1 00:00:02,268 --> 00:00:03,102 [patriotic music] 2 00:00:03,104 --> 00:00:05,270 - Katharine Wright tells the Wright Brothers, 3 00:00:05,272 --> 00:00:07,072 you guys got to believe in yourselves, 4 00:00:07,074 --> 00:00:08,107 and also let me help you, 5 00:00:08,109 --> 00:00:09,675 because I'm smarter than both of you. 6 00:00:09,677 --> 00:00:12,411 Oh, I just spilled all over the couch and myself. 7 00:00:12,413 --> 00:00:13,312 - Constance Kopp says, 8 00:00:13,314 --> 00:00:16,315 yo, what the [bleep] happened to my buggy? 9 00:00:16,317 --> 00:00:17,182 And that's a fact. 10 00:00:17,184 --> 00:00:20,119 - And the Fox sisters were the first mediums. 11 00:00:20,121 --> 00:00:22,821 I just crossed some sort of drunken threshold. 12 00:00:22,823 --> 00:00:24,957 - You're--you're okay. - [vomiting] 13 00:00:24,959 --> 00:00:32,164 ♪ ♪ 14 00:00:36,336 --> 00:00:37,469 - Do you have any siblings? 15 00:00:37,471 --> 00:00:38,337 - I have a brother. 16 00:00:38,339 --> 00:00:39,938 - Older or younger? - He's three years older. 17 00:00:39,940 --> 00:00:41,006 - Oh, he's older. - Yeah. 18 00:00:41,008 --> 00:00:42,608 Do you have any siblings? 19 00:00:42,610 --> 00:00:43,742 - One. He's older. 20 00:00:43,744 --> 00:00:46,979 He's a brother, but, like, we hated each other, 21 00:00:46,981 --> 00:00:48,180 and now we're best friends. 22 00:00:48,182 --> 00:00:49,014 - Oh, yeah, we got along 23 00:00:49,016 --> 00:00:50,015 when we were little. - Really? 24 00:00:50,017 --> 00:00:51,316 - Now we [bleep] hate each other. 25 00:00:51,318 --> 00:00:53,152 - Oh, switchies. - [bleep] you. 26 00:00:53,154 --> 00:00:54,019 No, we get along. 27 00:00:54,021 --> 00:00:55,988 - To siblings. - Whoo! 28 00:00:55,990 --> 00:00:56,955 Hey, guys. - Hold up. 29 00:00:56,957 --> 00:00:58,457 Oh, no, you want me to say hello? 30 00:00:58,459 --> 00:00:59,525 - I like "Hey, guys." 31 00:00:59,527 --> 00:01:01,093 It's very podcast-y. 32 00:01:01,095 --> 00:01:03,228 - [laughs] - But maybe say, 33 00:01:03,230 --> 00:01:05,030 "Hello, I'm Lauren Lapkus..." - Hello. 34 00:01:05,032 --> 00:01:06,331 - "And today..." - Okay. 35 00:01:06,333 --> 00:01:08,100 Hello, I'm Lauren Lapkus, 36 00:01:08,102 --> 00:01:09,668 and today we're gonna discuss 37 00:01:09,670 --> 00:01:10,769 the Wright brothers 38 00:01:10,771 --> 00:01:12,704 and the Wright sister. 39 00:01:12,706 --> 00:01:13,939 Am I right? 40 00:01:13,941 --> 00:01:15,274 - [laughing] 41 00:01:15,276 --> 00:01:18,510 - Okay, so everyone's really familiar 42 00:01:18,512 --> 00:01:19,511 with the Wright brothers. 43 00:01:19,513 --> 00:01:21,013 Everyone knows about their planes 44 00:01:21,015 --> 00:01:22,448 and their whole thing, but they didn't know 45 00:01:22,450 --> 00:01:24,383 that there's a younger sister, Katharine. 46 00:01:24,385 --> 00:01:27,953 So basically, our story begins in 1874 47 00:01:27,955 --> 00:01:29,154 in Dayton, Ohio, 48 00:01:29,156 --> 00:01:32,124 and basically she and Orville and Wilbur 49 00:01:32,126 --> 00:01:34,193 were, like best friends, and they'd do, like, 50 00:01:34,195 --> 00:01:36,095 all kinds of old-timey activities 51 00:01:36,097 --> 00:01:37,596 that were fun for people then. 52 00:01:37,598 --> 00:01:39,164 Like, they would collect bones 53 00:01:39,166 --> 00:01:41,700 and sell them to fertilizing plants. 54 00:01:41,702 --> 00:01:42,468 - Classic thing to do. 55 00:01:42,470 --> 00:01:45,471 - You know, classic, like bone collecting. 56 00:01:45,473 --> 00:01:47,005 And they made a pact together 57 00:01:47,007 --> 00:01:48,273 that they were never gonna get married. 58 00:01:48,275 --> 00:01:50,542 Like, the brothers were like, let's not get married. 59 00:01:50,544 --> 00:01:52,311 Why don't we all just, like, be together? 60 00:01:52,313 --> 00:01:54,646 We'll just be, like, a unit. And Katharine's like, 61 00:01:54,648 --> 00:01:55,981 maybe I'll meet someone I actually like. 62 00:01:55,983 --> 00:01:57,549 Like, you guys are my brothers, and I don't really feel 63 00:01:57,551 --> 00:01:59,017 like that about you guys, and I don't think I should 64 00:01:59,019 --> 00:02:00,486 feel like that about you guys. And they're like, 65 00:02:00,488 --> 00:02:03,122 no, no, no, no, no. Let's just stick together 66 00:02:03,124 --> 00:02:04,423 and be, like, a thing. 67 00:02:04,425 --> 00:02:07,259 And she's like, fine, I guess. 68 00:02:07,261 --> 00:02:08,026 [laughs] 69 00:02:08,028 --> 00:02:09,628 And then basically, like, the brothers 70 00:02:09,630 --> 00:02:12,197 started getting really into the idea of manned flight, 71 00:02:12,199 --> 00:02:14,433 and so they're like-- like, I don't care about school. 72 00:02:14,435 --> 00:02:15,801 I want to work on my planes. And he's like, 73 00:02:15,803 --> 00:02:16,869 I want to work on my planes too. 74 00:02:16,871 --> 00:02:18,003 I want to work on planes with you. 75 00:02:18,005 --> 00:02:20,339 I love you. And Katharine was like, 76 00:02:20,341 --> 00:02:21,240 I believe in you. 77 00:02:21,242 --> 00:02:22,407 And they didn't graduate high school. 78 00:02:22,409 --> 00:02:25,210 They were just really focused on the whole plane situation, 79 00:02:25,212 --> 00:02:27,346 so meanwhile, Katharine graduated 80 00:02:27,348 --> 00:02:29,114 from Oberlin College in 1898, 81 00:02:29,116 --> 00:02:32,985 so she was very, like, smart and successful 82 00:02:32,987 --> 00:02:34,653 in her own "Wright." 83 00:02:34,655 --> 00:02:36,555 - Oh, man. - I didn't want to do that, 84 00:02:36,557 --> 00:02:37,956 but I had to. - Okay. 85 00:02:37,958 --> 00:02:38,891 [laughing] 86 00:02:38,893 --> 00:02:40,993 So when she graduates from college, 87 00:02:40,995 --> 00:02:44,429 Orville's like, I have a present for you. 88 00:02:44,431 --> 00:02:46,298 It's a diamond ring. 89 00:02:46,300 --> 00:02:48,400 And she's like, okay. 90 00:02:48,402 --> 00:02:49,935 Are you proposing to me, or what is it? 91 00:02:49,937 --> 00:02:51,503 He's like, no, it's like a brother-sister thing. 92 00:02:51,505 --> 00:02:53,172 Like, it's just, like, a ring. Like, it'll just-- 93 00:02:53,174 --> 00:02:54,573 it'll just be like-- it's like our pact. 94 00:02:54,575 --> 00:02:57,709 And she's like, okay, that's kind of weird, 95 00:02:57,711 --> 00:02:58,744 but I guess I'll wear it 96 00:02:58,746 --> 00:02:59,711 until I meet someone. 97 00:02:59,713 --> 00:03:01,513 He's like, no, you'll never meet anyone. 98 00:03:01,515 --> 00:03:04,082 She's like, I might meet someone. 99 00:03:04,084 --> 00:03:05,651 He's like, you won't meet anyone. 100 00:03:05,653 --> 00:03:08,053 Oh, I just spilled all over the couch and myself. 101 00:03:08,055 --> 00:03:09,488 - That's okay. - Okay. 102 00:03:09,490 --> 00:03:11,290 - Moving right along. 103 00:03:11,292 --> 00:03:12,624 So in 1901, 104 00:03:12,626 --> 00:03:15,727 Orville and Wilbur build the Wright glider, 105 00:03:15,729 --> 00:03:17,763 and they go to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, 106 00:03:17,765 --> 00:03:21,600 and they're like, we're gonna fly the first plane ever. 107 00:03:21,602 --> 00:03:25,871 ♪ ♪ 108 00:03:25,873 --> 00:03:26,838 But then it goes really horribly. 109 00:03:26,840 --> 00:03:29,775 It, like, falls apart, and it was a complete disaster, 110 00:03:29,777 --> 00:03:32,678 and basically they had a horrible time. 111 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,814 So basically they're just like, forget this. 112 00:03:35,816 --> 00:03:36,848 Like, this is a nightmare. 113 00:03:36,850 --> 00:03:38,951 Like, I'm never gonna be good at this. 114 00:03:38,953 --> 00:03:40,319 Not within a thousand years 115 00:03:40,321 --> 00:03:42,354 will man ever fly a plane. 116 00:03:42,356 --> 00:03:45,591 And Katharine's like, you guys got to believe in yourselves. 117 00:03:45,593 --> 00:03:46,658 No one's ever done this. 118 00:03:46,660 --> 00:03:47,926 Why would you think it would work perfectly 119 00:03:47,928 --> 00:03:50,195 the first time? You have to try again, 120 00:03:50,197 --> 00:03:51,196 and also let me help you, 121 00:03:51,198 --> 00:03:53,398 because I'm smarter than both of you. 122 00:03:53,400 --> 00:03:55,367 And so they got reinvigorated, 123 00:03:55,369 --> 00:03:57,269 and basically they decided 124 00:03:57,271 --> 00:03:58,971 they were gonna fly planes again, because-- 125 00:03:58,973 --> 00:04:01,840 - You have to drink every time you say "basically." 126 00:04:01,842 --> 00:04:04,176 New rule. 127 00:04:04,178 --> 00:04:04,743 - Okay. 128 00:04:04,745 --> 00:04:06,912 So their family had, like, a bicycle shop, 129 00:04:06,914 --> 00:04:09,681 and so, like, they were working in this shop, 130 00:04:09,683 --> 00:04:11,883 trying out all these different ways 131 00:04:11,885 --> 00:04:12,751 to make planes. 132 00:04:12,753 --> 00:04:14,786 And Katharine's like, let's look at research 133 00:04:14,788 --> 00:04:16,221 from other people who've done this before. 134 00:04:16,223 --> 00:04:19,024 You guys aren't--you're just making it up at this point. 135 00:04:19,026 --> 00:04:21,159 And so she's, like, translating from German 136 00:04:21,161 --> 00:04:22,761 and all these languages, and she's like, 137 00:04:22,763 --> 00:04:24,830 this says you need to fly like this. 138 00:04:24,832 --> 00:04:26,965 You have to go and make the wings, like, bigger. 139 00:04:26,967 --> 00:04:28,400 Make the wings, like, taller, and-- 140 00:04:28,402 --> 00:04:31,303 and go and believe in it more and all this stuff. 141 00:04:31,305 --> 00:04:37,009 And they created a whole new plane together. 142 00:04:37,011 --> 00:04:39,311 And so basically-- 143 00:04:39,313 --> 00:04:40,345 - Uh, you got to drink. 144 00:04:40,347 --> 00:04:42,347 Basically. - Oh, shit. 145 00:04:44,584 --> 00:04:47,919 Okay, so December 17, 1903, 146 00:04:47,921 --> 00:04:49,554 they try it again at Kitty Hawk, 147 00:04:49,556 --> 00:04:52,057 and Orville Wright fow-- fowered-- 148 00:04:52,059 --> 00:04:54,793 [laughing] Powered the first flight. 149 00:04:54,795 --> 00:04:57,329 20 feet above the ground, 150 00:04:57,331 --> 00:04:58,997 and it's epic, 151 00:04:58,999 --> 00:05:00,766 and I don't like the word "epic," 152 00:05:00,768 --> 00:05:03,502 but I have said it here because it's accurate. 153 00:05:03,504 --> 00:05:04,336 It's a really big deal, 154 00:05:04,338 --> 00:05:06,338 and they have, like, 700 successful flights. 155 00:05:06,340 --> 00:05:07,539 They're up, and the they're down. 156 00:05:07,541 --> 00:05:09,007 They're all over the place. 157 00:05:09,009 --> 00:05:10,742 [clears throat] 158 00:05:11,611 --> 00:05:14,913 So, like, Katharine flies in the plane 159 00:05:14,915 --> 00:05:16,581 for the first time ever, 160 00:05:16,583 --> 00:05:18,183 and she was like, 161 00:05:18,185 --> 00:05:19,418 I feel like a bird, 162 00:05:19,420 --> 00:05:20,652 and birds are so happy, 163 00:05:20,654 --> 00:05:22,454 and birds sing because they're happy. 164 00:05:22,456 --> 00:05:26,358 So Wilbur's like, we couldn't have done it without you. 165 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,427 I love you. 166 00:05:28,429 --> 00:05:30,662 So then, years later, 167 00:05:30,664 --> 00:05:33,365 Katharine is like, all right, [bleep] this. 168 00:05:33,367 --> 00:05:34,399 I'm getting married. I'm 52. 169 00:05:34,401 --> 00:05:36,301 I might as well get married at this point. 170 00:05:36,303 --> 00:05:38,470 I feel like the pact is over. 171 00:05:38,472 --> 00:05:39,538 Meanwhile, Orville's like, 172 00:05:39,540 --> 00:05:41,907 no, the pact's not done. I hate you. 173 00:05:41,909 --> 00:05:44,076 I'm not gonna speak to you ever again, 174 00:05:44,078 --> 00:05:46,011 and she's like, whatever. I have this dude now, 175 00:05:46,013 --> 00:05:48,380 and I don't really care if you don't talk to me anymore. 176 00:05:48,382 --> 00:05:50,382 And they, like, make out in front of Orville. 177 00:05:50,384 --> 00:05:51,950 It's really rude. 178 00:05:51,952 --> 00:05:55,287 [both laughing] 179 00:05:58,958 --> 00:06:00,225 It's so dumb. 180 00:06:00,227 --> 00:06:02,260 - It's really rude. - It's so rude. 181 00:06:02,262 --> 00:06:05,564 Orville's like, damn, this blows. 182 00:06:05,566 --> 00:06:08,333 We all have known about Orville and Wilbur 183 00:06:08,335 --> 00:06:10,869 for as long as we all have lived, 184 00:06:10,871 --> 00:06:12,170 but if they didn't have Katharine, 185 00:06:12,172 --> 00:06:13,538 they wouldn't have had the belief in themselves. 186 00:06:13,540 --> 00:06:15,307 They wouldn't have confidence, and they wouldn't have had 187 00:06:15,309 --> 00:06:17,609 the ability to translate things to know what-- 188 00:06:17,611 --> 00:06:18,677 how things really work. 189 00:06:18,679 --> 00:06:21,046 There's always someone else behind the scenes 190 00:06:21,048 --> 00:06:22,347 who's helping people. 191 00:06:22,349 --> 00:06:24,916 No, I bet that's not true. I take it back. 192 00:06:24,918 --> 00:06:26,651 But sometimes there is. 193 00:06:26,653 --> 00:06:27,786 - You got that right. 194 00:06:27,788 --> 00:06:28,854 - You got that right. 195 00:06:28,856 --> 00:06:30,956 - You got the right one, baby, uh-huh. 196 00:06:30,958 --> 00:06:31,823 - Uh-huh. 197 00:06:31,825 --> 00:06:36,661 [both laughing] 198 00:06:36,663 --> 00:06:38,063 [intense music] 199 00:06:38,831 --> 00:06:40,599 - Whenever you're ready, buddy. 200 00:06:40,601 --> 00:06:42,234 - Hello, I'm Mike Still, 201 00:06:42,236 --> 00:06:45,137 and today we're gonna talk about the Kopp sisters: 202 00:06:45,139 --> 00:06:48,640 the original lady badasses. 203 00:06:48,642 --> 00:06:50,275 - Cheers. - Cheers. 204 00:06:51,844 --> 00:06:53,779 [exclaims] 205 00:06:53,781 --> 00:06:55,113 [giggles] 206 00:06:55,115 --> 00:07:00,385 So our story starts in 1914 in Paterson, New Jersey, 207 00:07:00,387 --> 00:07:06,191 and Constance Kopp and her sisters Norma and Fleurette 208 00:07:06,193 --> 00:07:07,025 go out to lunch. 209 00:07:07,027 --> 00:07:11,563 They're eating sandwiches and 1914 drinks, 210 00:07:11,565 --> 00:07:13,999 and all of of a sudden, they hear this loud noise. 211 00:07:14,001 --> 00:07:15,600 Beep, beep! [mimics explosion] 212 00:07:15,602 --> 00:07:16,735 [mimics tires screeching] 213 00:07:16,737 --> 00:07:18,737 [mimics horse whinnying] 214 00:07:18,739 --> 00:07:20,739 [spitting] 215 00:07:20,741 --> 00:07:21,840 [exclaiming] 216 00:07:21,842 --> 00:07:22,574 [groans] 217 00:07:22,576 --> 00:07:25,210 [mimics horn honking] 218 00:07:25,212 --> 00:07:26,978 [both laugh] 219 00:07:26,980 --> 00:07:27,579 [snorts] 220 00:07:27,581 --> 00:07:32,317 So their horse-and-carriage cart was smashed 221 00:07:32,319 --> 00:07:34,352 by an automobile. 222 00:07:34,354 --> 00:07:37,355 Who was driving this automobile? 223 00:07:37,357 --> 00:07:40,392 It was Henry Kaufman. 224 00:07:40,394 --> 00:07:41,827 He was a mean little guy 225 00:07:41,829 --> 00:07:45,897 who owned the Paterson silk-dyeing corporation. 226 00:07:45,899 --> 00:07:47,799 Constance comes out and she's like, yo! 227 00:07:47,801 --> 00:07:50,202 What the [bleep] happened to my buggy? 228 00:07:50,204 --> 00:07:52,537 Ah, I don't know. 229 00:07:52,539 --> 00:07:53,505 Who cares? 230 00:07:53,507 --> 00:07:54,372 You're a woman. 231 00:07:54,374 --> 00:07:56,741 I'm Henry Kaufman. I'm the king of silk. 232 00:07:56,743 --> 00:08:01,746 I'm not gonna worry about some horse and buggy bullshit. 233 00:08:01,748 --> 00:08:03,448 [bleep] you. 234 00:08:03,450 --> 00:08:04,082 [laughs] 235 00:08:04,084 --> 00:08:06,184 So he drives off in his car, 236 00:08:06,186 --> 00:08:07,686 but Constance was just like, no. 237 00:08:07,688 --> 00:08:09,988 We're not gonna let this guy walk over us. 238 00:08:09,990 --> 00:08:11,923 We're going to e-mail-- 239 00:08:11,925 --> 00:08:12,591 [laughing] 240 00:08:12,593 --> 00:08:15,427 We're gonna write him a letter and say, "Give me 50 bucks. 241 00:08:15,429 --> 00:08:19,264 Give us 50 bucks," so they go home to their farm 242 00:08:19,266 --> 00:08:23,034 and she sends a letter to Henry Kaufman. 243 00:08:23,036 --> 00:08:24,169 Doesn't hear a response. 244 00:08:24,171 --> 00:08:27,806 So a few weeks go by, and a brick goes through 245 00:08:27,808 --> 00:08:29,608 their farmhouse window. 246 00:08:29,610 --> 00:08:30,742 Oh, my God. What's that? 247 00:08:30,744 --> 00:08:31,710 I don't know, a brick. 248 00:08:31,712 --> 00:08:33,712 Who would do it? I don't know. 249 00:08:33,714 --> 00:08:37,482 A week later, Norma went out to the outhouse 250 00:08:37,484 --> 00:08:38,617 behind the farmhouse 251 00:08:38,619 --> 00:08:39,985 and boom! Boom! 252 00:08:39,987 --> 00:08:41,786 She was getting shot at! 253 00:08:41,788 --> 00:08:43,488 She runs back inside. 254 00:08:43,490 --> 00:08:44,122 Guys! 255 00:08:44,124 --> 00:08:45,390 I was trying to take a dump 256 00:08:45,392 --> 00:08:47,259 and I was getting shot at! 257 00:08:47,261 --> 00:08:50,095 So the Kopp sisters are starting to get so pissed off 258 00:08:50,097 --> 00:08:54,933 about this, so they go to the county prosecutor, 259 00:08:54,935 --> 00:08:57,636 and they say, "Look, we're getting harassed, 260 00:08:57,638 --> 00:08:58,670 "we're getting threatened. 261 00:08:58,672 --> 00:08:59,638 "You need to help us out here. 262 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:02,440 You need to send some people over to our farm." 263 00:09:02,442 --> 00:09:03,642 And he's like, I don't know. 264 00:09:03,644 --> 00:09:04,609 I don't believe you. 265 00:09:04,611 --> 00:09:07,312 There's no proof. There's no proof. 266 00:09:07,314 --> 00:09:12,017 But the sheriff of Bergen County, Robert Heath, 267 00:09:12,019 --> 00:09:13,952 overheard what they were talking about, 268 00:09:13,954 --> 00:09:18,523 and Sheriff Heath was like, I'll help you, little ladies. 269 00:09:18,525 --> 00:09:20,025 I'll teach you how to help yourself. 270 00:09:20,027 --> 00:09:25,230 So Sheriff Heath gives all three of the Kopp sisters 271 00:09:25,232 --> 00:09:25,997 a gun. 272 00:09:25,999 --> 00:09:29,134 So he taught them how to use the guns. 273 00:09:29,136 --> 00:09:30,135 Aim up. 274 00:09:30,137 --> 00:09:31,937 Aim at your target. 275 00:09:31,939 --> 00:09:34,105 [imitating gunfire] 276 00:09:34,107 --> 00:09:35,907 He let them hold the guns 277 00:09:35,909 --> 00:09:36,908 and kiss guns. 278 00:09:36,910 --> 00:09:38,143 Whatever you do to guns. 279 00:09:38,145 --> 00:09:39,544 [both chuckle] 280 00:09:39,546 --> 00:09:41,246 And that's a fact. 281 00:09:41,248 --> 00:09:41,846 [both laugh] 282 00:09:41,848 --> 00:09:46,117 So the media heard about the Kopp sisters, 283 00:09:46,119 --> 00:09:48,253 and they became a sensation. 284 00:09:48,255 --> 00:09:51,556 So you'd think that these people would give up. 285 00:09:51,558 --> 00:09:52,791 Like, these ladies are armed. 286 00:09:52,793 --> 00:09:54,192 They're dangerous. No. 287 00:09:54,194 --> 00:09:57,796 The Kopp sisters got an extortion letter, 288 00:09:57,798 --> 00:10:00,131 and it said, "Bring $1,000 289 00:10:00,133 --> 00:10:06,471 "to the corner of Broadway and Carol and meet a man in black. 290 00:10:06,473 --> 00:10:08,139 "We know where you live. 291 00:10:08,141 --> 00:10:10,742 "We're gonna kill your farm 292 00:10:10,744 --> 00:10:12,644 "and kill the cows 293 00:10:12,646 --> 00:10:14,813 "and kill you. 294 00:10:14,815 --> 00:10:17,315 We're gonna murder you." 295 00:10:17,317 --> 00:10:18,149 [chuckles] 296 00:10:18,151 --> 00:10:20,185 "We're gonna smash you up. 297 00:10:20,187 --> 00:10:23,622 Signed, H.K. and company." 298 00:10:23,624 --> 00:10:25,757 Which that--I mean, that's Henry Kaufman. 299 00:10:25,759 --> 00:10:26,524 That's his initials. 300 00:10:26,526 --> 00:10:29,060 Like, it's clearly Mr. Silk himself. 301 00:10:29,062 --> 00:10:32,230 So Constance wasn't gonna have this. 302 00:10:32,232 --> 00:10:35,467 She's like, I'm taking this into my own hands. 303 00:10:35,469 --> 00:10:40,138 So she goes to the corner of Broadway and Carol 304 00:10:40,140 --> 00:10:45,076 and a man in black shows up, but she's not alone. 305 00:10:45,078 --> 00:10:48,446 She has backup from Sheriff Heath, 306 00:10:48,448 --> 00:10:49,781 and he's like... 307 00:10:49,783 --> 00:10:51,316 [stammering] 308 00:10:51,318 --> 00:10:53,685 And then he realizes the jig is up 309 00:10:53,687 --> 00:10:54,586 and he runs! 310 00:10:54,588 --> 00:10:56,521 And Sheriff Heath's like, go! 311 00:10:56,523 --> 00:10:57,689 Go! Go! 312 00:10:57,691 --> 00:11:00,625 [dramatic music] 313 00:11:00,627 --> 00:11:02,460 And they capture him, and they're like, 314 00:11:02,462 --> 00:11:04,896 well, how do we prove it was Henry Kaufman? 315 00:11:04,898 --> 00:11:06,698 New science: 316 00:11:06,700 --> 00:11:08,533 handwriting analysis. 317 00:11:08,535 --> 00:11:13,705 They hired William J. Kingsley to examine the handwriting, 318 00:11:13,707 --> 00:11:16,908 and William J. Kingsley said, "Oh, my God. 319 00:11:16,910 --> 00:11:20,545 This is the same as Henry Kaufman." 320 00:11:20,547 --> 00:11:21,880 ♪ ♪ 321 00:11:21,882 --> 00:11:26,217 "We know that he is the criminal 322 00:11:26,219 --> 00:11:29,320 that went after the Kopp sisters." 323 00:11:29,322 --> 00:11:30,755 And because it was his handwriting 324 00:11:30,757 --> 00:11:33,792 and he used the Post Office, it became a federal crime, 325 00:11:33,794 --> 00:11:37,962 and we went to jail for abusing the mail. 326 00:11:37,964 --> 00:11:42,100 So Constance Kopp brought down this kingpin 327 00:11:42,102 --> 00:11:43,868 everyone was scared of in New Jersey. 328 00:11:43,870 --> 00:11:46,738 And Sheriff Heath was so impressed, he said, 329 00:11:46,740 --> 00:11:49,908 "Well, Henry Kaufman's under arrest. 330 00:11:49,910 --> 00:11:54,612 And I want you to be under sheriff of Bergen County." 331 00:11:54,614 --> 00:11:58,516 She became American's first female sheriff. 332 00:11:58,518 --> 00:11:59,384 [triumphant music] 333 00:11:59,386 --> 00:12:00,952 And then the Kopp sisters 334 00:12:00,954 --> 00:12:03,088 started their own detective agency, 335 00:12:03,090 --> 00:12:05,757 and they solved cases and they found out-- 336 00:12:05,759 --> 00:12:09,094 there were crimes and everything. 337 00:12:09,096 --> 00:12:14,332 So Constance's achievements-- 338 00:12:14,334 --> 00:12:15,033 wait. 339 00:12:15,035 --> 00:12:16,367 [speaking indistinctly] 340 00:12:16,369 --> 00:12:17,402 [laughs] 341 00:12:17,404 --> 00:12:18,703 Sorry. 342 00:12:18,705 --> 00:12:19,270 [laughs] 343 00:12:19,272 --> 00:12:23,108 So Constance's achievements became world-renowned, 344 00:12:23,110 --> 00:12:26,611 so when Constance passed away, everyone was very sad. 345 00:12:26,613 --> 00:12:29,814 - The others, did they continue as detectives? 346 00:12:29,816 --> 00:12:30,815 - They didn't continue as detectives. 347 00:12:30,817 --> 00:12:34,686 Fleurette was really into, like, fashion and music 348 00:12:34,688 --> 00:12:35,587 and singing and stuff, 349 00:12:35,589 --> 00:12:38,223 and you know her as Madonna. 350 00:12:38,225 --> 00:12:39,424 No, that's not true. 351 00:12:39,426 --> 00:12:40,291 [laughs] 352 00:12:40,293 --> 00:12:43,495 That's not true. 353 00:12:43,497 --> 00:12:44,763 - Have you ever seen a ghost? 354 00:12:44,765 --> 00:12:45,797 - Of course not. 355 00:12:45,799 --> 00:12:46,865 - Why you say, "Of course not"? 356 00:12:46,867 --> 00:12:48,133 - I enjoy hearing ghost stories-- 357 00:12:48,135 --> 00:12:50,435 - You do like ghost stories. - Yeah, and I enjoy hearing 358 00:12:50,437 --> 00:12:55,240 other people's accounts, but that's all garbage. 359 00:12:55,242 --> 00:12:56,141 - Okay. 360 00:12:56,143 --> 00:12:58,376 - How's it going? I'm Hollywood's JD Ryznar, 361 00:12:58,378 --> 00:13:01,446 and today we're gonna talk about the Fox sisters 362 00:13:01,448 --> 00:13:04,516 and all the ghosts they talked to. 363 00:13:04,518 --> 00:13:07,819 - I'm gonna prove you wrong tonight. 364 00:13:07,821 --> 00:13:08,920 - So... 365 00:13:08,922 --> 00:13:13,925 our story begins in the 1840s in a small farmhouse 366 00:13:13,927 --> 00:13:16,027 of the Fox family. 367 00:13:16,029 --> 00:13:17,529 And it's a spooky house. 368 00:13:17,531 --> 00:13:21,232 They hear sounds at night: knocks on the door, 369 00:13:21,234 --> 00:13:23,668 phantom steps on the stairs. 370 00:13:23,670 --> 00:13:24,569 [knocking] 371 00:13:24,571 --> 00:13:30,375 And young Maggie and Katie Fox run into their parents' room 372 00:13:30,377 --> 00:13:35,346 and say, "Mom, Dad, there's a fricking ghost in our room. 373 00:13:35,348 --> 00:13:37,515 You got to come check it out." 374 00:13:37,517 --> 00:13:39,284 And the mom runs into the room, 375 00:13:39,286 --> 00:13:44,255 and the girls are like, ghost, are you there? 376 00:13:44,257 --> 00:13:47,258 Tap, rap, ghost. Are you there? 377 00:13:47,260 --> 00:13:50,295 Rap two times for yes, three times for no. 378 00:13:50,297 --> 00:13:52,397 And the ghost goes... [taps twice] 379 00:13:52,399 --> 00:13:57,101 And the mom's like, oh my-- holy smokes! 380 00:13:57,103 --> 00:13:59,370 It's a ghost in our house! 381 00:13:59,372 --> 00:14:01,773 What they learned from the rapper once they-- 382 00:14:01,775 --> 00:14:03,842 once they figured out a special code 383 00:14:03,844 --> 00:14:10,048 was that this ghost was a peddler who was murdered 384 00:14:10,050 --> 00:14:12,317 and buried in their cellar. 385 00:14:12,319 --> 00:14:14,786 And the mom, she starts bringing neighbors over, 386 00:14:14,788 --> 00:14:18,156 and everybody was like, oh my--these girls can talk 387 00:14:18,158 --> 00:14:21,726 to ghosts, to the spirits of the dead. 388 00:14:21,728 --> 00:14:23,194 This is the real deal. 389 00:14:23,196 --> 00:14:26,364 So fearing for their daughters' souls, 390 00:14:26,366 --> 00:14:29,901 Ma and Pop Fox sent Maggie and Katie off to live 391 00:14:29,903 --> 00:14:33,238 with their sister Leah in Rochester, New York, 392 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:37,141 and when Leah saw their skills with communicating to ghosts, 393 00:14:37,143 --> 00:14:41,279 she was like, I want-- I want to be your manager, 394 00:14:41,281 --> 00:14:44,148 and we're gonna make a lot of money. 395 00:14:44,150 --> 00:14:46,851 So she invites the press, and the press comes, 396 00:14:46,853 --> 00:14:48,086 and they are-- they're skeptical. 397 00:14:48,088 --> 00:14:51,322 They're like, these ghost girls can't talk to ghosts. 398 00:14:51,324 --> 00:14:55,627 This is garbage, but Maggie and Katie are so good, 399 00:14:55,629 --> 00:14:57,729 they convince the press, like... [taps twice] 400 00:14:57,731 --> 00:15:02,100 Your sister has three dead babies. 401 00:15:02,102 --> 00:15:05,737 And he's like, my sister has three dead babies! 402 00:15:05,739 --> 00:15:07,071 I believe you. 403 00:15:07,073 --> 00:15:10,041 And all of a sudden, everybody believes it. 404 00:15:10,043 --> 00:15:13,711 And the Fox sisters were the first people 405 00:15:13,713 --> 00:15:15,246 ever to be called mediums. 406 00:15:15,248 --> 00:15:19,183 And so this new thing thing called spiritualism 407 00:15:19,185 --> 00:15:23,321 lights a blaze across the United States of America. 408 00:15:23,323 --> 00:15:25,356 But wait! Stop the reenactment 409 00:15:25,358 --> 00:15:26,758 because guess what. 410 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:29,127 There was-- - Mm-hmm. 411 00:15:29,129 --> 00:15:31,229 - It's all bullshit. 412 00:15:31,231 --> 00:15:32,797 [exclaiming] 413 00:15:32,799 --> 00:15:34,198 You ever see "Wayne's World"? [exclaiming] 414 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:35,366 - Of course I've seen "Wayne's World." 415 00:15:35,368 --> 00:15:37,101 - That's what they do when they do a flashback. 416 00:15:37,103 --> 00:15:38,002 We're gonna do one now. 417 00:15:38,004 --> 00:15:39,570 This is gonna be good. - [laughs] 418 00:15:39,572 --> 00:15:41,973 - Make the picture look wavy. 419 00:15:41,975 --> 00:15:44,742 [both exclaiming] 420 00:15:44,744 --> 00:15:47,211 So here's what really happened: 421 00:15:47,213 --> 00:15:51,516 Maggie and Katie are pulling pranks on their parents 422 00:15:51,518 --> 00:15:52,784 on April Fool's Eve. 423 00:15:52,786 --> 00:15:57,588 The girls are tying apples to strings and making sounds 424 00:15:57,590 --> 00:15:59,057 up the stairs. 425 00:15:59,059 --> 00:16:01,559 Woop, boop, boop, boop, boop. 426 00:16:01,561 --> 00:16:03,027 Katie says to Maggie, 427 00:16:03,029 --> 00:16:06,197 You know how you can snap your toes 428 00:16:06,199 --> 00:16:07,598 like you snap your fingers? 429 00:16:07,600 --> 00:16:08,533 You should do that, 430 00:16:08,535 --> 00:16:10,702 and they'll think it's the ghost 431 00:16:10,704 --> 00:16:12,103 because they're dumb. 432 00:16:12,105 --> 00:16:14,272 So they were cracking their toe knuckles, 433 00:16:14,274 --> 00:16:16,140 and snapping their toes like this, 434 00:16:16,142 --> 00:16:19,277 and that was the raps that the ghosts made. 435 00:16:19,279 --> 00:16:22,313 These little kids were [bleep] with their mom. 436 00:16:22,315 --> 00:16:24,615 Next they knew, they were making money. 437 00:16:24,617 --> 00:16:26,384 But Maggie says to Katie, like, 438 00:16:26,386 --> 00:16:28,853 hey, this is not quite a good idea, 439 00:16:28,855 --> 00:16:31,622 'cause we're kind of fooling people into this. 440 00:16:31,624 --> 00:16:34,225 And Katie's like, we should keep doing this, 441 00:16:34,227 --> 00:16:35,126 'cause this is fun. 442 00:16:35,128 --> 00:16:37,528 We're making people believe anything they want. 443 00:16:37,530 --> 00:16:39,764 We're making people feel good. 444 00:16:39,766 --> 00:16:42,900 [blows raspberry] 445 00:16:42,902 --> 00:16:43,835 Pause. The next thing is 446 00:16:43,837 --> 00:16:46,471 when you go to commercial break. 447 00:16:46,473 --> 00:16:47,605 - Okay. 448 00:16:47,607 --> 00:16:49,273 You want to do a commercial for-- 449 00:16:49,275 --> 00:16:49,907 - Commercial. 450 00:16:49,909 --> 00:16:52,477 Comedy Central will go to commercial. 451 00:16:52,479 --> 00:16:53,911 All right, anyway. 452 00:16:53,913 --> 00:16:55,947 Okay. Here we go. 453 00:16:55,949 --> 00:16:57,382 Um... 454 00:16:59,752 --> 00:17:00,718 Okay. 455 00:17:00,720 --> 00:17:06,624 ♪ ♪ 456 00:17:06,626 --> 00:17:08,726 - Okay, so where were we? 457 00:17:08,728 --> 00:17:10,194 It's 1888. 458 00:17:10,196 --> 00:17:11,596 Once the girls got super rich 459 00:17:11,598 --> 00:17:15,033 ripping people off with their fancy ghost stories, 460 00:17:15,035 --> 00:17:17,969 they're just drinking booze and talking to each other. 461 00:17:17,971 --> 00:17:20,471 Going like, I feel so shitty 462 00:17:20,473 --> 00:17:22,206 that we're ripping people off, 463 00:17:22,208 --> 00:17:26,511 making 'em feel good about talking to dead people. 464 00:17:26,513 --> 00:17:29,013 And so Maggie sells tickets 465 00:17:29,015 --> 00:17:31,249 to a show at a theater 466 00:17:31,251 --> 00:17:34,552 where she's gonna expose spiritualism as a fraud. 467 00:17:34,554 --> 00:17:36,087 People file in. They're like, 468 00:17:36,089 --> 00:17:37,021 let's hear what's happened. 469 00:17:37,023 --> 00:17:39,157 So Maggie takes the stage at this theater 470 00:17:39,159 --> 00:17:41,159 and is like, here's how we do it. 471 00:17:41,161 --> 00:17:43,494 And she takes off her stocking, 472 00:17:43,496 --> 00:17:46,731 and she's like, I click my toes 473 00:17:46,733 --> 00:17:47,565 like this. 474 00:17:47,567 --> 00:17:50,368 [snapping fingers] Blap, blap, blap. 475 00:17:50,370 --> 00:17:51,035 I can't do it. 476 00:17:51,037 --> 00:17:54,272 If I could do it, I'd be making a thousand dollars a week 477 00:17:54,274 --> 00:17:56,207 as a stupid medium, making people think 478 00:17:56,209 --> 00:17:59,143 they're talking to their dead babies. 479 00:17:59,145 --> 00:18:00,745 Boop, boop, boop. 480 00:18:00,747 --> 00:18:02,613 Give me a thousand dollars. 481 00:18:02,615 --> 00:18:03,981 Boop, boop, boop. 482 00:18:03,983 --> 00:18:05,650 Give me another thousand dollars. 483 00:18:05,652 --> 00:18:07,351 Boop, boop. I'm rich. 484 00:18:07,353 --> 00:18:09,353 Maggie gives this big presentation. 485 00:18:09,355 --> 00:18:10,354 She gives away all her secrets. 486 00:18:10,356 --> 00:18:12,457 At the end of her speech, she says, 487 00:18:12,459 --> 00:18:14,892 spiritualism is the greatest curse 488 00:18:14,894 --> 00:18:17,829 mankind has ever known. 489 00:18:17,831 --> 00:18:20,231 And the audience is like, 490 00:18:20,233 --> 00:18:20,998 [bleep] her. 491 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:22,867 We like talking to ghosts. 492 00:18:22,869 --> 00:18:25,503 Spiritualism has taken off at that point, 493 00:18:25,505 --> 00:18:29,307 and so basically what Maggie Fox has done 494 00:18:29,309 --> 00:18:32,510 is made her and her sisters irrelevant. 495 00:18:32,512 --> 00:18:36,314 So after Maggie realizes that her life is nothing 496 00:18:36,316 --> 00:18:37,682 when she's not a medium, 497 00:18:37,684 --> 00:18:41,419 she just drank a bunch of booze till she died. 498 00:18:41,421 --> 00:18:44,655 [slurping] 499 00:18:46,825 --> 00:18:48,960 [exhales] 500 00:18:49,528 --> 00:18:52,697 Decades later, after the girls were dead, 501 00:18:52,699 --> 00:18:55,199 after it was all over sometime in the 1900s-- 502 00:18:55,201 --> 00:18:57,268 the early 1900s, 503 00:18:57,270 --> 00:18:58,703 some fan of theirs 504 00:18:58,705 --> 00:19:01,072 was snooping around the foundation 505 00:19:01,074 --> 00:19:03,608 of their old farmhouse, 506 00:19:03,610 --> 00:19:05,409 and they found some bones. 507 00:19:05,411 --> 00:19:09,113 The bones of the ghost they were initially talking to? 508 00:19:09,115 --> 00:19:09,814 - Oh, shit. 509 00:19:09,816 --> 00:19:12,650 - A lot of people said it was chicken bones 510 00:19:12,652 --> 00:19:14,051 and other bones, 511 00:19:14,053 --> 00:19:16,020 so it was not really-- 512 00:19:16,022 --> 00:19:17,655 you can't really take a lot out of it, 513 00:19:17,657 --> 00:19:19,357 but maybe it's the bones of people. 514 00:19:19,359 --> 00:19:20,558 I don't know. I don't know. 515 00:19:20,560 --> 00:19:22,760 It's maybe real. It might be fake. 516 00:19:22,762 --> 00:19:24,228 I don't know. 517 00:19:24,230 --> 00:19:27,565 I just crossed some sort of drunken threshold. 518 00:19:27,567 --> 00:19:29,066 - Hey, JD? - Mm. 519 00:19:29,068 --> 00:19:30,668 - Let's talk ghosts. 520 00:19:30,670 --> 00:19:32,970 All right, so this meter 521 00:19:32,972 --> 00:19:35,673 detects hot or cold. 522 00:19:35,675 --> 00:19:39,577 So when it feels cold, 523 00:19:39,579 --> 00:19:40,945 it goes blue. 524 00:19:40,947 --> 00:19:43,848 A true spirit really only 525 00:19:43,850 --> 00:19:45,449 energizes through blue. 526 00:19:45,451 --> 00:19:47,018 I'm gonna have a couple of names 527 00:19:47,020 --> 00:19:48,920 that I'm gonna bring up here. 528 00:19:48,922 --> 00:19:50,855 John Van Pelt. 529 00:19:50,857 --> 00:19:52,723 You created this house. 530 00:19:52,725 --> 00:19:56,093 Your wife--you remember his wife's name? 531 00:19:56,095 --> 00:19:57,995 - [mumbling] Myra Marsh. 532 00:19:57,997 --> 00:19:58,896 - Very good. 533 00:19:58,898 --> 00:20:01,866 Myra Marsh Van Pelt 534 00:20:01,868 --> 00:20:02,900 lived here. 535 00:20:02,902 --> 00:20:05,303 Are you still here? 536 00:20:05,305 --> 00:20:10,241 If so, let us know. 537 00:20:10,243 --> 00:20:13,477 - [vomiting] 538 00:20:15,147 --> 00:20:18,015 [spitting] 539 00:20:18,017 --> 00:20:23,187 [slurring] Ghost stories--puking history. 540 00:20:23,189 --> 00:20:26,057 [retching] 541 00:20:26,059 --> 00:20:28,693 - Look at that. You got to see this. 542 00:20:28,695 --> 00:20:30,394 The color is changing. 543 00:20:30,396 --> 00:20:33,631 - [coughing, retching] 544 00:20:33,633 --> 00:20:36,767 ♪ ♪ 545 00:21:06,932 --> 00:21:08,833 - We're the Kopp sisters. 546 00:21:08,835 --> 00:21:10,668 I'm Hard Spoken. 547 00:21:10,670 --> 00:21:12,069 I'm Strong. 548 00:21:12,071 --> 00:21:13,204 I'm a singer. 549 00:21:13,206 --> 00:21:17,408 And we will kick the criminals' asses. 550 00:21:17,410 --> 00:21:17,441 [playful piano music]