Oregon Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1870-1872, 1872-03-02
Romance of a Corpse.

At the ''old Eorse sale" in Portland,
one day last week, Mr.. Mitchell, gro.
Ger there, bought box which on being
opened was found to contain corpse.
The Oregonida of the 26 ult., contains
the following story concerning it:
"The newspapers, with the aid of a
coroners jury, have gone and done it
now, and that "corpse that Mitchell
bought" is no longer mystery, what
ever may remain Of the CHASTITY horror
of its discovery. We are not prepared to
say that the explanation of the mystery
is altogether string of hard facts by
which practical mind would trace the
history of the blackened and repulsive
heap of remains, found here by Mitch
ell in box, through all the mutations
they must have undergone, back to their
identity with living man, having a
certain name and habitation. Be this
as it may, the romance which is now
received is better,in some respects, than
the blank mystery we had at first. This
is the romance; John Clark, familiarly
known as Johnny CLARK" was, some
years ago, packer in Idaho. lie was
u bold, bad man, and the Eig'lantes
mark ed him for their own. lie was
suspected of being connected with. aud
IA leader ef gang of Road agents. "
lie committed a murder at Idaho City,
aud was arrested aud cast into Jail.
While he thus remained imprisoned, the
Road agents were going on badly aud
several murders were committed by des-
peradocs in various parts OF the Terri.
tory. The Vigilantas were aroused to
unusual wrath and they commenced
going for the roughs in the most de-
cidedly lively style. John Clark, being
in Jail, was handy subject to practice
on. aud the Yigilantes took him OFT,
tried, convicted ani hung him, in less
thau two hours. The dead body was
then buried in rude box. John Clark
had sister, respectable lady residing
somewhere in California, who hearing
what had been done to her naughty
brother, went to Idaho. dug him up and
hired man named Thomas to bring
him down to Oregon for shipment 10
California, where she purposed to give
him Christian burial, Thomas did as
he was hired to do; brought The body 10
| Umatilla where. it was as has been aere
tufore stated, shipped 10 this city, Be
| l1rc It's arrival, however, the sister who
| al preceded the corpse, ie!t the city
/ for California, since when her brother
or any other man has heard 10 word o.
ter The man Thomas also departed
! sor Lands u,ki.oWu, as ouc edition u!
| the romance has it. and, to Ireka, a.
another has IT, We know Of no good
reason why We s.ould uol say he wr"'
to Australia and changed his name u
Smith. thus breaking the last link that
might len 10 his identity. Mind, how
eyer, we Ion't know that he did Oae
story, though, is a good as another IN
case where nobody knows anything
ut all about the matter. John CLARK
remained quiet in his little Lox in the
| O. :. N. Co.'S warehouse till Mitchell
bought aud found him, nobo y having
ever called TO pay either their respects
or the freight charges. In publishing
this romance, We do not undertake IL
say that all the facts stated are facts
ON the contrary We incline to the sus-
picion that good many Of the links Of
the history of the unknown are sup
piled out of imaglnation's workshop.
We cannot however prove anything ot
the sort, and as 1t is a great social ne
ccssity that there should be some theory
set up right away instead OF the mys'
terry, we are content to adopt the above
and recommend it to the public as the
best that eau be done under the eireuln.
tauccs."