› added 9 years ago

189

TIL that over 1000 priceless books disappeared from a mountaintop abbey to the confusion of the monks and the local police, and despite reinforcing the library’s doors and changing its locks. Turned out the culprit was using a long-forgotten secret passageway found in the public archives.

Read more theguardian.com

via reddit.com

EgMJw TIL Jacob Miller was shot in the head during the Civil War. Left for dead, he regained consciousness hours later and lived for another 54 years
EgDbo TIL A 1947 US law dictates that all Labor Union officers must swear an oath affirming not to be members of the 'Communist Party' or any party that wants to overthrow of the U.S. govt.
e08ED TIL that the largest battle of WW2 was known as the Rzhev Meat Grinder (Ржевская мясорубка), led to about 3 million casualties, but has been largely forgotten as it was inconclusive for both sides and overshadowed by Stalingrad.
EL7d TIL that when Ken McElroy was murdered with at least two different guns, the residents of Skidmore, Missouri refused to identify the shooters. For decades he was known as the ‘town bully’ due to multiple crimes throughout town, and at the time was on trial for shooting an elderly grocer in the neck.
joyX TIL the McDonalds character Grimace was first known as the"Evil Grimace" and was depicted as two pairs of arms with which to steal milkshakes.