Two-hundred years ago, Meriwether Lewis, of Lewis and Clark fame, was found dead in a Tennessee mountain inn. Despite having gunshot wounds to his head and chest, officials at the time ruled his death a suicide. Now, descendents want the truth.

In 1848, members of the committee who set up a monument for Lewis, viewed his remains and concluded it was much more likely that he was assassinated. Despite another push in 1996 for an investigation, the Powers That Be still said no. Why? Because he just happened to be buried on the Natchez Trace, and the National Park Service doesn’t want to have to dig up every dead person on their lands.

If forensic scientists were allowed to test the remains of Lewis, they would be able to tell how he died, and possibly even why. Historians have already compiled a list of possible murder suspects, among them General James Wilkinson of the US Army and John Smith T, both dangerous men who had ties to the invasion on Mexico to seize gold and silver mines.

And you thought history was dry. Ha!