --> 00:36:24,307 That would finally change in 2005, when a woman in Queens 676 00:36:24,432 --> 00:36:28,102 dies, leaving behind remarkable notes to be opened 677 00:36:28,103 --> 00:36:29,269 upon her death. 678 00:36:29,270 --> 00:36:32,065 Judge Crater biographer Richard Tofel explains. 679 00:36:33,817 --> 00:36:38,278 In 2005, a woman named Stella Ferrucci-Good 680 00:36:38,279 --> 00:36:39,613 died in New York. 681 00:36:39,614 --> 00:36:43,283 Miss Ferrucci-Good left behind papers indicating to her family 682 00:36:43,284 --> 00:36:47,163 that they should be opened upon her death and indicated that 683 00:36:47,288 --> 00:36:50,124 her husband had told her that he believed he knew 684 00:36:50,125 --> 00:36:52,126 who had killed Judge Crater. 685 00:36:52,127 --> 00:36:56,714 Supposedly, Crater had been taken in a taxi to Coney Island 686 00:36:56,715 --> 00:36:58,800 and murdered and buried there. 687 00:37:00,760 --> 00:37:03,805 Mrs. Ferrucci-Good's husband was a former New York City 688 00:37:03,930 --> 00:37:05,973 Parks Department supervisor. 689 00:37:05,974 --> 00:37:08,518 He allegedly overheard the incendiary claim that 690 00:37:08,643 --> 00:37:11,645 the judge had indeed been murdered, buried beneath 691 00:37:11,646 --> 00:37:13,064 the Coney Island boardwalk. 692 00:37:14,858 --> 00:37:17,026 But for Tofel, there's a big problem with this. 693 00:37:18,403 --> 00:37:20,989 I don't think that Ms. Ferrucci-Good's story 694 00:37:21,114 --> 00:37:22,489 ultimately makes sense. 695 00:37:22,490 --> 00:37:26,910 The site to which Judge Crater was supposedly taken was 696 00:37:26,911 --> 00:37:30,414 thoroughly unearthed in the 1950s for the construction 697 00:37:30,415 --> 00:37:33,834 of the New York Aquarium, at a time when interest was still 698 00:37:33,835 --> 00:37:38,506 pretty high in the Crater case, and no sign of any body was 699 00:37:38,631 --> 00:37:40,133 found during that excavation. 700 00:37:41,426 --> 00:37:43,719 I have no reason to believe that Ms. Ferrucci-Good was 701 00:37:43,720 --> 00:37:45,262 making this up. 702 00:37:45,263 --> 00:37:48,057 I think her husband probably did tell her such a story. 703 00:37:48,183 --> 00:37:51,101 I just don't think the story happens to have been true. 704 00:37:51,102 --> 00:37:53,897 But despite pouring water on the Ferrucci-Good writings, 705 00:37:54,022 --> 00:37:57,107 Tofel continued to dig into the Crater case, 706 00:37:57,108 --> 00:37:59,903 uncovering a theory he believes quite literally puts 707 00:38:00,028 --> 00:38:03,031 the mystery to bed, or in bed, as it were. 708 00:38:04,699 --> 00:38:08,536 I actually believe Crater's disappearance revolves around 709 00:38:08,661 --> 00:38:14,875 a then-quite-famous madam in New York named Polly Adler. 710 00:38:14,876 --> 00:38:19,088 In 1960, there was a blind gossip item in a book that 711 00:38:19,214 --> 00:38:22,758 indicated Polly Adler's memoir would report that Crater had 712 00:38:22,759 --> 00:38:25,094 died in the act in her establishment. 713 00:38:25,220 --> 00:38:26,888 [grunts sharply] 714 00:38:27,013 --> 00:38:31,767 [Richard] But apparently, the story was then removed from the memoir. 715 00:38:31,768 --> 00:38:35,103 Polly Adler was very well connected to the mob, 716 00:38:35,104 --> 00:38:37,774 and the mob would easily have been able to dispose of 717 00:38:37,899 --> 00:38:41,653 the body in such a way that no trace would be found. 718 00:38:43,613 --> 00:38:46,574 [Josh] The forgotten account Tofel uncovered was in a book 719 00:38:46,699 --> 00:38:50,452 by Allen Churchill entitled "They Never Came Back." 720 00:38:50,453 --> 00:38:53,622 It says the unpublished text was supposed to mention that, 721 00:38:53,623 --> 00:38:57,417 quote, "Crater suffered a fatal heart attack at the moment of 722 00:38:57,418 --> 00:38:59,462 "peak enjoyment while indulging 723 00:38:59,587 --> 00:39:01,756 in the unique pleasures of the establishment." 724 00:39:03,091 --> 00:39:04,842 Talk about a juicy detail. 725 00:39:04,843 --> 00:39:07,470 Why would Polly Adler remove this passage from 726 00:39:07,595 --> 00:39:09,472 the final version of her memoir? 727 00:39:09,597 --> 00:39:12,183 Tofel thinks it was partly for her own protection. 728 00:39:13,226 --> 00:39:17,105 As for why Polly Adler might have taken a direct statement 729 00:39:17,230 --> 00:39:20,357 about Crater's death of her book, the libel laws were 730 00:39:20,358 --> 00:39:23,694 much stricter in this country than they are today. 731 00:39:23,695 --> 00:39:27,865 And it's easy to imagine Polly Adler, even 30 years after 732 00:39:27,866 --> 00:39:31,619 Crater's death, not wanting to have been quite as explicit 733 00:39:31,744 --> 00:39:33,537 about this in her memoir. 734 00:39:33,538 --> 00:39:34,831 [as Mara] ...so soon. 735 00:39:34,956 --> 00:39:38,208 [Josh] This casts Crater's earlier strange behavior in a new 736 00:39:38,209 --> 00:39:41,296 light, suggesting the mounting pressure from financial 737 00:39:41,421 --> 00:39:45,465 and legal troubles caused extreme stress-- stress that, 738 00:39:45,466 --> 00:39:47,050 if Polly is to be believed, 739 00:39:47,051 --> 00:39:49,262 ultimately led to a fatal heart attack. 740 00:39:50,471 --> 00:39:51,639 But wait a second. 741 00:39:51,764 --> 00:39:54,684 If this is true, why did the police apparently never 742 00:39:54,809 --> 00:39:56,560 chase down these leads? 743 00:39:56,561 --> 00:40:00,231 Why did it take 75 years for this theory to be exposed? 744 00:40:01,524 --> 00:40:05,319 [Richard] In my opinion, the real scandal here is not 745 00:40:05,320 --> 00:40:10,491 why Judge Crater wasn't found, but why no one went seriously 746 00:40:10,617 --> 00:40:13,827 looking for him for three or four weeks. 747 00:40:13,828 --> 00:40:16,663 And the reason I think that no one went looking for him was, 748 00:40:16,664 --> 00:40:21,044 this was at the beginning of what turned into a huge scandal 749 00:40:21,169 --> 00:40:22,879 of municipal corruption. 750 00:40:23,004 --> 00:40:27,383 Tammany Hall was under enormous pressure in 1930. 751 00:40:27,508 --> 00:40:30,887 The more information that was turned up about Judge Crater, 752 00:40:31,012 --> 00:40:34,015 the more people were likely to realize that he had bought 753 00:40:34,140 --> 00:40:37,726 his judgeship as many other judges were doing at the time. 754 00:40:37,727 --> 00:40:40,729 I think Crater's associates, especially in Tammany Hall, 755 00:40:40,730 --> 00:40:43,690 went out of their way not to find him. 756 00:40:43,691 --> 00:40:47,070 Did the high and mighty judge really fall to such a down 757 00:40:47,195 --> 00:40:50,781 and dirty end, dying of a heart attack in a brothel before 758 00:40:50,782 --> 00:40:53,575 being buried by the mob and never searched for 759 00:40:53,576 --> 00:40:55,953 because of a corrupt city cover-up? 760 00:40:55,954 --> 00:40:58,539 Or is he buried at Coney Island, as indicated in 761 00:40:58,665 --> 00:41:01,917 the long sealed letter of Stella Ferrucci-Good? 762 00:41:01,918 --> 00:41:06,421 In 1979, Judge Joseph Crater's case was officially closed 763 00:41:06,422 --> 00:41:07,882 without being solved. 764 00:41:08,007 --> 00:41:11,427 Tofel's theory is compelling, not to mention scandalous. 765 00:41:11,552 --> 00:41:13,053 But without physical evidence, 766 00:41:13,054 --> 00:41:17,100 the so-called "Missingest Man in New York" stays that way. 767 00:41:17,225 --> 00:41:20,560 There is one final footnote to this tabloid tale. 768 00:41:20,561 --> 00:41:23,772 In the years after the judge's disappearance, a new phrase 769 00:41:23,773 --> 00:41:26,401 became popular-- "to pull a Crater," 770 00:41:26,526 --> 00:41:29,319 meaning to disappear without a trace. 771 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:30,612 I'm Josh Gates. 772 00:41:30,613 --> 00:41:33,323 Please don't pull a Crater, and I'll see you on 773 00:41:33,324 --> 00:41:34,325 the next expedition.