In 1931, a 93-year-old widow was discovered to be hoarding great wealth in New York's Herald Square Hotel. Her death touched off an inquiry that revealed a glittering past -- and a great secret. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast, we'll tell the story of Ida Wood, which has been called "one of the most sensational inheritance cases in American history."
We'll also revisit the Candy Bomber and puzzle over some excessive travel.
Intro:
Lyndon Johnson's family shared initials.
In 1915, Arthur Guiterman sparred with Arthur Conan Doyle over Sherlock Holmes' antecedents.
Sources for our feature on Ida Wood:
Joseph A. Cox, The Recluse of Herald Square: The Mystery of Ida E. Wood, 1964.
Robert H. Sitkoff and Jesse Dukeminier, Wills, Trusts, and Estates, 10th edition, 2017.
Renee M. Winters, The Hoarding Impulse: Suffocation of the Soul, 2015.
John V. Orth, "'The Laughing Heir': What's So Funny?", Real Property, Trust and Estate Law Journal 48:2 (Fall 2013), 321-326.
St. Clair McKelway, "Annals of Law: The Rich Recluse of Herald Square," New Yorker, Oct. 24, 1953.
Karen Abbott, "Everything Was Fake but Her Wealth," smithsonianmag.com, Jan. 23, 2013.
Phil Gustafson, "Who'll Pick up the Pieces?", Nation's Business 38:3 (March 1950), 56.
LJ Charleston, "The Story of the Rich New York Socialite Who Hid in a Hotel Room for 24 Years," news.com.au, July 29, 2019.
Frank McNally, "Fascinating Ida," Irish Times, Oct. 17, 2019.
"Hibernian Chronicle: The Mayfield Mystery Solved," Irish Echo, Feb. 17, 2011.
Joseph A. Cox, "She Hid Her Wealth -- And a Strange Past," Australian Women's Weekly, July 6, 1966, 28.
Peter Lyon, "Mrs. Wood's Rubbish Pile," New York Times, Oct. 4, 1964.
"Finds Heirs, Gets $30,000," New York Times, July 2, 1941.
"Meets Ida Wood 'Heirs'," New York Times, March 6, 1938.
"Ida Wood Estate Hearing Dec. 20," New York Times, Nov. 18, 1937.
"Fortune Fight Bares Name Hoax," Associated Press, Sept. 16, 1937.
"406 Claimants Out as Ida Wood Heirs," New York Times, Sept. 1, 1937.
"She Carried a Fortune Around Her Waist," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Jan. 5, 1936, 59.
"$92,293 Estate Left by Mrs. F.E. Whistler," New York Times, Dec. 14, 1932.
"Reports Locating Ida Wood's Heirs," Associated Press, Dec. 7, 1932.
"Mrs. Ida Wood Dies at 93 of Pneumonia," New York Times, March 13, 1932.
"Recluse to Seek 'Rest of Money,'" [Washington D.C.] Evening Star, Oct. 14, 1931.
"Old Lady's Kin Vie at Law for Her Fortune," Associated Press, Oct. 13, 1931.
"Benjamin Wood Dead," New-York Tribune, Feb. 22, 1900.
Listener mail:
Cathy Free, "World War II-Era 'Candy Bomber' Turns 100. Those Who Caught His Candy -- Now in Their 80s -- Say Thanks," Washington Post, Oct. 13, 2020.
Lee Benson, "As Utah's Candy Bomber Turns 100, His Sweet Story Remains Timeless," Deseret News, Oct 4, 2020.
"Gov. Gary Herbert Declares October 10th as Gail S. Halvorsen Recognition Day," Utah Department of Veterans and Military Affairs, Oct. 10, 2020.
Safe-T-Pull.
"Safe-T-Pull™ Pro -- Muddy Sugar Beet Harvest," (video), Safe-T-Pull, Jan. 21, 2014.
"Will cold temperatures damage my refrigerator," Garage Journal, March 2, 2012.
"What to Wear in the Winter Conditions," Hôtel de Glace (accessed Dec. 25, 2020).
This week's lateral thinking puzzle was devised by Greg. Here's a corroborating link (warning -- this spoils the puzzle).
You can listen using the player above, download this episode directly, or subscribe on Google Podcasts, on Apple Podcasts, or via the RSS feed at https://futilitycloset.libsyn.com/rss.
Please consider becoming a patron of Futility Closet -- you can choose the amount you want to pledge, and we've set up some rewards to help thank you for your support. You can also make a one-time donation on the Support Us page of the Futility Closet website.
Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode.
If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!
185-The Man From Formosa
184-Lateral Thinking Puzzles
183-An Everest Mystery
182-The Compulsive Wanderer
181-Operation Gunnerside
180-An Academic Impostor
179-Two Vanished Young Writers
178-Lateral Thinking Puzzles
177-Averting a Catastrophe in Manhattan
176-The Bear That Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh
175-The Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island
174-Cracking the Nazi Code
173-The Worst Journey in the World
172-An American in Feudal Japan
171-The Emperor of the United States
170-The Mechanical Turk
169-John Harrison and the Problem of Longitude
168-The Destruction of the Doves Type
167-A Manhattan Murder Mystery
166-A Dangerous Voyage
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