New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-03-17
The Lost Balloonist---DIscoveryo of his Re-
mains.


From the Toledo tohio, Blade Of the eth1
1t was rumored last night that the body Of Mr..
Thurston, who carried up by balloon last fall
had been found and this morning we we're called
upon by Mr.. Drake Covert, who lives near the spot
where the remains were discovered from whom We
learn the full particulars Of the finding.
On Sunday afternoon, son of Mr.. HoaR was
searching in piece of woods for some lost sheen on
the farm of Mr.. Salmon Miner, situated on the Ind
ana road about six or seven miles from this city In
bis search be penetrated thicket OF brushwood, on
knoll surrounded by wet land, and there at the
foot OF largo oak tree, he discovered articles of
clothing, bones. etc, which satisfied him that dis
membered human body had decayed, and portions Of
it been eaten there by animals 1t was near dark,
and the boy returned with all speed to the house
with the neYsbut it was too late to prosecute the
examination further that night and it was postponed
till morning.
1t was then remembered that one Of the boys about
IL years Of age, had, the 10th of September last
at just about the time that the balloon should have
passed over the spot-seen something fall in that
piece Of woods. His attention was attracted by a
peculiar whistling noise, Of large bird pass
ing over and looked up in time to see something fall
among the trees he thought it must have been
paper balloon and started after it but after going
part OF the way he returned to the house. and tried
TO get an older brother to go with him to the woods
after the paper balloon He was laughed at for want.
ing to go so far after bit Of paper and finally gave
it up. 1t now says that neighbors boy saw the
balloon pass over at the same time, at great hight,
it. asked the family how high kite could tly, y
describing, at the time, the object he had seen.
On yesterday morning the neighbors were called,
and party proceeded to the spot where the boy had
found the remains The spot is about fifty or sixty
rods south of the Indiana road on Mr.. Miners farm
about halfway between the houses OF Hoag and
Miner. There were portions Of human body, with.
out doubt scattered around the tree above
tlonea. Close by the tree and imbedded in the earth
was found the jaw bone, broken, and matted hair,
partly IN the earth. About two rods from the tree
was found one of the boots of the person. containing
fooa nearly perfect but much decoposed and
Rort'qn OF inc shn bone with flesh adhering to it.
The boot had been knawed, and evidently the flesh
had been eaten by hogs or wild animals The other
boot was near by. Portions of the spine were also
found scattered about and several of the nails teeth
ETC., and parts of the skull were lying near
The clothes were, however, the means of dentify.
ing the body; they being not much destroyed but
that their texture could be discovered. The pants
were Of small check or plaid pattern. The shirt
snuffcolored, and q black silk handkerchief was
found, tied as it the neck In the pockets Of
the clothing were found Lepne silver watch, Jack.
knife, and buck-skin purse, containing 81 SO in
money. A pair OF gloves were found in one of the
coat pockets, and in another, letter and several
cards. The letter, after drying, was readable, and
was found to be directed to Mr. Thurston. It was
from Philadelphia house, in reply to some inquiries
he had made about silk for balloon.
1t will be remembered that Mr.. Thurston was
seated on the valve, clasping the silk with his arms
when last seen. When the balloon was found at
West Iilbury Canada the disc of the valve torn
off, three.tourths of the way round. When at the
great hight at which the little boy thought that i'm
mense balloon was kite. almost out Of sight, the
sllk around the valve must have given away precip
ltatng Thurston to the earth. The calculations of
his friends, based upon his probable powers Of en-
durance, led the search far beyond where his mutt
lated remains lay. The wood was frequented during
the past winter by abbithuners, and Mr.. Miner had
hauled wood near by the thicket but the wet nature
OF the ground around the KNOLL and the thick brush.
work, naturally turned aside all passers by.
The balloon assembled from Adrian at o'clock, on
the 18th of September last, with Messrs. Bannister
and Thurston in it; descended the farm Of Mr. j.
Dlnge in Ogden, near Knights Station, at about 10
o'clock, and the escapade occurred at about hafpast
10 O'clock owing to the removal OF the carropes and
other weights while Mr. Thurston was trying to open
the valve-when, bystanders expressed it, the bal
loon bounded mp" like rocket carrying Mr.. T.,
as above stated. 1t must have been within twenty or
thirty minutes of this time that the valve gave way,
and he fell
This discovery merely gives certainty to his friends
and relatives Of what was before, unknown fate.
We understand that the clothing and remains were
carefully boxed up by the finders, and that Mr.. Hoag
started this morning for Adrian with them.