The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1859-04-07
The Lost Balloonist.

If the accounts in the Western papers
may be relied upon, ThuIston, the lost
aeronaut's tody, was found about six or
seven miles from Toleda city by a little
boy. A party Of men proceeded to tho
spot, and tho Toledo Blade says
s'1bere were portions of hum an body,
without doubt, scattered around near the
tree; and inbedded 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 containg foot nearly perfect, but
much decomposed, and a portion of the
shin bone with flesh adheriDg to it, The
boot had been gnawed, and evidently the
flesh had been eaten by hogs or wild an
imals. Tue other boot was found rear
BY. Portions ofthe spine were also found
scattered about, and several Of the nails,
teeth, &c., and parts of the skull were ly
ing near. The clothes were, however,
the means of identifying the body; they
being not so much destroyed but that
their texture could be discovered. The
pants were of small check or plaid pat.
The shirt was considerably rotten. The
coat seemed to be snuff colored, and a
black silk handkerchief was found, tied
as it was on the neck. In the pockets of
the clothing was found a Lepine silver
watch, jack knife, and buekskin purse,
containing 81 36 in money. A pair of
gloves we're found in one of the coat pock-
cts, and in another Letter and several
cards. The latter after drying was read
able, and was found to be directed to Mr..
Thurston. 1t was from Philadelphia
house, in reply to some inquiries he had
made about silk for balloon
From the cards, letters and memoran-
da, it is rendered, if not certain extreme
ly probable that the body there scattered
about was that of Mr. Thurston last seen
near knights Station on the l 9th ofSeptem-
Der last, when carried away BY the escsp-
ed balloon-dasbed to pieces, and those
pieces, gnawed by animals IN that seclu-
ded ticket.
1t will be remembered that Mr. Thurs
ton was seated on the valve, clssping the
silk with his arms when last seen. When
the balloon was found at West Tilbury,
Canada, the disc Of the valve was torn off,
three -fourths of the way around. When
at the great height at which the little boy
thought that immense balloon was kite,
almost out of sight, the silk around the
valve must have given way, precipitating
Tburston to the earth. The calculations
of his friends, based upon his probable
powers of endurance, led the search far
beyond. where bis mutiated remains lay.
The wood was frequented during the past
wiDte. by rabbit hunters, and Mr., Miner
had hauled wood near by the tbicket, but
the wet nature of the ground around the
knoll, and the thick brushwood, naturally
turned aside all passers by.
The balloon asceHded from Adrian at
o'clock on the 10th Of September last,
with Mr. Banister aud Tburston in it; it
descended on the farm Of Mr.. j. Dinge. in
Ogden, near Knigt's Station, at about 10
clock, and the escapade occurred at a.
bout l09 o'clock, owing to the removal of
the car ropes and other weights, while
Mr. Thurston was trying to open the valve
when, as bystanders expressed it, the
balloon bounded up "like rocket, car
rying Mr.. Thurston as above stated. 1t
m ust have been within twenty or thirty
minutes of this time that the valve gave
way, and be fell.p 90 eAe.