7 weird and strange historical facts

Americas first bank robber was caught by trying to deposit the money he stole into the same bank he robbed

During the night of Saturday, August 31 or the morning of Sunday, September 1, 1798. The bank of Pennsylvania was robbed by Isaac Davis a member of the Carpenters’ Company and a partner, who died of yellow fever a few days after the robbery. Davis was caught by depositing the missing money in the very bank he had robbed casting suspicion on himself.

Boston molasses flood

On Wednesday 15 January 1919 in Boston, Massachusetts, a cast iron tank containing over two million gallons of crude molasses exploded. Thick, sticky molasses ran through the streets, reaching a speed of 35mph, demolishing buildings, killing and injuring people. The clean-up took weeks, and for decades afterwards the locals claimed they could still smell molasses.

A woman's sentence is reprieved because she survived a public hanging

In 1724 a woman named Margaret Dickson was hanged. She was later found still alive. Because her punishment was carried out they couldn't sentence her to death a second time. It was also believed to be Gods will that she survive. Later the words until death were added to a death sentence.

WWII prisoners enjoyed their prison camp

Canadian war camp prisoners in WWII were treated so well they didn't want to leave after the war. When the war finished many former prisoners returned to the camp with their families to show them how well they were treated by their Canadian captors.

Pirates believed wearing earing's would improve their eye sight

Although many pirates wore earing's for superstitious reasons, there were some that believed the precious metal in their earing's possessed magical healing powers that could improve their eyesight.

Heroin was once prescribed by doctors

In 1898, the Bayer Company in Germany developed an opium derivative ten times more potent than morphine. It was prescribed by doctors to treat many ailments including coughs and headaches.

Animal trials

In Europe during the middle ages animals were arraigned in court on charges ranging from murder to obscenity. Even Flies and Caterpillars were arraigned in court. In 1386 a pig in France was executed by a public hanging for murdering a child.