The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1869-10-11
LIVE GEESE VERSUS A DEAD GOOSE.

LIVE GEESE VERSUS a DbAD tOOob'
% From the Chicago Evening Journal.
The duties of the coroner, although usually
of a melancholy nature, sometimes are varied
by amusing incidents, some OF these cases in
the gloomy desert of that officiafs routine oc-
Cured this morning. At an early hour some
woman informed an officer at the Madison
and Canal street crossing that box, eyl-
IDENTIFY containing human remains in high
state of putrelaction, was lying on lot on
South Jefferson street. The policeman at
once repaired to the scene, and, perceivng
the box, carried it to a station in the west
Division. Without opening the box to ascer-
tain what it contained, message was sent
to the coroner with request that he would
come at once and hold an inquest, ''as it smelt
awlul strong" The coroner, who had not
had much to do Tor a few days, jumped at
the prospect Of fee, and instantly started of
in quest ofthe station.
Arriving there he opened the box. The
. contents were found to be wrapped in paper.
The latter was unfolded and a hasty glance
at the Enclosure elected the remark from all
present that ''it was piece OF baby" There
were no legs, no arms, no head, and nothing
was there but the very much decomposed
trunk of the body, particularly the ribs. Two
doctors were summoned. They were very ex-
perienced surgeons sud physicians, had long
hair and spectacles and serious, study-worn
DlVSlOGQOllelS. FOilOWillS oOon Oh thCi iCCio
their presence icing indicative that some
thing was up'-a crowd of policemen off duty
and host of bummers from neighboring sa-
looms arrived on the spot. The chance of
earning quarter by filling the responsible
office of coroner's juryman was not to be
lost by any OF these gentlemen, hence their
hasty arrival and extraordinary interest in the
fate of the poor leetle creeter." eai
Pending the advent of the doctors and the
rfa hurf na
On the entry of the crowd they were again
uncovered. The smell was overpowering,
made up as it was of beer and tobacco exha-
lations and the horrible stencil emitted from
the "remains". The doctors adjusted their
spectacles, laid out their instruments, rubbed
their bands, professionally elbowed their way
through the crowd and bent over the box
| The left hand of each was at once elevated to
| the owners nose, and the latter was comfort
| ably ensconced between the thumb and the fin
| gers of the respective hands. Whether from
| compression of the nasal organs, from sympa-
| thy for the fate of the "child', or owing to
| the strong smell, is not known, but tears
cuursed down the furrowed cheeks of the
| worthy doctors. 1t is, however, supposed
! that this phenomenon was attributable to the
| latter reason, as many even OF the hardheart-
| ed bummers and policeman had their right
hands in the position described, their noses
| gently compressed, and did not shed tears.
The doctors unhestatingly pronounced ''i"
| the mangled remains of a child and then re-
tired to the window. Again they inspected
| it and seemed confirmed in their belief. The
| candidates for quarters were becoming impa-
| tient and wanted to be sworn in whether or
no." Unhappiy for them another doctor ar
rived on the spot. He approached the box,
heaved once or twice, heroically pulled a rib
| Irnm the remains, broke II IN twain aud pro
| bounced u 10 ur tfrdt vf ----- =" yHes0 In a
| jiify the other learned doctors had disappear
ed, instruments and all, as also bad the bum
mers and policemen, and the goose was left
master of the strongly fortified situation. Had
the feathers been on the remains no one
could have been deserved. Three Welchmen
went bunting Que day, and finding toad had
| Il dispute as TO the nature OF the creature,
| and finally agreed that it was a canary bird,
| but the feathers had worn away" They
werenot greater geese than the Chicago
| ~ elchmen." .9.ijDus.ilI