The Iniquities of History is a Stranger Mission Strand (Side Questline) in Red Dead Redemption 2. This Walkthrough shows how to complete the Stranger Missions.
Quest Giver: Jeremiah Compson
Region: Rhodes
Requirements: finished Chapter 2
The Iniquities of History Starting Location
The Stranger Jeremiah Compson can be met sometime in Chapter 3 on a bench in front of Rhodes’ Train Station. He seems to be homeless and drunk.
He will tell us that he lost everything – his house, valuables, work and honor. The latter two are hard to restore, but Arthur agrees to keep a lookout for his valuables: a watch, a pistol and a ledger.
Part II
Jeremiah’s house is located to the north of us and can be entered from the southern side. His watch will be located on the chimney in the first proper room. Interacting with the picture on the other chimney across will reveal that there is a trapdoor in the room and also introduce a pair of squatters threatening us.
Arthur can either use the provided knife to take out the attackers or also switch to a weapon quickly, using Dead Eye.
Once the threat has been taken care of, pick up the dropped gun, interact with the trapdoor in the middle of the room and head down.
His ledger will be at the end of the basement, sitting on a crate to the right.
Seems like he was involved in Slavery. A quick way to lose our sympathy and pity for him.
Head back and confront him about it. After standing up for his beliefs and rescuing his ledger which Arthur threw into the fire, he will eventually kneel on the floor and the mission will end. Killing him actually increases the honor ranking and feels like the right thing to do.
This concludes the “The Iniquities of History” Stranger Mission in Red Dead Redemption 2 (RDR2). For all other Stranger Missions check out the full Red Dead Redemption 2 Stranger Missions Walkthrough.
Vini says
Glad to know i wasn’t the only one who killed him, the temptation to do so was so high!!!!, i wanted to let him live and suffer but then i knew he didn’t regret his actions so such scum shouldn’t exist again, i was afraid my reputation would go negative but i was glad to see i was doing the world a favor!
Fuckface says
You’re a fucking hypocrite. So this is a game where killing is moral wrong in every case except when killing white people who hold untenable political beliefs. Got it.
Poraya says
The response is so funny. Yes, whipping black slaves is what you call “untenable political beliefs.” I love how you sanitize that.
Syralth says
Hi guys! I took the quest and went to the house, but nothing happened. Can’t do here anything.
Laurence 'GreenReaper' Parry says
You have to break in at the back and search for the three items he asked for.
Azeker says
I reloaded the game to play as a bad guy from this point, I couldn’t find that bloody door though. I was shooting locks and trying to kick the door in for like 2 minutes ( which feels like a life time) cheers bros.
Oto says
This was such a messed up, incongruent, and frankly evil side mission.
Some desperate old man asks you to get a few heirlooms, and when you find out he was involved with slavery we’re supposed to pretend he’s suddenly not a human being.
The fact that Rockstar makes your honor go up for killing him is honestly disturbing. Like, what the hell man.
Bill says
I agree. It felt rather disturbing that you’re supposed to bear hatred to him for that. Disappointed that they force you to chuck it in the fire and antagonize him for it. It was a different time. Not like his view was uncommon sentiment at the time either.
Baxter says
Yeah, a little weird that Arthur, a murdering, thieving criminal wants to judge/kill a guy for what he did 30+ years ago when it was actually legal.
Geoff says
He was human just like the people he enslaved you absolute weapon
JoeCarr says
Cry me a river. People knew slavery was wrong even then. Even more so slave catchers were despicable people. I suggest you read up on them, and really, catching slaves was all he was good for? Something that made his family money and he was still proud of it to a point where his own son disowned him for his views… AND YET HE STILL VALUES HIS PAST?
Dude is deplorable… he cherishes the fact he used to hunt down slaves even though holding onto that has cost him everything.
But Rockstar is bad. It’s a direct lampooning of modern culture and people holding on to old racist ideals. Prob the best one I’ve encountered so far.
Face it. You knew the guy was something rotten when you went into the basement with all the chains up. He didn’t host BSDM parties down there.
Jake says
It’s a game dude
växknä says
Should’ve been allowed to praise and honor him
Marcus says
The only thing the old man is ‘desperate for’ is a return to his glory days. Best use of the choke option so far, he doesnt even deserve a bullet.
Artuitus says
Killing him could be seen as vengeance for the slaves or putting a miserable old coot out of his misery. I shot him mostly for making me go out of my way for a bunch of worthless trinkets.
alex says
i shot him because the pump action is fun to execute people with
JoeCarr says
I paused to check online if killing him was ok, forgot his name, unpaused, hit R2 by mistake. Shot him in the head and he landed on his fire.
Oh well.
dan says
i love that you gain honor rank for scum like these in game
Arthur says
yikes @ the comments defending the old racist dickhead… can’t tell me “racism doesn’t exist anymore” after reading these comments smh
Db says
You can tell the racist… crying over this slave catcher.
Says, it was legal back then. Problem is it should have never been legal but when it makes money right…
I couldn’t piss on him but I shot him and slept in his tent
Aye Aye Ron says
My heart heart when I got into the basement and when the mission was over I threw a poison knife in his head and he caught on fire. Anyone defending this man or hating on rockstar for boosting your honor for killing this man can (you know what)
bobby says
Riding away and not killing him gave me honor also, looks like you get honor either way.
Tommy two dongs says
Lose honor for shooting cow skull in native burial ground
Gain honor for killing homeless white man because he oversaw slaves 30 years ago
Lmao and they wonder why we all love killing the suffragette in Saint Denis
Instantnoodles says
This old man brought misery to a lot of people who were enslaved, and he was proud of what he’s done.
Cow didn’t do anything to you, and the suffragette was just asking for the right to vote. She didn’t harm anyone either.
So you have to be really god damn stupid, racist or sexist to think that it’s not fair for people to gain honor upon killing that old man, and it’s ok to kill that suffragette.
Joe says
Again guys, its just a game.
O U says
I let him live cause he was already suffering so I let him continue with it.
YKr says
I passed chapter 2, but the mission is still not showing up. Does anyone know why this is happening
Cassie says
It’s happeninf to me too
Brown says
Gotta love all the white suburban white boys on here with their white knight complex. It would be easier to take your dramatic moral outrage more seriously if your parents didn’t buy you your game.
This is a video game. The character is completely fictional. You’re not impressing us minorities by pretending you vindicated us by killing some video game npc. So stop with the “look how woke I am. I have a ton of black friends!” shirade.
TheTrueRman says
He’s a despicable evil bastard yes, but you almost forget you’re playing as an outlaw robbin and killin however Dutch’s gang is suppose to be different having a little honor and code to live by. That can excuse Arthur throwing the crap in the fire. IMHO There should’nt been an honor reward for killin him.. You don’t lose honor for killin him, but you don’t gain any either.
Not your boy. says
BTW I didn’t shoot him. He’s miserable enough.
Sumguyontheinternet says
It didn’t feel quite right killing him, and I dont think there should have been an honor reward for doing so. The times were different, and I am not saying that he wasnt a bad or evil man, but he was still human and lost everything, doomed to be a forgotten relic with nothing left to live for. I shot him just to put him out of his misery, but even still, it never sat right with me.
Quagmire says
Idk if it’s just me or not but for those who are wandering why it’s not popping up I was only able to actually start it after finishing the mission “Honest Mistake”. Hope this helps some of you. 🙂