Vanessa Richardson

So, with nothing to prove otherwise, Mary's claims that the Kitchens had died of the plague spread across town like wildfire. This worked to her benefit. In the days after the Kitchen family deaths, locals didn't dare come near their abandoned drapery They feared that the fine linens may be riddled with disease-carrying germs. But Mary felt perfectly safe.

So, with nothing to prove otherwise, Mary's claims that the Kitchens had died of the plague spread across town like wildfire. This worked to her benefit. In the days after the Kitchen family deaths, locals didn't dare come near their abandoned drapery They feared that the fine linens may be riddled with disease-carrying germs. But Mary felt perfectly safe.

She knew she wouldn't get sick, and she hauled out their belongings one by one. Then, as she'd done to each of her surviving victims in the past, Mary likely pawned off every last possession for a quick profit. By late fall 1803, 35-year-old Mary Bateman had extracted all she could from the late kitchens. She knew it was time for her next scheme, but she didn't yet know what it would be.

She knew she wouldn't get sick, and she hauled out their belongings one by one. Then, as she'd done to each of her surviving victims in the past, Mary likely pawned off every last possession for a quick profit. By late fall 1803, 35-year-old Mary Bateman had extracted all she could from the late kitchens. She knew it was time for her next scheme, but she didn't yet know what it would be.

She spent the next several years biding her time, laying low, maybe searching for inspiration, and eventually it arrived in the form of a fellow con woman. In 1806, England's population felt the lasting effects of the Napoleonic Wars. Taxes skyrocketed, unemployment increased, and families were torn apart as men left to serve their country.

She spent the next several years biding her time, laying low, maybe searching for inspiration, and eventually it arrived in the form of a fellow con woman. In 1806, England's population felt the lasting effects of the Napoleonic Wars. Taxes skyrocketed, unemployment increased, and families were torn apart as men left to serve their country.

Hopeless times created hordes of people looking for comfort, setting the stage for con artists like Mary Bateman to profit off the fearful. Still, beyond the street-scavenging soothsayer, there were others whose schemes took on more orthodox themes. Enter Joanna Southcott, the self-proclaimed religious prophetess.

Hopeless times created hordes of people looking for comfort, setting the stage for con artists like Mary Bateman to profit off the fearful. Still, beyond the street-scavenging soothsayer, there were others whose schemes took on more orthodox themes. Enter Joanna Southcott, the self-proclaimed religious prophetess.

Like many preaching zealots who came before her, Joanna made a name predicting the second coming of Christ. It wasn't a hard stretch of the imagination. A multitude of English civilians subscribed to the theory that Napoleon himself was the beast written about in the Bible's Book of Revelation. Joanna Southcott took that idea one step further.

Like many preaching zealots who came before her, Joanna made a name predicting the second coming of Christ. It wasn't a hard stretch of the imagination. A multitude of English civilians subscribed to the theory that Napoleon himself was the beast written about in the Bible's Book of Revelation. Joanna Southcott took that idea one step further.

She prophesied that she was destined to give birth to the Messiah through a miraculous virgin birth in 1814. Preposterous as her claims were, given that she'd be 64 years old by the time the baby came, Joanna was able to amass a large following. Faithful Christians clung to her promises. And here's how she capitalized on it.

She prophesied that she was destined to give birth to the Messiah through a miraculous virgin birth in 1814. Preposterous as her claims were, given that she'd be 64 years old by the time the baby came, Joanna was able to amass a large following. Faithful Christians clung to her promises. And here's how she capitalized on it.

Southcott told her followers that she had the power to seal them as one of the 144,000 people who would be saved at the end of time. Once they'd paid her in loyalty and cash, Southcott would hand them a token, marking them as one of the chosen. Her believers would, in turn, feel they'd squared away their fates.

Southcott told her followers that she had the power to seal them as one of the 144,000 people who would be saved at the end of time. Once they'd paid her in loyalty and cash, Southcott would hand them a token, marking them as one of the chosen. Her believers would, in turn, feel they'd squared away their fates.

By 1806, thousands of people had paid up, and that's likely when 38-year-old Mary Bateman noticed Joanna's sizable, profitable flock. Mary was baffled by the power Joanna wielded over her followers and decided that those might be easier to swindle than most. The wheels in her head turned as she pondered how to get a piece of the pie.

By 1806, thousands of people had paid up, and that's likely when 38-year-old Mary Bateman noticed Joanna's sizable, profitable flock. Mary was baffled by the power Joanna wielded over her followers and decided that those might be easier to swindle than most. The wheels in her head turned as she pondered how to get a piece of the pie.

She decided that she could manipulate the community by making her own prophecies about the Second Coming, which she hoped would bring in plenty of coin. By subscribing to the idea that they would be saved by God during the Second Coming, Southcott's followers were undoubtedly managing their terror about their own mortality.

She decided that she could manipulate the community by making her own prophecies about the Second Coming, which she hoped would bring in plenty of coin. By subscribing to the idea that they would be saved by God during the Second Coming, Southcott's followers were undoubtedly managing their terror about their own mortality.

Their willingness to subscribe to a modern, unconventional concept to sustain these beliefs convinced Mary that they would be easier to con. But she knew that Joanna's followers would be easier marks if they believed she was one of them. So, Mary got her hands on one of the precious tokens that promised her a place in heaven and slid into character. Then, when she felt ready, she made her move.

Their willingness to subscribe to a modern, unconventional concept to sustain these beliefs convinced Mary that they would be easier to con. But she knew that Joanna's followers would be easier marks if they believed she was one of them. So, Mary got her hands on one of the precious tokens that promised her a place in heaven and slid into character. Then, when she felt ready, she made her move.