April 24, 2025 • 13 mins
In the Bell's Books and Blog Podcast episode, host Jane M. Bell explores intriguing chapters of American history. She gives a vivid account of President Abraham Lincoln's assassination and the conspiracy that aimed to destabilize the U.S. government. Jane also highlights the story of Elizabeth Van Lew, also known as 'Crazy Bet', a Southern belle who, under the guise of mental instability, operated a spy network for the Union during the Civil War. Lastly, Jane delves into the period when Easter was illegal, an enforcement by Puritans who saw it as ridden with unscriptural practices. The episode concludes with interactive segments including 'Whispers from the Past' and 'Now It's Your Turn,' that engage the listeners in an insightful exploration of history.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:04):
Welcome to The Bell's Books and blog podcast, the place
where history, mystery, and suspense converge. I'm your host, author
Jane M. Bell. In today's episode, we'll step into the
fascinating shadows of America's past. First, we'll uncover the chilling
final hours of President Abraham Lincoln and the conspiracy that
aimed to topple an entire government. Then we'll meet Crazy Bet,
(00:27):
the eccentric Southern Bell who fooled the Confederacy and became
one of the Union's most cunning spies. Finally, we'll explore
the forgotten period when Easter itself was banned outlawed by
the Puritans in a war against holy celebration. History isn't
always clean. Sometimes it's dangerous and utterly captivating, so stay
tuned for a journey into the hidden, the heroic, and
(00:49):
the heretical. Let's set the scene. It's April fourteenth, eighteen
sixty five. President Abraham Lincoln is in unusually good spirits.
The Civil War is drawing to a close, and for
the first time in a long while, he and his
wife Mary can afford to smile. A sense of hope
fills the air. Now. Just days earlier, On April eleventh,
(01:10):
Lincoln delivered what would be his final speech. He spoke
passionately about healing the nation and even suggested limited suffrage
for Black Americans. As he spoke, a young actor named
John Wilkes Booth was in the crowd. Booth, a fervent
Confederate sympathizer, was outraged. He turned to a friend and
snarled a racial slur regarding citizenship for African Americans of
(01:32):
the era. That is the last speech he will ever make.
But Booth's plan extended beyond just silencing Lincoln. He aimed
to cripple the entire US government in one night. He
recruited a circle of conspirators. Lewis Powell would attack Secretary
of State William Seward, George Atserot was assigned to kill
Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Booth himself would eliminate the president.
(01:56):
Only Booth succeeded. That evening, Lincoln and Mary attended a
performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theater. They were
joined by Major Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris. Booth, who
knew the theater well, slipped into the presidential box and
at ten fifteen pm, shot Lincoln in the head as
the audience burst into laughter. Booth then dramatically leaped from
(02:16):
the box onto the stage, shouting six semper tyrannus, thus
always to tyrants, before escaping into the night. Lincoln never
regained consciousness. He was rushed across the street to the
Peterson boarding House. Despite their best efforts, doctors couldn't save him.
At seven twenty two a m. On April fifteenth, eighteen
sixty five, Lincoln died. He was fifty six years old.
(02:40):
The man hunt for Booth and his co conspirators was relentless.
With accomplice David Harold, Booth fled to Maryland seeking refuge.
They eventually ended up at the home of doctor Samuel Mudd, who,
unaware of Booth's crime, treated his broken leg. However, Union
troops were hot on their trail. Twelve days later, Booth
was cornered in a barn near Port Royal, Virginia. Harold surrendered,
(03:03):
but Booth refused. The soldier set the barn ablaze. As
the fire consumed the structure, Sergeant Boston Corbett shot Booth.
Booth died a few hours later, reportedly whispering, tell my mother,
I died for my country. He was just twenty six
years old. The assassination had profound consequences. The investigation led
(03:24):
to the execution of key conspirators, including Lewis Powell, George Atsot,
David Harold, and Mary Surrett, the owner of the boarding
house where the plot was hatched. Mary's execution, the first
of a woman by the US government, sparked deep public controversy,
but perhaps the most significant consequence was the impact on
(03:44):
the nation's future. Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson, lacked Lincoln's vision
and empathy. Reconstruction became chaotic and deeply flawed, and by
eighteen seventy seven much of Lincoln's progress had been rolled back.
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln remains one of the most
consequential events in American history, not just for the life
it took, but for the path it diverted. Booth didn't
(04:08):
just kill a president, He killed a peacemaker and a
bridge between two Americas. Yet even in death, Lincoln's vision
endured living on imperfectly but undeniably, in the hearts of
those who came after. Now let's turn the spotlight to
another extraordinary figure from the Civil War era, Elizabeth van Lou,
also famously known as Crazy Bet Van Lu's story is
(04:32):
one of cunning and bravery, wrapped in the guise of
an eccentric Southern bell who fooled the Confederacy and stood
as one of the Union's most effective spies. Elizabeth Van
Lou hailed from a wealthy slaveholding family in Richmond, Virginia. However,
unlike most people in her social circle, she harbored a
fierce abolitionist spirit. As soon as the Civil War erupted,
(04:55):
Van Lou chose the Union side, and this decision came
with enormous risks and personal cas costs. To conceal her
true intentions, she adopted the persona of a scatterbrained, mentally
unstable woman. She muttered to herself, wandered the streets aimlessly,
and generally acted in such a peculiar manner that Richmond's
society dismissed her as harmless. Little did they know, this
(05:19):
fragile facade was her greatest weapon. Behind this mask, Crazy
Bet ran a highly sophisticated espionage network. She utilized hollowed
out eggs, laundry baskets, and even bouquets of fresh flowers
to smuggle secret messages and troop intel to Union commanders.
Her network encompassed free and enslaved black people, shopkeepers, and
(05:39):
even Confederate clerks, all loyal to the Union cause. One
of her most valuable agents worked inside the Confederate White
House itself. The information Van Lou gathered, often written in
invisible ink or concealed in false bottom trunks, was game
changing for the North. Perhaps Van Lou's most legendary contribution
came during General Ulysses S. Grant's eighteen sixty four campaign.
(06:03):
She provided him with intelligence on Richmond's troop positions, fortifications,
and internal disarray. This crucial information directly influenced Union strategies
and hastened the fall of the Confederate capital. In fact,
when Grant's troops finally marched into Richmond in April eighteen
sixty five, the General himself made a personal visit to
Van Lou to thank her for her extraordinary service. She
(06:27):
had risked everything, and she did so brilliantly, but the
price of her patriotism was steep. The war decimated her
family's wealth and social standing. Post war, Richmond treated her
as a traitor, and she lived in relative isolation ostracized
by neighbors she had once called friends, yet she never
regretted her actions. Van Lou once said, I was considered
(06:49):
insane for doing what I did, but the world shall
know that I was not, and indeed history has proven
her right. Today, Elizabeth van Lou stands as one of
the most fascinating figures in espionage history, a true master
of psychological warfare who fought with brilliance, courage, and illusion
in an era when women were expected to stay silent
(07:10):
and demure. She turned society's under estimation of her into
her greatest strength. Crazy Bet wasn't crazy at all. She
was a genius hiding in plain sight. Now let's explore
a truly fascinating and somewhat bizarre chapter in history. When
Easter was banned. Yes, you heard that right. There was
a time when celebrating Easter was illegal, and the people
(07:32):
responsible for this weren't enemies of Christianity. They were Christians themselves,
specifically the Puritans. The Puritans were on a fervent mission
to purify Christianity. To them, faith had become corrupt, riddled
with empty rituals and unscriptural practices. Their goal was to
strip away any religious traditions not found in the Bible.
(07:54):
This included Christmas in Saint's Days, but especially Easter. Why
did the Puritans hate Easter so much? They saw it
as a suspicious holiday contaminated by pagan fertility, rites, and
Catholic excess. The Bible didn't mention Easter, egg hunts, sunrise services,
or even the term Easter itself. To the Puritans, this
(08:14):
was enough reason to condemn the holiday as a man
made invention. They also believed Easter encouraged what they called
carnal revelry, dancing, feasting, and games, all signs of moral
decay in their eyes. In sixteen forty seven, the Puritan
controlled Parliament in England made their stance official by abolishing Easter, Christmas,
and all other festival days except for the Sabbath. By law.
(08:39):
Churches were ordered to stay closed on these dates, and
anyone caught celebrating Easter faced punishment. Feasts were canceled, decorations
were torn down, and even traditional egg games and parades
were Outlawed. Ministers were instructed to preach against Easter, not
about it. In some towns, soldiers patrolled to enforce the ban,
(09:00):
while in others local leaders who were loyal to the
Crown or the Church of England resisted. This led to
rising tensions and even physical confrontations. When the Puritans settled
in New England, they didn't leave these convictions behind. In
the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Easter and Christmas were banned as
popish inventions. Colonists who celebrated could face public shaming or worse,
(09:22):
Children who skipped school for Easter were reprimanded, and public
observance could result in formal accusations of breaking the laws
of God. Instead of the festivity we associate with Easter today,
Puritan Easter Sundays involved long sermons, no singing unless from psalms,
and absolutely no decorated eggs. However, despite these harsh measures,
(09:44):
people didn't forget Easter in England. Easter celebrations resumed with
the restoration of the monarchy in sixteen sixty and the
return of traditional Anglican observances. In America, resistance to the
ban grew more gradually, but by the late eight, eighteenth
and early nineteenth centuries, as immigration introduced Lutheran, Catholic, and
(10:04):
Orthodox traditions, Easter made a full comeback. It's quite astonishing
to think that Easter, a holiday now second only to
Christmas in Christian observance, was once outlawed. Yet the Puritan
suspicion of holidays has left a lasting imprint on American culture,
especially in its early skepticism towards religious celebrations. With European roots,
(10:26):
this episode serves as a potent reminder of the complex
relationship between faith and control throughout history, even something as
joyful as Easter was once viewed as a dangerous indulgence. Ultimately,
this historical footnote on the banning of Easter underscores the
persistent tension between religious freedom and doctrinal purity, a topic
as relevant today as it was in the seventeenth century.
(10:51):
Now it's time for one of my favorite segments, Whispers
from the Past. Each week we highlight a thought provoking
quote that connects to the themes we've discussed. This week,
I've chosen a powerful line from William Faulkner, never be
afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and
compassion against injustice and lying in greed. This quote perfectly
(11:12):
aligns with the stories of Abraham Lincoln, Elizabeth van lew
and even the Puritans, each uniquely fighting for what they
believed in despite the incredible risks and opposition they faced.
And speaking of courage and adventure, last week I asked
you all to share stories of the most extreme or
adventurous things you've ever done. Let me tell you your
(11:32):
responses were absolutely amazing. AC shared an incredible solo trek
in the Himalayas, detailing the breathtaking landscapes and the challenges
of high altitude hiking. The sense of exhilaration upon reaching
the summit was palpable through their words. Then there was E. R,
who recounted an adrenaline pumping skydiving experience jumping out of
(11:52):
a plane at ten thousand feet. They described the overwhelming
sense of freedom as they soared through the sky simply incredible.
RG took us on a heart stopping journey through cave diving,
navigating through underwater passages with only a flashlight and finding
their way back by following a line they'd laid down earlier.
Truly a remarkable tale. And A n sent me a
(12:15):
touching story about traveling solo to Thailand at age fifty
seven to visit people she had never met before. Her
account was heartwarming and inspiring, showcasing the bravery it takes
to step out of one's comfort zone. Thank you so
much to all who responded to last weeks now it's
your Turn question. I truly enjoyed reading them. For this
week's Now it's your turn, I want to hear about
(12:37):
your hidden heroes from history. Have you discovered a lesser
known figure who has inspired you, perhaps someone whose story
isn't widely known but profoundly impacted. You share their story
with me. You can send me a message with your thoughts,
and I read every single one of them. Your stories
add such depth and richness to our collective exploration of history,
(12:58):
so don't hold back. Let's continue to uncover the extraordinary
within the seemingly ordinary. As always, thank you for listening
and contributing to our this journey through the past. Thank
you for tuning in this week. Remember to check out
the show notes for any links or articles mentioned in
today's episode. It's truly been a journey uncovering the chilling
(13:19):
final hours of President Abraham Lincoln, the spycraft of Elizabeth
van lu and the Puritan ban On Easter. History is
rarely straightforward, and as we've seen, it's often the stories
behind the headlines that carry the most intrigue and impact.
Until next week. This is Jane M. Bell signing off
from The Bells Books and Blog podcast, and as always
(13:41):
I encourage you to keep questioning, keep exploring, keep reading,
and most importantly, keep the past alive.
Welcome to The Bell's Books and blog podcast, the place
where history, mystery, and suspense converge. I'm your host, author
Jane M. Bell. In today's episode, we'll step into the
fascinating shadows of America's past. First, we'll uncover the chilling
final hours of President Abraham Lincoln and the conspiracy that
aimed to topple an entire government. Then we'll meet Crazy Bet,
(00:27):
the eccentric Southern Bell who fooled the Confederacy and became
one of the Union's most cunning spies. Finally, we'll explore
the forgotten period when Easter itself was banned outlawed by
the Puritans in a war against holy celebration. History isn't
always clean. Sometimes it's dangerous and utterly captivating, so stay
tuned for a journey into the hidden, the heroic, and
(00:49):
the heretical. Let's set the scene. It's April fourteenth, eighteen
sixty five. President Abraham Lincoln is in unusually good spirits.
The Civil War is drawing to a close, and for
the first time in a long while, he and his
wife Mary can afford to smile. A sense of hope
fills the air. Now. Just days earlier, On April eleventh,
(01:10):
Lincoln delivered what would be his final speech. He spoke
passionately about healing the nation and even suggested limited suffrage
for Black Americans. As he spoke, a young actor named
John Wilkes Booth was in the crowd. Booth, a fervent
Confederate sympathizer, was outraged. He turned to a friend and
snarled a racial slur regarding citizenship for African Americans of
(01:32):
the era. That is the last speech he will ever make.
But Booth's plan extended beyond just silencing Lincoln. He aimed
to cripple the entire US government in one night. He
recruited a circle of conspirators. Lewis Powell would attack Secretary
of State William Seward, George Atserot was assigned to kill
Vice President Andrew Johnson, and Booth himself would eliminate the president.
(01:56):
Only Booth succeeded. That evening, Lincoln and Mary attended a
performance of Our American Cousin at Ford's Theater. They were
joined by Major Henry Rathbone and Clara Harris. Booth, who
knew the theater well, slipped into the presidential box and
at ten fifteen pm, shot Lincoln in the head as
the audience burst into laughter. Booth then dramatically leaped from
(02:16):
the box onto the stage, shouting six semper tyrannus, thus
always to tyrants, before escaping into the night. Lincoln never
regained consciousness. He was rushed across the street to the
Peterson boarding House. Despite their best efforts, doctors couldn't save him.
At seven twenty two a m. On April fifteenth, eighteen
sixty five, Lincoln died. He was fifty six years old.
(02:40):
The man hunt for Booth and his co conspirators was relentless.
With accomplice David Harold, Booth fled to Maryland seeking refuge.
They eventually ended up at the home of doctor Samuel Mudd, who,
unaware of Booth's crime, treated his broken leg. However, Union
troops were hot on their trail. Twelve days later, Booth
was cornered in a barn near Port Royal, Virginia. Harold surrendered,
(03:03):
but Booth refused. The soldier set the barn ablaze. As
the fire consumed the structure, Sergeant Boston Corbett shot Booth.
Booth died a few hours later, reportedly whispering, tell my mother,
I died for my country. He was just twenty six
years old. The assassination had profound consequences. The investigation led
(03:24):
to the execution of key conspirators, including Lewis Powell, George Atsot,
David Harold, and Mary Surrett, the owner of the boarding
house where the plot was hatched. Mary's execution, the first
of a woman by the US government, sparked deep public controversy,
but perhaps the most significant consequence was the impact on
(03:44):
the nation's future. Lincoln's successor, Andrew Johnson, lacked Lincoln's vision
and empathy. Reconstruction became chaotic and deeply flawed, and by
eighteen seventy seven much of Lincoln's progress had been rolled back.
The assassination of Abraham Lincoln remains one of the most
consequential events in American history, not just for the life
it took, but for the path it diverted. Booth didn't
(04:08):
just kill a president, He killed a peacemaker and a
bridge between two Americas. Yet even in death, Lincoln's vision
endured living on imperfectly but undeniably, in the hearts of
those who came after. Now let's turn the spotlight to
another extraordinary figure from the Civil War era, Elizabeth van Lou,
also famously known as Crazy Bet Van Lu's story is
(04:32):
one of cunning and bravery, wrapped in the guise of
an eccentric Southern bell who fooled the Confederacy and stood
as one of the Union's most effective spies. Elizabeth Van
Lou hailed from a wealthy slaveholding family in Richmond, Virginia. However,
unlike most people in her social circle, she harbored a
fierce abolitionist spirit. As soon as the Civil War erupted,
(04:55):
Van Lou chose the Union side, and this decision came
with enormous risks and personal cas costs. To conceal her
true intentions, she adopted the persona of a scatterbrained, mentally
unstable woman. She muttered to herself, wandered the streets aimlessly,
and generally acted in such a peculiar manner that Richmond's
society dismissed her as harmless. Little did they know, this
(05:19):
fragile facade was her greatest weapon. Behind this mask, Crazy
Bet ran a highly sophisticated espionage network. She utilized hollowed
out eggs, laundry baskets, and even bouquets of fresh flowers
to smuggle secret messages and troop intel to Union commanders.
Her network encompassed free and enslaved black people, shopkeepers, and
(05:39):
even Confederate clerks, all loyal to the Union cause. One
of her most valuable agents worked inside the Confederate White
House itself. The information Van Lou gathered, often written in
invisible ink or concealed in false bottom trunks, was game
changing for the North. Perhaps Van Lou's most legendary contribution
came during General Ulysses S. Grant's eighteen sixty four campaign.
(06:03):
She provided him with intelligence on Richmond's troop positions, fortifications,
and internal disarray. This crucial information directly influenced Union strategies
and hastened the fall of the Confederate capital. In fact,
when Grant's troops finally marched into Richmond in April eighteen
sixty five, the General himself made a personal visit to
Van Lou to thank her for her extraordinary service. She
(06:27):
had risked everything, and she did so brilliantly, but the
price of her patriotism was steep. The war decimated her
family's wealth and social standing. Post war, Richmond treated her
as a traitor, and she lived in relative isolation ostracized
by neighbors she had once called friends, yet she never
regretted her actions. Van Lou once said, I was considered
(06:49):
insane for doing what I did, but the world shall
know that I was not, and indeed history has proven
her right. Today, Elizabeth van Lou stands as one of
the most fascinating figures in espionage history, a true master
of psychological warfare who fought with brilliance, courage, and illusion
in an era when women were expected to stay silent
(07:10):
and demure. She turned society's under estimation of her into
her greatest strength. Crazy Bet wasn't crazy at all. She
was a genius hiding in plain sight. Now let's explore
a truly fascinating and somewhat bizarre chapter in history. When
Easter was banned. Yes, you heard that right. There was
a time when celebrating Easter was illegal, and the people
(07:32):
responsible for this weren't enemies of Christianity. They were Christians themselves,
specifically the Puritans. The Puritans were on a fervent mission
to purify Christianity. To them, faith had become corrupt, riddled
with empty rituals and unscriptural practices. Their goal was to
strip away any religious traditions not found in the Bible.
(07:54):
This included Christmas in Saint's Days, but especially Easter. Why
did the Puritans hate Easter so much? They saw it
as a suspicious holiday contaminated by pagan fertility, rites, and
Catholic excess. The Bible didn't mention Easter, egg hunts, sunrise services,
or even the term Easter itself. To the Puritans, this
(08:14):
was enough reason to condemn the holiday as a man
made invention. They also believed Easter encouraged what they called
carnal revelry, dancing, feasting, and games, all signs of moral
decay in their eyes. In sixteen forty seven, the Puritan
controlled Parliament in England made their stance official by abolishing Easter, Christmas,
and all other festival days except for the Sabbath. By law.
(08:39):
Churches were ordered to stay closed on these dates, and
anyone caught celebrating Easter faced punishment. Feasts were canceled, decorations
were torn down, and even traditional egg games and parades
were Outlawed. Ministers were instructed to preach against Easter, not
about it. In some towns, soldiers patrolled to enforce the ban,
(09:00):
while in others local leaders who were loyal to the
Crown or the Church of England resisted. This led to
rising tensions and even physical confrontations. When the Puritans settled
in New England, they didn't leave these convictions behind. In
the Massachusetts Bay Colony, Easter and Christmas were banned as
popish inventions. Colonists who celebrated could face public shaming or worse,
(09:22):
Children who skipped school for Easter were reprimanded, and public
observance could result in formal accusations of breaking the laws
of God. Instead of the festivity we associate with Easter today,
Puritan Easter Sundays involved long sermons, no singing unless from psalms,
and absolutely no decorated eggs. However, despite these harsh measures,
(09:44):
people didn't forget Easter in England. Easter celebrations resumed with
the restoration of the monarchy in sixteen sixty and the
return of traditional Anglican observances. In America, resistance to the
ban grew more gradually, but by the late eight, eighteenth
and early nineteenth centuries, as immigration introduced Lutheran, Catholic, and
(10:04):
Orthodox traditions, Easter made a full comeback. It's quite astonishing
to think that Easter, a holiday now second only to
Christmas in Christian observance, was once outlawed. Yet the Puritan
suspicion of holidays has left a lasting imprint on American culture,
especially in its early skepticism towards religious celebrations. With European roots,
(10:26):
this episode serves as a potent reminder of the complex
relationship between faith and control throughout history, even something as
joyful as Easter was once viewed as a dangerous indulgence. Ultimately,
this historical footnote on the banning of Easter underscores the
persistent tension between religious freedom and doctrinal purity, a topic
as relevant today as it was in the seventeenth century.
(10:51):
Now it's time for one of my favorite segments, Whispers
from the Past. Each week we highlight a thought provoking
quote that connects to the themes we've discussed. This week,
I've chosen a powerful line from William Faulkner, never be
afraid to raise your voice for honesty and truth and
compassion against injustice and lying in greed. This quote perfectly
(11:12):
aligns with the stories of Abraham Lincoln, Elizabeth van lew
and even the Puritans, each uniquely fighting for what they
believed in despite the incredible risks and opposition they faced.
And speaking of courage and adventure, last week I asked
you all to share stories of the most extreme or
adventurous things you've ever done. Let me tell you your
(11:32):
responses were absolutely amazing. AC shared an incredible solo trek
in the Himalayas, detailing the breathtaking landscapes and the challenges
of high altitude hiking. The sense of exhilaration upon reaching
the summit was palpable through their words. Then there was E. R,
who recounted an adrenaline pumping skydiving experience jumping out of
(11:52):
a plane at ten thousand feet. They described the overwhelming
sense of freedom as they soared through the sky simply incredible.
RG took us on a heart stopping journey through cave diving,
navigating through underwater passages with only a flashlight and finding
their way back by following a line they'd laid down earlier.
Truly a remarkable tale. And A n sent me a
(12:15):
touching story about traveling solo to Thailand at age fifty
seven to visit people she had never met before. Her
account was heartwarming and inspiring, showcasing the bravery it takes
to step out of one's comfort zone. Thank you so
much to all who responded to last weeks now it's
your Turn question. I truly enjoyed reading them. For this
week's Now it's your turn, I want to hear about
(12:37):
your hidden heroes from history. Have you discovered a lesser
known figure who has inspired you, perhaps someone whose story
isn't widely known but profoundly impacted. You share their story
with me. You can send me a message with your thoughts,
and I read every single one of them. Your stories
add such depth and richness to our collective exploration of history,
(12:58):
so don't hold back. Let's continue to uncover the extraordinary
within the seemingly ordinary. As always, thank you for listening
and contributing to our this journey through the past. Thank
you for tuning in this week. Remember to check out
the show notes for any links or articles mentioned in
today's episode. It's truly been a journey uncovering the chilling
(13:19):
final hours of President Abraham Lincoln, the spycraft of Elizabeth
van lu and the Puritan ban On Easter. History is
rarely straightforward, and as we've seen, it's often the stories
behind the headlines that carry the most intrigue and impact.
Until next week. This is Jane M. Bell signing off
from The Bells Books and Blog podcast, and as always
(13:41):
I encourage you to keep questioning, keep exploring, keep reading,
and most importantly, keep the past alive.
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