Welcome back! We launch Season 3 with a doozy of a story of a building collapse that led to one of the most brutal civilian massacres in American history.

Our story starts way back in 1863, when a women's prison for Confederate sympathizers crashed to the ground, killing 4 women and maiming many others. That collapse enraged Quantrill's raiders, who decided to burn, murder and maim much of Lawrence Kansas in revenge. When it was all said and done, over 150 Lawrence residents were dead, and a quarter of the buildings were burnt to the ground.

This month's episode is sponsored by our good friends at J. Rieger & Company!

Killer Cocktail recipe: Killer Crash & Burn Martini (Original Creation)


Ingredients:
• 2 oz J. Rieger’s Gin
• 1 oz dry vermouth
• 0.5 oz pineapple juice (for tropical “crash”)
• 1 dash orange bitters (adds complexity)
• 1 dash Tabasco or a spicy tincture (for “burn”)
• Flamed orange twist or fresh jalapeño slice for garnish
Instructions:
1. Add gin, vermouth, pineapple juice, bitters, and Tabasco into a mixing glass with ice.
2. Stir until well chilled.
3. Strain into a chilled martini glass.
4. Flame an orange twist over the glass, or garnish with a thin jalapeño wheel for a spicy kick.
Optional: Rim the glass with a mix of sugar and cayenne pepper for extra burn!

Sources:

Bloody Dawn, The Story of the Lawrence Massacre by Thomas Goodrich

Civil War on the Western Border, 1854-1865 by Jay Monaghan