Carter Roy

According to historian Matt Sutton, even the New York Times gave Amy's story intense coverage, pumping out more articles on her disappearance than the paper had on the entire Scopes Monkey trial the year before.

Speaking of the Scopes Monkey Trial, that brings us to a conspiracy theory.

That the rumors Amy faked her kidnapping were started by one of her enemies to destroy her reputation and her church.

While Amy was very popular among her base, her teachings ruffled some feathers.

She'd publicly taken William Jennings Bryan's side in the Scopes Monkey Trial.

Okay, let's do a quick history refresher.

I need one.

In 1925, high school teacher John Scopes was arrested and tried for teaching evolution in schools.

It was against Tennessee law.

The prosecution was led by William Jennings Bryan, a creationist politician.

Not only did Amy support Jennings Bryan, she fought against teaching evolution in California schools.

She also wanted to put a Bible in every classroom, campaigning for less separation between church and state.

Around the time Amy returned, journalist H.L.

Mankin dug into the case and concluded that some local LA government officials feared Amy's beliefs and power.

And regardless of where she'd actually been during those six weeks, the officials were attempting a smear campaign.

And they weren't going to stop with newspapers.

They were putting pressure on the district attorney.

Though it wasn't just people who disagreed with her beliefs accusing her of hoaxing.

As soon as Amy returned, her biggest rival, evangelist-fighting Bob Shuler, started calling for a full investigation into the kidnapping.

Not to find the abductors, but to incriminate Amy herself.