The Thief, the Jewels, and the Dublin Castle Conspiracy
Summary
Tim Harford recounts the 1907 theft of the Irish Crown Jewels from Dublin Castle, focusing on the negligence of custodian Sir Arthur Vickers and the suspicious behavior of his housemate, Frank Shackleton. The episode explores how high-society connections and fears of scandal regarding homosexuality allowed the likely thief to evade justice. Vickers was scapegoated and ruined, while the jewels were never recovered, illustrating how social power can shield transgressors from accountability.
Topics discussed
Intro, Patreon promo, and ad breaks
The Irish Crown Jewels and Sir Arthur Vickers
The discovery of the theft
Ad breaks
Frank Shackleton and the scandal context
Investigation and suspect profiling
Shackleton's alibi and the psychic search
Theories, consequences, and aftermath
Outro, credits, and final ads
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