Torture: A Dark History explores the darkest corners of human history with a good dose of humor. From torture devices, methods, and executions to true crime, historical atrocities, and the people that committed them. Hosts Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan dig into the real stories behind humanity’s most brutal punishments and macabre moments.Every episode explores a different piece of dark history, uncovering the facts, people, and stories behind torture, crime, punishment, and human cruelty. If you love dark history, true crime, weird history, and stories that make you say “holy sh*t, people actually did that,” you’re in the right place.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/9/21/0/c90a6e7c-90a0-47c9-a9e7-48cd2daea42f_gse.mp3

What happens when a group of doctors decides that the best way to study a sexually transmitted disease is to make absolutely sure their patients have it?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan uncover one of the darkest chapters in the history of American medicine: the Guatemalan Syphilis Experiments. Beginning with historian Susan Reverby’s discovery of John Cutler’s research papers in 2003, we trace how a secret medical experiment conducted in Guatemala between 1946 and 1948 deliberately exposed prisoners, soldiers, psychiatric patients, sex workers, and others to syphilis, gonorrhea, and chancroid.We follow the story from the rise of syphilis as a major public health concern after World War I, through the discovery of penicillin, and into the increasingly disturbing experiments carried out by American researchers who wanted controlled subjects for their research. What began with attempts to study sexual transmission eventually involved deliberate infections, repeated exposures, painful procedures, and subjects who were often never told what was actually being done to them.We’ll also look at some of the individual victims whose stories survived in the records, including Berta, a psychiatric patient who was deliberately infected with multiple diseases before her death, and the children who were subjected to medical procedures despite never being deliberately infected with syphilis.And naturally, Kevin and Dan bring their dark sense of humor to a story where the phrase “medical experiment” somehow manages to become more horrifying with every page of documentation.This is dark history, medical experimentation, true crime, the history of syphilis, and one of the most disturbing chapters in the history of American medicine.Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="http://torture.podview.com/" rel="nofollow">The New Website!!!!</a><a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589944136714" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Guatemalan Syphilis Experiment: Consent Is Not A Thing

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/31/11/064b6b68-5e8b-413a-b864-35be5be4cd61_elephant_.mp3

What happens when one of the largest and most intelligent animals on Earth is trained to become an executioner?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan travel through more than two thousand years of history to explore the horrifying use of elephants in torture, punishment, and execution.We’ll begin in India, where elephants became symbols of royal power and terrifying instruments of punishment. From the Mughal Empire to the kingdoms of South Asia, we’ll look at how condemned prisoners could be grabbed, thrown, dragged, crushed, or dismembered by animals that had been specifically trained to follow the commands of their handlers.We’ll travel back to the ancient world and follow elephants from the battlefields of India and Persia to the armies of Alexander the Great and the great empires of the Mediterranean. Along the way, we’ll explore how these enormous animals were captured from the wild, trained for warfare, and eventually taught to perform remarkably precise acts of violence.We’ll meet some of the people who found themselves on the wrong end of an elephant, including rebels facing Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq, prisoners described by the traveler Ibn Battuta, a man punished under the Mughal emperor Akbar, and prisoners executed under the kings of Kandy. We’ll also travel to 19th century Baroda, where the practice was still being used well into the era of British rule.But the most disturbing part may not be the elephant itself. These animals weren’t simply turned loose on their victims. They could be trained to grab someone, throw them, hold them beneath a foot, drag them, or wait for another command before delivering the final blow.And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring plenty of gallows humor to a story about rulers discovering that sometimes the most terrifying weapon in the room has four legs and weighs several tons.If you’re interested in elephant execution, elephant torture, Mughal history, Muhammad bin Tughluq, Ibn Battuta, Akbar the Great, Alexander the Great, ancient warfare, the Kingdom of Kandy, Baroda, Indian history, historical executions, and the darker side of animal warfare, this episode proves that elephants weren’t always the gentle giants we like to imagine.Sometimes they were the executioners.Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="http://torture.podview.com/" rel="nofollow">The New Website!!!!</a><a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589944136714" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Elephants: It's Always The People

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/16/20/8a3c099e-6384-400a-bd27-fbc59c2f8f3e_castor_oil.mp3

What happens when something sitting in your grandmother’s medicine cabinet becomes a weapon of humiliation, punishment, and political terror?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan explore the surprisingly long and disturbing history of castor oil, a medicine that has been used for thousands of years and eventually found a very different purpose in the hands of people who wanted to punish, intimidate, and humiliate others.We’ll travel from ancient Egypt and India to colonial Africa, Fascist Italy, Nazi Germany, Francoist Spain, Greece under the 4th of August Regime, Australia, and Canada, following the strange journey of a seemingly harmless household remedy as it becomes a tool of political repression and institutional abuse.Along the way, we’ll meet Gabriele D’Annunzio and the Blackshirts, explore the infamous “castor oil purges” of Italian Fascism, and hear about people who were forced to endure the treatment simply because they were political opponents, activists, workers, or inconvenient to those in power. We’ll also look at the disturbing stories of children subjected to forced castor oil ingestion in institutions in Australia and Canada.And of course, we’ll find out exactly why castor oil produces such spectacularly unpleasant results, because apparently knowing what happens when you drink it is something we absolutely needed to research.Kevin and Dan bring their usual irreverent humor to an episode about how something as ordinary as a bottle of medicine can become a remarkably effective instrument of humiliation when placed in the wrong hands.If you’re interested in castor oil, Fascist Italy, the Blackshirts, Gabriele D’Annunzio, Mussolini, Francoist Spain, Nazi Germany, political torture, institutional abuse, colonial history, residential schools, and the stranger side of medical history, this episode proves that sometimes the most effective torture device is the one already sitting in the medicine cabinet.And yes, Dan, we really are going to talk about poop. Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="http://torture.podview.com/" rel="nofollow">The New Website!!!!</a><a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589944136714" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Castor Oil: White Pants Brown

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/8/9/18/5c596ecf-633b-4085-a45a-c68fe54bf1cc_flaying.mp3

What happens when the punishment isn’t simply death, but having your own skin turned into a warning for everyone else?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan explore the horrifying history of flaying, the deliberate removal of a person’s skin, and the very different reasons people throughout history chose to use it.We’ll begin with Baha-ud-din Gurshasp, a powerful military commander who found himself on the wrong side of his cousin, Sultan Muhammad bin Tughluq. From there, we’ll travel back more than three thousand years to the Neo-Assyrian Empire, where rulers like Ashurnasirpal II used flaying as a terrifying message to anyone thinking about rebellion.We’ll meet Sisamnes, the corrupt Persian judge whose fate supposedly turned his own skin into part of his replacement’s courtroom chair, and follow the practice through the Ming Dynasty, the Ottoman conquest of Cyprus, and the brutal fate of Venetian commander Marcantonio Bragadin.But flaying wasn’t always about punishment. We’ll travel to the Aztec Empire and explore the rituals surrounding Xipe Totec, the Flayed One, where human skin played a completely different role in religious ceremony and ideas of death, sacrifice, and renewal.We’ll also look at the myths, legends, and questionable stories surrounding flaying throughout history, as well as some of the rare modern cases where the practice has appeared in warfare and organized crime. And yes, because there was absolutely no way we were getting through an episode about human skin without mentioning Ed Gein.And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring plenty of morbid humor to an episode about one of humanity’s oldest and most disturbing ways of making a statement.If you’re interested in flaying, Ashurnasirpal II, the Assyrian Empire, Baha-ud-din Gurshasp, Marcantonio Bragadin, Sisamnes, the Ming Dynasty, Xipe Totec, Aztec sacrifice, Ed Gein, historical torture, executions, and the darker side of human history, this episode is going to get under your skin.Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="http://torture.podview.com/" rel="nofollow">The New Website!!!!</a><a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589944136714" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Flaying: Human Skin Straw Men

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/12/4/6a910353-51d2-4061-9d69-9fd01598a49f_tears3.mp3

What happens when the courts say you have the right to your land, but the government decides it doesn’t matter?In the final episode of our three part journey through the Trail of Tears, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan follow the Cherokee, Seminole, Creek, and Chickasaw as the fight over Native sovereignty reaches its breaking point.We’ll look at the Supreme Court battles that put the Cherokee Nation directly against Georgia, the rise of Osceola and the bloody beginning of the Second Seminole War, the forced removal of the Creek and Chickasaw, and the growing divisions within the Cherokee Nation itself.Then comes the Cherokee removal. Thousands are rounded up, imprisoned in stockades, and forced west along routes that would become known as the Trail of Tears. We’ll follow the journey, the disease, starvation, exposure, death, and the families left behind, before looking at what happened when the survivors finally reached their new homes.But the story doesn’t end there. Political divisions lead to assassinations, civil war tears through the relocated nations, and the United States later finds new ways to take even more Native land.And yet, despite everything, these nations survive. The Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee, and Seminole rebuild their governments, communities, and cultures, continuing the story that began long before the Trail of Tears.Kevin and Dan bring their usual irreverent humor to the final chapter of one of the darkest stories in American history.If you’re interested in the Trail of Tears, Cherokee history, the Second Seminole War, Andrew Jackson, Indian Removal, Native American history, the Cherokee Nation, Osceola, John Ross, Major Ridge, and the long history of Indigenous resistance and survival, this is the conclusion to a story that never really ended. Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="http://torture.podview.com/" rel="nofollow">The New Website!!!!</a><a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589944136714" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Trail of Tears Episode 3: Damn Mudbloods

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/7/3/19/4bd8657e-4fd9-4a60-a489-3b5eb3cdf35f_tears_2.mp3

What happens when years of broken treaties, stolen land, and political pressure finally turn into forced removal?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan continue their journey through the history of the Trail of Tears, following the rise of Andrew Jackson, the Creek War, the growing pressure on the Five Civilized Tribes, and the discovery of gold on Cherokee land.We’ll meet Major Ridge, John Ross, John Ridge, Elias Boudinot, and Sequoyah, and explore the Cherokee Nation’s remarkable efforts to build a government, establish a written language, publish a newspaper, and prove that they were a sovereign nation capable of governing themselves.Then everything starts to unravel. Georgia begins dismantling Cherokee sovereignty, white settlers flood Cherokee territory in search of gold, and Andrew Jackson takes office with Native removal becoming a central part of his administration. The passage of the Indian Removal Act marks a major turning point, followed by the first large scale removals, including the devastating journey of the Choctaw.And while the story is filled with treaties, politics, and courtroom battles, there was plenty of violence happening on the ground as well. Native nations were divided over how to respond, settlers continued pushing onto Indigenous land, and tensions were rapidly reaching a breaking point.Kevin and Dan bring their usual irreverent humor to a story that is becoming increasingly difficult to laugh about.If you’re interested in the Trail of Tears, Andrew Jackson, Cherokee history, Choctaw history, Indian Removal, Sequoyah, Major Ridge, John Ross, Native American history, and the darker side of American history, this is where the story really begins to turn.And Part 3 is where everything falls apart.Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="http://torture.podview.com/" rel="nofollow">The New Website!!!!</a><a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589944136714" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Trail of Tears Episode 2: Rinse and Repeat

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/6/28/19/39f3ab0f-0e3e-48b2-a44c-546c38e19430_tot.mp3

What happens when the land you’ve lived on for generations is taken from you and given to someone else?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan begin a three part journey into one of the darkest chapters in American history, the Trail of Tears and the forced removal of Indigenous peoples from their ancestral homelands.We’ll start by getting to know the Five Civilized Tribes, the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek), Seminole, and Cherokee, and the very different societies, governments, and cultures they had built across the southeastern United States. We’ll look at how these nations adapted to the rapidly changing world around them, adopted some European American customs, built schools and governments, entered into treaties with the United States, and repeatedly tried diplomacy as their lands were increasingly threatened.Then we’ll follow the growing pressure for Native removal, from the aftermath of the American Revolution and the Louisiana Purchase to the rise of Tecumseh and his attempt to unite Native nations against further American expansion.Along the way, we’ll confront some of the biggest misconceptions about Native Americans, the complicated relationships between different Indigenous nations, the treaties that promised protection and were repeatedly undermined, and the political forces that eventually transformed “voluntary” removal into something very different.And this is only the beginning. The Trail of Tears was not one event, and it was not experienced the same way by every Native nation. Behind the familiar name is a much larger story involving war, politics, broken treaties, internal divisions, resistance, survival, and thousands of individual lives.There may not be much blood and gore in this episode, but make no mistake, the history is brutal. Kevin and Dan bring their usual irreverent humor to a subject that deserves to be understood beyond the simplified version many of us were taught in school.If you’re interested in the Trail of Tears, Cherokee history, Choctaw history, Muscogee Creek history, Chickasaw history, Seminole history, Native American history, Indian Removal, Tecumseh, the Indian Removal Act, broken treaties, and the darker side of American history, this is where the journey begins.And trust us, it gets much worse from here. Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="http://torture.podview.com/" rel="nofollow">The New Website!!!!</a><a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589944136714" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Trail of Tears Episode 1: Treaty After Treaty After Treaty

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/31/19/d23861c4-777a-42dc-95bb-fa669581f268_donkey.mp3

What happens when getting drunk, picking a fight, or stepping out of line in the military could land you on a wooden horse with weights hanging from your feet?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan explore the strange and surprisingly widespread history of the Spanish Donkey, also known as the Wooden Horse, Chevalet, or Mule.We’ll travel back to the armies of 17th and 18th century Europe, where soldiers could be sentenced to ride this uncomfortable contraption for everything from drunkenness and fighting to theft, insubordination, and other military offenses. We’ll follow the punishment from the Dutch colonies of North America and New France to European armies and eventually across the Atlantic to the American Civil War.Along the way, we’ll meet soldiers like Philip Geraerdy, examine the military records and firsthand accounts that help establish that the Wooden Horse was a real punishment, and separate the documented history from some of the more sensational claims that have grown around the device over the years.But was the Spanish Donkey actually a torture device, or was it primarily a form of military punishment and public humiliation? And just how much damage could sitting on a sharp wooden beam with weights attached to your legs actually do?Kevin and Dan dig into the history, the myths, and the very real misery of a punishment that proves you don&#39;t need elaborate machinery to make someone&#39;s day absolutely terrible. And, of course, there’s plenty of gallows humor along the way.If you’re interested in the Spanish Donkey, Wooden Horse, Chevalet, military punishment, military history, Dutch colonial America, New France, the American Civil War, torture devices, historical torture, and the strange ways armies have punished their own soldiers, this episode is going to be a particularly uncomfortable ride. Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="http://torture.podview.com/" rel="nofollow">The New Website!!!!</a><a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589944136714" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Spanish Donkey: Poor Poor Perineum

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2026/5/19/7/3858bb4a-e9a3-4547-9005-8a39daa15a02_zorg2.mp3

What happens when a series of catastrophic mistakes leaves hundreds of enslaved people trapped at sea with nowhere to go and almost no water left?Season 5 of Torture: A Dark History begins with one of the most horrifying events in the history of the Atlantic slave trade, the Zorg Massacre of 1781.Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan travel back to the Caribbean Sea and aboard the Zorg, a British slave ship carrying hundreds of enslaved Africans toward Jamaica. What begins as a disastrous voyage involving poor decisions, incompetent leadership, disease, dwindling supplies, and terrible navigation eventually becomes something far more horrific when the crew decides that some of the people aboard must die so that others might survive.We’ll follow the voyage from the Zorg’s acquisition and its time on the African coast to the disastrous journey across the Atlantic, meeting Captain Luke Collingwood, First Mate James Kelsall, passenger Robert Stubbs, and the hundreds of enslaved men, women, and children caught in the middle of an unfolding catastrophe.Then we’ll look at what happened after the ship finally reached Jamaica, when the owners attempted to turn the deaths into an insurance claim and the horrifying events eventually became the subject of a legal battle in London. The case would expose the disturbing reality of how the law viewed enslaved people and help give abolitionists another powerful example of the brutality and inhumanity of the slave trade.And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring their usual uncomfortable humor and irreverence to a story that has very few funny moments, because apparently Season 5 needed to start by immediately ruining everyone’s day.One quick apology before you listen: we discovered after recording that this episode has some sound quality issues that we weren’t aware of during the recording. We’ve done what we can to clean it up, and we appreciate your patience as we kick off Season 5.If you’re interested in the Zorg Massacre, the Zong, the Atlantic slave trade, slave ships, maritime history, British history, abolitionism, Olaudah Equiano, the history of slavery, and one of the most disturbing legal cases of the 18th century, welcome back to Torture: A Dark History.Season 5 starts here. Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="http://torture.podview.com" rel="nofollow">The New Website!!!!</a><a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61589944136714" rel="nofollow">Facebook</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

The Zorg Massacre: Slave to Weight Ratio

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/12/21/15/5c36a8ae-8bef-416a-9e51-76b6bca66215_cttc_3_beard.mp3

On this episode Dan, Kevin, and special guest Phil cover: who&#39;s Dixon?, an introduction, holiday vacation, death for Christmas, bad present overreaction, Dan&#39;s calendar, Rob Reiner, horrible roommates, breaking out in song, a very real story, a Candy Cane Gingerbread Baked Alaska Pie with Cranberry Coulis, a yuletide Top 10, John Cena, Kevin&#39;s calves, Happy New Year, and much more!!Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://substack.com/@torturepod?utm_source=explore_sidebar" rel="nofollow">Substack</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Christmas Time True Crime.... 33 1/3 with Phil Better

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/12/6/16/50a1061a-d0b7-4149-83e8-0ea91a142460_cats_paw_beard.mp3

What happens when the thing being used to interrogate you looks less like a torture device and more like a garden tool?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan explore the horrifying history of the Cat’s Paw, also known as the Iron Claw, a deceptively simple device designed to tear into the human body.We’ll travel from the Roman Empire and the persecution of Christians to medieval and early modern Europe, following the claw through centuries of interrogation, punishment, and religious persecution. Along the way, we’ll meet St. Vincent of Saragossa, François Villon, and others who found themselves on the wrong end of one of history’s nastier pieces of ironwork.We’ll also look at the different names and variations associated with the device, how it was used alongside other familiar torture methods, and the increasingly formalized rules surrounding judicial torture in places like France and the Holy Roman Empire.However, the Cat’s Paw has accumulated quite a reputation over the centuries, and not everything said about it can actually be proven. We’ll separate the documented history from the stories that have grown around the device, including one particularly famous name that turns out to have a surprisingly modern origin.And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring their own particularly uncomfortable sense of humor to an episode about a device that proves sometimes the simplest tools can be the most horrifying.If you’re interested in the Cat’s Paw, Iron Claw, Ungula, French torture, Roman persecution, François Villon, St. Vincent of Saragossa, judicial torture, medieval history, torture devices, and the strange myths that develop around them, this episode is going to get under your skin.Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Cat's Paw: Oooooooh, The Claw

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/11/23/14/b4d63fd5-1749-4c7f-b36d-0c613750219f_lethal_injection_beard.mp3

What happens when an execution method designed to be cleaner, more humane, and more scientific turns out to have a very ugly history?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan explore the disturbing history of lethal injection, from its origins in the late 19th century to the botched executions that have continued into the modern era.We’ll meet Paul Warner Powell, whose execution appeared to go exactly as planned, before looking at Joseph Cannon and the disastrous attempt to execute him in Texas. From there, we’ll follow the development of the three drug cocktail, the creation of the Oklahoma Model, and the first lethal injection execution in the United States.We’ll also look at some of the most notorious cases of botched lethal injections, including Ronald Clark O’Bryan, Stephen Morin, Rommell Broom, Angel Nieves Diaz, Clayton Lockett, Dennis McGuire, John Grant, and Joseph Wood, whose executions raised serious questions about whether this supposedly peaceful method was actually as humane as it was intended to be.Then we’ll follow the problems surrounding the drugs themselves, changing pharmaceutical supplies, the controversial move toward midazolam, and the growing difficulty of finding people willing and able to carry out executions.Finally, we’ll travel outside the United States to look at lethal injection in China and the use of mobile execution vans, before returning to America and the latest attempts to find alternative methods of execution.And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring their own morbid sense of humor to an episode about an execution method that was supposed to make killing look like a medical procedure.If you’re interested in lethal injection, capital punishment, the Oklahoma Model, botched executions, death row, sodium thiopental, midazolam, the electric chair, execution history, and the disturbing intersection of medicine and punishment, this episode proves that sometimes making something look more humane doesn’t necessarily make it less horrifying. Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Lethal Injection: Midazolam (Do do do-do do)

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/11/9/0/6d0b1bd8-e6ae-4531-b39f-38586ef91571_s_p_beard.mp3

What happens when breaking the rules means being locked into a wooden frame while your entire town gets invited to make fun of you?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan explore the history of two of Europe’s most infamous instruments of public punishment, the stocks and the pillory.We’ll travel from ancient Judah and Rome into medieval Europe, following the evolution of public humiliation from a way to shame petty offenders into behaving themselves to a much harsher system where crowds could turn punishment into violence. Along the way, we’ll meet Perkin Warbeck, Daniel Defoe, Elizabeth Needham, and others who discovered that being put on display could be considerably more dangerous than simply humiliation.We’ll also travel beyond Europe to look at similar forms of punishment, including China’s infamous cangue, before following the stocks and pillory across the Atlantic and into colonial America. From drunkards and scolds to thieves, fraudsters, slaves, and accused witches, almost anyone could find themselves spending a very unpleasant afternoon in public.But what started as a form of community shame eventually became something much more dangerous. As criminal justice became more centralized, the punishment became harsher, the crowds became more vicious, and in some cases, simply being placed in the pillory could become a death sentence.And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring plenty of questionable humor to an episode about two wooden contraptions that prove humanity has always found creative ways to publicly embarrass people.If you’re interested in the stocks, pillory, cangue, public humiliation, medieval punishment, colonial America, Daniel Defoe, Perkin Warbeck, Elizabeth Needham, historical torture, and the evolution of criminal justice, this episode is going to give you a whole new appreciation for the phrase “laughing stock.”Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Stocks & Pillory: Think About What You Did

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/10/26/17/4282e347-e3fc-4f0b-8e62-11085dc3d42b_werewolf_beard.mp3

What happens when your neighbors stop seeing you as a strange old man and start believing you’re a monster?For this special Halloween episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan travel back to the forests of medieval and early modern Europe to explore the terrifying history of the Werewolf Trials.We’ll follow the fear, superstition, and paranoia that turned missing children, dead livestock, strange footprints, and unexplained attacks into accusations of lycanthropy. From Switzerland and France to Germany, Sweden, and Spain, we’ll meet some of the people accused of making pacts with the Devil, transforming into wolves, and preying on their neighbors.We’ll meet Michel Verdun, Pierre Burgot, Gilles Garnier, Peter Stumpp, Jacques Roulet, Jean Grenier, and Manuel Blanco Romasanta, whose cases helped shape the terrifying idea that the monster hiding in the woods might actually be your neighbor.But these weren’t just stories about monsters. Torture, religious hysteria, political and social tensions, war, famine, and good old fashioned fear could turn accusations into confessions and confessions into executions.We’ll also look at where the werewolf legend came from, from ancient mythology and Norse warriors to medieval Christianity, before following the creature through centuries of European history and eventually into the modern world.And because this is our Halloween episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring plenty of creepy storytelling, questionable humor, and a few laughs to the history of one of humanity’s favorite monsters.If you’re interested in werewolves, witch trials, lycanthropy, the Devil, Gilles Garnier, Peter Stumpp, the Beast of Gévaudan, Manuel Blanco Romasanta, European folklore, medieval history, torture, and the darker side of Halloween, turn off the lights and join us in the woods.Just watch out for the guy walking on four legs. Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Werewolf Trials: Strange Salve

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/10/11/17/bd304c49-32b4-4572-9c0d-d2604ae155c1_buried_alive_beard.mp3

What happens when the punishment for breaking the law is being lowered into a grave while you’re still alive?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan explore the horrifying history of being buried alive, a punishment used across different cultures for crimes ranging from adultery and infanticide to heresy, sacrilege, and treason.We’ll travel from ancient Rome and the Vestal Virgins to the Saxons and Franks, before following the practice through medieval Europe and into the story of Anna Utenhoven, one of the last people executed for heresy by live burial in the Low Countries. We’ll also meet Tiufrid, an 18 year old Swedish farmhand whose crime led to one of the strangest executions in the historical record.But being buried alive wasn’t always intentional.We’ll also explore the terrifying history of premature burial, from stories of people waking inside their coffins to the rise of taphophobia and the bizarre inventions designed to make sure the dead were actually dead. Safety coffins, corpse bells, waiting houses, and increasingly sophisticated medical techniques all emerged from the fear that someone might be buried before they had actually died.And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring their own morbid sense of humor to an episode about one of humanity’s oldest fears, being trapped underground with no way out.If you’re interested in being buried alive, live burial, ancient Roman punishment, Vestal Virgins, Anna Utenhoven, premature burial, taphophobia, safety coffins, historical torture, executions, and some of the darkest fears in human history, this episode is going six feet under. Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Buried Alive: Quite Efficient

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/9/7/3/ceae0801-104f-474f-af37-4d6507e40c05_lead_sprinkler_beard.mp3

What happens when a religious blessing becomes one of the most horrifying torture myths in history?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan travel back to the world of the Inquisition and explore the infamous Lead Sprinkler, a supposed torture device designed to turn a priest’s blessing into a weapon.We’ll step into the dungeon, where the familiar instruments of torture are replaced by something far more unsettling, a device resembling an aspergillum, the tool used to sprinkle holy water over a congregation. Only this time, the “blessing” is anything but holy.We’ll look at the stories surrounding the Lead Sprinkler, the supposed punishments for blasphemers, heretics, criminals, and accused witches, and the gruesome legends that grew around the device. But there’s a catch. Despite its reputation and its appearance in museums and modern collections of torture devices, there is a serious question about whether the Lead Sprinkler was ever actually used.The question is, where did this terrifying device come from, and how did a supposed instrument of the Inquisition become one of the most recognizable torture myths in history?And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring their own irreverent sense of humor to a story where apparently even getting a blessing can go horribly wrong.If you’re interested in the Lead Sprinkler, the Inquisition, religious torture, blasphemy, heresy, the aspergillum, torture devices, medieval punishment, torture myths, and the darker side of European history, this episode might make you think twice the next time someone offers you a blessing.Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Lead Sprinkler: Receive Now Your Blessing

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/8/10/3/e7328506-7460-4d72-9334-37b9f20cbcea_hanging_cage_beard.mp3

What happens when your punishment doesn’t end with your execution, but with your body being locked inside an iron cage and left hanging for everyone to see?In this episode of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan explore the disturbing history of the hanging cage, a punishment designed not only to kill, but to turn the dead into a warning for everyone who passed by.We’ll travel across Europe, England, America, and Asia, following the stories of criminals, pirates, rebels, and prisoners whose bodies were displayed in cages after their executions. We’ll meet Kohlhans the Robber, James Aitken, Captain William Kidd, and others whose deaths became public spectacles long after the execution itself was over.But occasionally, the line between execution and torture became disturbingly blurred. We’ll look at stories of people supposedly placed inside the cages alive, left exposed to the elements with no food or water, and forced to endure days of suffering while crowds watched from below.We’ll also explore the different forms these cages took, from simple iron frames to custom fitted “man cages,” and see how similar practices appeared in France, Germany, England, colonial America, China, Japan, Korea, and beyond.And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring their own morbid sense of humor to a punishment where even death apparently wasn’t enough.If you’re interested in hanging cages, gibbets, public executions, Captain William Kidd, highwaymen, pirates, witchcraft accusations, historical torture, medieval and early modern punishment, and the darker history of public spectacle, this episode is going to leave you looking at old city gates a little differently.Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Hanging Cage: Dick Seamen Cox Oort

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/7/26/15/8cd99cb3-3f10-4409-82bc-b6b1e9db4242_nero_2_beard.mp3

What happens when an emperor becomes so obsessed with power, performance, and being adored that Rome finally decides it has had enough?In the second and final episode of Torture: A Dark History on Nero, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan pick up where we left off as Nero’s reign descends into paranoia, violence, excess, and chaos.We’ll follow the emperor through the Great Fire of Rome, the persecution of Christians, political conspiracies, brutal purges, and the increasingly bizarre world surrounding Nero as his grip on reality and his empire begins to slip.From Rome to Greece and back again, Nero becomes more obsessed with his identity as an artist, while the people around him pay an increasingly deadly price for failing to play along.Eventually, the military turns against him, the Senate declares him an enemy of the state, and Nero finds himself running for his life with nowhere left to go.And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring their own dark and twisted humor to the spectacular collapse of one of Rome’s most infamous emperors.If you’re interested in Nero, the Great Fire of Rome, Christian persecution, Roman emperors, political conspiracies, ancient Rome, the Year of the Four Emperors, and the spectacular downfall of one of history’s most notorious rulers, this is where Nero’s story finally comes to an end.And what an ending it is.Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Nero Episode 2: Over Dramaticus

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/7/12/18/e906ee33-7742-49b8-b024-2d15d384bd63_nero1.mp3

What happens when a young boy is groomed from birth to become emperor, only to grow into one of the most infamous rulers in Roman history?In the Season 4 premiere of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan travel back to Imperial Rome to explore the rise of Nero, the family that shaped him, and the political machinations that put him on the throne at just sixteen years old.We’ll follow Nero from his complicated childhood and powerful family connections to his early years as emperor, when Rome briefly saw him as a promising young ruler. But as Nero grows older and begins breaking away from the people who helped guide him, his personality, ambitions, and appetite for power begin to change.What follows is a story of family conflict, political intrigue, murder, obsession, and a young emperor slowly becoming something far more dangerous.And because this is Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring their own dark and twisted humor to one of the most dysfunctional families in Roman history.If you’re interested in Nero, Ancient Rome, Roman emperors, imperial politics, murder, power, and the darker side of Roman history, the Season 4 premiere is where Nero’s story begins.And trust us, it only gets worse. Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Nero Episode 1: I'm A Star, Mommy

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2025/6/28/13/7997ab5a-4ccc-4a22-b101-c0cdcb6b1250_scavengers_daughter_beard.mp3

What happens when a torture device is designed to crush your entire body into a position you were never meant to survive?In the Season 3 finale of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan travel back to Tudor England to explore the horrifying history of the Scavenger’s Daughter, one of the most infamous torture devices ever used inside the Tower of London.We’ll begin with Luke Kirby, a Catholic priest arrested in 1580 who found himself strapped into the device and tortured for refusing to abandon his faith. We’ll also meet Thomas Cottam, another Catholic priest who faced the same fate, along with the strange story of Humphrey Ely, the man who helped Cottam escape before Cottam made the decision to turn himself back in.Then we’ll travel back to the device’s origins and the man whose name became attached to it, Leonard Skevington. We’ll look at the evolution of the name and the different versions of the device that appeared inside the Tower.We’ll also meet Thomas Miagh, an Irish prisoner who endured the Scavenger’s Daughter and left behind a haunting inscription carved into the walls of the Beauchamp Tower, a message that can still be seen today.And because this is the Season 3 finale of Torture: A Dark History, Kevin and Dan bring their own dark and twisted humor to an episode about Tudor prisons, Catholic persecution, the Tower of London, and a torture device that proves sometimes history can put you in a &#34;tough position&#34;.If you’re interested in the Scavenger’s Daughter, Skevington’s Gyves, the Tower of London, Tudor England, Elizabeth I, Luke Kirby, Thomas Cottam, Thomas Miagh, Catholic persecution, torture devices, and the darkest corners of British history, join us for the final episode of Season 3.And after everything we’ve covered this season, what better way to end it than by getting ourselves thoroughly crushed? Please like, subscribe, and follow where ever you listen.<a href="https://www.thebeardstruggle.com/?discountCode=TORTURE19&ref=kevinyoung5" rel="nofollow">The Beard Struggle</a><a href="https://www.podup.com/" rel="nofollow">PodUp!</a><a href="https://www.patreon.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Patreon</a><a href="https://www.redbubble.com/people/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Merch</a><a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Buy Us A Coffee</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/torturepod" rel="nofollow">Instagram</a><a href="https://bsky.app/profile/torturepod.bsky.social" rel="nofollow">Blue Sky</a><a href="http://www.tiktok.com/@torturepod" rel="nofollow">Tiktok</a><a href="https://instagram.com/the.sassholes?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y%3D" rel="nofollow">The Sassholes Insta!!</a> Music from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/all-good-folks/curiosity</a>License code: 7QU9IW0B2IJBFZJYMusic from Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/christian-larssen/suburban-honeymoon</a>License code: 1OKNVEXYPW8QAYSHMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/kevin-macleod/bass-vibes</a>License code: YYUZSRCQDGQROBB4Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):<a href="https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back" rel="nofollow">https://uppbeat.io/t/mountaineer/kick-back</a>License code: QMHHB6U0M6H9WWENRead lessMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/albert-behar/tickling-the-ivories Please give us a 5 star rating and review!! Advertising Inquiries: <a href='https://redcircle.com/brands'>https://redcircle.com/brands</a> Privacy & Opt-Out: <a href='https://redcircle.com/privacy'>https://redcircle.com/privacy</a>

Scavenger's Daughter: Do The Skevington's Gyves

A History of Human Cruelty

Torture: A Dark History explores the darkest corners of human history with a good dose of humor. From torture devices, methods, and executions to true crime, historical atrocities, and the people that committed them. Hosts Kevin Young and Dan Hourigan dig into the real stories behind humanity’s most brutal punishments and macabre moments.

Every episode explores a different piece of dark history, uncovering the facts, people, and stories behind torture, crime, punishment, and human cruelty. If you love dark history, true crime, weird history, and stories that make you say “holy sh*t, people actually did that,” you’re in the right place.