GHASTLY DISCOVERY AT NEW YORK.

Te Aroha News, Volume VII, Issue 475, 28 May 1890, Page 4

GHASTLY DISCOVERY AT NEW YORK.

THE BODY OF A MURDERED DANE. A murderer in Copenhagen, Denmark, a few weeks ago confessed his crime and declared that his victim had been sent over to America in a barrel labelled plaster and addressed to the fictitious firm of Beresford Bros., Racine, Wis. A cable to this effect led to an investigation and the barrel was found in the cellar of the Appraiser’s stores, and when opened the body of a man six feet in height was found, only slightly decomposed, though it had been in the cellar for six weeks. The cask was sent over in the steamer Thingvalla, and was entered on the ship's manifest as “ one package of chemicals, care Wells, Fargo and Co.” The cask is a large one, such as is used in shipping wine, with heavy oak staves and iron hoops. Although the mere fact that its contents had not been clearly stated on the manifesb should have asked for the vigilance of the examiner, it had no such salutary effect. The examiner satisfied himself by boring a small auger hole through the top of the barrel, and carelessly looking at the white stuff which adhered to the implement, which he recognised as plaster, and valued the caskful at $lO, making the duty $2.50. The big cask might have been filled with thousands of dollars’ worth of valuable silks or $1,000,000 worth of diamonds, but such an “examination” could never have discovered it. When the special agent inquired for the cask he had great difficulty in finding it, and when he caused the head of the cask to be removed a horrible sight was revealed. “ There had been no odour until the cask was opened,” he said, “ and even when the head of the cask was taken off the stench was not very strong at first. Within the cask was the body of a large man, with close-cut, blonde hair and beard and a ruddy face. The features were easily recognisable. There was loose plaster in the cask around the body, some of which was moist and sticking to tho features. The body was that of a man about thirty-five years old and fully six feet in height. The legs were drawn up, and the hands and arms twisted across the chest. The body seemed to be fully clothed.”