The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-03-21
AN EXPRESSMAN BADLY SOLD.

'hiO1 Wy w Sllo, IdISO ~ W HA PRESS,
marked and consigned "J. S. Devoe,
Marysville, Cal" There was nothing
unusual in the appearance of the box
Such boxes are constantly passing back
and forth on the railroad and this one
attracted no particular attention until it
arrived at Ogden. In moving it there
disagreeable smell emanated from the
box, which Immediately aroused the sus-
picions of the express messenger, a gen.
tleman named Dalby. With the prompt
itude and attention to business that in
variably characterizes the experienced
expressman, he proceeded to make note
of his suspicion and observation, by
writing on the way-bill, opposite the de-
scription:
"This box stinks. Think it's corpse,
Dalby" The box was regularly trans
ferred to the Central Pacific railroad,
where messenger named Shearer took
it in hand and proceeded to verify the
complaint made by his predecessor, and
having snuffed in the atmosphere that
surrounded the box, he, with all the dig
nifty of Crockett and Wallace in the lot
terry case, wrote, I" [ concur" with the
further remark, d" 1t stinks," and ap-
pended his signature. 1t so happened
that John j. Valentine, Superintendent
Of Wells, Fargo e. Co., was upon the
train, and his attention was called to the
box, when he Immediately concluded
that it contained a corpse beyond doubt,
and he wrote letter to the Marysville
agent as follows On Ogden bill of to-
day, case. Contains a corpse. Collect
corpse rates"
In the proper time the case arrived
there in safety,and was taken into the Of
fee on d street Mr.. Condor, the ex-
press agent, proceeded to open his way
bills, and found those above described, as
we'll as the letter from Superintendent
Valentine. The owner did not apply
for the property, and Condor filled with
horror at the idea of having his office APP
propriated as a receiving vault made ar
rangement for its storage in the ware
house of w. T. Ellis He then wrote
letters to Devoe, the consignee, but hear
ing nothing of him, began to conclude
that he had an elephant on his hands.
But this did not comprise the full meas
ure of his troubles. He had received
corpse some months previously in dam
aged condition, and in handling the box
had soiled his hands with the leaking of
the contents. The result of this acci-
dent, or disaster, for such it proved to be,
was that he was unable to eat anything
that his hands touched for several days.
In the present case he assisted in get
ting the box into the wagon, and the job
was no sooner completed than the recol-
lection of his former experience came
vividly to his mind-so vividly, in fact as
to take away his appetite, interfere with
his sleep, and utterly destroy his peace of
mind. In vain he bathed his hands in
Florida water, bay rum, &C., drank cock
tails to I" take the taste out of his mouth"
1t was no use. He could not eat, neither
could he sleep Once in while from pure
exhaustion, he would fall into a doze,
when the box would plant itself on his
breast, and the corpse sit up grinning in
his face. He would awaken in fright
to find it 4" all dream" and dropping
off to sleep again, would see myriads of
rats gnawing at the box and having
eaten off the end, proceed to drag the
contents out by the hair
1t was too much of good thing. Even
the corpse charges" could not recon-
pense him for his sufferings, and when
Friday morning dawned, after sleepless
night, he determined to have that corpse
off his hands before he again sought his
couch. He called in the services of
Detective Casad to seek out the consignee
and to probe out the terrible mystery, for
as such his mind pictured it, to the bot
tom. While the detective was engaged
in working up" the case, Condor called
upon coroner Hamilton and notified him
to prepare for the interment Of corpse
that evening In the mean time Mr..
Dcvoe, who is II worthy gentleman, re-
siding in Suttcr county had received the
note, stating that a box to his address
was at the Marysville express Office, and
he came over to get it, utterly uncon-
scious of the excitement it had occa-
stoned. He proceeded to the express Of
flee, and advancing to the counter in
quired:
"Is there box for me here p
What name, sir 2"
j." Devoe" replied the visitor.
"J. S. Devoey" interrupted Condor.
"That is the name," was the response
At the mention of the name the clerks
all dropped their pens and gazed upon