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What if a starving servant girl's story was so convincing it sent a woman to the gallows—and so doubtful it sent her to the colonies for lying? The Bizarre and Curious Case of Elizabeth Canning takes us to January 1, 1753, when an eighteen-year-old maidservant vanished on her way home and reappeared nearly a month later, half-naked and emaciated, claiming she'd been kidnapped and held in a loft on bread and water. Her accusation sent Susannah Wells and Mary Squires to trial—Squires was sentenced to hang within a month [citation:1]. But the Lord Mayor wasn't convinced. He dug into the alibi, and soon the girl who'd been celebrated as an innocent victim was standing trial herself for perjury. London split into two camps, wagers were placed across the kingdom, and the case became one of the longest trials of the century [citation:1][citation:2]. She was transported to Connecticut, where she lived out her life insisting she'd told the truth. To this day, no one knows. Press play, and don't listen alone. New episode every week—subscribe and leave your review. 🎧
