News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1894-10-18
SOLD HIS BODY.
The Party of the Second Part Did Not
Have n Cinch, After All.

In the month Of March, 1882, the fol-
lowing agreement was drawn up in the
city of Boston:
This agreement witnessetb: That
Henry Bayles Grahame, being Of sound
mind and understanding, doth hereby
covenant and agree as party of the first
part to permit Robert J. Bedwin, party
of the second part, to receive and hold
within "a hours after the death of the
party of the first part the body of the
said Henry Bayles Grahame, the party
of the first part, and to make such dis
position of the said body of the party of
the first part as he, the said Robert j.
Bedwin, the party of the second part,
may see fit and proper, and the said
Henry Bayles Grahame, the party of the
| first part hereby invests the party OF the
second part, the aforesaid Robert J.
| Bedwin, with full and absolute authority
in the receiving and disposal of the body
of the party of the first part the said
Henry Bayles Grahame, for and in con-
| sideration of the sum of five hundred
dollars (S5OOl, the receipt of which the
said Henry Bayles Grahame herewith
acknowledges this 10th day of March,
A. d. 1882.
Lawyers and conveyancers 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
ond part or vice versa, but the docu-
ment was drawn up in good faith, and
the parties to it fully intended to live
up to its provisions
Henry Bayles Grahame was a dry
goods clerk in Boston IL years ago. He
received a meager compensation for his
service and lived in little attic room
in Cambridge Bedwin was a medical
student. He had wealthy parents and
was able to crafty any within or fancy
that might seize him. He became ac-
quainted with Grahame and took a
great fancy to him for two reasons
second, because he appeared to be ap-
! preaching the last stages of consump-
| ton. The second reason for the liking
was rather a grewsome one, but Bedwin
was what might be called a crank on
the subject of dissection, and as well as
he liked and admired his friend he was
anxious to secure his body after death,
which he honestly believed was not far
off. There was great deal Of discus
sion over it, and eventually Bedwin
made the proposition which resulted i'll
the drawing up of the agreement with
out the aid of a lawyer There was no
stipulation as to what the sick and APP
parently dying man should do with the
money, so he Immediately expended
part of it in paying six months board
in advance in the Adirondacks.
Henry Bayles Graha1ne showed his
copy of this agreement to the writer yes
terday. He looked like a man in fairly
good health-not rugged, to be sure, but
far from dying man. my recovery
WIS 81 nply miracle, said he. AT
the time l accepted that money was so
poor that l hadn't money enough to buy
medicine, even if l got medical attend
ance for nothing. was glad to take it
just to have little comfort in what l
supposed were my last days. | got we'll
enough to leave the mountains in eight
months and went to st. Paul, where l
got place in real estate Office, and
was lucky enough to assist my employer
in saving several thousand dollars by the
discovery of some forged deeds He gave
me tip on western lands and loaned
me some money to speculate with. To
make long story short, | went from
one good thing to another until made a
lot of money. l could sell out today at
$3.50, 900. Curiously enough, the tables
are turned now. Bedwin is as poor or
almost as poor as was IL years ago,
but he is a queer fellow and will not
accept any help at my hands. He wrote
me 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
do. This waiting for living man to
become a subject for the dissecting ia
BILE is mOnomania 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 the agreement, which
couldn't be enforced anyhow, I'll make
a will and leave my body to a cremato-
ry. l don't like this thing hanging over
me. "
This is an experience that does not
come to many men in lifetime. New
York Mail and Express.