Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-08-31
Miscellany.
A Ride with a Dead Man.

MlSCGllduys
A Ride with Dead Man.
THINGS do occasionally happen now
that are not caught up by the daily press
to-day, although the reporter of modern
times is supposed to hunt out everything
and miss nothing of interest to any reader.
In Detroit, at least, fifteen or twenty years
ago, the case was different, and many Incl
dents and adventures occurred among law
yers, doctors and officers of the law, which
never found their way into print The
other day, IN conversation with a we'll
known member of the Detroit bar, he
called up little adventure of his own
which has never been published and which
is worthy of 1t.
One day in January, 1855, the lawyer,
who asks that his name be published as
Blank, was called upon to 60 to the vii
lage of Pennington and conduct the de-
fence in lawsuit of considerable impor-
tance. Being in possession of horse
and sleigh, he chose to go by his own con-
veysnce, and, as the weather was extreme
ly cold, took care to be well provided with
robes and blankets. Whether he won or
lost the suit, or how he spent the time up
to seven O'Clock in the evening are matters
of no interest to the reader. The night
having set in still colder than the day,
Blank was entreated to remain in the viii
lage until the next day, but he would not
hear of such plan, as an important mat
ter would claim his attention in the city
next day. So he bundled up, got jug of
hot water for his feet, and headed his
horse for home, calculating on a ride of not
more than three or four hours. The wind
blew piercingly cold into the face of man
and beast, and Blank was soon half frozen
In spite of his coverings. He had pro-
ceeded about one-third of the distance
home, the horse going at a sharp trot most
OF the time, when he overlook man
plodding at slow pace and Of
fered him a ride. The man had
on an old ragged overcoat, was otherwise
poorly dressed, and declared that he
was nearly frozen to death. Blank asked
his name, where he was going, and other
questions, but the stranger was just then
busy settling the coverings around him,
and did not reply; and further on his
silence was accounted for by the lawyer
on the ground that the man was deaf or
deeply engaged in thought. Soon after
picking up his passenger the lawyer felt
that he must do something or freeze to
death, and concluded to take run behind
the cutter. He offered the lines to the
stranger, explaining that he was going to
get out, but, as he did not accept them,
Blank passed them over the fellows head,
saying to himself that he was expressing
but little gratitude for the ride so kindly
offered. Getting out, the lawyer seized
the back of the sleigh and ran until thor
oughly warmed up, and then climbed in
hnnQQfh q
better, and being man given to sociabil-
ity, Blank nudged his passenger sharply
and began to question him. The fellow
could not be drawn out by anything which
the lawyer advanced, and so he was left
to himself for time. Perhaps it is even
now the habit of lawyers to take a
"pocket pistol" with them when they
ride out, and it certainly was then. Blank
was thus provided for, and he concluded
that pull at its contents would be good
for himself and the stranger. After drink
ing, he held it up before the mans face,
and politely requested him to take a sip,
but this offer met with no response.
Drawing away the coverings from the
man's face, it was seen that he was wide
awake and looking full at the lawyer, and
when Blank held up the flash again, he
thought he saw the man shake his head.
Concluding that he had a temperance man
aboard, the lawyer returned the flask to
his pocket, and made no more advances OF
the kind.
During the trial that day, one of the
witnesses had given utterance to some eX-
pressions which greatly pleased the law
yer, and he now related it in hopes to get
a word from the stranger. Blank went
all over the ground, laughed heartily at
hQ ink md h< nd
In the side without receiving word OF
sign. Then, sort of fear came ove1
him. He began to think that the stranger
was either a lunatic or else had designs
against his life He had heard of men be.
ing assassinated at their own firesides, in
their carriages and sleighs, and might not
this man who maintained such mysteri
GUS silence be there for the purpose o
securing victim? And the lawyer drew
further away, and scanned his man more
closely to see if one of his hands did not
grasp pistol or knife. The eyes of tn,
stranger looked full at him, the man sit
ting little sideways on the seat, and the,
seemed to the lawyer to flash vengeance
The two entered the suburbs at last, ant
getting down to Perkins Hotel, Blanl
asked the man where he should let hin
out Receiving no answer, he drov
down to Woodward avenue, across. AM
over to Randolph street, where he resided
Stopping the horse at the door, the lawye
got out, and then informed the strange
that the journey was ended. The NAL
neither moved or spoke. Provoked at hi
persistent silence, the lawyer seized hin
by the shoulder, gave him a shake, an'
exclaimed: If you don't get out Of m.
sleigh, I will pull you outr'
Nhn n 1x1f 70 - a.
then fell to the ground. The lawyer tore tn
wraps open and found that he had beer
riding with corpse for the last tw
hours. The stranger was stone dea6
every limb and muscle as stiff as an iciclt
At the inquest next day not word or
line could be found to establish the man
identity. Men came out from Farmingto1
but no one could say that he had ever see
the stranger, and he was buried as cit
pauper. The only thing of any value 6
all about the dead man was q curior
looking tobacco box, made of some foreig
wood, and the initials &c. G. n" inlai
with silver on the cover. This was i
time handed to the lawyer, and is yet
daily use to hold his fine cut.-Detro
Free Press.
The Nashua Iowa) Post says: "He
is new wheat item for 1871. The whe
was sowed on the Mckee farm, this tow
ship, April Is. 1t was harvested July
threshed July 10, ground by Delling
Brothers, July 10, aked by Mrs. Wilsc
July 20, and good bread it was too. Bre'
from the seed in three months and tV
dysl"
The old whipping post of Huntingto
Il. l., which was used before the revOl
ton, and at which many Americans we
tied while being whipped during the W
of independence for their rebel sentiment
has been cut down. The post was situat,
near the First Presbyterian Church, al
was an old locust tree, cut off about Gig
feet from the ground and trimmed up.