The Horrific April Fools' Pranks of the 19th Century

Here in the 21st century, April Fools’ Day is a pretty harmless holiday. Brands trot out their fake products and news organizations make silly claims and then we all go about our day. But back in the 19th century, April Fools’ Day could be pretty brutal. In fact, it could be downright dangerous. I looked through old newspapers from the 19th century to find the most weird, mean, and just plain horrific April Fools’ Day pranks that made it into the news. From almost derailing a train to causing someone to nearly go blind, these are strange and cruel hoaxes of yesteryear.