"Mysteries at the Museum" Secret Identities: Mysteries at the Museum Special

1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:04,130 A Hollywood celebrity with a dark secret. 2 00:00:04,200 --> 00:00:07,500 People began to question someone that was so good. 3 00:00:07,500 --> 00:00:09,700 Why hadn't the public heard of him before? 4 00:00:09,770 --> 00:00:13,540 A musician puts on the performance of a lifetime. 5 00:00:13,610 --> 00:00:17,310 He decided he would pretend to be a mysterious pianist 6 00:00:17,310 --> 00:00:19,350 from the Far East. 7 00:00:19,350 --> 00:00:22,350 And an amazing spy turns the tide of war. 8 00:00:22,350 --> 00:00:25,290 The lives of countless Allied soldiers 9 00:00:25,420 --> 00:00:27,390 rested on her next move. 10 00:00:30,030 --> 00:00:32,090 These are the mysteries at the museum. 11 00:00:37,770 --> 00:00:39,730 The Washington Monument, 12 00:00:39,800 --> 00:00:41,770 the Lincoln Memorial, 13 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:43,900 and the Capitol Building are just a few 14 00:00:43,910 --> 00:00:47,040 of the awe-inspiring landmarks in Washington, D.C., 15 00:00:47,140 --> 00:00:49,980 but tucked among these illustrious attractions 16 00:00:50,010 --> 00:00:52,580 is one quirky establishment -- 17 00:00:52,580 --> 00:00:54,850 the International Spy Museum. 18 00:00:58,990 --> 00:01:01,390 Documenting the history of covert operations, 19 00:01:01,490 --> 00:01:04,730 the museum displays a model of the famous wooden horse 20 00:01:04,730 --> 00:01:06,890 of Troy, 21 00:01:06,930 --> 00:01:09,360 uniforms worn by ninjas, 22 00:01:11,870 --> 00:01:14,700 and an Aston Martin used in the James Bond movies. 23 00:01:18,410 --> 00:01:21,140 But among these celebrations of spy craft 24 00:01:21,180 --> 00:01:24,040 is a lesser known tool of the espionage trade. 25 00:01:24,110 --> 00:01:27,410 HOUGHTON: The object is simple. It's relatively plain. 26 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:30,750 It is brown, and one side has red markings. 27 00:01:30,820 --> 00:01:33,090 There's a hole in the center, 28 00:01:33,120 --> 00:01:34,960 and it's made of paper. 29 00:01:37,090 --> 00:01:39,830 WILDMAN: This artifact played a key role 30 00:01:39,900 --> 00:01:42,160 in one of the most daring undercover missions 31 00:01:42,260 --> 00:01:44,160 of World War II. 32 00:01:44,300 --> 00:01:46,300 HOUGHTON: This is a story of a brilliant woman 33 00:01:46,300 --> 00:01:48,800 who used all of her assets to serve her country. 34 00:01:56,580 --> 00:01:58,510 WILDMAN: It's the 1940s. 35 00:01:58,650 --> 00:02:00,980 More than seven million men and women are fighting 36 00:02:01,080 --> 00:02:03,650 on battlefields across the globe, 37 00:02:03,690 --> 00:02:06,450 but one woman is doing her part working in the shadows 38 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,060 far from the front lines-- 39 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:12,060 a secret agent named Betty Pack. 40 00:02:12,090 --> 00:02:14,190 Betty was tall and beautiful 41 00:02:14,230 --> 00:02:16,460 with green eyes that were said to sparkle, 42 00:02:16,470 --> 00:02:18,400 but Betty wasn't just a pretty face. 43 00:02:18,470 --> 00:02:21,000 She was incredibly intelligent, well-versed in things 44 00:02:21,040 --> 00:02:24,070 like international relations, global studies, and politics. 45 00:02:27,110 --> 00:02:29,080 WILDMAN: The Minnesota native is one of the most 46 00:02:29,110 --> 00:02:31,780 successful spies for British intelligence. 47 00:02:31,910 --> 00:02:35,550 Pack charms Nazi diplomats and military officers alike 48 00:02:35,580 --> 00:02:38,490 into divulging valuable information. 49 00:02:38,550 --> 00:02:41,490 HOUGHTON: Betty had the natural gift of being able to influence men, 50 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,090 and she used this gift to aid the Allied cause. 51 00:02:44,190 --> 00:02:47,530 Even the most stubborn men would fall for her irresistible 52 00:02:47,530 --> 00:02:49,900 charm, charisma, and beauty. 53 00:02:53,570 --> 00:02:55,440 WILDMAN: But in March 1942, 54 00:02:55,570 --> 00:02:58,170 she is given her toughest assignment yet-- 55 00:02:58,240 --> 00:03:01,310 to infiltrate a Nazi-controlled French embassy 56 00:03:01,440 --> 00:03:04,380 in Washington, D.C., and steal a codebook. 57 00:03:04,410 --> 00:03:07,580 The book contains the ciphers used by the Nazis 58 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,150 to encrypt their communications. 59 00:03:10,250 --> 00:03:12,450 If the Allies can get their hands on it, 60 00:03:12,520 --> 00:03:14,790 it could help them win the war. 61 00:03:14,860 --> 00:03:18,390 The mission will take every ounce of Pack's cunning and guile. 62 00:03:18,460 --> 00:03:20,660 HOUGHTON: The codes were behind armed guards, 63 00:03:20,800 --> 00:03:23,000 steel doors, and in a locked safe. 64 00:03:23,070 --> 00:03:26,230 In short, it would be nearly impossible to acquire them. 65 00:03:28,300 --> 00:03:30,600 WILDMAN: To gain access to the embassy, 66 00:03:30,740 --> 00:03:33,810 Pack seduces an employee named Charles Brousse, 67 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,340 who is sympathetic to the French resistance. 68 00:03:36,450 --> 00:03:38,550 HOUGHTON: Charles Brousse was a married man. 69 00:03:38,610 --> 00:03:41,880 But he had fallen head over heels in love with Betty. 70 00:03:41,920 --> 00:03:45,050 WILDMAN: When Pack tells him of her mission, 71 00:03:45,190 --> 00:03:47,290 he agrees to assist her. 72 00:03:47,360 --> 00:03:49,290 HOUGHTON: Although Brousse worked at the embassy, 73 00:03:49,360 --> 00:03:51,630 he had serious concerns about the Nazis, 74 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:54,700 so when the beautiful and charming Betty approached him, 75 00:03:54,830 --> 00:03:56,900 he was a willing participant. 76 00:04:00,340 --> 00:04:02,900 WILDMAN: Together, the pair comes up with a plan. 77 00:04:02,910 --> 00:04:04,970 Brousse will use his position in the embassy 78 00:04:05,010 --> 00:04:07,240 to sneak Pack inside. 79 00:04:07,280 --> 00:04:10,480 Then, using this safecracking equipment, now on display 80 00:04:10,550 --> 00:04:13,780 at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C., 81 00:04:13,820 --> 00:04:17,650 they will break open the safe where the codebook is stored. 82 00:04:17,650 --> 00:04:19,790 If Betty were caught, she would be killed, 83 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:22,060 but for Betty, it was worth the risk. 84 00:04:25,530 --> 00:04:27,590 WILDMAN: On the night of June 24th, 85 00:04:27,600 --> 00:04:29,900 the pair puts their plan into motion. 86 00:04:29,900 --> 00:04:32,400 Brousse sneaks Pack into the embassy. 87 00:04:32,500 --> 00:04:35,270 Then, they locate the office with the safe. 88 00:04:35,340 --> 00:04:37,600 But as they unload their equipment, 89 00:04:37,670 --> 00:04:40,910 there's a startling commotion outside the office. 90 00:04:43,480 --> 00:04:45,450 Betty hears footsteps, 91 00:04:45,480 --> 00:04:47,680 and they're getting closer. 92 00:04:47,780 --> 00:04:50,550 HOUGHTON: If Betty and Brousse get caught, it means certain imprisonment 93 00:04:50,620 --> 00:04:52,720 and possibly even death. 94 00:04:56,290 --> 00:04:59,290 WILDMAN: In an instant, Pack comes up with a solution. 95 00:04:59,330 --> 00:05:02,300 She begins to undress and motions for 96 00:05:02,400 --> 00:05:04,860 her accomplice, Charles Brousse, to do the same. 97 00:05:04,930 --> 00:05:07,700 HOUGHTON: This is probably when she was at her very best, 98 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:11,510 the idea of risk, danger, operating on all cylinders. 99 00:05:11,610 --> 00:05:14,980 WILDMAN: Suddenly, the door bursts open, 100 00:05:15,080 --> 00:05:19,080 and a guard shines his flashlight directly at Pack. 101 00:05:23,950 --> 00:05:26,390 Pack acts startled and embarrassed, as if 102 00:05:26,420 --> 00:05:29,520 she and Brousse were caught in an amorous embrace. 103 00:05:29,630 --> 00:05:31,660 HOUGHTON: The guard was shocked. He was embarrassed. 104 00:05:31,730 --> 00:05:33,930 He apologized profusely for interrupting 105 00:05:34,000 --> 00:05:36,130 what could only be the most private of moments. 106 00:05:36,230 --> 00:05:39,100 WILDMAN: The red-faced guard rushes away. 107 00:05:42,870 --> 00:05:46,570 HOUGHTON: There was a moment of relief, but it was short-lived. 108 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:50,540 Betty realized the mission had to continue and continue immediately. 109 00:05:55,280 --> 00:05:57,820 WILDMAN: Pack and Brousse quickly crack the safe's combination 110 00:05:57,820 --> 00:06:00,290 and open it up. 111 00:06:00,360 --> 00:06:03,020 They grab the codebooks and leave the embassy 112 00:06:03,130 --> 00:06:05,830 without arousing any more suspicion. 113 00:06:05,930 --> 00:06:08,630 Betty had done it-- she had done the impossible. 114 00:06:08,700 --> 00:06:11,500 WILDMAN: Three months later, 115 00:06:11,630 --> 00:06:14,300 the stolen ciphers are used by Allied forces 116 00:06:14,440 --> 00:06:17,140 to defeat the Nazis in North Africa. 117 00:06:17,170 --> 00:06:20,710 It's a victory that turns the tide of World War II. 118 00:06:20,740 --> 00:06:23,240 HOUGHTON: It's pretty safe to say it would've been 119 00:06:23,310 --> 00:06:25,850 very difficult for the success of the North African campaign 120 00:06:25,850 --> 00:06:27,980 to happen without Betty Pack. 121 00:06:32,490 --> 00:06:34,450 WILDMAN: Today, this combination cipher, 122 00:06:34,590 --> 00:06:36,720 used by Betty Pack, is on display 123 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:39,660 at the International Spy Museum in Washington, D.C. 124 00:06:39,800 --> 00:06:42,400 It recalls the quick-thinking spy 125 00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:45,500 and her seductive embassy escapade. 126 00:06:49,070 --> 00:06:51,400 In the heart of Newport, Rhode Island, 127 00:06:51,510 --> 00:06:54,440 is a magnificent neoclassical edifice resplendent 128 00:06:54,580 --> 00:06:57,740 with the ornate trappings of wealth and ambition. 129 00:06:57,850 --> 00:07:01,480 Once home to the iconic Vanderbilt family, 130 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,280 this is Marble House. 131 00:07:04,390 --> 00:07:07,950 It's the finest of the area's many Gilded Age mansions. 132 00:07:07,990 --> 00:07:11,560 And not far away is an institution dedicated 133 00:07:11,660 --> 00:07:14,230 to the city's storied past-- 134 00:07:14,300 --> 00:07:16,560 the Museum of Newport History. 135 00:07:19,200 --> 00:07:22,240 The collection includes a replica of a uniform 136 00:07:22,270 --> 00:07:24,970 worn during the Revolutionary War, 137 00:07:25,040 --> 00:07:27,770 a still dating back to Colonial times 138 00:07:27,910 --> 00:07:30,440 that was used to turn molasses into rum, 139 00:07:30,450 --> 00:07:33,180 and an elegantly carved figurehead 140 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:36,520 that once adorned a local sailing ship. 141 00:07:36,650 --> 00:07:39,090 But one item here 142 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:41,790 looms large over all the others. 143 00:07:41,860 --> 00:07:44,590 WEATHERFORD: This artifact is six feet tall and six feet wide. 144 00:07:44,590 --> 00:07:46,730 It's dark brown in color. 145 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:50,200 It's made of wood, metal, and it's stained with ink. 146 00:07:50,270 --> 00:07:52,470 WILDMAN: This printing press 147 00:07:52,470 --> 00:07:54,600 was at the heart of a bitter feud 148 00:07:54,740 --> 00:07:57,670 between a famous Founding Father and his brother. 149 00:07:57,810 --> 00:07:59,870 This artifact is connected to one of the strangest 150 00:08:00,010 --> 00:08:02,140 deceits in early American history. 151 00:08:06,750 --> 00:08:09,020 WILDMAN: It's 1722 in Boston. 152 00:08:09,020 --> 00:08:11,320 Twenty-five-year-old James Franklin 153 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,550 is the publisher of the region's most popular periodical. 154 00:08:14,660 --> 00:08:17,160 WEATHERFORD: He had a newspaper called the New-England Courant. 155 00:08:17,160 --> 00:08:20,290 It was the first independent newspaper in the Colony, 156 00:08:20,360 --> 00:08:23,760 the first paper that was free of any religious or political influence. 157 00:08:23,900 --> 00:08:26,770 WILDMAN: Its success is largely due to Franklin's 158 00:08:26,870 --> 00:08:29,900 star contributor-- a mysterious writer 159 00:08:29,940 --> 00:08:33,440 who goes by the pen name, Silence Dogood. 160 00:08:33,540 --> 00:08:36,180 No one, not even James Franklin himself, 161 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:38,450 knows who she is. 162 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,050 This curious situation all began 163 00:08:42,180 --> 00:08:44,480 several months prior, when Franklin found 164 00:08:44,550 --> 00:08:47,090 a letter that had been slipped under his office door. 165 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:50,720 WEATHERFORD: Mrs. Silence Dogood wrote a relatively lengthy 166 00:08:50,790 --> 00:08:53,560 introduction of herself and her backstory. 167 00:08:53,630 --> 00:08:56,530 She said she was a widow, said she was a middle-aged woman. 168 00:08:56,670 --> 00:08:59,530 WILDMAN: According to the letter, Dogood was frustrated 169 00:08:59,670 --> 00:09:03,200 by the social mores of her age, and rather than amuse herself 170 00:09:03,210 --> 00:09:06,510 with needlepoint and gossip, as so many of her peers did, 171 00:09:06,580 --> 00:09:09,940 she preferred reading and, most of all, writing. 172 00:09:09,980 --> 00:09:13,150 The tone of the letter was very satirical 173 00:09:13,220 --> 00:09:16,050 and almost got a little self-deprecating at times. 174 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,690 WILDMAN: Dogood expressed a desire to become a published writer 175 00:09:21,820 --> 00:09:24,890 and said that if James Franklin would print her letter, 176 00:09:25,030 --> 00:09:27,160 that she would submit more. 177 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:29,430 Franklin, for his part, was charmed by her wit 178 00:09:29,530 --> 00:09:31,830 and saw a literary star in the making. 179 00:09:31,900 --> 00:09:35,300 He was a little curious about where this had come from. 180 00:09:35,340 --> 00:09:37,370 Who was Mrs. Silence Dogood? 181 00:09:37,370 --> 00:09:40,340 But the style and the tone was really exactly 182 00:09:40,380 --> 00:09:42,710 what he had been looking for. 183 00:09:42,780 --> 00:09:45,310 WILDMAN: Franklin ran the letter in the next edition of his paper, 184 00:09:45,380 --> 00:09:48,850 and to his delight, the response was overwhelming. 185 00:09:48,920 --> 00:09:52,390 WEATHERFORD: The public loved the letter. 186 00:09:52,450 --> 00:09:54,850 Franklin had found a star writer, 187 00:09:54,860 --> 00:09:57,460 but he had no idea who she was. 188 00:09:57,530 --> 00:10:00,460 WILDMAN: Over the course of six months, 13 more letters 189 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:03,300 from Dogood arrive on James Franklin's doorstep, 190 00:10:03,400 --> 00:10:07,630 each one more entertaining and witty than the one before. 191 00:10:07,700 --> 00:10:10,340 There was no topic that was off-limits 192 00:10:10,410 --> 00:10:13,470 for Silence Dogood-- she talked about marriage 193 00:10:13,610 --> 00:10:16,440 and family and religion and subjects like 194 00:10:16,550 --> 00:10:19,080 unchecked power and government tyranny 195 00:10:19,150 --> 00:10:22,480 in such a way that it seemed entertaining and harmless. 196 00:10:24,920 --> 00:10:27,890 WILDMAN: Franklin's readers are so enamored with Silence Dogood 197 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:31,260 that some even try to woo the enigmatic scribe. 198 00:10:31,260 --> 00:10:33,890 Men throughout the Colonies started to write in 199 00:10:34,030 --> 00:10:36,360 marriage proposals. 200 00:10:36,470 --> 00:10:38,700 WILDMAN: But then, without warning, 201 00:10:38,730 --> 00:10:41,030 the letters suddenly stop, 202 00:10:41,100 --> 00:10:43,900 and when there's no further word from the mysterious writer, 203 00:10:43,940 --> 00:10:46,270 Franklin starts to fret. 204 00:10:46,310 --> 00:10:49,040 Franklin was confused as to why Mrs. Dogood 205 00:10:49,110 --> 00:10:51,140 would suddenly stop writing. 206 00:10:51,210 --> 00:10:52,980 He was very worried. 207 00:10:53,020 --> 00:10:54,980 WILDMAN: Without Dogood's comic musings, 208 00:10:55,020 --> 00:10:58,050 Franklin fears his publication may be forced to close. 209 00:11:00,660 --> 00:11:03,160 So he places an ad in his own paper, 210 00:11:03,160 --> 00:11:05,390 begging her to get in touch. 211 00:11:05,490 --> 00:11:07,930 WEATHERFORD: Franklin has no idea who Silence Dogood is 212 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,360 or how to find her-- his only hope 213 00:11:10,500 --> 00:11:12,370 is that she steps forward. 214 00:11:12,430 --> 00:11:14,500 WILDMAN: But his efforts are in vain. 215 00:11:14,570 --> 00:11:17,200 It seems the real identity of Silence Dogood 216 00:11:17,270 --> 00:11:19,640 is destined to remain a mystery. 217 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:23,740 WEATHERFORD: But when Mrs. Silence Dogood 218 00:11:23,850 --> 00:11:27,150 finally reveals her true identity, it was the last person 219 00:11:27,180 --> 00:11:29,280 James Franklin ever expected. 220 00:11:33,560 --> 00:11:36,360 It's 1722 in Boston. 221 00:11:36,460 --> 00:11:39,760 Publisher James Franklin has seen sales 222 00:11:39,860 --> 00:11:42,300 of his newspaper, the New England Courant, 223 00:11:42,300 --> 00:11:44,560 go through the roof, all thanks to 224 00:11:44,570 --> 00:11:47,970 a mysterious writer known only as Silence Dogood. 225 00:11:48,070 --> 00:11:51,370 So what's the secret behind this enigmatic author? 226 00:11:51,410 --> 00:11:55,310 Well, in this case, truth is stranger than fiction. 227 00:11:56,980 --> 00:11:59,510 In the days before Dogood's first letter arrived 228 00:11:59,580 --> 00:12:02,380 at the New England Courant, James Franklin was 229 00:12:02,450 --> 00:12:04,880 struggling to keep his paper running, 230 00:12:04,990 --> 00:12:07,390 and unbeknownst to James, someone decided 231 00:12:07,460 --> 00:12:10,660 to turn the paper into a success... 232 00:12:10,760 --> 00:12:14,360 his younger brother, Benjamin Franklin. 233 00:12:14,430 --> 00:12:16,730 WEATHERFORD: Benjamin Franklin had spent a lot of time around his brother 234 00:12:16,830 --> 00:12:19,630 James discussing the newspaper and seeing the inner workings 235 00:12:19,770 --> 00:12:23,270 of it -- he wanted to give it a try for himself. 236 00:12:23,400 --> 00:12:26,870 WILDMAN: But the 16-year-old Benjamin knew his older brother, James, 237 00:12:26,940 --> 00:12:29,480 would never take him seriously as a writer. 238 00:12:29,610 --> 00:12:32,050 He knew that if he approached James and asked 239 00:12:32,050 --> 00:12:34,010 to be published in the paper, he was going to get 240 00:12:34,150 --> 00:12:36,350 a flat-out no. 241 00:12:36,450 --> 00:12:39,150 WILDMAN: So instead, 242 00:12:39,150 --> 00:12:41,950 Benjamin came up with an entirely new identity. 243 00:12:42,020 --> 00:12:45,090 Mrs. Silence Dogood is none other 244 00:12:45,130 --> 00:12:48,360 than 16-year-old Benjamin Franklin. 245 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:52,300 WILDMAN: Benjamin reveals the ruse to his brother, 246 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:55,630 but instead of thanking young Benjamin for his help, 247 00:12:55,670 --> 00:12:57,900 James is furious. 248 00:13:01,380 --> 00:13:03,710 Hearing that he had been so thoroughly tricked 249 00:13:03,750 --> 00:13:06,510 by his younger brother was just mortifying for him. 250 00:13:06,580 --> 00:13:10,050 WILDMAN: Despite his younger brother's obvious talents, 251 00:13:10,150 --> 00:13:13,050 James refuses to allow Benjamin to continue 252 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,620 writing for the New England Courant. 253 00:13:15,720 --> 00:13:18,020 Sadly, their relationship never recovers. 254 00:13:20,500 --> 00:13:23,030 WEATHERFORD: Benjamin Franklin went on to become not only 255 00:13:23,030 --> 00:13:25,330 a very famous writer, but a scientist, 256 00:13:25,470 --> 00:13:28,130 an inventor, and a Founding Father of the United States. 257 00:13:30,770 --> 00:13:33,640 WILDMAN: Today, this printing press that once belonged 258 00:13:33,770 --> 00:13:35,940 to James Franklin is on display 259 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,950 at the Museum of Newport History in Rhode Island. 260 00:13:39,010 --> 00:13:42,150 It recalls the lesser known scribblings of 261 00:13:42,220 --> 00:13:44,620 a beloved American icon. 262 00:13:47,660 --> 00:13:49,790 A wedge wielded by Tiger Woods 263 00:13:49,860 --> 00:13:53,460 at the 2000 U.S. Open Golf Tournament, 264 00:13:53,500 --> 00:13:56,960 Jack Nicklaus's first professional paycheck from 1962, 265 00:13:57,100 --> 00:14:01,030 and the makeshift club that astronaut Alan Shepard used 266 00:14:01,070 --> 00:14:04,770 in 1971 to hit golf balls on the moon. 267 00:14:04,910 --> 00:14:08,110 These are just some of the items on display 268 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:11,240 at the United States Golf Association Museum 269 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:13,150 in Far Hills, New Jersey. 270 00:14:16,020 --> 00:14:18,720 But one small artifact is connected 271 00:14:18,750 --> 00:14:21,090 to a lesser-known sportsman. 272 00:14:21,160 --> 00:14:23,190 TROSTEL: At the top, it's four-and-a-quarter inches. 273 00:14:23,190 --> 00:14:25,190 At the bottom, it's an inch and three-quarters. 274 00:14:25,230 --> 00:14:28,260 It's on somewhat thick cardstock. 275 00:14:28,300 --> 00:14:31,130 What makes this object unique is the name on the ticket-- 276 00:14:31,230 --> 00:14:33,230 John Montague. 277 00:14:35,970 --> 00:14:38,940 WILDMAN: This tiny ticket is at the heart of an extraordinary tale 278 00:14:39,010 --> 00:14:42,480 of crime, athleticism, and reinvention. 279 00:14:42,540 --> 00:14:46,080 TROSTEL: This is the unbelievable story about how one man was able 280 00:14:46,180 --> 00:14:48,750 to transform himself from a small-time con 281 00:14:48,850 --> 00:14:50,850 to a big-time celebrity. 282 00:14:54,560 --> 00:14:57,090 WILDMAN: 1934, Los Angeles. 283 00:14:57,190 --> 00:15:00,090 This city's exclusive Lakeside Golf Club 284 00:15:00,100 --> 00:15:03,230 is a favorite refuge for Hollywood's rich and famous. 285 00:15:03,300 --> 00:15:05,700 TROSTEL: All the major stars were members there. 286 00:15:05,700 --> 00:15:07,870 Humphrey Bogart, Howard Hughes, 287 00:15:07,940 --> 00:15:11,540 Bing Crosby was there-- anywhere you went, you ran into a star. 288 00:15:13,940 --> 00:15:15,910 WILDMAN: But even among these A-listers, 289 00:15:16,040 --> 00:15:18,980 one unlikely character is about to make his mark. 290 00:15:19,010 --> 00:15:21,380 That year, an amateur golfer 291 00:15:21,420 --> 00:15:23,880 named John Montague joins the club, 292 00:15:23,920 --> 00:15:25,890 and right away, 293 00:15:25,950 --> 00:15:28,250 he establishes himself as a major talent. 294 00:15:28,320 --> 00:15:30,660 TROSTEL: There were these fanatical stories-- 295 00:15:30,660 --> 00:15:33,390 a guy who could chip balls through open windows, 296 00:15:33,430 --> 00:15:36,060 a guy who could go out and shoot in the low 60s. 297 00:15:36,060 --> 00:15:38,530 He could hit the ball longer than anyone at Lakeside. 298 00:15:38,530 --> 00:15:40,700 He was an absolute amazing player. 299 00:15:40,770 --> 00:15:43,340 WILDMAN: And it's not just Montague's skill on the links 300 00:15:43,410 --> 00:15:45,200 that makes everyone a fan. 301 00:15:45,270 --> 00:15:48,470 TROSTEL: Montague charmed everybody he was with. 302 00:15:48,540 --> 00:15:49,980 He had a great personality. 303 00:15:50,050 --> 00:15:52,450 He'd drink with the drinkers, he'd gamble with the gamblers. 304 00:15:52,510 --> 00:15:55,480 Everybody liked him. 305 00:15:55,520 --> 00:15:59,320 He fit in with everyone. 306 00:15:59,450 --> 00:16:01,750 WILDMAN: Despite his gregarious nature, 307 00:16:01,820 --> 00:16:04,760 there's one thing the amazing amateur won't discuss -- 308 00:16:04,830 --> 00:16:06,890 his personal life. 309 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:09,230 TROSTEL: He wouldn't talk about his past. 310 00:16:09,330 --> 00:16:12,570 So people began to question, someone that was so good, 311 00:16:12,670 --> 00:16:15,230 why hadn't the public heard of him before? 312 00:16:15,300 --> 00:16:19,010 Montague was perhaps one of the best golfers that nobody knew about. 313 00:16:21,940 --> 00:16:24,980 WILDMAN: Word of Montague's spectacular skill spreads, 314 00:16:25,080 --> 00:16:28,650 and in 1937, TIME Magazine publishes a story 315 00:16:28,680 --> 00:16:31,080 about the young phenomenon. 316 00:16:31,150 --> 00:16:33,520 He refuses to sit for an interview, 317 00:16:33,590 --> 00:16:37,120 so the magazine runs photos taken by the paparazzi instead. 318 00:16:37,130 --> 00:16:39,730 TROSTEL: TIME Magazine praised his game 319 00:16:39,860 --> 00:16:42,800 and could not have sung his praises any more. 320 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:45,600 John Montague was someone that others thought 321 00:16:45,730 --> 00:16:48,400 was extremely fascinating -- there was no detail 322 00:16:48,440 --> 00:16:50,740 about his past, and people were thinking, 323 00:16:50,810 --> 00:16:52,810 "What is it with this guy?" 324 00:16:52,840 --> 00:16:54,810 There was that air of mystery that made him, 325 00:16:54,940 --> 00:16:57,180 if anything, more interesting. 326 00:16:57,280 --> 00:16:58,880 WILDMAN: The story turns Montague 327 00:16:58,950 --> 00:17:02,050 into one of Hollywood's biggest celebrities. 328 00:17:02,150 --> 00:17:04,950 But he's about to find out that all that extra attention 329 00:17:05,090 --> 00:17:07,050 comes with a price. 330 00:17:09,620 --> 00:17:11,760 Syracuse, New York. 331 00:17:11,830 --> 00:17:15,290 Police inspector John Cosart is reading TIME Magazine 332 00:17:15,430 --> 00:17:18,560 when the story about the mysterious Montague catches his eye. 333 00:17:18,600 --> 00:17:22,370 Montague, it seems, bears a striking resemblance 334 00:17:22,440 --> 00:17:25,370 to the suspect in the armed robbery of a local restaurant 335 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:28,370 seven years earlier. 336 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:30,640 The culprit disappeared after the robbery 337 00:17:30,650 --> 00:17:33,150 and hasn't been seen since. 338 00:17:33,250 --> 00:17:36,220 That suspect's name -- LaVerne Moore. 339 00:17:36,280 --> 00:17:39,020 Seven years after the robbery, Cosart's flipping through 340 00:17:39,090 --> 00:17:40,790 TIME Magazine, and he stumbles across 341 00:17:40,860 --> 00:17:43,260 a face he didn't think he was ever gonna see -- 342 00:17:43,360 --> 00:17:46,790 the face of the man who he thinks committed this crime. 343 00:17:46,860 --> 00:17:49,400 John Cosart sees the photo of Montague 344 00:17:49,460 --> 00:17:51,830 and says, "This--this is my guy!" 345 00:17:54,900 --> 00:17:57,200 WILDMAN: Cosart reaches out to the LAPD. 346 00:17:57,270 --> 00:17:59,540 Cosart was excited. He picked up the phone, 347 00:17:59,540 --> 00:18:01,540 he called Los Angeles Police Department and asked 348 00:18:01,680 --> 00:18:02,910 to get some help. 349 00:18:02,980 --> 00:18:05,640 He basically explained, "I believe that John Montague 350 00:18:05,710 --> 00:18:07,750 is LaVerne Moore." 351 00:18:07,880 --> 00:18:10,120 WILDMAN: On July 9, 1937, 352 00:18:10,220 --> 00:18:13,490 Montague is arrested and extradited to New York. 353 00:18:13,560 --> 00:18:15,890 Montague's friends are absolutely shocked 354 00:18:16,020 --> 00:18:18,490 that he was brought in for anything like this. 355 00:18:18,530 --> 00:18:20,790 They found him to be a standup guy. 356 00:18:20,900 --> 00:18:22,830 They found him to be honest and truthful 357 00:18:22,900 --> 00:18:25,160 and likable. 358 00:18:25,270 --> 00:18:28,000 He's been nothing but an upstanding citizen to them. 359 00:18:28,070 --> 00:18:30,240 They couldn't believe it. 360 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:32,910 WILDMAN: So is John Montague really a crook? 361 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:40,400 It's 1937 in Los Angeles. 362 00:18:40,470 --> 00:18:42,830 Golf prodigy, John Montague, 363 00:18:42,900 --> 00:18:45,100 has burst onto the Hollywood scene, 364 00:18:45,140 --> 00:18:47,800 impressing Tinseltown with his talent, charm, 365 00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:50,710 and good looks, but just as his fame 366 00:18:50,780 --> 00:18:53,110 hits its peak, Montague is arrested 367 00:18:53,140 --> 00:18:55,580 for a robbery that happened thousands of miles away 368 00:18:55,650 --> 00:18:57,880 in New York. 369 00:18:57,880 --> 00:19:00,980 So what incredible secret is John Montague hiding? 370 00:19:02,990 --> 00:19:06,120 In October, Montague goes on trial in Syracuse, New York, 371 00:19:06,260 --> 00:19:08,760 and prosecutors lay out the case against him. 372 00:19:10,500 --> 00:19:13,260 They say that John Montague, aka LaVerne Moore, 373 00:19:13,330 --> 00:19:16,270 is really just a petty bootlegger and that 374 00:19:16,370 --> 00:19:20,300 on the night of August 5, 1930, he was one of four robbers 375 00:19:20,370 --> 00:19:22,710 who held up a restaurant at gunpoint. 376 00:19:22,840 --> 00:19:25,510 They had masks on, they had guns, they had hats. 377 00:19:25,540 --> 00:19:28,210 They took $750 out of the cash register. 378 00:19:31,880 --> 00:19:34,620 One robber was believed to be LaVerne Moore from Syracuse. 379 00:19:34,690 --> 00:19:37,850 WILDMAN: Prosecutors say that when detectives located 380 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:41,190 the getaway car, LaVerne Moore was gone, 381 00:19:41,190 --> 00:19:43,930 but they found a piece of evidence that connected 382 00:19:44,030 --> 00:19:46,190 the suspect to the crime-- 383 00:19:46,230 --> 00:19:48,360 a set of golf clubs. 384 00:19:50,600 --> 00:19:54,270 People knew that LaVerne Moore was a good golfer. 385 00:19:54,340 --> 00:19:57,540 WILDMAN: When Montague takes the stand in his own defense, 386 00:19:57,580 --> 00:20:00,280 he makes a shocking confession. 387 00:20:00,310 --> 00:20:03,410 John Montague admitted that his name was indeed LaVerne Moore, 388 00:20:03,550 --> 00:20:06,480 and he left his golf clubs in the car of one of the robbers. 389 00:20:06,550 --> 00:20:09,150 What he didn't admit is that he had any association 390 00:20:09,190 --> 00:20:11,550 with the robbery itself. 391 00:20:11,620 --> 00:20:14,090 WILDMAN: Despite this testimony, Hollywood celebrities 392 00:20:14,190 --> 00:20:16,690 rally to the golfer's side. 393 00:20:16,830 --> 00:20:19,030 TROSTEL: Montague's friends could have felt betrayed, 394 00:20:19,160 --> 00:20:21,360 but they actually said, "I don't think he committed 395 00:20:21,370 --> 00:20:24,430 this crime, but if he did, he is a completely changed man now." 396 00:20:24,500 --> 00:20:27,840 Sixty-six of his friends out in Hollywood 397 00:20:27,870 --> 00:20:30,240 had written letters and said, 398 00:20:30,340 --> 00:20:32,540 "We support John Montague." 399 00:20:35,450 --> 00:20:37,510 WILDMAN: After five hours of deliberation, 400 00:20:37,650 --> 00:20:39,650 the jury delivers its verdict -- 401 00:20:39,650 --> 00:20:41,920 not guilty. 402 00:20:41,990 --> 00:20:45,650 TROSTEL: The courtroom went crazy. 403 00:20:45,690 --> 00:20:47,790 They actually carried him out on their shoulders. 404 00:20:47,830 --> 00:20:49,860 He was treated like a celebrity. 405 00:20:52,700 --> 00:20:55,200 WILDMAN: Immediately after the trial, 406 00:20:55,230 --> 00:20:58,100 the one-time LaVerne Moore legally changes his name 407 00:20:58,100 --> 00:21:00,200 to John Montague. 408 00:21:00,270 --> 00:21:02,670 Less than a month later, he squares off 409 00:21:02,810 --> 00:21:05,470 in an exhibition match that pits his golfing skills 410 00:21:05,510 --> 00:21:08,210 against the greatest baseball player in the world-- 411 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:10,810 Babe Ruth. 412 00:21:10,850 --> 00:21:12,950 F. Scott Fitzgerald said there are no second acts 413 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:16,990 in American lives, but he never met John Montague. 414 00:21:21,290 --> 00:21:23,430 WILDMAN: Today, this ticket to the match between 415 00:21:23,430 --> 00:21:26,030 John Montague and Babe Ruth is on display 416 00:21:26,160 --> 00:21:29,170 at the United States Golf Association Museum. 417 00:21:29,170 --> 00:21:32,600 It recalls the ace golfer and petty crook 418 00:21:32,740 --> 00:21:35,340 who teed off into the limelight. 419 00:21:41,150 --> 00:21:43,850 A ragtime grand piano specially designed 420 00:21:43,950 --> 00:21:45,680 for a blind musician, 421 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,850 children's clothing from the roaring '20s, 422 00:21:48,890 --> 00:21:51,790 and a gas pump that's nearly a century old 423 00:21:51,860 --> 00:21:55,390 are just some of the time-worn relics on display 424 00:21:55,430 --> 00:21:58,460 at the Walters Boone County Historical Museum 425 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,400 in Columbia, Missouri. 426 00:22:01,530 --> 00:22:03,870 But perhaps the most extraordinary artifact 427 00:22:03,940 --> 00:22:05,000 of them all 428 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:07,270 looks like it belongs on a film set, 429 00:22:07,310 --> 00:22:09,040 rather than a museum. 430 00:22:09,110 --> 00:22:13,010 It's cream in color and is draped to a circular shape. 431 00:22:13,140 --> 00:22:14,880 The fabric has a floral print. 432 00:22:14,910 --> 00:22:17,410 It looks like it could be worn by a king. 433 00:22:17,550 --> 00:22:18,880 WILDMAN: This turban was worn 434 00:22:19,020 --> 00:22:22,150 by one of the most famous musicians on the planet. 435 00:22:22,250 --> 00:22:25,020 But few knew that this legendary superstar 436 00:22:25,090 --> 00:22:27,160 concealed an incredible secret. 437 00:22:27,190 --> 00:22:30,430 This is a tale of a man who was not what he seemed. 438 00:22:34,830 --> 00:22:38,500 WILDMAN: It's the early 1940s in California. 439 00:22:38,570 --> 00:22:40,170 18-year-old John Redd 440 00:22:40,300 --> 00:22:41,900 has just moved to Los Angeles 441 00:22:41,940 --> 00:22:44,910 with dreams of making a living as a musician. 442 00:22:45,010 --> 00:22:48,780 Redd knew he had what it took to be a star. 443 00:22:51,550 --> 00:22:54,120 WILDMAN: But when the young musician approaches local clubs, 444 00:22:54,150 --> 00:22:56,090 he hits a brick wall -- 445 00:22:56,150 --> 00:22:59,120 Los Angeles is highly segregated, 446 00:22:59,120 --> 00:23:00,660 and the most popular clubs 447 00:23:00,730 --> 00:23:04,260 simply won't hire black musicians. 448 00:23:04,330 --> 00:23:06,860 All over town, Redd is turned away. 449 00:23:06,860 --> 00:23:09,800 It seems his dreams of being a professional musician 450 00:23:09,830 --> 00:23:11,970 are out of reach. 451 00:23:12,070 --> 00:23:14,540 But then, inspiration strikes. 452 00:23:16,810 --> 00:23:18,770 Redd noticed that, although clubs 453 00:23:18,780 --> 00:23:21,080 won't hire African-Americans, 454 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:25,050 they have no problem with musicians from India. 455 00:23:25,050 --> 00:23:28,350 Americans at the time were fascinated by the Far East. 456 00:23:28,420 --> 00:23:32,820 It's something new and interesting and exotic. 457 00:23:32,890 --> 00:23:36,420 WILDMAN: So Redd comes up with an audacious plan -- 458 00:23:36,460 --> 00:23:39,360 he will get around L.A.'s unfair discrimination 459 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:40,900 by using a disguise. 460 00:23:40,970 --> 00:23:43,770 EDWARDS: He took the Indian Swami stereotype 461 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:45,430 that Americans do for the movies 462 00:23:45,540 --> 00:23:48,100 and decided he would pretend to be a mysterious pianist 463 00:23:48,170 --> 00:23:50,010 from the Far East. 464 00:23:50,070 --> 00:23:53,280 WILDMAN: He puts on make up and wears a turban 465 00:23:53,310 --> 00:23:55,510 and gives himself a new stage name. 466 00:23:55,650 --> 00:24:00,850 EDWARDS: He called his new persona Korla Pandit. 467 00:24:00,990 --> 00:24:04,950 WILDMAN: Redd even gives his alter ego a detailed backstory. 468 00:24:05,020 --> 00:24:08,120 He decides to say he was born in New Delhi, India, 469 00:24:08,130 --> 00:24:10,990 to a Hindu priest and a French opera singer, 470 00:24:11,030 --> 00:24:13,960 who both immigrated to The United States. 471 00:24:16,070 --> 00:24:19,740 Finally, he puts his new persona to the test. 472 00:24:19,800 --> 00:24:23,810 In full makeup and wardrobe, he hits the L.A. clubs. 473 00:24:23,810 --> 00:24:24,940 It's a risky move. 474 00:24:25,080 --> 00:24:26,280 If he's found out, 475 00:24:26,340 --> 00:24:29,610 the clubs will surely ban him for life, or worse. 476 00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:32,610 But if anyone figured out that he was a black man, 477 00:24:32,650 --> 00:24:34,780 they'd probably call for a lynch mob. 478 00:24:34,850 --> 00:24:37,050 WILDMAN: So can Redd pull it off? 479 00:24:43,930 --> 00:24:46,600 It's the 1940s in Los Angeles. 480 00:24:46,630 --> 00:24:48,630 Talented African-American pianist 481 00:24:48,670 --> 00:24:50,700 John Redd has a problem -- 482 00:24:50,770 --> 00:24:53,440 he can't get hired because he's black. 483 00:24:53,500 --> 00:24:55,840 So, he comes up with a clever plan 484 00:24:55,840 --> 00:24:57,910 to create an alter-ego. 485 00:24:57,940 --> 00:24:59,980 Dressing up as an Indian musician, 486 00:25:00,080 --> 00:25:02,210 he calls himself Korla Pandit. 487 00:25:02,280 --> 00:25:04,180 If he's found out, he could get banned 488 00:25:04,250 --> 00:25:07,450 from the L.A. music scene forever, or worse. 489 00:25:07,590 --> 00:25:10,550 So can Redd pull off his greatest performance yet? 490 00:25:12,620 --> 00:25:15,720 Redd auditions for gigs under his new name. 491 00:25:15,790 --> 00:25:16,990 To complete the act, 492 00:25:17,130 --> 00:25:21,800 he plays exotic compositions on a Hammond organ. 493 00:25:21,930 --> 00:25:24,370 And it works. 494 00:25:24,500 --> 00:25:28,240 No one questioned that he wasn't from the Far East. 495 00:25:28,310 --> 00:25:30,670 They just loved his exoticness. 496 00:25:30,740 --> 00:25:32,470 He was totally pulling it off. 497 00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:34,540 WILDMAN: Before long, Korla Pandit 498 00:25:34,680 --> 00:25:37,780 is booking gigs all over Los Angeles, 499 00:25:37,850 --> 00:25:39,810 and he soon becomes one of the city's 500 00:25:39,850 --> 00:25:41,680 most popular performers. 501 00:25:41,750 --> 00:25:45,020 EDWARDS: Korla Pandit was undeniably fascinating. 502 00:25:45,120 --> 00:25:47,660 He was so mysterious and cool. 503 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:52,290 WILDMAN: To avoid being found out, 504 00:25:52,330 --> 00:25:53,630 the dedicated performer 505 00:25:53,730 --> 00:25:57,170 starts living as Korla Pandit day and night. 506 00:25:57,230 --> 00:26:00,670 Only a trusted few friends and family know his secret. 507 00:26:00,800 --> 00:26:04,040 EDWARDS: His family and friends realized the barriers of racism 508 00:26:04,170 --> 00:26:07,440 and understood that he got around it the best he could. 509 00:26:07,510 --> 00:26:10,150 WILDMAN: Redd's diligence pays off. 510 00:26:10,210 --> 00:26:12,080 Over the next three decades, 511 00:26:12,220 --> 00:26:15,320 he records more than two dozen albums, 512 00:26:15,450 --> 00:26:17,690 performs sold out tours, 513 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,220 and even has his own hit television show 514 00:26:20,290 --> 00:26:22,190 "Adventures in Music." 515 00:26:22,190 --> 00:26:25,330 John was getting paid to do what he truly loved in life. 516 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:31,470 WILDMAN: Incredibly, John Redd lives as Korla Pandit 517 00:26:31,540 --> 00:26:35,540 until the day he dies in 1998. 518 00:26:35,540 --> 00:26:37,270 Then three years later, 519 00:26:37,340 --> 00:26:39,410 a friend writes a magazine article 520 00:26:39,410 --> 00:26:41,480 that reveals the truth -- 521 00:26:41,580 --> 00:26:44,010 that all along, Korla Pandit 522 00:26:44,050 --> 00:26:47,020 wasn't a superstar from the Far East, 523 00:26:47,080 --> 00:26:50,020 but a talented and determined African-American man 524 00:26:50,150 --> 00:26:51,620 from the South. 525 00:26:51,690 --> 00:26:54,890 Fans of Korla Pandit are stunned. 526 00:26:54,930 --> 00:26:58,030 Some criticize John Redd for deceiving the nation 527 00:26:58,030 --> 00:27:00,360 by taking on the identity of someone 528 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:02,600 from another minority. 529 00:27:02,670 --> 00:27:05,170 Others think his action's justifiable, 530 00:27:05,170 --> 00:27:08,470 considering the discrimination he faced. 531 00:27:08,570 --> 00:27:09,900 Right or wrong, 532 00:27:09,940 --> 00:27:12,570 it's a fascinating aspect to one of history's 533 00:27:12,640 --> 00:27:14,280 most enigmatic musicians. 534 00:27:14,410 --> 00:27:16,710 EDWARDS: He just wanted to entertain people 535 00:27:16,710 --> 00:27:19,420 and bring his music to the world. 536 00:27:22,190 --> 00:27:24,120 WILDMAN: Today, Korla Pandit's turban 537 00:27:24,250 --> 00:27:26,990 at the Walters Boone County Historical Museum 538 00:27:27,020 --> 00:27:28,390 is a lasting reminder 539 00:27:28,460 --> 00:27:30,730 of one clever musician's determination 540 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:33,060 to share his gift with the world 541 00:27:33,100 --> 00:27:35,130 in a truly unique way. 542 00:27:39,540 --> 00:27:42,900 Huntsville, Texas, is the home of the infamous Huntsville Unit 543 00:27:42,940 --> 00:27:45,110 of the Texas State Prison, 544 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:48,410 the headquarters of the largest prison system in the country. 545 00:27:50,410 --> 00:27:53,020 The vast history of this institution is told 546 00:27:53,150 --> 00:27:56,080 at the Texas Prison Museum. 547 00:27:56,150 --> 00:27:59,560 It features a gun found in Bonnie and Clyde's car, 548 00:27:59,690 --> 00:28:02,290 contraband weapons, 549 00:28:02,330 --> 00:28:05,230 and a replicated prison cell. 550 00:28:05,260 --> 00:28:08,060 But amongst these remnants of violence 551 00:28:08,100 --> 00:28:10,500 is one commonplace item. 552 00:28:10,530 --> 00:28:12,970 It's about four inches long, it's made of brass. 553 00:28:12,970 --> 00:28:15,040 It's flat, and it's smooth on both sides. 554 00:28:15,070 --> 00:28:20,310 WILDMAN: This object unlocks an enormous secret. 555 00:28:20,380 --> 00:28:23,510 This key was used by a remarkably shady character 556 00:28:23,580 --> 00:28:26,650 in one of many amazing exploits he pulled off. 557 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:28,880 WILDMAN: Who held this key? 558 00:28:28,920 --> 00:28:32,050 And what jaw-dropping feat of trickery did he perform? 559 00:28:34,260 --> 00:28:36,220 It's 1942. 560 00:28:36,290 --> 00:28:38,730 Twenty-one-year-old Ferdinand Waldo Demara 561 00:28:38,860 --> 00:28:42,130 is an ambitious young sailor in the U.S. Navy. 562 00:28:42,270 --> 00:28:45,400 But when he's passed over for promotion to officer, 563 00:28:45,500 --> 00:28:48,700 he decides to take another route up the ladder. 564 00:28:50,710 --> 00:28:53,110 BARTON: Fred Demara is a very clever individual, 565 00:28:53,180 --> 00:28:55,610 someone very skilled at kinda worming his way 566 00:28:55,650 --> 00:28:58,580 into institutions where he has no business being. 567 00:28:58,580 --> 00:29:02,020 WILDMAN: So he comes up with an odd but cunning plan. 568 00:29:02,090 --> 00:29:05,020 He forges a set of qualifications. 569 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:08,760 Assuming the identity of one Dr. Joseph Cyr 570 00:29:08,830 --> 00:29:11,030 from New Brunswick, Canada, 571 00:29:11,030 --> 00:29:14,760 he manages to land a job as a surgeon in the Canadian Navy. 572 00:29:14,770 --> 00:29:17,830 BARTON: He was passing himself off as a doctor. 573 00:29:17,840 --> 00:29:20,640 He's not a surgeon at all -- he's an imposter. 574 00:29:20,640 --> 00:29:24,510 WILDMAN: In September of 1951, 575 00:29:24,610 --> 00:29:26,510 the phony physician finds himself 576 00:29:26,610 --> 00:29:28,780 in the midst of the Korean War 577 00:29:28,780 --> 00:29:30,950 on a ship called the Cayuga . 578 00:29:31,020 --> 00:29:34,380 One night, the crew discovers a group of wounded Koreans 579 00:29:34,390 --> 00:29:36,720 adrift in the ocean. 580 00:29:36,790 --> 00:29:39,720 There were six or seven South Korean fighters on board, 581 00:29:39,790 --> 00:29:42,930 including three who were very, very badly injured. 582 00:29:43,060 --> 00:29:45,530 WILDMAN: The sailors summon the surgeon, 583 00:29:45,560 --> 00:29:48,460 the man they know as Dr. Joseph Cyr. 584 00:29:48,500 --> 00:29:50,800 BARTON: So they say, 585 00:29:50,800 --> 00:29:52,800 "You're a surgeon, here you go." 586 00:29:54,810 --> 00:29:57,470 WILDMAN: What the crew doesn't know is that the ship's doctor 587 00:29:57,580 --> 00:30:00,280 has no medical training whatsoever. 588 00:30:00,380 --> 00:30:03,750 BARTON: Extremely unnerving for him -- it's a terrifying situation. 589 00:30:03,750 --> 00:30:07,380 You've got these men who are depending on him to save their lives. 590 00:30:07,420 --> 00:30:09,550 WILDMAN: Demara turns his attention to the most 591 00:30:09,690 --> 00:30:12,020 seriously injured of the three men, 592 00:30:12,020 --> 00:30:15,090 a soldier with a bullet lodged near his heart. 593 00:30:15,160 --> 00:30:18,160 It seems the only way to save him is to perform 594 00:30:18,160 --> 00:30:20,500 open chest surgery. 595 00:30:20,530 --> 00:30:22,900 I think it's safe to say he had never done this particular type 596 00:30:23,030 --> 00:30:25,130 of operation before. 597 00:30:25,200 --> 00:30:27,540 WILDMAN: The only surgical knowledge Demara possesses 598 00:30:27,570 --> 00:30:31,110 was gleaned from reading the ship's medical books. 599 00:30:31,110 --> 00:30:33,980 BARTON: He began operating on the guy with the bullet wound in the chest, 600 00:30:34,080 --> 00:30:37,310 which means cutting down through the ribs, getting into the chest, 601 00:30:37,350 --> 00:30:40,050 finding the bullet wound in the lungs. 602 00:30:40,120 --> 00:30:42,750 WILDMAN: So can Demara bluff his way 603 00:30:42,750 --> 00:30:44,950 through this life or death situation? 604 00:30:48,760 --> 00:30:50,730 It's 1951. 605 00:30:50,760 --> 00:30:54,130 A bold young imposter named Ferdinand Demara 606 00:30:54,230 --> 00:30:57,130 has managed to get himself appointed as a surgeon 607 00:30:57,270 --> 00:31:00,800 in the Canadian Navy, but when three injured soldiers 608 00:31:00,910 --> 00:31:03,270 come on board, Demara realizes 609 00:31:03,410 --> 00:31:05,540 he will have to operate. 610 00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:07,840 So can he pull it off? 611 00:31:10,250 --> 00:31:13,150 With only the scantest of medical knowledge, 612 00:31:13,250 --> 00:31:16,750 Demara manages to remove the bullet, stop the bleeding, 613 00:31:16,790 --> 00:31:19,820 and skillfully stitch the patient up. 614 00:31:19,860 --> 00:31:23,290 Then he tends to the other two injured men. 615 00:31:23,330 --> 00:31:27,030 Against all the odds, the operations are successful. 616 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:30,570 He saves the lives of these three wounded Koreans. 617 00:31:30,570 --> 00:31:34,300 WILDMAN: Back in Canada, the story of the life-saving doctor 618 00:31:34,310 --> 00:31:37,740 is picked up by the press, and he is hailed as a hero. 619 00:31:40,540 --> 00:31:42,980 But the accolades don't last for long. 620 00:31:43,050 --> 00:31:46,180 The Navy gets a disturbing call. 621 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:49,550 Someone's claiming that they are 622 00:31:49,590 --> 00:31:51,590 Dr. Joseph Cyr of New Brunswick, 623 00:31:51,720 --> 00:31:54,590 and they're not in Korea, and they're not in the Navy. 624 00:31:54,590 --> 00:31:57,790 WILDMAN: When Navy authorities check Demara's fingerprints, 625 00:31:57,900 --> 00:32:00,500 his true identity is revealed. 626 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:03,070 With his secret out, Canadian authorities 627 00:32:03,170 --> 00:32:05,700 opt not to press charges and instead 628 00:32:05,840 --> 00:32:08,940 swiftly deport Demara to the United States. 629 00:32:08,970 --> 00:32:11,470 It was such an embarrassment, I think they just wanted 630 00:32:11,510 --> 00:32:14,180 to put it behind them as quickly as possible. 631 00:32:14,180 --> 00:32:16,540 WILDMAN: Back in America, the cunning impersonator 632 00:32:16,580 --> 00:32:19,410 isn't about to give up his devious ways. 633 00:32:19,420 --> 00:32:22,680 He forges a series of new personas, 634 00:32:22,820 --> 00:32:25,820 including law student, cancer researcher, 635 00:32:25,960 --> 00:32:28,890 deputy sheriff, and teacher. 636 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:31,530 He was a serial imposter. 637 00:32:31,560 --> 00:32:34,900 WILDMAN: For five years, he glides seamlessly 638 00:32:34,970 --> 00:32:38,100 from one profession to the next, until finally, 639 00:32:38,100 --> 00:32:41,900 in 1955, his masquerading catches up to him. 640 00:32:42,040 --> 00:32:45,770 Using the name Ben Jones, Demara finds work 641 00:32:45,840 --> 00:32:48,780 at the state prison in Huntsville, Texas. 642 00:32:48,780 --> 00:32:52,380 BARTON: He's this new warden that kinda came out of nowhere 643 00:32:52,450 --> 00:32:55,450 and rose up through the ranks very quickly. 644 00:32:55,550 --> 00:32:59,450 WILDMAN: The prison director, a man named O. B. Ellis, 645 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:03,130 entrusts him with a key to the maximum security ward, 646 00:33:03,230 --> 00:33:06,860 the same one now on display at the Texas Prison Museum. 647 00:33:07,000 --> 00:33:10,530 It seems like the perfect fit, 648 00:33:10,630 --> 00:33:14,540 until one day, a news article about Demara's naval exploits 649 00:33:14,640 --> 00:33:17,440 catches the director's eye. 650 00:33:17,570 --> 00:33:21,210 What O.B. Ellis sees when he opens this magazine is 651 00:33:21,250 --> 00:33:24,680 an article headlined, "The Master Imposter: An Incredible Tale". 652 00:33:24,680 --> 00:33:28,150 WILDMAN: It's an elaborate story of a conman who looks 653 00:33:28,220 --> 00:33:31,490 alarmingly like the warden, Ben Jones. 654 00:33:31,490 --> 00:33:34,460 BARTON: And suddenly they've got the realization 655 00:33:34,530 --> 00:33:37,860 that he's turned over the key to the prison to a criminal. 656 00:33:37,860 --> 00:33:41,760 WILDMAN: As soon as he is confronted, Demara flees town. 657 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:46,300 He manages to lay low in New England 658 00:33:46,340 --> 00:33:49,240 until he is finally caught in 1957. 659 00:33:49,310 --> 00:33:52,170 He serves only six months in prison 660 00:33:52,180 --> 00:33:55,440 and never again passes as an imposter. 661 00:33:55,480 --> 00:33:59,250 As con artists go, the damage that Demara did was relatively limited. 662 00:33:59,250 --> 00:34:01,720 He wasn't in it to steal money, 663 00:34:01,850 --> 00:34:03,850 he didn't hurt anybody, 664 00:34:03,890 --> 00:34:07,790 and so I think that made people a lot more forgiving of his exploits. 665 00:34:11,200 --> 00:34:13,930 WILDMAN: This prison key, used by Ferdinand Demara, 666 00:34:13,930 --> 00:34:16,630 is now on display at the Texas Prison Museum 667 00:34:16,670 --> 00:34:19,730 as a reminder of the unbelievable journey 668 00:34:19,840 --> 00:34:22,900 of one man who dared to fool the world. 669 00:34:26,840 --> 00:34:31,150 Musket balls from an 18th century slave ship, 670 00:34:31,220 --> 00:34:35,350 a hat that belonged to famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass, 671 00:34:35,490 --> 00:34:39,450 and an 1850 printing press are 672 00:34:39,490 --> 00:34:41,890 just some of the items on display 673 00:34:41,960 --> 00:34:44,730 at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center 674 00:34:44,730 --> 00:34:46,530 in Cincinnati, Ohio. 675 00:34:49,370 --> 00:34:51,800 But among these striking artifacts is 676 00:34:51,940 --> 00:34:54,740 a fragile set of items that are easily overlooked. 677 00:34:55,940 --> 00:35:00,510 The document is written in cursive handwriting. 678 00:35:00,640 --> 00:35:04,810 It consists of three loose sheets of paper 679 00:35:04,850 --> 00:35:09,420 12 inches high and 7 3/4 inches wide. 680 00:35:11,990 --> 00:35:15,520 WILDMAN: These papers chronicle one of the most extraordinary chapters 681 00:35:15,590 --> 00:35:18,630 in the history of America's Underground Railroad. 682 00:35:18,730 --> 00:35:20,400 This document meant the difference 683 00:35:20,460 --> 00:35:24,100 between life and death for many persons. 684 00:35:27,800 --> 00:35:30,300 WILDMAN: It's 1853. 685 00:35:30,340 --> 00:35:33,140 Although slavery is illegal across the north, 686 00:35:33,210 --> 00:35:35,680 it remains the law of the land in the south, 687 00:35:35,780 --> 00:35:37,610 where hundreds of thousands of slaves 688 00:35:37,750 --> 00:35:41,080 are desperate to escape a life of bondage. 689 00:35:41,150 --> 00:35:44,220 But that's easier said than done. 690 00:35:44,320 --> 00:35:47,160 A law called the Fugitive Slave Act means 691 00:35:47,220 --> 00:35:49,360 that runaway slaves can be arrested 692 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:51,160 and sent back to the south, 693 00:35:51,200 --> 00:35:54,230 even if they are caught in the free northern states. 694 00:35:54,330 --> 00:35:56,430 The only sure shot at freedom 695 00:35:56,500 --> 00:35:59,430 is to somehow make it all the way to Canada. 696 00:35:59,570 --> 00:36:01,100 To get there, many turned 697 00:36:01,100 --> 00:36:03,710 to a clandestine network of abolitionists 698 00:36:03,770 --> 00:36:06,340 stretching from Ohio to Ontario 699 00:36:06,440 --> 00:36:08,440 called the Underground Railroad. 700 00:36:08,510 --> 00:36:10,380 BATTLE: In terms of geography, 701 00:36:10,510 --> 00:36:15,420 Ohio is the beginning of the north. 702 00:36:15,490 --> 00:36:17,220 WILDMAN: And in the city of Cincinnati, 703 00:36:17,290 --> 00:36:19,650 one of the network's biggest supporters 704 00:36:19,660 --> 00:36:22,120 is a man named Reverend William Troy. 705 00:36:22,160 --> 00:36:24,590 BATTLE: Reverend Troy believed deeply 706 00:36:24,660 --> 00:36:28,430 that all persons should be free. 707 00:36:28,570 --> 00:36:31,200 WILDMAN: For years, the reverend has been secretly helping 708 00:36:31,240 --> 00:36:34,200 runaway slaves reach freedom. 709 00:36:34,240 --> 00:36:37,840 But now he faces his biggest challenge yet -- 710 00:36:37,910 --> 00:36:41,680 helping a fugitive who has already been caught. 711 00:36:41,680 --> 00:36:45,150 An escaped slave named Lewis Williams has been arrested 712 00:36:45,150 --> 00:36:48,220 and is awaiting trial in the local courthouse. 713 00:36:48,290 --> 00:36:53,420 The legal system required that a judge would validate 714 00:36:53,490 --> 00:36:56,690 that the person was indeed a fugitive slave 715 00:36:56,760 --> 00:37:01,260 and assist in returning that person to their masters. 716 00:37:01,300 --> 00:37:04,300 WILDMAN: But this step is little more than a formality. 717 00:37:04,330 --> 00:37:07,370 The court will almost certainly send Lewis 718 00:37:07,470 --> 00:37:09,740 back to a life of bondage. 719 00:37:09,870 --> 00:37:12,370 BATTLE: Reverend Troy was very much aware of the fact 720 00:37:12,440 --> 00:37:15,710 that Lewis would have been returned to slavery 721 00:37:15,850 --> 00:37:19,410 at the end of that trial. 722 00:37:19,550 --> 00:37:22,450 WILDMAN: The minister resolves to secure Lewis' freedom 723 00:37:22,590 --> 00:37:24,850 not by defending him in court 724 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:27,390 but by helping him escape. 725 00:37:27,490 --> 00:37:32,390 He was determined that no matter what happened in the trial, 726 00:37:32,400 --> 00:37:36,260 Lewis Williams would be free. 727 00:37:36,330 --> 00:37:38,270 WILDMAN: But Williams is so well-guarded 728 00:37:38,270 --> 00:37:41,140 that busting him out is almost impossible. 729 00:37:41,240 --> 00:37:44,940 So Reverend Troy comes up with an audacious plan. 730 00:37:45,040 --> 00:37:47,810 He'll help Williams escape 731 00:37:47,840 --> 00:37:50,680 during the trial itself. 732 00:37:50,810 --> 00:37:52,950 The reverend will pack the courtroom 733 00:37:52,950 --> 00:37:54,620 with members of his congregation, 734 00:37:54,750 --> 00:37:56,890 have a lawyer create a distraction, 735 00:37:57,020 --> 00:38:00,490 and, in the commotion, sneak Lewis out of the building. 736 00:38:00,620 --> 00:38:02,420 If all goes according to plan, 737 00:38:02,490 --> 00:38:04,790 Lewis will hide in the reverend's house. 738 00:38:04,900 --> 00:38:07,900 From there, he'll connect to the Underground Railroad 739 00:38:07,960 --> 00:38:09,230 and head to Canada. 740 00:38:09,330 --> 00:38:13,770 But if he's discovered, the consequences will be severe. 741 00:38:13,900 --> 00:38:16,640 BATTLE: If Lewis were caught, he would be sent 742 00:38:16,770 --> 00:38:18,110 back to slavery, 743 00:38:18,210 --> 00:38:22,280 and most likely Reverend Troy would have gone to jail. 744 00:38:24,750 --> 00:38:27,450 WILDMAN: The trial gets underway. 745 00:38:27,450 --> 00:38:30,120 As planned, a lawyer distracts the judge 746 00:38:30,250 --> 00:38:32,590 with a lengthy argument. 747 00:38:32,590 --> 00:38:36,190 Then, Lewis is given the signal to escape. 748 00:38:36,290 --> 00:38:39,790 Lewis quickly drops to the floor and hides in the crowd. 749 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:43,130 He crawls through the courtroom and heads straight out the door. 750 00:38:43,200 --> 00:38:46,130 Then he races to Reverend Troy's house. 751 00:38:46,200 --> 00:38:50,610 Lewis Williams was literally running for his life. 752 00:38:50,740 --> 00:38:54,310 WILDMAN: But his bid for freedom is just beginning. 753 00:38:54,380 --> 00:38:55,740 Back in the courtroom, 754 00:38:55,750 --> 00:38:58,950 the judge soon realizes the prisoner has slipped away. 755 00:38:59,020 --> 00:39:01,150 Where's the prisoner? 756 00:39:01,220 --> 00:39:02,850 All hell broke loose. 757 00:39:02,850 --> 00:39:08,160 Immediately, people went out to try to find Lewis. 758 00:39:08,160 --> 00:39:10,790 WILDMAN: As planned, Lewis hides in Troy's home 759 00:39:10,890 --> 00:39:12,830 until the reverend joins him. 760 00:39:12,860 --> 00:39:15,800 Then, the two wait for a chance to slip out of the house 761 00:39:15,870 --> 00:39:18,500 and connect with the Underground Railroad. 762 00:39:18,570 --> 00:39:21,070 But there's a frightening development. 763 00:39:21,170 --> 00:39:23,770 BATTLE: The police were going door to door. 764 00:39:23,810 --> 00:39:26,270 Reverend Troy and Lewis both knew 765 00:39:26,310 --> 00:39:28,710 that their lives were on the line. 766 00:39:28,850 --> 00:39:31,250 WILDMAN: The pair needs a miracle. 767 00:39:31,380 --> 00:39:34,520 And that's when Reverend Troy gets a crafty idea, 768 00:39:34,620 --> 00:39:35,780 something that he hopes 769 00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:38,520 the authorities will never see coming. 770 00:39:38,520 --> 00:39:40,820 The question is will it work? 771 00:39:48,060 --> 00:39:50,730 It's 1853 in Cincinnati. 772 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:52,900 Reverend William Troy has just helped 773 00:39:53,040 --> 00:39:56,070 a fugitive slave named Lewis Williams escape 774 00:39:56,170 --> 00:39:58,010 from a courthouse. 775 00:39:58,070 --> 00:40:00,510 The duo hides out in the minister's house 776 00:40:00,640 --> 00:40:02,080 and waits for the right moment to connect 777 00:40:02,210 --> 00:40:03,880 with the Underground Railroad. 778 00:40:04,010 --> 00:40:06,380 But when the authorities start going door to door, 779 00:40:06,450 --> 00:40:10,290 it seems the brazen breakout might be cut short. 780 00:40:12,160 --> 00:40:14,960 Reverend Troy knows it's only a matter of time 781 00:40:15,090 --> 00:40:17,260 before the cops discover the fugitive. 782 00:40:17,330 --> 00:40:20,390 BATTLE: The police were coming down the street. 783 00:40:20,460 --> 00:40:23,330 And it looked like Lewis were caught. 784 00:40:23,400 --> 00:40:27,540 But Troy, who was a quick thinker, 785 00:40:27,670 --> 00:40:30,040 concocted a plan. 786 00:40:30,110 --> 00:40:31,810 WILDMAN: The reverend opens the wardrobe 787 00:40:31,840 --> 00:40:34,880 and pulls out a selection of women's clothes -- 788 00:40:35,010 --> 00:40:38,050 a dress, petticoat, and bonnet -- 789 00:40:38,180 --> 00:40:40,450 and tells Williams to put them on. 790 00:40:43,690 --> 00:40:48,160 Lewis dressed up like he were the daughter of Reverend Troy. 791 00:40:48,290 --> 00:40:50,760 WILDMAN: Troy has a young man come to his house 792 00:40:50,790 --> 00:40:53,830 and escort Lewis past the authorities. 793 00:40:53,860 --> 00:40:56,700 BATTLE: Lewis, acting as if he were the date, 794 00:40:56,730 --> 00:40:59,970 embraced the arm of this gentleman caller, 795 00:41:00,040 --> 00:41:03,770 and the two of them sauntered out of the house. 796 00:41:03,770 --> 00:41:07,380 They walked right past the police. 797 00:41:07,480 --> 00:41:09,110 WILDMAN: Soon after, Lewis connects 798 00:41:09,180 --> 00:41:10,580 with the Underground Railroad 799 00:41:10,650 --> 00:41:12,510 and finds refuge in Canada. 800 00:41:12,550 --> 00:41:14,120 And authorities never learn 801 00:41:14,250 --> 00:41:16,780 of Reverend Troy's part in the plot. 802 00:41:16,850 --> 00:41:19,650 Lewis lived out the rest of his life 803 00:41:19,660 --> 00:41:24,160 as a free person with absolute gratitude 804 00:41:24,230 --> 00:41:27,030 for the antics of Reverend Troy. 805 00:41:29,630 --> 00:41:31,500 WILDMAN: Today, church records calling 806 00:41:31,630 --> 00:41:36,000 for a fugitive slave fund to aid escaped slaves are on display 807 00:41:36,140 --> 00:41:39,010 at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center. 808 00:41:39,080 --> 00:41:41,340 They recall the clever abolitionist 809 00:41:41,380 --> 00:41:44,710 and his daring scheme to secure a man's freedom. 810 00:41:46,950 --> 00:41:48,880 From a seductive spy 811 00:41:48,950 --> 00:41:51,150 to a mysterious musician. 812 00:41:51,250 --> 00:41:53,150 A furtive golfer 813 00:41:53,260 --> 00:41:56,120 to a surgical swindle. 814 00:41:56,130 --> 00:41:59,590 I'm Don Wildman, and these are the mysteries at the museum.