The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1885-05-19
A TRUNK TRAGEDY.
Sedalia Startled by a Terrible
Revelation.
A Dead Body Discovered in a
Trunk at the Depot.

sDcOaIla 90 AhAcI EChCAoAAy AcaNc III AhC
natter of anything of stirring or startling
nature and failing to lead she is certain IS
follow. and while il is sorrow fully conceded
she got badly scooped on the trunk horror
business, vet she now comes 10 the frOHt 10
a manner which shows she only need a
few days time TO have been 10 the front,
even in that tragic affair.
Yesterday there was a terrible commo-
ton at the railroad depot which soon COM
municated itself to the officials OF the city
and county. As il was between trains the
frs; inkling the reporter had o. the mater
was when he noticed
SHERIFF MURRAY
and deputy .hurrying toward the depot
down Ohio street.
"Whats up?" he induired of the sheriff.
"0h, lots of things | don't have TO tell, :"
replied thst official in his curt way.
"All right consider yourself watched, as
the cat said to the king" replied the scribe,
was seen faced depotward and making
about ten knots sn hour. Not far behind
him came Constable Carnes and his depu-
ties, and not far away was Marshal Bar
nett and his forces all bound in the SINE
direction. Hardly had they passed when
Justices Hslstend, Rife and O'Brien,
County Attorney Lamn, City Attorney
Steel, Mayor Hickman aud several mem
bers of the board OF aldermen hove In
sight. The reporter, though on the hot
trail of 2 first'clsss item, could stand out
no longer, and turning about, rushed to the
depot heading the official procession by
about one lap.
AT THE BAGGAGERooN
he found Agent Berry, the baggage and ex-
press men in knot just outside the bag
gsgeroom door, pale and excited, and in a
deep whispered conversation.
whats up?" again demanded the
scribe.
awe don't know; wait and see" was the
reply.
There was not long to wait, for tn. pro.
cession OF dignitaries had arrived and the
crowd fled into the baggage room and the
door was locked.
THERE WAS AN DOOR
suggestive of 8 grave yard turned reverse
side up peiysdingt the room, and q bucket
OF chloride had been provided.
ats over in this cornor said the baggage
master tremblingly advancing to the north
east part of the room with his nose b=tweeu
his fingers. It's been here three days and
we can't stand it any logger" he said.
In the corner wss
LARGE PILE OF TRUNKS,
and these Mayor Hickman ordered remov
ed one by one. This was done by The bag
gagemen as quickly as possible, until the
last one wss reached, when the odor be
came so strong as to cause backward
movement amongst the crowd.
"This is the trunk" said Campbell, as
he backed away with shudder.
SHOVE il out, said Lamm.
1t was moved and underneath was found
LARGE POOL OF BLOOD
which had oozed through the cracks. The
sight of this caused an added shudder of
horror smongst the crowd, and it was some
time before Coroner Overstreet managed to
tell the men to open the trunk. An axe
was procured and the lock forced open,
when q smell perfectly overpowering came
forth and caused Mayor Hickman to almost
heave up his boots. A negro porter who
was present had the nerve to throw up the
lid and rush 10 the other side of the room.
As soon as il was possible for
THE HoRRIFIED CROWD
TO gain their senses they began to back
away with exclsmations of alarm, fer Is
had been feared the trunk really
CONTAINED DEAD BODY.
coiled in an uneasy position and far gone
with decay, so much so, indeed, that il be-
came necessary to open the window and
make liberal use OF the bucdet OF choral
before the investigation could be carried
on further. This being done examination
showed card upon the
INSIDE OF THE LID
of the trunk bearing the words:
"Such be the fate of all enemies of the
great cause
The coroner took look at the body and
q hasty adjournment of the investigation
took place TO the outside of the room, where
the air was fresher.
AFTER SHORT TALK
with those present the coroner told Con-
stable Carnes he did not think it would be
necessary to summon q jury at that time,
and that the best way to ferret out the mys-
terry would be for everybody to dis
perse and 90 quietly home, for If the
matter so as TO get abroad the excitement
would be so intense there was no telling
what wild results might follow. This al
vice was silently and promptly followed,
and as the last one of the legal lights dis
appeared the disguised baggagemen called
a negro and said, "f you will 90 in and