Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-08-06
STRANGE EXPERIENCES.
THERE MAY BE A SILVER LIN
ING TO THE CLOUD.
How Easily Persons May lie Mistaken
in the bodies OF Loved Ones
stories Told by a Morgue
Keeper.

Keeper White the other day told the
New York Recorder some interesting
bits OF the weird inside history of the
Morgue,
Away back in September 1869.
said he 'Mrs. Ellen Davis Of 29l
West Fourteenth street had boon ex-
pecting a visit from her mother who
lived in Providence r, |. The day
came and Ellen and her husband were
promptly at the dock TO greet Mrs.
Annie McAffrey, for that was her
mothers name But they were doom
ed to disappointment From letters
il was beyond question thai Mira
McAhrey had started for New York.
As the night wore on the friends
became so much alarmed that the
police were notified.
Several days passed. and the
anxiety OF Mrs Davis increased for
in the meantime she had communi-
Gated with Providence and bad been
informed that her mother had started
for New York on the Sound steamer
OF the night before, as had been ar
ranged by letter.
That night next following Mrs
Davis was reading the evening paper
when her eye caught sight OF an item
telling OF case OF foul play and Civ
ing description OF the victim wo-
man. The outline OF the dead wo-
mans personality Tailed exactly with
that OF the missing Mrs McAhery.
Mrs Davis hurried TO the morgue.
The body of the victim was shown to
her. She was greatly affected. She
fairly swooned, but recognized the
corpse as that OF her mother.
Mrs. Davis hurriedly saw an I'M
dertaker. The cakes that she had
prepared for the reception the wed
ding baked meats as il we're became
the dishes OF house OF mourning.
That night the family sat down todin-
ner. 1t was sorrowful dinner at
best. Next day occurred the funeral.
Again the family gathered about the
table. They were sitting thus talk.
ing over the sad events OF the last
few days All the virtues OF the late
departed were rehearsed with tho
lingering memory OF fond and IA.
vored child.
suddenly the door burst open
Who should walk in but Mrs Me-
Affrey herself bag and baggage in
hand. alive we'll overioyed to be re-
stored to her friends although she
had been delayed Tor several days
past Picture TO yourself the scene.
II is worthy OF romance. Then
Mrs McAffrey told her strange story.
do not recall its details but IL was
sensational 10 degree. II nll ended
happily. however. for she was nome
again Then it was Mrs. McAtfrey' s
turn TO be astonishcd She was told
OF the events Of the last few days II
was as though she had come back
from the grave.
At this point in the narrative a
policeman came in. bca ing in his
hand small basket II was only a
dead child found in the dump ut the
foot OF Twelfth street Keeper White
filed out small card placed the
basket on chair and. apparently
uuconcerned by the horl ible spectacle
sat down and composedly resumed his
narrative.
'Jnde head OF May 10, 1891. =
he continued. II read the following in
the records OF the mosguc;
'3 p. m.-Man from One Hundred
and Fifty-iiith street and Eight
avenue; age %; 5 feet inches high
sandy hair. smooth face gray eyes
good teeth; wore peajacket Of {
dark gray mixed goods; vest sam,
material; brown and gray striped
pants; blue flannel ovcrshirt; whitl
knit undershirt; white cotton socks
elastic CATERS; white and yellow sus
penders; no property.
Recognized as John Clark bl
Ada. his wife.
This went on Keeper White. Il
one OF the strangest cases we eve
had on the records. a body wa
brought to US from the place abov
mentioned. 1t was all cut to piece
By the Eighth-avenue elevated train
1t appeared to be case OF suicide
and the theory was that the man ha
deliberately jumped in front OF tn
engine.
',As soon as Ada Clark read OF tn
accident she was struck by the fac
that the unknown dead wore clothe
identical with those OF her good-for
nothing husband John H. Clark
She had been his wife for some time
but according TO her story, was ia
from happy.
Next day Ada Clark appeared q
, the Morguc. She demanded the priv
ilege OF viewing tho corpse. She wa
sure it was John, and procecde
promptly 10 call the dead man 4
, sorts Of abusive names declaring
, among other things that he neve
: was the least use to her in life. an
that she was glad that he was dead I
' last for now she would BIO free frcI
her misery. John, she said. was
, hard drinker poor provider and
shiftless useless lay husband In
, rage she departed declaring that I'll
city could send her husband TO Pc
ter's field. for she washed her hanC
J 81. rF..g.