Last Podcast On The Left
Last Podcast On The Left
"According to Victoria Love, the author of the more sensationalist of the two books we used, it was believed that Dr. Lallori was testing Haitian-style zombie drugs to induce cooperation and docility in enslaved people that were proving troublesome, a sort of chemical lobotomy." — Ed Larson
"The rescuers opened the door and found seven people chained to the wall for women, two men, and one whose gender was unrecorded. All, however, have been mutilated from head to toe." — Henry Zebrowski
"But the fact that there was a huge, I mean, like of the, the amount of people that had her place, there's a huge chunk of them that just disappeared." — Ed Larson
The episode meticulously dissects the life and alleged crimes of Madame Delphine LaLaurie, a New Orleans socialite whose mansion became synonymous with extreme cruelty. It begins by acknowledging the "girl bossing" potential of her legend, even comparing her to fictional characters, before delving into her relocation to Royal Street and the children from her previous marriages. The narrative questions the accuracy of historical portraits, highlighting that visual representations of Madame LaLaurie may not be contemporary, thus obscuring her true likeness.
The discussion then explores various legends surrounding the LaLaurie mansion, including theories about Dr. LaLaurie experimenting with "zombie drugs" and the infamous "devil baby" story, which is critically analyzed as potentially stemming from a child suffering from Harlequin syndrome. The podcast emphasizes the grim realities of slavery in the 19th century, detailing how rumors of LaLaurie's mistreatment led to an investigation that uncovered severely abused and emaciated enslaved individuals. The narrative highlights the discovery of a "chamber of horrors" where victims were found chained, mutilated, and subjected to extreme torture, a scene described as truly horrific and confirmed by firsthand accounts of the first responders.
Further into the episode, the fate of Madame LaLaurie herself is examined, detailing her escape from the mob and the conflicting accounts of her eventual death, with some suggesting she died in exile in Paris while others propose she returned to New Orleans. The enduring legacy of the LaLaurie Mansion is explored, detailing its various transformations, from a private residence to a furniture store and eventually a tourist attraction, all while supernatural tales and reports of misfortune continued to surround it. The episode concludes by noting the property's high value and current ownership, while also touching on the ongoing fascination with its dark history and its place in popular culture.