Year: 1871

A Ride with a Dead Man.


THINGS do occasionally happen now
that are not caught up by the daily press
to-day, although the reporter of modern
times is supposed to hunt out everything
and miss nothing of interest to any reader.
In Detroit, at least, fifteen or twenty years
ago, the case was different, and many Incl
dents and adventures occurred aalOng law
yers, doctors and officers of the law, which
never found their way into print The
other day, in conversation with we'll
known member of the Detroit bar, he
called up little adventure of his own
which has never been published and which
is worthy Of 1t.


One day in January, 1855, the lawyer,
VINO asks that his name be published as
Blank, was called upon to 60 to the vii
lage of Farmington and conduct the de-
fence in a lawsuit Of considerable impor
tance. Being in possession of horse
and sleigh, he chose to 60 by his own con-
veyance, and, as the weather was extreme
ly cold, took care to be well provided with
robes and blankets. Whether he won or
lost the suit, or how be spent the time up
to seven o'clock in the evening are matters
of no interest to the reader The night
having set in still colder than the day,
Blank was entreated to remain in the viii
lage until the next day, but he would not
hear of such plan, as an important mat
ter would claim his attention in the city
next day. So he bundled up, got jug Of
hot water for his feet, and headfd his
horse for home, calculating on ride of not
more than three or four hours. The wind
blew picrcingly cold into the face of man
and beast, and Blank was soon half frozen
in spite of his coverings. He had pro-
ceeded about one-third of the distance
home the horse going at sharp trot most
of the time, when he overlook a man
plodding at slow pace and OF;
tered him a ride. The man had
on an old ragged overcoat, was otherwise
WAS nearly frozen to death. Blank asked
questions, but tho stranger was just then
busy settling the coverings around him,
and did not reply; and further on his
silence was accounted for by the lawyer
on the ground that the man was deaf or
deeply engaged in thought. Soon after
picking up his passenger the lawyer felt
that he must do something or freeze to
death, and concluded to take run bt hind
the cutter. He offered the lines to the
stranger, explaining that he was going to
get out, but, as he did not accept them
Blank passed them over the fellows head,
saying to himself that he was expressing
but little gratitude for the ride so kindly
offered. Getting out, the lawyer seized
the back of the sleig gh and ran until thor
oughly warmed up, and then climbed in
beneath the robes again. Feeling much
better, and being man given to sociabil-
ity, Blank nudged his passenger sharply
and began to question him. The fellow
could not be drawn out by anything which
the lawyer advanced, and so he was left
to himself for time. Perhaps it is even
now the habit of lawyers to take a
"pocket pistol" with them when they
ride out, and it certainly was then. Blank
was thus provided for, aud he concluded
that pull at its contents would be good
for himself and the stranger. After drink
ing, he held it up before the mans face,
and politely requested him to take a sip
but this offer met with no response
Drawing away the coverings from the
man's face, it was seen that he was wide
awake and looking full at the lawyer and
when Blank held up The flash again, he
thought he saw the man shake his head
Concluding that he had a temperance man
aboard, the lawyer returned the flask to
his pocket, and made no more advances of
the kind.


During the trial that day, one of the
witnesses had given utterance to some ex-
prcssions which greatly pleased the law
yer, and he now related it in hopes to. get
word from the stranger Blank went
all over the ground, laughed heartily at
the joke, and even gave the man a nudge
in the side without receiving word or
sign. Then, sort of fear came over
him. He began to think that the stranger
was either lunatic or else had designs
against his life. He had heard of men be-
ing assassinated at their own firesides, in
their Carriages and sleighs, and might not
this man who maintained such mysteri-
GUS silence be there for the purpose of
securing victim? And the lawyer drew
further away, and scanned his man more
closely to see if one of his hands did not
grasp pistol or knife The eyes of the
stranger looked full at him, the man Sit
ting little sideways on the seat, and they
seemed to the lawyer to fash vengeance,
The two entered the suburbs at last and
getting down to Perkins Hotel, Blank
asked the man where he should let him
out. Receiving no answer, he drove
down to Woodward avenue, aero g. and
over to Randolph street, where he resided.
Stopping the horse at the door, the lawyer
got out, and then informed the stranger
that the journey was ended. The man
neither moved or spoke. Provoked at his
persistent silence, the lawyer seized him
by the shoulder, gave him a shake, and
exclaimed: IF you don't get out of my
sleigh, l will pull you out!'


The man lurchcd heavily to one side and
then fell to the ground. The lawyer tore the
wraps open and found that he had been
riding with corpse for the last two
hours. The stranger was stone dead,
every limb and muscle as stiff as an icicle'
At the inquest next day not word or a
line could be found to establish tue mans
identity. Men came ont from Pennington,
but no one could say that he had ever seen
tfs>Btranger, and he was buried as city
pauper. The only thing of any value at
all about the dead man was curious
looking tobacco box, made of some foreign
wood, and the initials &C. G. N" inlaid
with silver on the cover. This was in
time handed to the lawyer, ard is yet in
daily use to hold his fine cut.-Uctqoit
Free Press.