Forgotten Felonies
Forgotten Felonies revisits historical crimes that were forgotten—or remembered incorrectly. It’s tempting, looking backward, to fill in the gaps with conclusions that feel obvious now. But that isn’t how history works. Through original newspaper reporting, period advertisements from the years the crimes occurred, and a blend of forensic psychology and genealogical research, each episode restores context to cases history left behind—asking not only what happened, but why.
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Forgotten Felonies
Jack Vincent: Professional Bummer of the Western Frontier - A Fun-Sized Felony
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Jack Vincent was a stagecoach driver, prospector, practical joker, hotel deadbeat, prison escapee, alleged murderer, and—according to one newspaper—a professional bummer.
In 1882, Vincent shot his brother-in-law, steamboat mate John Westfall, twice in the face during a saloon argument in Toledo, Washington Territory. Westfall survived for nine months before dying from his injuries, setting off a murder prosecution that would leave jurors struggling to decide exactly what happened.
This Fun-Sized Felony follows the strange life of Jack Vincent and the tragic death of John Westfall, a case filled with steamboats, stagecoaches, saloons, and one very unforgettable frontier character.
