Imagine the police officer’s surprise. Washington, D.C. Officer William West was on routine patrol on M Street when he saw a vehicle approaching at a dangerously fast speed. He conducted what he […]
The President With a Lead Foot
Did This Man Murder Himself?
The taking of human life is a tragedy. The circumstances under which it happens make a big difference in how we view that tragedy. When a person takes his or her own […]
The Real-Life Story of Agatha Christie’s Greatest Unsolved Mystery
Agatha Christie’s name is synonymous with mysteries. The author of such classics as Murder on the Orient Express, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and Death on the Nile, her novels have sold […]
How Did a Guy Live in a Mall for Four Years?
“[It is a] room that a person can only enter when they have real need of it. Sometimes it is there and sometimes it is not, but when it appears, it is […]
How a Stolen Election Propelled LBJ to the White House
A hotly-contested election. Polling data says the outcome is too close to predict. As the polls close, one of the candidates seems to have won. Shortly thereafter, votes are “discovered” for the […]
The Contagious Insanity of the Lincoln Assassination
It wasn’t that long ago that people believed mental illness behaved like the common cold. One of the reasons for the establishment of mental asylums was to quarantine the insane, thus protecting […]
Dormie — The Dog That Went on Trial for Murder
The charges against the defendant were almost unimaginable. Prosecutors accused him of leaving a trail of twelve corpses. A dozen lives were tragically and unjustifiably cut short by an inexplicable killing spree. […]
Deliver Us From Weevils — The Time a Town Put a Bunch of Insects on Trial
Something was bugging the people of St. Julien. The “something” was a bug. A bunch of them, actually. Weevils were threatening the peace and prosperity of the French town. Criminal trespass to […]
The Prime Minister Who Got Eaten By His People
You know what they say about pursuing a career in politics. It is a vocation fraught with hazards. The public is so fickle and can love you one day, only to chew […]
Abraham Lincoln: Mystery Writer
Abraham Lincoln attempted many things in his life. He was a railsplitter, boatman, store clerk, soldier, surveyor, postmaster, lawyer, legislator, and President. Along the way, he tried his hand as an inventor, […]
The Scandalous Saga of the Ugly Man Who Was Executed for Fathering a One-Eyed Pig
Most people want their lives to be significant. We want to be remembered after we leave this world. It is downright depressing to consider the possibility of making so little of an […]
That Time New Yorkers Rioted Over Straw Hats
“We have rules. Without them, we live with the animals.” These are the words that govern the criminal world at the heart of the John Wick movies. It is also the philosophy […]
The Crazy Plan to Raise Hippos for Food in the USA
EDITOR’S NOTE: Special thanks to the office of Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler (4th District, Missouri) for providing the legislative history on the American Hippo Bill. Who doesn’t enjoy a good ol’ slab of […]
Is Your Printer Spying on You?
Your printer is spying on you, you say? Uh huh. Right. Sounds like you may be suffering from a deficiency of niacin, buddy. That was our reaction when we started to get […]
Law & Order – Hammurabi’s Code Division
In Babylon’s criminal justice system, the people were governed by a code of justice and the king who wrote that code. These are their stories. Welcome to Law and Order: Hammurabi’s Code […]
Commonplace Fun Facts 