The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-04-10
Remarkable Adventure of a Corpse

4eGu4dI hdUlS huF6ubLuG VI d OOIpS
Not long since a native OF the ruersru
Isle, one of the victims of the late arsenal
explosion, died in this city, and immedi-
ately preparations were made to give him
a nice, genteel funeral. 1t was at first
arranged that he should be buried here,
but some of his kindred being buried at
Parkersburg, West Virginia, it was finally
determined that what remained of poor
Johnny NJ should be sent to that
place. Accordingly, after a wake"
Zone of the good old sort,) the remains
were accompanied by bis sorrowing friends
and relatives to the depot, TO take the
cars for the place of burial. The funeral
procession arrived at the depot some time
before the departure'of the train in which
the remains were to 60, and the mourners
spent the intervening time in assuaging
their sorrows at the neighboring bars, so
abundant in that vicinity, the corpse
meanwhile remaining on the platform,
ready to be placed on the 9p NJ. train,
which would connect at the Relay House
with the western train.
The party meanwhile drank 50 r1aby
libations to the memory of the departed
that they returned to the station iE very
mellow condition, and the railroad Officers
being apprehensive that they would be in-
capable of taking care of the corpse, tele-
g-a phed to the agent at the Relay to see
that the corpse was taken off at that point.
Shortly before the time of starting tn,
corpse was placed on the train, and an at
tempt was made to muster the mouruers
when it was ascertained that one or two
of them had got so obfusticated as to have
taken the New York train. The rest Of
the party, however, managed to get aboard
aud ere long JohHny Ms body Vas
again marching on" At the Relay the
corpse was tIasferred to the western train,
bat two or three of the mourners we're TOO
far gone to get out in time,and proceeded
to Baltimore, while the balance of the
party with the corpse was hurried on with
extra speed westward. g..
At the points along the road where the
engine stopped "to water" the mourner.
as invariably stopped "to wet" and not
being up to time, quite as invariably a
brace or more were left behind at each
watering and wetting place, and by the
time Grafton was reached where the corpse
was to change cars for Parkersburg, but
few of the mourners remained with it.
and these were so bewildered that they
failed to get in the proper train, ,and john
ny's corpse went on to Wheeling without
them. From thence, by some means, it
was sent to Columbus, Ohio, the corpse
thus having got into the wrong State,and
mourners being scattered through Mary
land and West Virginia, and along the
line of the Baltimore, Wilmington and
Philadelphia and Camden and Amboy
Railroads. By this time the telegraph
was put into excited operation, aud various
messages were whisked over the wires in
various directions in regard to the missing
corpse and scattered mourners, making
confusion doubly confounded for awhile.
From Grafton an anxious mourner in-
quired, ,"Where in the dis the corpse?"
This despatch was crossed on the road by
a loud inquiry FROM Columbus as to the
ownership of stray corpse arrived there
unconsigned A Baltimore scattered
mourner telegraphed to "postpoue the fu-
neral till 1 get there;" and the sqad of
mourners by the New York train we're
sending wildly confused messages to
Parkersburg, Relay House, Grafton aud
Washington, all helping to intensity the
prevailing muddle. The corpse. meantime,
had resumed its travels, land like poor Joe,
not being wanted in any locality, had
beeo kept moving on, until it arrived at
Little Miami depot, where it created no
little excitement, being without any mark
for Identification, and foul play being at
once suspected A coroner's inquest was
held without throwing any light upon the
mystery, which was, however, cleared up
by telegraph, despatch for the missing
corpse. The railway officials then got the
corpse in motion eastward and the mourn
ers headed westward, and finally after the
most eventful history of any corpse or set
of mourners on record, Johnny's body
was duly committed by them TO mother
earth where we trust ii may rest IN peace.