Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-19
VOLUME XXXIII.
DISCOVERY OF THE BODY OF PRES
TON KING.

From the New York World, l5th.l
The dead body of Collector King has
been found Yesterday afternoon, while
| speculation as to the future movements of
| the successor of Mr.. King was rife, and the
praises of the coming man in the mouths Of
eager Office seekers, who are ever friendly
10 those upon whose well being in position
thev depend for their daily mouthful, were
uttered in loud tones in the Rotunda, the
news arrived that the ex-COllector, the Hon.
Preston King, had turned up.
A large number of persons had been of
the opinion that, in his peculiar state Of
mind, Mr.. King had wandered off into some
retreat of which this city is full, and where
he might ultimately be found. But these
too hopeful friends were doomed to utter dis
appointment, as the following facts will clear
ly show.
FINDING OF THE BODY.
About 4 o'clock yesterday morning: as
officer Kenney, of the Atlantic Dock Po-
lice. was patroling his beat in the vicinity
of the Atlantic Basin, his attention was at
tracted TO a dark object floating in the wa
ter, as If coming from Buttermilk Channel,
and which a strong wind and tide was fast
pushing toward the wharf. As it neared
the basin the officer perceived that it was
the body of human being, and obtained
the assistance Of Sergeant Geising, of the
same force, to secure it alongside the land
ing. Captain Thompson, of the Atlantic
Dock Police, was duly notified, and on pro-
ceeding 10 the dock and examining the body,
pronounced it as his opinion that 1t was that
of Preston King, the late Collector of the
mort Of New York, whom he had seen so
often during his collectorship, and whom he
was thus able to identify, although the APP
pearance of the corpse almost forbade all
attempts at recognition, so greatly decom-
posed had it become from the length of time
il had been in the water. As $500 was Of
fered for the recovery of the body by the
naval officer, and $500 by Assistant Collector
Shulz, after the disappearance of Mr.. King,
officer Kenney will no doubt obtain the
rewards.
APPEARANCE OF THE BODY.
The BODY, although much swollen, had all
the natural appearance of being that of
heshv-formed man. 1t was clothed in a suit
of dark blue clothes, and the feet were found
encased in wooden socks and pair of calf
skin boots. Over the suit of blue was
heavy beaver overcoat, much worn and de-
caved bv the action of the water, as were
every thing on the body. The head was to-
tally destitute of hair, and the face was par
italy diYested Of flesh, presenting a livid
and sickening sight The fingers had en-
tirelv fallen off from corruption, and, in fact,
the entire body was one mass of decaying
matter. which, as the sun beat down upon il,
gave forth an odor that was perfectly nau-
seating. A strong Irvine cord was found tied
around the neck and waist united about the
lower portion of the chest, and was tightly
bound round the body over the inside
coat.
THE IDENTIFICATION.
News of the discovery of the body was
sent TO numerous friends of the deceased in
New York, shortly after it had been found,
and about ten o'clock Mr.. p. r. Webster,
the nephew of the ex-Collector, and Mr..
Lvdecker, of the Customhouse, arrived at
the basin, when an examination of the con-
tents of the pockets of the clothing was
made The search resulted in the finding
Of a pair Of gold spectacles, a gold tobacco
box, a pocket knife and an empty pocket
book, all of which Mr.. Webster identified
as having been the property of his uncle
Mr. Lydecker also recognized the former
Collector from the clothes he wore the last
day he was seen, and from the general APP
pearance Of the corpse, although the body
was in such an advanced state Of decompo-
sltion that certain recognition from the as
pect alone would have been almost an i'm
possibility.