# What unsubstantiated historical event would you like to see verified? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 11, 2022, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895 "2022-03-11T13:46:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/41 "2022-03-12T17:10:03Z")
I know I’ve read a book that pretty thoroughly debunked that whole thing, but I can’t remember the name or author. ---
**Author:** ![Galactus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galactus/32/3581_2.png) [@Galactus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Galactus)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/42 "2022-03-12T17:48:59Z")
They did find treasure on Oak Island. They dug up 9 seasons of a crappy reality show from that pit. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/43 "2022-03-12T18:27:19Z")
I read a blog that did so. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/44 "2022-03-12T18:59:14Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > In John Adams’s autobiography, he wrote about sharing a tiny bed in a tiny room with Benjamin Franklin in 1776. They quarreled. That amuses me. They were the original Odd Couple. As I recall, Franklin wanted to sleep with the windows open, which annoyed Adams. When Adams complained, Franklin went into some long winded lecture about the benefits of fresh air, which put Adams right to sleep. (And given that Franklin liked to begin his morning by sitting naked in front of such a window - for his “air bath” - I can well imagine the Neil Simon take on their time together!) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/45 "2022-03-12T19:04:58Z")
Simple insurance fraud. No biggie. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/46 "2022-03-12T19:06:37Z")
Or the Ripper. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/47 "2022-03-12T19:52:05Z")
Pope Leo convincing Attila the Hun to turn away before sacking Rome. Why? How? ---
**Author:** ![Bonum\_Legatum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bonum_legatum/32/6183_2.png) [@Bonum\_Legatum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bonum_Legatum)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/48 "2022-03-12T21:34:11Z")
I’ve read that FDR had a recording machine under his desk at the White House (like a dictaphone). But the recordings were all destroyed. > **[How FDR Got His Tape Recorder](https://www.americanheritage.com/how-fdr-got-his-tape-recorder)** Maybe “destroyed” means “discarded”. If it were only true and if we could only know which trash pile they ended up in. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/49 "2022-03-12T22:17:27Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > I did a deep-dive into that last year. Looked at all the photos. There’s so much that doesn’t make sense. It still bothers me. Yeah, that’s kinda… Creepy As Fuck. But really, it seems to me they got lost a fell to the perils of the jungle, but it’s _what our imaginations create_ that is really disturbing. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/50 "2022-03-12T22:20:12Z")
I’m half-tempted to start a thread on the case. There are some Dopers who are pretty damn good at analyzing photos (I suck at it), and would like their take on it. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2022, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/51 "2022-03-12T23:03:43Z")
Do it. Electrons are free. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/52 "2022-03-13T05:38:43Z")
It’s them Protons that get ya! ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/53 "2022-03-13T06:09:27Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > But really, it seems to me they got lost a fell to the perils of the jungle, Except people have followed their path and it is really hard to get to a point where you just can’t turn around and head back. I know people that could get lost crossing their living room mrs. cad but it is not as simple as you hike down the other side of the summit and you’re immediately in the heart of an intractable jungle. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/54 "2022-03-13T19:52:37Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > biblical events as they are blurry at best when it comes to history, and don’t really qualify as they were written after generations of oral tradition and don’t really count as history Though true, that’s exactly why I would like to see Christ’s miraculous actions and events verified, regardless of the conclusions. I mean think about it. The starting point for the west’s predominant religion - what if we found out that he was just some homeless panhandling bum with incredible charisma and charm? Or he had really good sleight of hand skills? Or if he was the real deal? Regardless of what was observed it would be absolutely fascinating (to me, anyway). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/55 "2022-03-13T20:00:50Z")
> [@velomont](#): > > Though true, that’s exactly why I would like to see Christ’s miraculous actions and events verified, regardless of the conclusions. Oh please. Heal the lame/sick? Any halfway decent tent revivalist preacher can do this today. The placebo effect is a known and verified scientific effect. I am sure that Yeshua ben Joseph was a real person, and he and his Apostles were sincere. Many of His “miracles” do not require godly intervention to occur. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/56 "2022-03-13T20:06:25Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Oh please. Heal the lame/sick? Sorry, let me correct something - “…see Christ’s miraculous actions and events verified or not verified…” I just want to see how the hell it started. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/57 "2022-03-13T20:17:03Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Oh please. Heal the lame/sick? Any halfway decent tent revivalist preacher can do this today. And, why the snark? Did you even read my post? Things like: “regardless of the conclusions”, and “homeless panhandling bum with incredible charisma and charm” should have been clues. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/58 "2022-03-13T20:22:52Z")
Okay maybe that was too snarkeriffic, and I apologize. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2022, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/59 "2022-03-13T20:23:48Z")
> [@DrDeth](#): > > Okay maybe that was too snarkeriffic, and I apologize Much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2022, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895/60 "2022-03-14T01:12:55Z")
A number of posts here have dealt with “who (and how) dunnit?” relating to established historical events. I’d like to know if there really was a serial killer operating in the U.S. between 1898 and 1912 who was responsible for between 40 and 100 murders, getting to the scene of the crime and escaping on trains, as detailed by Bill and Rachel James in “The Man From The Train”. Supposedly the local authorities who investigated these crimes (which included the infamous Villisca, Iowa axe murders) never realized they were dealing with such a psychopath. Their book made a good case that there was such a serial killer, but their reveal of his supposed identity is less convincing. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-unsubstantiated-historical-event-would-you-like-to-see-verified/960895.md?page=4)