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| Dr. Albert L. Victor's gravesite, Salem, Oregon |
There's nothing quite like a dismembered corpse to engage reader attention, which explains why I found first reference to this odd little tale, headlined "Only a Cadaver" and datelined Chariton, Iowa, in The Philadelphia Inquirer of Sunday, Jan. 9, 1898.
Backtracking to The Chariton Patriot of Thursday, Jan. 13, revealed the rest of the story.
The principal character here, in addition to the corpse, was Albert Lycurgus Victor, son of Lucurgus and Mary J. Victor, of Newbern. Albert, then 29 with a wife, Mary, and two small children, was a medical student who had studied with, among others, Dr. A.L. Yocom Sr., of Chariton, before enrolling at the Marion Simms Medical College in St. Louis.
Here's The Patriot report of the incident, published on Page 1 under the headline, "That Mysterious Box" ---
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On January 6th there arrived at the Adams Express office an ordinary soap box from St. Louis, addressed to L. Victor, Chariton (This was Louis Victor, Albert Victor's brother). The box, placed in the express office near the stove, soon began to emit an almost unbearable odor. Becoming suspicious of the contents, one of the employees opened it, and to his horror beheld what he supposed to be a corpse rudely jammed in this small space and covered with paper.
The next day, Chicago and Iowa dailies contained associated press dispatches to the effect that a cut-up body of a human being had been found in a box at the Adams Express office in Chariton, and detectives were at work on the case.
But notwithstanding the fact that the contents were known to express employees, the box was delivered on the 7th. Receiving telegrams from a Chicago paper to fully investigate the "Adams Express Box Mystery," although express employees denied any knowledge whatever of the affair, a Patriot reporter having reliable information that such a box had been received, delivered and taken to Newbern, in company with Coroner Stanton and City Marshal Boylan, drove to Victor's home in Newbern to investigate.
With some reluctance, Louis Victor, to whom the box had been sent, turned it over to Coroner Stanton, who, tearing off the paper which so neatly enveloped it, with a hatchet removed the top of the box, took off a layer of newspapers and the "terrible evidence of murder most foul" lay exposed to view --- a skeleton with some of the flesh still adhering to the bones, which for at least three months had been used as a subject in Marion Simms' Medical College, St. Louis.
It was that of an old man who before death had willed his body to the college for dissection, and Albert Victor, who has been studying medicine and surgery in that school, drew the skeleton by lot, as was customary among the students, and shipped it home preparatory to coming himself.
There is nothing irregular about the business, except perhaps the way in which the skeleton was shipped, but it was a good piece of news and consequently well worked by the papers.
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As it turned out, Lycurgus Victor, who had been critically ill, died at age 57 at his Newbern home the same day the box was delivered, one reason why the Victor family had been reticent about discussing the matter (the family reportedly did not wish to further distress his widow, Mary J.).
His father's death, however, brought Albert Victor home promptly to attend last rites and take charge of his cadaver and the story ended.
Albert then returned to St. Louis to complete his studies, was accredited as a physician and practiced in Iowa for a time before moving his family, which eventually included seven children, to the Pacific Northwest.
Dr. Albert Victor was in practice until retirement in Woodburn, Oregon, and died on Sept. 17, 1948, in Pendleton, age 79. He is buried at Belcrest Memorial Park, Salem, alongside his wife, Mary Ellen (Norris) Victor, who died in 1946.
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There's no particular lesson here, other than perhaps the admonition --- if you have dismembered remains to deal with, think twice before sending them express.
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