Meriwether Lewis died October 11, 1809-or was he murdered?

   Famous explorer Meriwether Lewis was traveling the Natchez Trace in 1809. The Trace is an centuries old route from southern Mississippi to middle Tennessee. Lewis was traveling from Louisiana to Washington DC, he had just set out on the Trace. He stopped for the night of October 10th at an inn called Grinder's Stand located near present day town of Hohenwald, Tennessee, in a country now named for Lewis.

   Some say he acted distraught. Several gunshots were heard early the next morning. The owner found Lewis dead from multiple gunshot wounds. It was originally ruled a suicide-and still somewhat officially still is-but many believe he was murdered. The owner's wife reported she heard several voices near the cabin. Lewis died from "multiple" gunshots, namely in the head and torso. And the Natchez Trace was notorious for bandits in those days.
   Was it murder or suicide? We may never know.