Charles Blondin

popular name: Maria Elena Milagro de Hoyos

date_of_death: October 25, 1931

age: 22

cause_of_death: Murdered - poison

claim_to_fame: The Odd and the Interesting

best_know_for: On April 22, 1930, Maria Elena Milagro De Hoyos walked into the Marine Hospital in Key West, Florida suffering from a fatal infection of tuberculosis. Instead of a cure, she found a radiologist named Carl Tanzler who instantly became obsessed with her. He took it upon himself to do whatever he could to ‘cure’ her and offered services free of charge. As Elena and her family were poor, they were initially willing to accept this offer. Concocting potions and tonics out of gold, Tanzler would shock Elena by connecting electrodes to her body via transformers and then give her ‘medicinal’ wines. Tanzler was madly in love with Elena and showered her with gifts. Elena did not reciprocate Tanzler’s feelings whatsoever. She repeatedly told him he was too old for her and additionally, she was still married to her husband. Elena’s family had instructed Tanzler to stay away following these marriage proposals and also because of their dislike of his unorthodox treatments of Elena. Elena died on 25th October 1931 at the age of twenty-two but that would not be the end of Tanzler's obsession with Elena.

popular name: Annie Edson Taylor

date_of_death: April 29, 1921

age: 82

cause_of_death: Natural Causes

claim_to_fame: The Odd and the Interesting

best_know_for: Annie Edson Taylor was an American schoolteacher who, on her 63rd birthday, October 24, 1901, became the first, and oldest, person to go over Niagara Falls intentionally and survive. The trip itself took less than twenty minutes, but it was some time before the barrel was actually opened and discovered she was relatively unharmed with only a small gash on her head. She attempted to earn money by talking about her experience, writing a memoir, and eventually working as a clairvoyant, but eventually fell into poverty and died in relative obscurity.

popular name: Daisy and Violet Hilton

date_of_death: January 4, 1969

age: 60

cause_of_death: Hong Kong flu

claim_to_fame: The Odd and the Interesting

best_know_for: Daisy and Violet Hilton, born in the early 1900s in Brighton, England, were conjoined twins joined at the hip and buttocks. Their lives were a blend of exploitation and fame, marked by challenges and achievements. Born to an unmarried barmaid, Kate Skinner, the twins were sold to her employer, Mary Hilton, who saw their potential as a spectacle. Under Mary Hilton's care, they were trained as performers and toured extensively, particularly in the U.S., where they were exhibited as "freaks" in sideshows and carnivals. After Mary's death, the twins became the wards of her daughter and son-in-law, Edith and Meyer Myers, who continued exploiting them financially and refusing to allow them out in public unless they were performing. They later gained legal independence in 1931 after suing the Myers family, receiving $100,000 in restitution (far below what they earned). The Hiltons became vaudeville stars, captivating their audiences with their talents including dancing, singing and playing instruments. Despite their fame, the Hilton sisters faced significant personal challenges. Exploitation in their early years left them unprepared to manage their finances and lives independently. They attempted romantic relationships, but societal prejudice and legal barriers prevented marriage. Their brief appearance in Tod Browning's 1932 cult classic film Freaks and the 1951 biopic Chained for Life showcased their lives but didn't lead to lasting success. As vaudeville declined, the sisters struggled financially. They ended up working in a grocery store in Charlotte, North Carolina. In 1969, they died of the Hong Kong flu, passing within days of each other due to their physical connection. After their passing, they were laid to rest at Forest Lawn West in Charlotte, NC.