Category:
1910s
1910s
Sexy Lingerie
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Posted By: Paul - Sun Apr 03, 2016 -
Comments (4)
Category: Advertising, Underwear, 1910s, Women
American Hippo Farming
Over at About.com I posted an article about H.R. 23261 — a bill introduced in Congress in 1910 by a representative from Louisiana. It would have created a hippo meat industry in America by transporting hundreds of hippos from Africa to the marshes along the Gulf Coast. Obviously never got passed, though it had a lot of supporters. One of those things that make you think about what might have been...
Posted By: Alex - Wed Feb 17, 2016 -
Comments (10)
Category: 1910s
The Wyld Home for Errant Women
When George Albert Wyld of Australia died on January 23, 1911, his will instructed that his estate should be left to his children, but when they had all died it should then be applied to:"the maintenance of a maternity home to be known as the Wyld Home, and to be available to the extent of its means to young women who have erred for the first time, but under no circumstances for the second occasion."
Wyld's children all passed away by 1949, at which time the executors of his estate applied the remaining money to an "institution superintended by Miss Cocks" adjoining the Methodist Home for Girls at Brighton.
Wyld had five children, but had never married any of their mothers. This probably had something to do with his unusual bequest.
The Adelaide Advertiser - Mar 18, 1949
Posted By: Alex - Sun Feb 14, 2016 -
Comments (5)
Category: Law, 1910s
Hoped brain would prove his innocence
1913: Charles Gilbert, imprisoned for 48 years for the murder of a bounty officer, was so determined to prove his innocence that he requested that his brain be examined after his death — believing that "the investigation would corroborate his claim of innocence by revealing that such a brain as his could not have conceived or exercised the Caldwell murder."Scientists at Yale Medical School complied with his wish and examined his brain. However, I've not yet been able to find any report of their findings.
Sources: Leavenworth Times (Oct 18, 1913); Lincoln Star (Oct 14, 1913)
Posted By: Alex - Sat Jan 02, 2016 -
Comments (1)
Category: Crime, 1910s, Brain
Murdered by Human Wolves
In Oklahoma's Konawa Memorial Cemetery stands the gravestone of Katherine Cross (Mar. 13, 1899 - Oct. 10, 1917), which bears the mysterious epitaph, "Murdered by human wolves."
This has generated all sorts of local legends, and it's also inspired a novella by Steven Wedel, Murdered by Human Wolves (The Werewolf Saga).
The most likely explanation is that she died as a result of a botched abortion operation, and that the mysterious phrase was meant to be metaphorical. But still, cool epitaph!
More info: wikipedia, 405 magazine
Posted By: Alex - Sat Dec 26, 2015 -
Comments (4)
Category: Death, 1910s
Buchstein’s Vulcanized Fiber Limb
It's "soothing to your stump."
via Bifurcated Rivets
Posted By: Alex - Thu Dec 24, 2015 -
Comments (9)
Category: Advertising, 1910s
Paleo Diet of 1916
The idea that we'd all be healthier if we lived and ate like the cave man did has been around a long time. It long predates the current "paleo diet" trend.For instance, back in 1916, the makers of Nujol wanted everyone to believe that if you pooped a lot, like the cave man did, you'd be a model of health. Nujol was basically raw petroleum, which is why it was sold by the Standard Oil company. It's name meant "New Oil." Read more of Nujol's history here.
Source: Oregon Daily Journal - Sep 21, 1916
Posted By: Alex - Sat Dec 12, 2015 -
Comments (4)
Category: Medicine, 1910s
Parachute Hat
Original article here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Dec 07, 2015 -
Comments (4)
Category: Technology, Air Travel and Airlines, 1910s
Captain Tick-Mouse
Original images here.
I am not sure having a rat-like figure as your patriotic icon is the best choice of imagery.
Here is a little background on the character, from this source.
Posted By: Paul - Tue Dec 01, 2015 -
Comments (6)
Category: Anthropomorphism, Politics, Propaganda, Thought Control and Brainwashing, War, 1910s
George Graham Rice
A new book about a legendary con man seems like an intriguing read for all WU-vies. Maybe one for your Xmas wish list.You can learn quickly about this rascal at the Scripophily page where you can buy an actual stock certificate signed by the scammer, as seen below.
George Graham Rice, a famous stock promoter, capitalized the stocks of Goldfield, Greenwater and Rawhide mines, listed them on the national exchanges, and reaped the profits until convicted of mail fraud in 1911. In 1907 when investors nation-wide were delirious over the stupendous rise in the market value of securities of Goldfield mining companies, the public clamored for opportunities to buy into Nevada mining stocks. With childlike faith they invested in Death Valley's Greenwater and also the Rawhide district, where several companies capitalized stocks, listed them on the national exchanges and had them underwritten by prominent brokerage houses. In Rice's own words: "I make a conservative statement when I say that the American public sank $30 million in Greenwater in less than four months . . . yet the suckers, . . were crying for more."
You can read his original 1913 memoir here.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Oct 15, 2015 -
Comments (4)
Category: Crime, Frauds, Cons and Scams, 1900s, 1910s
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |