October Bonus Episode: The Kidnapping of Peggy McMath

October 16, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

In the spring of 1933, a 28-year-old man named Kenneth Buck from Harwich, Massachusetts, decided that kidnapping a ten-year-old girl would be an easy way to solve his money problems. He told the court later: "I just thought of it. I needed money, and it came to my mind that I could get it this way." What followed was a scheme so poorly executed that it became almost absurd—except for the fact that a child was bound and gagged in a shack for days while her kidnapper went off to play a round of golf.

The Great Depression's "Trending" Crime

By the early 1930s, kidnapping had become a terrifyingly common reality in America. The Great Depression had put millions out of work, and ransom demands became a grim side hustle for the desperate and deranged. Just one year before Peggy McMath was taken, baby Charles Lindbergh Jr. had been kidnapped from his bedroom, horrifying the nation and proving that even the wealthiest families were not safe. The New York Times ran a regular feature called "Recent Kidnappings in America"; Time magazine listed kidnappings alongside births, deaths, and weddings. In this climate, Kenneth Buck—a former chauffeur who had been laid off and could no longer support his wife and son—saw an opportunity.

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What you'll learn

1 Timestamped Outline: The Kidnapping of Peggy McMath
2 (00:09) **Sponsor Introduction: Netflix's "Animals"** - Hosts introduce the film *Animals* starring Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington, drawing a parallel to the kidnapping case they're about to cover
3 (02:04) **Episode Setup - Kidnapping as a 1930s Epidemic** - Hosts explain why kidnapping was rampant during the Great Depression and how the Lindbergh case set the stage
4 (06:00) **Kenneth Buck's Background** - Portrait of a 28-year-old from Harwich, Massachusetts who turned from petty crime to kidnapping
5 (11:42) **Darker Side of Kenneth Buck** - Hosts reveal Kenneth's disturbing habits and his reputation in the community
6 (14:51) **The Economic Trigger** - Kenneth loses his job during the Depression and targets the McMath family
7 (17:13) **The Plan Takes Shape** - Kenneth decides to kidnap 10-year-old Peggy McMath after being denied the job

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

On May 2, 1933, the Harwich Center School received a telephone call from the father of ten-year-old Peggy McMath, a student at the school. Mr. McMath informed them that he was sending a driver to pick up his daughter and he expected her to be ready. However, when the driver showed up, Peggy didn’t recognize the man and was hesitant to get into the car. In response, the driver of the car, Kenneth Buck, grabbed the girl, threw her in the car, and drove off before anyone could stop him.

This month's Bonus Episode is #sponsored by our friends at @netflixfilm and their riveting film release ANIMALS! Haven’t watched the film yet? Check it out NOW on @netflix!”

References

Associated Press. 1933. "Buck removed to hospital." Boston Globe, May 29: 1.

Boston Globe. 1933. "Kenneth Buck in prison to serve 24 to 25 years." Boston Globe, June 26: 4.

—. 1933. "Latest description of Peggy and man who kidnapped her." Boston Globe, May 4: 23.

—. 1934. "McMath family to leave Cape Cod." Boston Globe, March 29: 12.

Cox, Carolyn. 2021. The Snatch Racket. New York, NY: Potoman Books.

Haviland, Alexander. 1933. "Buck brothers gain two points." Boston Globe, June 15: 1.

—. 1933. "First ransom demand called for $250,000." Boston Globe, May 7: 1.

—. 1933. "General and boy star witnesses." Boston Globe, June 17: 1.

—. 1933. "Peggy and Cyril tell vivid stories to jury." Boston Globe, June 22: 1.

Kingsbury, Alex. 2016. "Kidnapped on old Cape Cod." Boston Globe, August 28: K6.

Sibley, Frank. 1933. "Kidnaper "in trouble" before but was not prosecuted." Boston Globe, May 8: 5.

—. 1933. "State police refuse to halt girl search." Boston Globe, May 5: 1.

Springfield Daily News. 1933. "Police called off while father of child pleads with her abductors." Springfield Daily News, May 3: 1.

Cowritten by Alaina Urquhart, Ash Kelley & Dave White (Since 10/2022)

Produced & Edited by Mikie Sirois (Since 2023)

Research by Dave White (Since 10/2022), Alaina Urquhart & Ash Kelley

Listener Correspondence & Collaboration by Debra Lally

Listener Tale Video Edited by Aidan McElman (Since 6/2025)

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