› added 9 years ago

259

TIL that in New York City, when homeless people or those with no money die, they are buried by prisoners on Hart Island in a mass grave: up to 1000 per grave for children and 50 for adults.

Read more smithsonianmag.com

via reddit.com

AmA7 TIL that, in 1818, an Englishman accused of murder demanded a trial by combat. Surprisingly, the law that allowed for trial by combat was still valid, and the man was acquitted when his accuser declined the offer of battle. Trial by combat was abolished the following year.
9Pw7 TIL Bruce Willis expressed interest in the role of Boromir and Nicolas Cage received an offer to play Aragorn for the Lord of the Rings trilogy
d8Mxj TIL that according to Fermi estimation, the average person meets 10.76 murderers in their lives
69X5X TIL about the Martyrs of Nowogródek, eleven Catholic nuns who sacrificed their lives to take the place of 120 Polish civilians condemned to die at the hands of Nazi Gestapo. Immediately after they prayed, the Gestapo suddenly released the civilians, & without warning, rounded up & executed the nuns.
7Eyp TIL Hitler loved pranks. He once tricked a high ranking Nazi into thinking he was going on a suicide mission, causing him to escape, hand himself over to the allies and give up vital info.