Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-04-07
A SUSPICIOUS CHEST.

On Jan. 10, 1884, there arrived at Paris a
wooden chest of large dimensions and with
the lid securely nailed 1t had been sent
from Gren0ble and was to be held in the
Care de Tryon depot until called for. On
the lid was a white card bearing in hand
writing the name of Alfred .Jolvbois
There was no further indication as TO the
destination OF the package, which had moth
ing remarkable about It, and it was put
away with number of other similar boxes
in the office
Six days fater the chief clerk of the bag
gage room was seated in the Office eating
his breakfast and reading the morning
paper when faint odor of meat assailed
his delicate nostrils. He raised his head
and looked around the room Then he
called one of his men.
us there any game herey' he asked
No, there was none. Strangel He could
not believe it. To make certain the chief
clerk rose from ais chair and made "a tour
OF the Office, examining all the cases one
after another. Finaiiyhe stopped opposite
the wooden chest we have already noticed.
1t was thence the odor proceeded Beyond
doubt there was animal matter of some
sort contained ia the box, and owing to the
recent rise in the temperature after the
long period Of frost it was beginning 10 de
compose there. The clerk at once grew
suspicious.
1t struck him as odd that birds or veni-
son should be sent by train packed in such
a manner, They were usually sent in osier
cases or baskets In any case it was strange
and new to his experience that perishabe
articles should be sent in an ordinary
wooden chest with no address and no indi-
cation Of what was inside, and also that it
had not been reclaimed fer a week
The clerk at once began to indulge in
series OF conjecturcs which made him feel
somewhat uncomfortable
In all probability, be thought, this VI.
Jolybois 10 whom the box is addressed, did
not want mis- address known The chest
was TO be called for. On the other hand.
the sender appeared anxious 20 find his adj
dress. The sender was named NJ Louis Of
Grenoble but then 50 many people were
called Louis. Pierre, or Paul. the chief
clerk came TO "a staDdstill There was some
mystery in connection with the box he felt
sure. 1t might perhaps contain some pro-
hiDited game, some birds that were out Of
season and the law prohibited killing. Per
haps it was sent by one poacher to another.
But this conclusion did not satisfy the
chief clerk. A box Of game did not call for
such precautions. The sender must have
had serious reason for wishing to 50 com
pletely conceal his identity. The theory Of
crime would explain it all at once But
be had no reason to suspect a crime had
been committed just because there seemed
to be little mystery about the box.
Everybody will remember the discovery
some time ago in Europe of woman's
hddy nsuf in . L. 81 Ia
box, which was sent through the post.
The chief clerk remembered the case
well and the shape Of this box, the way it
was nailed and fastened. and, above all, the.
peculiar odor that emanated from it were
sufficient TO increase his suspicious ard
rouse in him the most unpleasant reflec-
lions.
just then his superior officer passed the
door. Without being too positive about it,
the chief clerk soon induced him TO share
his own suspicious
The devil" he cried, that's true what
you say" and without more ado the police
were notified, and with bar OF iron the
case was forced open.
A horrible sight met the eager gaze of the
chief clerk and the officer. There on the
bottom Of the chest was seated a form
without hands or feet, and which had been
so much mutilated that IL was scarcely re-
cognizable as human.
There was no head IL had been torn
off The body had been scorched and was
covered with large black smudges, as Of
charcoal. In the upper part Of the chest
gaping opening, over which a mass Of
black blood had coagulated, showed where
the deadly knife had been driven home.
The huge trunk, armless, headless and leg
less, was horrible in the extreme to look at.
The crime must have been committed eight
or ten days before.
The police officer had the chest at once re-
moved into a special Office and proceeded to
telegraph TO Grenoble.
rs NJ. Jolybois known thereS'
No"
"Or NJ. LOUISE"
mo"
The officer knew that he was in the pres
ence Of a monstrous crime which bad been
committed under the most mysterious and
secret conditions.
Meanwhile he sent word to the procureuI
de la republique.
News OF the discovery had already got
abroad, and crowd that threatened TO
break in the doors had collected and were
only restrained by force from bursting in TO
SdoIh tliAh FHt VI AAt Sua7big HlBnAs
Some said 1t was the body OF one Of the
best known merchants Of Grenobe Others
thought it was the corpse Of n grandfather
who had been murdered by his grandson
One thing was, however, certain. IL was
the body of person who was aged and very
stout
In spite Of the efforts Of the employees
and the police the crowd gathered more
and more in the depot and IL was only with
the utmost difficulty that bowling, angry
mob was kept in oftler and prevented from
breaking In the doors
"A small man wearing spectacles, with an
important bvaring and cold manners, en-
tered the Office Of the police commissioners
He was accompanied by another man who
was very tall and thin.
From mouth TO mouth the news few. II
was the procuretfr de Ia repubiique and his
clerk