December 24, 2019 • 9 mins
Sometimes you have to look a story right in the face and decide for yourself whether it's true or not. Today's trip through the Cabinet will give you two chances to do just that.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:03):
Our world is full of the unexplainable, and if history
is an open book, all of these amazing tales are
right there on display, just waiting for us to explore.
Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities. In a superhero's origin story,
(00:29):
there's always a moment when they realize their true calling.
Peter Parker learns that his spider powers come with great
responsibility after his uncle is murdered the death of Bruce
Wayne's parents inspires him to Donna Cape and Cowl and
fight crime in Gotham City. And Superman understands that he
is supposed to use his gifts in order to stop
the kinds of threats plaguing his beloved metropolis. And then
(00:53):
there's Isaac. Isaac's calling came from something much less super
but still quite important. Isaac were at New York City's
Louis Charlock and Company Bank in nineteen hundred. He came
and went as he pleased, and his colleagues didn't mind.
As they handled withdrawals and deposits. Isaac would often find
a comfortable spot somewhere to watch the people coming and
(01:13):
going throughout the day. On November fourteenth, Isaac noticed something
odd someone he didn't recognize entered the bank. They were
disheveled and the bank must have been busy because no
one saw them. Slit by customers and clerks as they
made their way around towards the safe, but Isaac noticed.
He started moving toward them. When Max lubin Er, another teller,
noticed the interloper at his feet, startled. He reached down
(01:37):
to stop them, but was attacked. That's when Isaac leapt
into action. He screamed at the would be thief while
others picked up sticks and other weapons with which to
arm themselves. They approached slowly, trying to lure him away
from the safe, but it didn't work. Isaac went after them,
throwing punches and yelling. As the two fought. They rolled
around on top of the banker's desks, kicking up money
(02:00):
and scattering coins all over the floor. Customers hid in
the corners of the building while the fight ensued. Lubner
insisted the doors to be locked to trap the two
fighters inside until the authorities arrived. However, his instructions startled
both the bankers and the customers alike, sending everyone into
a panic over what they thought was a robbery in progress.
(02:22):
They didn't understand it was only just a fight. Isaac
burly Fellow, not easily pinned down, chased the suspect all
over the bank. As spectators outside caught side of the commotion.
With their hands cupped around their eyes to see through
the bank's windows, they watched as the two tussled. After
several minutes, the thief, cash in hand, managed to break
(02:45):
free from Isaac's grasp and dashed for an open window
at the back of the bank. He jumped up and out,
but his getaway was short lived. A tall fence blocked
off the area behind the bank on all sides, preventing
them from escaping with the money. Instead, they hopped into
an empty barrel and hoped that no one would find them. Meanwhile,
the police were notified of the attempted robbery, and the
(03:06):
officer on duty, Ajax Witmen, hurried over to the bank.
He demanded the doors be unlocked so that he could
apprehend the suspect, who had eluded the clerks out back,
and ran once again into the bank. As soon as
the doors were opened, the thief ran out into the street.
Lubner and the other employees yelling after him, but nobody
pursued them. Sure, the bank had gotten its money back,
(03:28):
but there was no point interesting the suspect. They hadn't
tried to break in, nor had they really stolen any money.
They hadn't passed a teller a note saying to fill
a bag with cash in the drawer either. The would
be thief had simply settled in beside the safe and
got to work on a very relaxing nap. The thief
(03:49):
wasn't really a thief. It was a cat, one that
had gotten accustomed to living on the streets and going
where it pleased. When it had tried to escape, a
few bills had gotten stuck to its paws, but they
were quickly recovered, and Isaac he wasn't officially a bank
employee either. He was known as Isaac the well fed
bank cats, who spent his time rubbing against teller's legs
(04:12):
and sleeping around the building. It seems that the streetcat
had intruded on Isaac's home turf, turning Isaac into a
local hero. He hadn't stopped a supervillain or prevented the
end of the world, but he'd made sure no one
else was taking a cat nap in the bank. On
his watch, after all, that was his job. After Walt
(04:45):
Disney completed construction on Disneyland in Nive, he immediately noticed
where he could do things better. For example, in order
for the three little pigs to go from one end
of the park to another, they might have to pass
through an area where they normally wouldn't be seen, breaking
the fantasy. That's when Walt realized that he could do
it a better way. Walt disney World in Florida is
(05:06):
considered his doover away to build the park of his
dreams the right way from the ground up. Sadly, Disney
didn't get to see the completion of his grand vision,
as he died several years before it opened, but it's
possible to see where he might have gleaned inspiration from
ancient Greek and Roman architecture They really knew how to build.
(05:27):
In four seventy b c. The Greeks traveled to Italy,
where they came across a new substance. It was made
from volcanic ash and rock, compressed over time to create
something known as tough or tougher. They used tough as
the literal building blocks for their theaters and temples, harvesting
it from the catacombs where Italians had been burying their
dead for centuries. The Greeks gave their new home a name, Neapolis,
(05:50):
or new City. We know it today as Napoli or
in English Naples. Over the years, the Romans moved in,
pushing out the Greeks. However, for the new inhabitants also
saw the value of this stone and the quarries from
where it was being dug out. They used it to
build aqueducts to move water throughout the city. They also
built a theater from it, which included a private dressing
(06:12):
room for the Roman emperor Nero. Over the years, the
city grew and locals built homes, stores, churches, and more
on top of the ancient Greek and Roman structures, but
you can still see them today. The Italians didn't destroy them,
they simply covered them up. Neapolis, as the ancient Greeks
had imagined, It exists forty meters below the surface of
(06:34):
the city and is easily accessible via countless buildings all
over Naples. Churches have doorways leading to the underground caverns
and catacombs. Even bars and apartment buildings have access points.
The remains of Nero subterranean Greco Roman Theater can still
be seen, as well as the aqueducts and San Lorenzo Majorre.
(06:55):
San Lorenzo Majori was the ancient market place where Greeks
would come to shop and discuss religion and local politics.
There's also the Fontanale Cemetery, which contained the remains of
the older dead in order to make room for the
recently dead. The cemetery also served as an overflow area
for the poor who couldn't afford individual plots. Many plague
victims ended up here as well as time marched on.
(07:18):
The ancient catacombs served different purposes. King Ferdinand the Second
had his own tunnel, dug out as a private form
of passage around the city during the nineteenth century. In
World War Two, citizens would flee to it during air raids.
The underground city had been fashioned into a kind of
bomb shelter for protection. From the nineteen fifties to the
nineteen seventies, impounded vehicles were stored in King Ferdinand's tunnel,
(07:42):
and many are still on display to this day, having
never been claimed by their original owners. Today, the Naples
Underground is a destination for tourists looking to know more
about how the Italian city came to be. Tours are
led from different entry points daily, taking visitors deep underground
through various ruins and passageways, some only accessible by candle light.
(08:04):
But how does the Naples Underground relate to Walt disney World. Technically,
the part of the Magic Kingdom that visitors walk through
sits on the second floor of the park. The first
floor is comprised of a labyrinth of tunnels and corridors
known as the Utilidor System. It allows characters to travel
from one end of the Kingdom to another without being
seen where they shouldn't, preserving the carefully crafted fantasy. While
(08:26):
it doesn't boast its own theater or a cemetery, Walt
disney World's Magic Kingdom is essentially a city on top
of another city, much like Naples today, but don't expect
to take a tour anytime soon. Unlike the Naples Underground,
the public isn't allowed down there. Don't worry, though, if
you can't make it to Italy to see Naples for yourself,
(08:48):
you can always pay a visit to Epcot. I hope
you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities,
subscribe for free on apple Pie Podcasts, or learn more
about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com. The
show was created by me Aaron Mankey in partnership with
(09:09):
how Stuff Works. I make another award winning show called Lore,
which is a podcast, book series, and television show and
you can learn all about it over at the World
of Lore dot com. And until next time, stay curious. Yeah,
Our world is full of the unexplainable, and if history
is an open book, all of these amazing tales are
right there on display, just waiting for us to explore.
Welcome to the Cabinet of Curiosities. In a superhero's origin story,
(00:29):
there's always a moment when they realize their true calling.
Peter Parker learns that his spider powers come with great
responsibility after his uncle is murdered the death of Bruce
Wayne's parents inspires him to Donna Cape and Cowl and
fight crime in Gotham City. And Superman understands that he
is supposed to use his gifts in order to stop
the kinds of threats plaguing his beloved metropolis. And then
(00:53):
there's Isaac. Isaac's calling came from something much less super
but still quite important. Isaac were at New York City's
Louis Charlock and Company Bank in nineteen hundred. He came
and went as he pleased, and his colleagues didn't mind.
As they handled withdrawals and deposits. Isaac would often find
a comfortable spot somewhere to watch the people coming and
(01:13):
going throughout the day. On November fourteenth, Isaac noticed something
odd someone he didn't recognize entered the bank. They were
disheveled and the bank must have been busy because no
one saw them. Slit by customers and clerks as they
made their way around towards the safe, but Isaac noticed.
He started moving toward them. When Max lubin Er, another teller,
noticed the interloper at his feet, startled. He reached down
(01:37):
to stop them, but was attacked. That's when Isaac leapt
into action. He screamed at the would be thief while
others picked up sticks and other weapons with which to
arm themselves. They approached slowly, trying to lure him away
from the safe, but it didn't work. Isaac went after them,
throwing punches and yelling. As the two fought. They rolled
around on top of the banker's desks, kicking up money
(02:00):
and scattering coins all over the floor. Customers hid in
the corners of the building while the fight ensued. Lubner
insisted the doors to be locked to trap the two
fighters inside until the authorities arrived. However, his instructions startled
both the bankers and the customers alike, sending everyone into
a panic over what they thought was a robbery in progress.
(02:22):
They didn't understand it was only just a fight. Isaac
burly Fellow, not easily pinned down, chased the suspect all
over the bank. As spectators outside caught side of the commotion.
With their hands cupped around their eyes to see through
the bank's windows, they watched as the two tussled. After
several minutes, the thief, cash in hand, managed to break
(02:45):
free from Isaac's grasp and dashed for an open window
at the back of the bank. He jumped up and out,
but his getaway was short lived. A tall fence blocked
off the area behind the bank on all sides, preventing
them from escaping with the money. Instead, they hopped into
an empty barrel and hoped that no one would find them. Meanwhile,
the police were notified of the attempted robbery, and the
(03:06):
officer on duty, Ajax Witmen, hurried over to the bank.
He demanded the doors be unlocked so that he could
apprehend the suspect, who had eluded the clerks out back,
and ran once again into the bank. As soon as
the doors were opened, the thief ran out into the street.
Lubner and the other employees yelling after him, but nobody
pursued them. Sure, the bank had gotten its money back,
(03:28):
but there was no point interesting the suspect. They hadn't
tried to break in, nor had they really stolen any money.
They hadn't passed a teller a note saying to fill
a bag with cash in the drawer either. The would
be thief had simply settled in beside the safe and
got to work on a very relaxing nap. The thief
(03:49):
wasn't really a thief. It was a cat, one that
had gotten accustomed to living on the streets and going
where it pleased. When it had tried to escape, a
few bills had gotten stuck to its paws, but they
were quickly recovered, and Isaac he wasn't officially a bank
employee either. He was known as Isaac the well fed
bank cats, who spent his time rubbing against teller's legs
(04:12):
and sleeping around the building. It seems that the streetcat
had intruded on Isaac's home turf, turning Isaac into a
local hero. He hadn't stopped a supervillain or prevented the
end of the world, but he'd made sure no one
else was taking a cat nap in the bank. On
his watch, after all, that was his job. After Walt
(04:45):
Disney completed construction on Disneyland in Nive, he immediately noticed
where he could do things better. For example, in order
for the three little pigs to go from one end
of the park to another, they might have to pass
through an area where they normally wouldn't be seen, breaking
the fantasy. That's when Walt realized that he could do
it a better way. Walt disney World in Florida is
(05:06):
considered his doover away to build the park of his
dreams the right way from the ground up. Sadly, Disney
didn't get to see the completion of his grand vision,
as he died several years before it opened, but it's
possible to see where he might have gleaned inspiration from
ancient Greek and Roman architecture They really knew how to build.
(05:27):
In four seventy b c. The Greeks traveled to Italy,
where they came across a new substance. It was made
from volcanic ash and rock, compressed over time to create
something known as tough or tougher. They used tough as
the literal building blocks for their theaters and temples, harvesting
it from the catacombs where Italians had been burying their
dead for centuries. The Greeks gave their new home a name, Neapolis,
(05:50):
or new City. We know it today as Napoli or
in English Naples. Over the years, the Romans moved in,
pushing out the Greeks. However, for the new inhabitants also
saw the value of this stone and the quarries from
where it was being dug out. They used it to
build aqueducts to move water throughout the city. They also
built a theater from it, which included a private dressing
(06:12):
room for the Roman emperor Nero. Over the years, the
city grew and locals built homes, stores, churches, and more
on top of the ancient Greek and Roman structures, but
you can still see them today. The Italians didn't destroy them,
they simply covered them up. Neapolis, as the ancient Greeks
had imagined, It exists forty meters below the surface of
(06:34):
the city and is easily accessible via countless buildings all
over Naples. Churches have doorways leading to the underground caverns
and catacombs. Even bars and apartment buildings have access points.
The remains of Nero subterranean Greco Roman Theater can still
be seen, as well as the aqueducts and San Lorenzo Majorre.
(06:55):
San Lorenzo Majori was the ancient market place where Greeks
would come to shop and discuss religion and local politics.
There's also the Fontanale Cemetery, which contained the remains of
the older dead in order to make room for the
recently dead. The cemetery also served as an overflow area
for the poor who couldn't afford individual plots. Many plague
victims ended up here as well as time marched on.
(07:18):
The ancient catacombs served different purposes. King Ferdinand the Second
had his own tunnel, dug out as a private form
of passage around the city during the nineteenth century. In
World War Two, citizens would flee to it during air raids.
The underground city had been fashioned into a kind of
bomb shelter for protection. From the nineteen fifties to the
nineteen seventies, impounded vehicles were stored in King Ferdinand's tunnel,
(07:42):
and many are still on display to this day, having
never been claimed by their original owners. Today, the Naples
Underground is a destination for tourists looking to know more
about how the Italian city came to be. Tours are
led from different entry points daily, taking visitors deep underground
through various ruins and passageways, some only accessible by candle light.
(08:04):
But how does the Naples Underground relate to Walt disney World. Technically,
the part of the Magic Kingdom that visitors walk through
sits on the second floor of the park. The first
floor is comprised of a labyrinth of tunnels and corridors
known as the Utilidor System. It allows characters to travel
from one end of the Kingdom to another without being
seen where they shouldn't, preserving the carefully crafted fantasy. While
(08:26):
it doesn't boast its own theater or a cemetery, Walt
disney World's Magic Kingdom is essentially a city on top
of another city, much like Naples today, but don't expect
to take a tour anytime soon. Unlike the Naples Underground,
the public isn't allowed down there. Don't worry, though, if
you can't make it to Italy to see Naples for yourself,
(08:48):
you can always pay a visit to Epcot. I hope
you've enjoyed today's guided tour of the Cabinet of Curiosities,
subscribe for free on apple Pie Podcasts, or learn more
about the show by visiting Curiosities podcast dot com. The
show was created by me Aaron Mankey in partnership with
(09:09):
how Stuff Works. I make another award winning show called Lore,
which is a podcast, book series, and television show and
you can learn all about it over at the World
of Lore dot com. And until next time, stay curious. Yeah,
Aaron Mahnke's Cabinet of Curiosities News
Host
Aaron Mahnke
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