The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-01


sor al the world like a coffinln observed
nrS, Savage, with ehuddsr.
And what particular care the black
bearded man with the spectables took Of il.
soo, added Mrs. Bentley. why, IL it had
neld Dresden china or-or peach-blow vases.
ne couldn't have made the expressmen
handle 1t moro gingerly.s --
but the excitement reached a climax
when, half an hour later, dray drawn by
Tour horses came slowly along the street.
rafting as Is vent. and stopped before the
SIDE entrance OF No. SS5. This contained a
very dtlaptdated looking donkey engine. a
great many sections of steam piping, TO.
gether with large obIong rectangular elass
tanx, aoons seven feet long by three in
"loth and depth, which looked like an
aquarium. The black-bearded man superin-
tended the moving Of these articles through
the side entrance into che back yard, aud
sounds OF saving and hammering proceeded
from the premises during the rest Of The
oay. As no women folks or children ap-
peared upon tie scene matters lost some
what of their interest, though this rather
increased. If anything, the suspicion with
which the whole proceedings were regarded.
There was nothing for it. however, but to
Walt for further developments.
. TO this point | speak from hearsaV
now begins my own connection with the
affair.
AT the tims the United States survey
commission was organized to survey and
explore Death valley and the sd iacent res
glons, two savRnts Of repute in their partic-
uIar lines, one an expert in zoology aud bot
any, and the other a mineralogist, were ap-
pointed to accompany the expedition. Dur
Ing the necessary stay of the commission in
San francisco before starting out | was
overjoyed to find that DR.. Herzog, the 70
ologist of the party, was the same whom l
bad known as a student of the University of
Giessen in collegs days. and it is needless to
say our intimacy was resumed. The commits
sion set out during the latter part OF 1890,
and beyond few disjointed Geographic
dispatches tina: appeared in the papers from
time to time l had learned nothing of or
from my old friend Dr. Herzog. It was
therefore with some surprise but more
qualification that met him on Montgomery
street.
Why, has the commission returued.'
asked, after the usual greeting.
NO." be answered, but I have. Bush
ness of a peculiar nature. BY the way" he
added, as sudden idea struck him, 'is your
time much occupied at present.! No! Then
come to this address the day after to-mor-
row and will show you something of in
tereSt.n
So saying be gave me his card with the
Haight street address and said good-by.
Two days afterward, at IL o'clock in the
forenoon, rang the door-bell OF S35 Haight
street, and after waiting several minutes
was preparing to go, concluding that no
one was at home, when the door was opened
by Or. Herzog In person. The doctor was
In his shirt'sleeves and apologizsd for keep.
ing me waiting as he had heen engaged
when the bell rang. AS he led me througd
the ball to the rear Of the building l noticed
through the open doors that such furniture
a G fhara {r, ha AaI
arranged, everything indicating the con-
fusion of a new arrival. The doctor led the
way TO a room looking into the back yard,
the contents OF which aroused my curiosity,
In the center of the room stood the large
glass tank which the neighbors had seen
taken into the house the day before. l.
was composed of thick plate glass, bound at
the seams with brass In ordinary aquarium
style, the Tesem blance to an aquarium be-
ing further heightened by two metal pipes,
let into either end and leading thence,
through holes cut in the wall, to the outside
or the house, a glance through the window
showed me that one of these pipes led to an
old donkey engine which stood in the yard
outside. The other ended foot or two be.
yond the wall, and evidently served the pur-
pose OF a steam exhaust Upon some tables
set against the walls stood chemical and
scientific apparatus of various Kinds: upon
others we're botanical specimens with rem
tiles and insects preserved in jars of alcohol
in abort, just such a heterogeneous COL
lection as one " ould expect in the labora-
tory of IA man Of science. This, with few
chairs, made up the tout ensemble Of the
apartment, with the exception of a long.
wooden packing box. the lid OF which Dr.
Herzog had evidently been prying open
when l rang the bell.
II am glad you have come, " he said, 81
wanted an asslstane-one vino would under
stand what l was about Such men are
hard to find, and am a stranger here. The
chances are that had / enlisted the services
of one who did not know me, within twenty
four hours / should have been uDder arrest
aud the opportunity of lifetime lost for
ever. Now, l have perfect confidence in
YOU" added the doctor. You are a man
of sense and when matters are explained to
you think you will enter heart and soul
into the affair. Now, help me off with the
lid of this box
In very few seconds the lid was re.
moved from the long packing-box and l
confess | was startled at what saw inside
Stretched at full length upon layers of cot
ton wedding which filled the box was the
dead body Of man. The only parts of the
body visible were the head neck and such
portion of the breast as was left bare, where
the blue flannel shirt which the man had
worn had been left open In front, and the
hands. Inc resi- OF the dress consisted OF
a pair Of blue overalls, tucked into top
boots a canteen slung across the shoulders
by leather strap, and leather waist belt
carrying revolver and carsridge-case. The
face was drawn, pinched, of the color on an
Indian and of the consistency Of parchment
The fingers Of the hands were shrunk al
most to the bone.
looked inouiringly at the doctor.
DON'T be alarmed, +" he said, reassuringly.
there is no murder mystery about this. It
is merely q munmified body which picked
up in Death valley-some poor miner or
prospector who succumbed from heat or
thirst. Everything is perfect, you see."
went on the doctor, partially opening the
mummy's mouth and disclosing two rows Of
glistening white teeth in seemingly perfect
preservation. Neither the buzzsrds nor
the flies approached this body. All its or
gans are as perfect as they were in life, and
there is every indication that this was a
strong, healthy man. In that terrible
natural oven, you know, the juices of the
uodv dry out before decay or disintegretion
have time to set ia. There was no necessity
70 remove any of the Internal organs OF this
body IN order to preserve it. 1t is, there
fore, one Of the few-perhaps the only
perfect specimen of q mummy that the
world has ever seen" concluded the doctor,
with an enthusiastic wave of his hand.
"a very valuable acquisition to science"
7 suggested ''The Smithsonian Institution
or the British museum wonld give great
daal 10 secure such a prize. | don't blame