On this day in conspiracies

William Sydney Porter, the Austin bank teller who would later become famous as the short-story writer O. Henry, jokes darkly in a private letter that the town is dull except for the raids of the "Servant Girl Annihilators." The phrase, never used in the contemporary press, becomes the case's lasting nickname.

Parapsychologist Germán de Argumosa reports sealing a portion of the floor under transparent plastic fixed with taped edges; a woman's face is said to develop beneath the covering within hours, witnessed by people who sign a statement. German parapsychologist Hans Bender, of Freiburg, takes an interest and frames the faces as possible ‘thoughtographic’ psychic imprints.

Letters begin arriving from a writer calling itself 'The Monster with 21 Faces' (Kaijin Nijuichi Menso), claiming Glico sweets have been laced with potassium cyanide. Retailers pull Glico products nationwide; the company reports losses of more than 20 million dollars and lays off hundreds of part-time workers.

Purdue's holding company, The Purdue Frederick Company, pleads guilty in federal court in Virginia to a felony charge of misbranding OxyContin with intent to defraud or mislead. Three executives plead guilty to misdemeanor misbranding. The total resolution is about 634.5 million dollars, roughly 600 million of it from the company.

Misbar debunks another viral clip claiming an Iranian missile set a US carrier ablaze, again finding it AI-generated. Tempo and other outlets publish parallel debunks of clips claiming a carrier was sunk.