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TIL the original Machine Gun Kelly was a gangster and bootlegger in the 1920's. His most famous crime was kidnapping oil tycoon Charles F. Urschel, whom he and his gang exchanged for nearly $5 million ransom in today's money.

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6980W TIL In 1902, Lionel Walter Rothschild brought 6 Edible Dormice (Glis glis) back to Tring, England from Hungary. Some of the 6 escaped, breeding and growing to an estimated 10,000 mice in a 200 mile radius around Tring that are both an invasive species and protected species.
wLX67 TIL John Hamm, of Mad Men fame, was suspended from The University of Texas for putting a student's testicles in a claw hammer and leading him around a house while the student was beaten, paddled, and set on fire.
OGBZR TIL about Francis Henning, who made upwards of half a million counterfeit nickels. Called: Henning Nickels, many were later recovered, melted down, and made into actual nickels by the US Mint. Despite remaining illegal to own, they are a numismatic collector's item, some being relatively valuable.
BronK TIL Walt Disney was once filmed physically performing the role of Mickey Mouse as a reference for the animators of a 1930s short. Sadly, no known copies of the footage exist.
4Dlo TIL of Frane Selak, an 85 year old who narrowly survived a train crash which killed 17, being blown out of a plane which killed 19, a bus accident which killed 4, 2 car explosions, being hit by a bus, and narrowly avoided being hit by a truck, TO THEN go on and win the lottery.