The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-04-12
MUMMY IN A COURT
NOR BEFORE A LONDON
JUDGE
GIFT AND IT'S QUEER SEQUEL
Coroner Holds an Inquest and Finds
That the Body Is That of
Woman Who Died at Some
Time Unknown.

Now that the immense accumulated
wealth of the career of Cecil Rhodes IS
to be devoted-at least in part-to edu-
eating young Americans at Oxford, it
Will be interesting to observe the intel
lectual results obtained by the English
people themselves from their much yaunt-
ed institutions of learning. The following
account of a trial that took place in one
of the superior courts Of London is taken
from the London News, and is copied
in the St Louis Central Law Journal
of the 4th inst:
1t is not often that a mummy gets into
the courts, but in the case OF Altken ".
London q Northwestern Railway com
pany, before Mr.. Justice Darling, OF the
King Bench division, in London, there
was a mummy in the case, and the facts
are sufficiently interesting to bear per-
manent record. The action was brought
10 recover damages sustained by mum
my through the alleged negligence OF the
Defendants servants. Defendants denied
ne Sl1gence.
Mr. Kemp, X c., and Mr.. Lawless rep
resented the defendants. Mr.. Kemp, IN
opening the case for the plaintiff, said
THIS was an extraordinary action; in fact,
he had never heard OF similar action
having been before the courts. Inc PAIN
tin was a lady who had Travelled great
deal in South America, and especially III
Peru. While she was travelling, her sons
stayed at q TtllSIOuS GStoD14oAl4AAClAb CT
Nellie in Belgium, where there was
museum. The plaintiff was anxious to
show the fathers that she appreciated
their kindness to her sons, and she aScer-
tanned that they would like to secure.
mummy tor their museum. The plaintiff
made an effort to obtain a mummy or
one OF the IncaS, the royal family OF Peru
at the time when the Spanish look pos
session OF the country. She had great
difhCuIty in getting one, because the gov
eminent prohibited the digging up OF
lncse ancient bodies.
There was one, however, in the possess
sion OF Mr.. Bradley, the British consul at
Iereca. Mr.. Bradley would not sell his
mummy, that of a female, but eventually
he made the plainUitr present OF il.
The mummy was packed, and at the eX-
pense of 845 pounds plaintiff sent it to
England by Capt Fox, of the steamship
Gulf of COrcovada, in order that II
might be forwarded on to Belgium. On
arrival at Liverpool the case containing
the mummy was handed to the London
* Northwestern Railway company to be
forwarded to it's destination with all dis
patch. When the case arrived in London
is was mlSla1d. In the case, in addition
to the mummy, there We're two ancient
skulls and a piece Of pottery. The case
was opened in London, and the man who
opened it became frightened and went
off to the coroner, who, instead of treat
ing it like a sensible man, held an in
quest upon the mummy. Under the cor
oners direction the jury found that
IIllS woman was IOQnQ Q6lQ at the rail-
way goods station, Sun street, on the
18th day Of April, and did die on some
date unknown, in some foreign country,
probably South America, from some
cause unknown. No proofs Of a violent
death are found, and the body has been
dried and buried in some foreign land,
probably sun ried and cave buried. The
Jurors are satisfied that this body does
not show any recent crime in this coun-
try, and that deceased was unknown,
and about twenty-five years of age
Mr.. Justice Darling-Where do you say
this inquest took place?
Mr.. kemp-In London.
oner?
Mr.. Kemp-Dr. Wynn Westcott
Mr. Justice Darling-And the jury
found that verdict?
Mr.. Kemp-Yes, a very intelligent jury.
Inc mummy was between 300 and 400
years old. Unfortunately the mummy
mad been broken into pieces. liter the
inquest the defendants thought there was
an opportunity of doing some business.
ana they demanded Of the plaintiff the
corpse. That demand, however was not
pressed, probably owing to the advice
OF the solicitor of the company. He Ghe
learned COUNSEL submitted that the plain
uIL was entitled TO recover not only the
44o she had expended, but the value
OF the mummy. OF course, it was diff
CUT 10 assess the value of a mummy
3ut some witnesses would state that the
200 and $500 ~
Mr.. Justice Darling-I suppose the de-
tenants are prepared to hand over the
MIR. LawIess-They have been offered
1ney are buried in Belgium at the pres
emf moment. When the remains arrived
In IN belgl9m the police ordered them to
Mr.: Kemp-I believe that is the fart
continuing, the learned counsel submit
Tea mat the mummy was broken while
Of he
We're thus liable. VIZ
my is goods? AA
Mr.. Kemp said the defendor+ ,oo,,4z
the case as goods p'Ou
MT. Justice Darling-I do not know
much about mummies Was this rnumrnv
Al a case ike the Egyptian mummies?
, Mr.. Kemp-No; they are not buried IN
The same way. The Incas were buried in
a sitting posture. a.
= Mrs Aitken stated that she offered Mr.
69Ppaaodley, the British vice consul at Iereca'
4ZN for the mummy but eyentuaIIv he
gave it to her. Altogether however she
mad spent ESQ on it. Mr.. Bradley. who
6 @aS v aa authority 6I6 told her it quite
reached the Roman Catholic fathers ct az
Mele, IN Belgium, the chief of poIice had
at buried in the cemetery. -4'''A
MI. LaWleSS-You spoke of this being
mummy OF the royal race of Incas Ma
you get any pedigree with it? A. No.
Ion you know that the Inc1s were tba
race VINO peopled a whole district as the
English race people England? '--S
Mr. Justice Darling-But the English
race people are only a portion of Fng-
land. 1t Is largely inhabited bv for4ig59.
Mr.. Lawless with an Irish accent-r
am afrlad so, my lord. 1 must MEAD
guilty to that PIeAU
Dr. Hewett Oliver. who was employed
py the railway company to examine the
mummy, said it was body. with a
stuffy odor," and he recommende1 IT'D
removal to the mortuary. At the time 10
was called, he was told that the dead
Dody OF a woman had been found huf 70
came to the conclusion that it was onIr
mummy. 0-'S
Mr.. Kemp submitted that Mrs. Ait1xap
was at least entitled to recover the moneJ,
she had expended
Mr.. Justice Darling-Is there any pron-
erty IN a corpse?
Mr.. Kemp-But I don't admit that this
Is corpse. -S
Mr.. Justice Darling-Then what is it?
Mr.. kemp-It is a mummy, which is a
different thing altogether. A mummy
ceases to be a corpse.
Mr.. Justice Darling-When Mr.. Kemn2
Mr.. Kemp-BefOre we get it, my lord
Mr.. Justice Darling-Is not a thing once
a corpse always a corpse?
Mr.. Kemp-No, my lord; but once a
mummy always mummy
ne jury awarded Mrs. Aitken 975, and
judgment was entered accordingly.