Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1894-10-20
SOLD HIS BODY.



The f.rty Of the Second Fart Did Not
Hare q Cfneh, After All.
I Ii tho month Of March. 1889, the fol-
lowing agreement was drawn up in the
city Of Boston:
'sThis agreement vifncsscth: That
Henry Bayles Grahame, bsirg Of sound
mind and understanding doth hereby
covenant and agree as party Of The first
part to permit Robert j. Bcdwin, party
Of the second part, to receive and hold
within "a hours after the death of the
party Of tho FIRST part the body of tho
said Henry Bsyles Grahanie, tho party
Of the first part. and 70 mako such dis
position OF the said boly of tie party Of
the first part rs he, the said Robert j.
Beawin. the party Of the second part.
may see fit and proper. and the said
Henry Bayles Grahane, the party CT the
first part. hereby invests the party of the
second part. the aforesaid Robert ].
Bedvin, with full and absolute authority
in the receiyinN and disposal of tie body
of the party Of the first part. the said
Horny Bayles Grahaino, for and in con-
sideration of the srll ct five hundred
dollars $4,000. tho receipt of which the
said Henry Baylss Grahaiae herewith
Acknowledges this 10Th day Of March.
A. d. 1882. +"
Lawyers and ccuyeyancers may not
admire the form Of the contract and
doubtless. could detect many flaws by
which the party OF the first part might
get the better Of the party Of the sec
end part, OF vice versa, but the docu-
ment was drawn up in COOL faith, and
Tho parties to it fully intended to live
up to its provisions.
Henry Bayles Grahame was dry
goods clerk in Boston IL years ago. He
received n.eager compensation for his
service and lived in little ATTIC reoIa
in Cambridge. Bedwin was a medical
student He had wealthy parents and
was able to crafty any whim or fancy
that might seize him. He became ae-
quainted with Gral,ame ard took a
great fancy to him Tor two reasons
first, because Of his intellectually, and,
second, because Ee appeared to be APP
preaching tho last stages Of consEmp-
I tion. The second reason for the liking
was rather a grewson.e ono, but Bedwin
was what might DO called u crank OIL
the subject CT dissection, aud as well as
he liked and admired his friend no was
anxious to secure his body after death.
which he honestly believed was not far
eff. There was great deal of discus
sion eyer it. and eventually Bedwin
made the proposition which resulted in
the drawing up of the agreement with
cut the aid CT . lawyer. There was no
stipulation as to what the sick and ap-
parently dying man should do with the
money, so he Immediately expended
part of it in paying Xix months board
in advance IN the Adirondacls.
Henry Bayles Graha,ae showed his
copy Of this agreement to the writer yes
terday. He looked like man in fairly
good liealth-ilot rugged, to be sure, bus
far from u dying man. my recovery
was simply a miracle, . said he. ''At
the time | accepted that money was 50
poor that hadn money enough to buy
medicine, even if got medical attend
ance for nothing. | was glad to take iG
just TO havo a little comfort in what l
supposed Were my last days | got well
enough to leave the mountains i'll eight
months and went to st. Paul, where L
got place ia u real estate Office, and
was lucky enough to assist my employer
in saving several thousand dollars by tho
discovery Of some forged deeds. lie gave
me a tip on western lands and loaned
me some money TO speculate with. To
make a long story shert, ! went FROM
one good thing to another until mades.
lot of money. l could sell out today at
$50, coo Curiously enough, the tables
are turned now Bedwin is as poor or
! almost as poor as was 10 years ago,
but he is queer fellow and will not
accept any help at my hands, He wrote
me a letter and told me frankly that he
had worried himself sick waiting for
me to die and he insists on holding me
to the terms of the contract. As mat
ter Of fact, think he will die before j
do. This waiting for a living man to
become a subject for the dissecting ta-
bic is q nlonomania with him, and from
mutual friends Of ours / know he is
dwelling on it night and day. | am now
ON my way TO Boston, and if ! can't get
him to tear up tho agreement, which
couldn't be enforced anyhow, I'll mako
a will and leave my body to eremato-
ry. don't like this thing hanging over
me y
This is an experience that does not
come to many men in lifetime. New
York Mail and Express.