What happened on this day in history: Napoleon Bonaparte is exiled to Elba, serial killer Wayne Nance takes his first victim, and other important events.
1814: Napoleon Bonaparte Is Exiled To Elba
Napoleon Bonaparte is exiled to Elba. After rising to power at the end of the 18th century, Napoleon established himself as the emperor of France and waged war across Europe. He agreed to abdicate his throne and go to Elba after the Sixth Coalition captured Paris, but later escaped and briefly returned as France’s emperor before being exiled to the more distant island of Saint Helena, where he died in 1821.
1890: Joseph Merrick Dies
Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty ImagesJoseph Merrick, known as the “Elephant Man” because of his severe deformities.
Joseph Merrick dies in London at the age of 27. Afflicted with severe deformities, Merrick was known as the “Elephant Man” and spent much of his life putting himself on display. It’s unknown what caused Merrick’s deformities, though modern researchers have speculated that he may have suffered from neurofibromatosis or Proteus syndrome.
1921: The First Live Sporting Event Is Broadcast Over Radio
The first sporting event is broadcast on the radio when KDKA in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, covers a boxing match between Johnny Ray and Johnny Dundee. As listeners tuned in, Ray won the match in ten rounds. Other sporting events were quickly covered on the radio as well, including another boxing match and a baseball game.
1974: Wayne Nance Kills His First Victim
Wayne Nance murders his first victim, Donna Pound, in Missoula, Montana. A serial killer who murdered six people in the city between 1974 and 1986, Nance was known to police as the “Missoula Mauler.” It wasn’t until a would-be victim was able to kill him that his murder spree came to a halt.
1979: Ugandan Dictator Idi Amin Is Overthrown
Bettmann/Getty ImagesIdi Amin at a military parade in 1975.
Ugandan dictator Idi Amin is forced to flee the nation’s capital by helicopter. The former chief of the Ugandan army and air force, Amin seized control of the country in 1971 and massacred some 300,000 civilians during his eight year rule. As his hold on power weakened, Amin invaded Kagera Salient in northern Tanzania, leading to a Tanzanian counterattack and the fall of Kampala, after which Amin left the country.
1981: Keddie Cabin Murders Are Committed
Keddie Cabin murders are committed in Keddie, California. Glenna “Sue” Sharp and three others were murdered while staying at a resort cabin. In total, seven people were sleeping in the cabin when an unknown assailant broke in and began his or her brutal assault. Luckily, police found two young boys in the cabin unharmed in their beds.
The investigation would lead to puzzling evidence that left more questions than answers. Today, the Keddie Cabin Murders remain one of the most brutal and bizarre cases in California history.
