The Haunting of Lemp Mansion

Morbid examines the Lemp family of St. Louis, a wealthy brewing dynasty that experienced a cascade of tragic deaths throughout the late 19th and 20th centuries. The episode traces the family's rise to prominence through Adam Lemp's Western Brewery, one of America's most productive breweries, and the subsequent inheritance by his son William. The core narrative focuses on the string of suicides and deaths that plagued the family members within their Benton Park mansion, creating a local legend about the house being haunted. The show notes reference multiple family deaths including Frederick W. Lemp (1901), William J. Lemp (1904 and 1922), Elsa Lemp Wright (1920), and Charles A. Lemp (1949), with contemporary St. Louis residents speculating whether supernatural forces or curses were responsible for the family's misfortune. The episode blends historical fact with paranormal speculation, exploring both the documented tragedies and the mansion's reputation as a haunted location. The research draws from newspaper archives (St. Louis Post-Dispatch, St. Louis Republic, St. Louis Star and Times), historical books like Stephen Walker's 'Lemp: The Haunting History,' and contemporary sources examining the mansion's cultural significance. The episode appears to position itself at the intersection of true crime (documenting actual deaths and their circumstances) and paranormal investigation (entertaining the possibility of supernatural causation). No guest interviews are mentioned in the show notes, suggesting the episode relies on the hosts' narration and archival research. The production credits indicate collaboration among multiple researchers and writers, suggesting a reasonably resourced investigation into the family's documented history and local folklore.

Verdict: Solid true crime research into a documented family tragedy with paranormal framing; delivers on its title but relies on existing sources rather than original reporting, and the haunting angle risks sensationalizing real suicides.

True Crime rubric

• Research depth 3/5 25%

  Show notes cite newspaper archives and at least one dedicated historical book, indicating solid archival work, but no original interviews or investigative reporting beyond existing sources.

• Storytelling n/a

  Source material provides no information about narrative structure, pacing, or how the hosts present the material.

• Respect for victims 3/5 19%

  The episode documents real suicides and deaths with historical sources, but the framing as 'haunting' and speculation about curses risks sensationalizing genuine family tragedies; no clear evidence of exploitative tone in notes.

• Substance 3/5 19%

  Show notes indicate coverage of multiple documented deaths, family history, and mansion lore, suggesting solid content, but without hearing the episode it's unclear how much padding or tangent exists in 47 minutes.

• Delivers on its title 4/5 19%

  Title promises 'Haunting of Lemp Mansion'; episode covers both the mansion's paranormal reputation and the family tragedies that fueled it, directly addressing the promised topic.

• Value for time 3/5 19%

  47 minutes is reasonable for covering multiple deaths and mansion history, but without hearing pacing it's difficult to assess whether the length is justified or padded.

How we score True Crime

Worth it if you're interested in St. Louis history, the Lemp family's documented tragedies, or paranormal folklore tied to real events, but not if you expect rigorous investigation into supernatural claims.

Based on the episode description. AI-generated; it can be wrong.