Travelling In a Box. A Chicago Man Shipped to Philadelphia by Express.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 236, 7 January 1888, Page 2

Travelling In a Box. A Chicago Man Shipped to Philadelphia by Express.

John McAuley isone of fche earliest settlers in Chicago. Ho came here iv 1841, when Chicago and Pedunk were struggling to see l^hich could wear the largest -swaddling clothes. Although possessed of excellent business qualities, Mr McAuloy was at all times eccentric. He had a great antipathy to railroad companies, and disliked to put) money in their coffers by paying fare. In the tail of 1872 he had occasion to visit Philadelphia. The faro at that time was $29. "I won't pay that much," said Mr McAuley in conversation "with a friend. "I'd rather walk." The conversation ended in a wager, Mr McAuley betting that he could go fiom Chicago to Philadelphia on an express train for less than $10. The amount of the wager was small, but Mr McAuley's dander was up and he determined to*win it. JTor three days he shut) himself up in a carpenter's shop, and the result of his labours was a double-cased box seven feet in length by two and onehalf in width. Holes were bored in everyside i to allow him a sufficiency of air, a number of racks were placed inside the box in which were placed a quantity of food and an ample supply of water. When all the arrangements had been completed McAuley crawled into the box and the lid was nailed down. His friend, who entei*ed heartily into the scheme, hired an express* waggonandhad the box conveyed to the expiess office. Upon the upper lid, written in huge letters, was the folllowing inscription :—: — : John McAulkv, : Continental Hotel, : : Philadelphia, Pa. : : This box must be kept in a horizontal : : position, us its contents will othcrwUe bo : : ruined. ;

The box and the contents together weighed 178 pounds, Fond the express charges were $3 38. In an hour from the' time when he crowded into the box Mr McAuley was in an express car, travelling eastward at the rate of forty miles nn hour. Mr McDermott, theother party to the wager, became frightened as ho thought of the train speeding along over the rails with hie friend confined in a coffin. Knowing MeAuley's cccenti'icities, he thought that) death might come befoie he would acknowledge himself defeated. Accordingly a telegram was sent to a point) where *it would intercept the train, and an order was given by the express company to its agent on the train to refuse to carry the box containing Mr McAuley. Altoona, Pa., however, was reached before the order was executed. It was about midnight when the express messenger opened the box and McAuley was sleeping as peacefully as if he was in his own bed at home. When the lids were removed he arose, stepped into the centre of the car, stretched himself out at full length upon a pile of packages, and tried to continue his nap. " You can't ride in this car," said the messenger, "it's against the rules." "My charges have all been paid," -rejoined Mr McAuley, "and you have no right to put me off." The messenger was in a quandary. The human passage refused to leave the car, showed the receipt for the express charges which Mr McDermott had slipped into the box, and threatened a damage suit if he was forcibly ejected. By dint of arguments, threats and persuasion, McAuley managed to remain in the car until Philadelphia was reached, r when \)Q sent Mc f - Dermott the following : telegram': "Arrived on express. Total cost, including drinks and cigars, $9 75."