Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-02-01
ANOTHER CAsKEr AFLOAT.
Corpse of a Young Lady Richly
Dressed.
Supposed 10 Have Been Dead
over Twenty Years.
vicksburg Herald, Jan. 50.

Early yesterday morning Captain
Pearce of the Government works al
Delta, La, reported to Justice Dan
geffeld of Madison parish, the dis
covery OF a metallic burial case which
was found drifting about in the river
just opposite where the Government
work is in progress. 1t was caught
by one OF the laborers aud having been
brought to the Louisiana shore. was
made fast TO piling and watched
until delivered safely into the official
keeping Of Justice Dangerfeld. With
the aid Of six able bodied men the
case was carried up the steep bank to
the top OF the leVse, which proved
TO be considerable feat owing TO the
fact that the handles had corroded by
time and rust until they could no
longer bear the weight expected
OF them in the first instance A
cold chisel was soon brought into
requisition, and the face plate being
removed from the coffin it was found
to contain
THE REMAINS OF A YOUNG LADY.
The body was dressed in a beautiful
white rep silk dress. A handsome
piece Of lace enveloped the neck
which was caught at the throat and
held in position by an elegantly de-
signed gold bresstpin. The right hand
the index finger of which wore
large heavy gold ring, rested on the
snow white bosom, and the left hand
extended down the side of the BODY
The garments of the deceased were In
a, perfect state of preservation, but
the body was
BEYOND RECOGNITION.
The face was very much disoolored.
in fact, almost black, and the hollow
eye sockets and gaping mouth pre.
sented a ghastly spectacle to the few
who had the morbid curiosity to wit
ness it. The teeth were almost nearly
white, well shaped, regular, and in a
remarkable state OF preservatiol /. The
deceased could not have been more
than eighteen or twenty years Of age,
AND PERHAPS A BRIDE,
No traces Of the fell disease which
caused her death were in any wise an
parent. Her position in the coffin
was just the same as the day it frat
incased her remains, and laces, trim.
mI1gs,, garments and all lay as grace.
fully about the lady as on the sad occa.
sion when the dead was arranged for
final inlermept,
THE COFFIN
was oval shaped, but was undoubtedlv
very handsome and costly in its day
When taken out Of the river yester.
day, 1t looked exceedingly ancient
and was al lmost completely pitted with
rust but here and there sufficient of
its former self remained to show that
It had originally been what was then
kAown as Raymond white enameled
metallic burial case, the very hand |
soonest 10 use some twenty. FIVE years
ago. These pofiins have been on the
market since 1860. aud hence it is sun
posed that the deceased referred 10
here has lain 10 the grave
FOR FULLY TWENTY YEARS.
There is no name plate On the coffin.
q fact which rendered it impossible
for Justice Danger6eld to ascertain
the name of the deceased. The re-
mains are evidently from
A PRIVATE RURYINe GROUND
Just below Goodrich's Landing, where
those collins taken from the river at |
klelnstoR tho other day we're likewise |
TspOYted to etme from. Pilot Carroll |
of the Belle Memphis, informed this
reporter yesterday that a large mum, |
Der OF handsome monuments have
r. GENTLY oaved in the river at the
point indicated, and cofIius have been
seen time and again protrudinR hslfl
out Of the bank there. AS no person |
in the neighborhOOd seem J to take any |
interest 10 the matter, or has ever
made an elOrtto protect the graves Of |
the dead who have been slumberinR
for many years
IN THE LITTLE CEMETERY
below Goodrieh's Landing, it is gen
orally believed on the part Of river
msH,t Aat tpe proprletoys ftbis private
buTying place are either all dead OF, |
becoming REDUCED 10 circumstances |
by the late war, we've sompeIied to |
abandon the old homestead, and are
now scattered abroad over the land and |
tar away from the loved ones whom |
they laid to their final rest ON the |
shore Of the restless Father Of Waters
No mattey vpo theY were they certain. |
ly possessed large wealth, as the monu. |
ments at this graveyard and expensive
burials clearly indicate. II thefe is no
pemheF OF tho family left remaining al
Goodrich's upon whom the
DUTY OF PROTECTING PIN GRAVES
OF his relatives would properly and
rlghtiully deyolve, the officials Of the
parish should take it upon themselves
to see that they are either kent intact
as their present LOCATION, or that the
bodies are Immediately disinterred and
buried in safer quarters,
The body MAS BURIED by DR.. Danger.
teld, above Delta, Immediately at the
government light,