283. The Second Death of the Bells Bend Killer: Nashville's Frankinstein

Our True Crime Podcast

This case is shocking. Shocking in many ways and I can't believe it's not talked about.
The only place I've seen this is on Southern Gothic from our friend Brandon. When he first saw a small blurb about it in a book, he didn't even think it was true so he asked Lauretta to do some research. Sure enough, it is 100% true. As sensational as it was and is, I can't believe it's been forgotten. So after you listen, make sure you catch the Southern Gothic episode "The Curious Case of Knox Martin."
In late March of 1879, in Davidson County, Tennessee, a wagon carrying a prisoner by the name of Knox Martin was headed to the gallows. John Kirk and Sons were busy building the scaffold that would host the hanging later that afternoon.

Mothers pulled their children out of school so that they could take them to the execution. Nearly 10,000 people were making their way to the location nestled between two ridges; some had even camped out overnight to guarantee the best view. For years to come, some folks in attendance at this execution would have an unbelievable story to tell.

It appears that in the days leading up to his date with the gallows, Knox Martin was approached by two doctors from the nearby Vanderbilt University, who, having great interest in galvanism, and who, having read Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, wondered if Knox Martin would allow them to use his dead body for an unusual and ethically questionable experiment. Knox Martin had agreed.

Join Jen and Cam as they discuss "The Second Death of the Bells Bend Killer: Nashville's Frankenstein."
A huge thank you to Sleep Creme for sponsoring this episode. Order your bottle today at sleepcreme.com. Use the code OTCPODCAST (all one word) at checkout to save twenty bucks on the first order!
A big Thank you to Brandon Schexnayder of Southern Gothic
Thank you to our team:
Written and researched by Lauretta Allen
Listener Discretion by Edward October of OctoberPod VHS
Executive Producers Nico Vitesse and Jesse of The Inky Pawprint
Sources:
https://digital.tnconservationist.org/publication/i=717358&article_id=4091300&view=articleBrowser
https://www.newspapers.com/image/603898102/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (29 March 1879 The Tennessean)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/167988101/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (29 March 1879 Memphis Daily Appeal)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/603897977/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (20 Feb 1879 the Tennessean)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/603897985/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (22 Feb 1879 " ")
https://www.newspapers.com/image/587081215/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (29 March 1879 the Daily Memphis Avalanche)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/603898061/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (16 March 1879 the Tennessean)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/603897970/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (19 march 1879 the Tennessean)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/603898101/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (28 March 1879 " " )
https://www.newspapers.com/image/587081061/?match=1&clipping_id=141956459 (28 March 1879 the Daily Memphis Avalanche)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/603897857/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (16 January 1879 The Tennessean)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/587072345/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (16 Jan 1879 the Daily Memphis Avalanche)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/587072496/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (17 Jan 1879 " " ")
https://www.newspapers.com/image/586295694/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (22 Jan 1879 The Knoxville Whig and Chronicle)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/585907534/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (19 Jan 1879 the Knoxville Daily Tribune)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/603897925/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (5 Feb 1879 The Tennessean)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/603897970/?terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22&match=1 (19 Feb 1879 the Tennessean)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/171801938/?match=1&clipping_id=141958321 (3 April 1879 the Pulaski Citizen)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/603957284/terms=%22Knox%20Martin%22%20&match=1 (6 April 1879 The Tennessean)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/603957393/?match=1&clipping_id=141958630 (8 April 1879 the Tennessean)
https://www.newspapers.com/image/171802187/?match=1&clipping_id=141958816 (10 April 1879 The Pulaski Citizen)
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63692152/john-wittenmeier
https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-forest-republican-knox-martin-back-t/7964582/