Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1893-04-07
A SUSPICIOUS CHEST.

On Jan. Is, 1854 there arrived at Paris
wooden chest of large dimensions and with
the lid securely nailed 1t had been sent
from Grenoble and was to he held in the
Care de Tryon depot until called for. On
the lid was white card bearing in hand
writing the name of Alfred Jolybois
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 later the chief clerk of the bag
gage room was seated in the Office eating
his break last and reading the morning
paper when faint odor of meat assaied
his delicate nostrils. He raised his head
and looked around the room. Then he
called one of his men.
"Is there any game here?" he asked.
No, there was none Strangel He could
not believe it. To make certain the chief
clerk rose from his chair and made tour
of the Office, examining all the cases one
after another Finally he 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 in the box, and owing to the
recent rise in the temperature after the
long period of frost it was beginning to 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
manner They We're usually sent in osier
cases or baskets In any case it was strange
and new to his experience that perishable
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 for u week.
The clerk at once began to indulge in q
series of oniecturcs which made him feel
somewhat uncomfortable.
In all probability, he thought, this M.
loly bois to whom the box is addressed, did
not want his address known. The chest
was to be called for. On the other hand,
the sender appeared anxious to find his adj
dress. The sender was named NJ. Louis of
Greuobe, but then so many people were
called Louis Pierre, or Paul, the chief
clerk, came to standstill. There was some
mystery in connection with the box he felt
sure. 1t might perhaps contain some pro-
hibited 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
such precautions The sender must have
had II serious reason for wishing to so COM
pletely conceal his identity. The theory of
Il crime would explain it all mt once. But
he had no reason to suspect crime had
been committed Just because there seemed
to he II little mystery about the box.
Everybody will remember the discovery
some time ago in Europe of woman's
body cut in little pieces and packed in a
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 and
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 II bar of iron the
case was forced open
horrible sight met the eager gaze of the
chief clerk and the officer There on the
bottom of the chest was seated form
without hands or feet, and which had been
SO IlluCu l1ullltleu U0uJ IL WAS scarcely re
cognizable H. human.
There was no head II 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 a
gaping openii {, over which n 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 special office and proceeded to
telegraph to Grenoble.
lis IA NJ. .Jolybois known therep"
No"
"Or NJ. LOUISE"
NO"
The officer knew that he was in the pres
ence OF a monstrous crime which had been
committed under the most mysterious and
secret conditions.
Meanwhile he sent word to the procureul
de la rcpublque.
News of the discovery had already got
abroad, and n crowd that threatened &c
break in the doors had collected and wert
only restrained by force from bursting in tc
catch glimpse of the CHASTITY sight.
Some said it was the body of one of the
best known merchants of Grenoble. Other.
thought it was the corpse Of grandfather
who had been murdered by his grandson.
One thing was, however, certain. 1t was
the body of a person who was aged and very
stout
In spite of the efforts of the employee,
and the police the crowd gathered NOR,
and more in the depot, and it was only witt
the utmost difficulty that a bowling, angry
mob WAS kept in order and prevented from
breaking in the doors.
A small man wearing spectacles, with al
important bearing and cold manners, en-
tered the Office of the police commissioners
He was accompanied by another man " hC
was very tall and thin.
From mouth to mouth the news flew. L
was the procureur lie la republique and hi
clerk.
The mysterious door closed again be
tween the CHASTITY crime and the ever in
creasing crowd outside.
The attention of every one was so mucl
. directed to this diversion that a gentIenta,