Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-11-08
4 MuNMfmEp xAH.MoNxxr.
sarsiiss Ossesvsry Of w.skme. 81 kssss'
fKsnsss CITY sssr.I

tkansas CITY mari
Probably the most startling discovery IN
the history Of their scarchcs for mourn
builderS relics was stumbled upon accr
dentslly this morning by workmen exon
vating on the bluff at Second street. Vhe
Of them. Thomas MaIey, who lives on wes'
Twcnty-sccond street, encountered so,ne
thing that offered determined resistance ~
his pick-sx while ne was digging near tne
edge Of the blui. After 9 few VAN cno.s
10 dislodge the obstruction he cai'ed 70 hIs
felIow-workmen. among whom were
John Edwards. also OF Twentysecond
street, and Edward Wakeman. OF
Wyandotte. The united exertions OF
three. OF the men caused the clay nj
this point 10 loosen from the bank and lall
down the side OF the bluff. Ash crumbled
10 pieces there was A substance about two
feet square that remained intact. Think
ing IL strange that stone OF such regular
proportions should he found In bank OF
pure clay and Mt = depth ten feet from the
s,sface. Thomas Maley followed it down
the cmbankmept and struck IL with his
p,ck-sxe. TO his astonishment II erumbled
TO pieces under the blow, and then he OBJ
served that instead Of stone the foreign sub
stance vas n kind OF cement. lie called
the attention Of HI. fellow-workmen TO the
discovery. add while they were all standing
sroupd The pile Of crumbledIccmcnt. crush
ING niece, IN their hands. one o! them no
tjced a eroucbing figure in the pile. He 10
hr,t started back. but seeing that II was
motionlcss he reached forward and picked
H. M. r. proved 10 he the mummifef
body Of diminutiye man-monkey. II
was doubtless cmbalmed and buried in the
cement tomb shortly after its birth 10y the
ancient mound builders, who. supposing it
to be some supernatural being. had wor-
shipcd IL a. a god. When rudcly disturbed
by The workmen this morning. after its
quiet rcpOse for centuries, the mummy
was badly shrunkcn by its immense age.
When omban cd it was doubtless an in-
FAINT half foot long, but now it is
sbrunkeD to much smaller dimensions.
The little creature is ~ light rs cork. and
IFS brown skin il drawn tightly over it,
flame. IL was found IN the position OF
piuyer, ~ it had probably been arranged
hy the superstitiOus mound-bulders, who
thought il some supernatural thing. Its
hands and feet are drawn tightly up under
It's chin and ITS bead is bent forward, while
its long, bony till is curved over its back.
The creature has nigh forehead, large
eyes, and prominent chin.
The wOrkmcn, not approaching the i'm
porlance OF their discovery, continued their
work, only laying the mummy aside. The
traces Of The ancient sepulchre were soon
cGaced and its crumbcd ruins buried under
a bank Of clay. The aboriginal occupant
might soon have shared the fate OF its tomb
had not Dr. II. G. Baker CHANGED to drive
by. Noticing the crowd OF curious Spccta-
tor, he drew near and heard the strange
"a RI
mummy. Offering the workman who
claimed the antiquatcd little stranger
trife for his prize. the doctor easily OBJ
taided possession. Within few hours all
the scientists and antiquarians in the city
were examining the relic and giving their
theories a. TO it's character.
The general suppression appeared to be
that the mummy was the offspring OF some
aboriginal who, terrified ut its long tail and
animal appearances, had It smsthered in
the tomb II cement. The wOrkmen ware
visited, and from them a description OF the
ruined tomb was obtained. One OF them
said that TO the best Of his observation he
thought the subtcrrane1n scpulchre Rad
been formed by digging square hole IN
the clay, filing 1t with soft cement. ana
thCn pressing a square block OF WOOD or
straw in the centre to make the hollow
space to be occupied by the mummy.
" hen this block was removed. and the num-
my inserted the tomb only needed it, upper
layer Of cement TO imprison the mummy in
what, To all practical purposes. was solid
block OF stone. The scientific gentleman
welcomed the little dried-up stranger as
visitor from the ages when the great andis-
covered America had yet to hear the first
Indian war.whOOp. The discovery Of this
mummy is only sequel TO other discoveries
Of moInd-buildcrs' relics at the same
point. 4 few months ago eIcayators at
This point turned up stone h2tches aud
other relics OF an extinct race. The
scientific gentlemen In Kansas City have
not only taken an active interest IN the
discovery, but thev are already preparing
to send description OF it 10 the scientific
society in st. Louis. The case will I'M
doubtedly attract the attention OF the aci-
entiiic world. for it is the only one 81 the
kind in all the history 81 researches OF an.
ticuaries. IL is probable that further is
yestigstisus will be made about the tlun
where the tomb was unearthed, and stu
more startling discoveries may result. An
effort has been made to secure the mummy
for exhibition In the Dime Museum, but 1t
i. likely to be reserved for scientific pur-
poses. Before its immediate fsture is de-
ternined upon, however. it will be on eS-
hibition 1t DR.. Bakers Office, where curiau,
people can see il Monday morning.