The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-03-01
A Mysterfous Box Panic Among the
Exnreasmen.
[Frem the Msrysvllle tcaLl Appeal, Dec. Is

tisein tils Marysytlie tCal.1 Appear, beS' 70
/ Expressmen often meet with singular
|adventures, are the victims of many prac-
flcaI jokes and serious mishaps, and if one
| OF them should be selected at random from
Wells, Fargo s. Co.'s employees, and be
pumped OF all the amusing and interesting
!eYents OF his professional career, it would
make an exceedingly entertaining volume.
a case in point occurred at Marysville
within the past few days, which is too good
to be lost, with only dim record Of the
affair In the musty way-bills and archives of
the express company, and so we deem it
duty to give the story to the public:
| Early this month large box was shipped
from Michigan to Marysville, by Wells,
Fargo & Co.'s Express, marked and con-
lsigned 81. S. DeYoe, Marysville, CAL"
tfhere was nothing unusual In the appear
Iance 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
suspicious of the express messenger, q gen.
tleman named Daily. With the prompti-
tude and attention to business that invaria-
bly, characterize the experienced express
man, he proceeded to make note Of his
own suspicion and observations, by writing
| on the waybill. opposite the description !:
t"This box stinks. Think it's q corpse,
Dalby." The box was regularly transfer
| red to the Central Pacific railroad, where q
messenger named Shearer took it in hand
and proceeded to verify the complaint
made by his predecessor, and, having snuff
ed in the atmosphere that surrounded the
box, he, with all the dignity of Crockett
and Wallace in the lottery case, wrote, 81
lconcur," with the further remark, " 1t
stinks," and appended his signature. 1t
so happened that John j. Valentine, su-
perintendent of Wells. Fargo & Co., was
Oh the train, and his attention was
called to the box, when ne Immediately
concluded that it contained q corpse be-
yond doubt, and he wrote letter to the
Marysville agent, us follows: "On Ogden
bill of to-day, case. Contains corpse.
| Collect corpse rates."
In the proper time the case arrived here
! in safety, and was taken into the office on
proceeded to open his way-bills, and found
| those above described, Gs we'll as the letter
from Superintendent Valentine. The owner
did not apply for the property, and Con-
| don, filled with horror at the idea Of having
his office appropriated us receiving vault,
made arrangements for It's storage in the
warehouse 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 measure of bis
troubles. He bad received Il corpse some
months previously in damaged condition,
and in handling the box had soiled his
hands with the leaking Of the contents.
The result of this accident, or disaster, for
] such it proved TO be, was that he was una
Il "a n
for several days.
| In the present case he assisted In getting g
the box into the wagon, and the job was
no sooner completed than the recollection
OF bis former experience came Viyidly 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 cocktails to Stake
the taste out Of his mouth" It was no use.
he could not eat, neither could he sleep.
:jnce in while, from pure exhaustion, he
would fall into doze, when tn, box would
plant itself upon his breast, anG the corpse
sit up grinning in his face. He would
awaken in fright to find it Gala drcam,''
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.
It was too much of q good thin, Even
the "corpse charges" could no, recon-.
pense him for his sUfferings, and Wien Fri
day morning dawned, after sleepless
might, he determined to have that corpse
off his hands before he again sought his
couch. He called in the services Of Detec.
! tive Ca>ad to seek out the consignec and to
4 probe the terrible mystery, for as such his
mind pictured it, to the bottom, While
Il = tIo Il IN, ,Iyip n
4 up" the case Condor called upon Coroner
Hamilton and notified him to prepare foI
the. interment of corpse that evening. III
the mean time Mr.. Devoe, who is 4 worthy
il gentleman, residing in Suffer county, bad
4 received the note, stating that box to his
4 address was Mt the Marysville express Of
Il fee, and he came over to get it, utterly un
conscious of the excitement il had occa
stoned. He proceeded to the express Gtlice
and advancing to the counter inquired:
els there box for me heleW -
"What name, slr!"
"Devoe," replied the visitor.
"J. S. Devoe /" lnterrogated Condor.
"That is the name," was the response.
At the mention Of the name the clerks III
dropped their pens and gaZed upon hir
with wonder and curiosity.
"What are the charges ?" asked Mr.. De
voc.
1.-Two hundred and thirty-six dollars,
replied Mr.. Condor, with an expression o
pity, aud in symDathiZing tone.
"Two hundred-twO hundred and-tWt
hundred and thirty-siX what: 2" asked MIR
Devoe, jumping back with q look of ute
amaZement.
1.-TWO hundred and thirty-six dollars
SIR" replied Condor, and added softly
"that is the regular corpse charge, sir. w
always charge double passenger rates for
corpse"
"For corpse 9n asked Mr.. Devoe. "!
corpse! What do you mean? l dom
know anything about a corpse"
"The box contains corpse, believe,
replied Condor, firmly, but kindly. "Wha
did you eXpect?"
Well. expected melodeon," replied
Mr. Deyoe. "lf there is melodeon in tn
box it is mine, but if there is u corpse in it
it belongs TO somebody else."
"Well," replied Condor, "we will hay
to open the box and see what its content
are - SO armed with hatchet they pro
, ceeded to the warehouse, and Condor com
menced operations upon the box witt
trembling hands and pallid cheeks. Tn
cover was pried up in short time, ant
there in the box lay, calm, still, and noise
less-a melodeon.
1t appears that the box containing th
instrument had been made tight, to protec
its contents, by filling the seams with putt,
or some kind Of cement; that the box hat
been placed in close proximity to fire
which had melted this substance, and tina
this caused the smell that had proved 8,
offensive and created such panic will
Wells, Fargo u Co., from the genera
superintendent down. 1t is only recessar,
to say "corpse" or 'smelodeon I" to Con
don or Detective Casad to raise row q
once.
A MAN passing up Pleasant street lat