Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1868-12-04
A Marvellous Adventure.

The incident which we have to give
our readers this morning is of three
medical students, who crossed the Ohio
river Saturday night, in small skiff,
and what they went for, and what they
got, and what befell them before they
returned to University Place.
Strange as it may appear, it transpired
exactly as shall be related. The re-
porter, who understands his duty, need
not exsggerate or manufacture the mate
rial out of which he composes every day
his chronicle of city life. His liveliest
invention cannot hope TO rival the reali-
ties that pass under his observance, if
they be recorded with half the animation
which is bestowed upon the fictitious
creations of the brain and fancy. The
times are full of matter for descriptive
writing, and scarce week goes by that
does not furnish him, if he had but the
leisure to make use of it, events of the
most dramatic character, as this is. The
reader, however, shall read and judge for
himself.
1t is necessary that this much should
be said in order to relieve the present
humble narrator of an intention to i'm
pose upon the credulity of the public.
1t has been stated repeatedly that the
medical fraternity in Louisville, though
a large, wealthy and powerful class, are
often reduced to extremities for subjects
for the dissecting room. Often they have
been arrested and forced to pay heavy
fines; not unfrequently they have been
fred on; and it is common practice to
import bodies from Chicago. Only last
week we recorded q case in point. The
present is even more startling.
Three students, whose names we shall
for the present conceal-one from Ala
bama and two from Tennessee-resolved
to supply themselves with subject, and
obtaining information Of the sudden death
of an Irishman, lately released from the
Indiana State prison, who had just been
inferred in an old field outside of New
Albany by some charitable persons in
whose house he had died, they arranged
for nocturnal excursion.
The plan was simple. They had only
to procure a boat, cross the river, pro-
ceed to the designated place of burial,
exhume the body, wrap it in blanket
and convey it to the dissecting room.
They provided themselves mattocks and
spades, secured a good yawl, and just
after twelve o'clock set out from point
near the ferry, reaching the opposite
shore in safety. :.
They we're we'll armed, of course, and
we're agreed to make fight if they should
| be molested.
Fortune seemed to favor them. They
we're not observed as they sped across
the shining Ohio, ripping bright and
clear in the moonshine, and landed IN
an obscure nook, which they had ex-
plored in the afternoon. Thence they
took q by-path around the town, and
were soon brought to the lonely, of-cast,
new-made grave.
| Daring, as we'll as enterprise, is a
characteristic Of medical students. One
stood on guard while his two companions
| twho had learned the art and practice Of
digging during the famous campaign
from Dalton to Atlants) set-to actively
with the spades, and very soon they
struck the coffin. Having shoveled the
dirt away, they placed this rude pise box
upon terra frmd, and we're preparing to
lake of the lid when a noise startled
them. Il was a very dreary place, near
clump Of trees, and Bot far from
brick kiln and cluster Of vork-people's
dwellings. The clocks had just struck
two; but there was q stir as OF approach
ing footsteps beyond the grove, and no
time vas o be lost
"what shall we do ~ said Alabama.
Knock OF the lid.
"No, We haven't time The noise viii
betray rs. Pick the d-1 thing up,
and let's be off.f
Hastily the three students lifted the
coffin On their shoulders-luckily they
we're al strappinE fellows who had car
ried many q poor fellow 10 the rear on a
sireicher-Aud made for the river as fast
as possible. Just as they turned the
angle Of a bin they saw lights in the
grave behind them. Bat they did not
stop 10 reconnoiier OF learn whether Il
vas . party in pursuit They buried