On this day: March 14

Cat Survives 200-Mile Journey Hidden in Car Engine

A domestic cat was discovered alive after traveling roughly 200 miles while trapped in a vehicle’s engine compartment; mechanics and veterinarians later examined the animal and reported it had survived the trip with treatable injuries.

Early Recorded Claim of Divine Status by a Cult Leader — 1951

On March 14, 1951, reported accounts identify a cult leader publicly declaring himself divine, a notable instance in postwar religious movements. The event reflects patterns of charismatic authority and emergent new religious claims in the mid-20th century.

Execution of Franz Muller, Europe’s earliest documented serial poisoner

On March 14, 1896, Franz Müller—convicted of multiple poisonings in late 19th-century Germany and widely described in contemporary accounts as a serial poisoner—was executed, concluding a case that shaped forensic toxicology and public fears about domestic poisoning.

Aftermath of the Great Chicago Fire: Early Insurance Fraud Allegations Surface

In the year after the Great Chicago Fire, March 14, 1872, investigators and newspapers began reporting suspicious claims and alleged fraud involving fire insurance policies—sparking debates over underwriting practices, municipal oversight, and the limits of 19th-century loss verification.

Demonstration of a Successful Artificial Limb, 14 March 1863

On 14 March 1863 a mechanically articulated prosthetic limb was publicly demonstrated, marking a milestone in 19th-century efforts to restore mobility to amputees through engineered artificial limbs.