“On Wednesday night a box containing a corpse in a glass-faced, air-tight coffin, arrived by express at this place, from Memphis, Tennessee, addressed to JW Cowne, Portsmouth, Ohio. No one claiming it, on Thursday it was opened. There was a probability of it being the remains of TW Cowne, lately living several miles below the city, who has been for some months on the Mississippi, and well-known here. The body was neatly and carefully arranged. Those best acquainted with him attended and closely examined the features, but being much changed, no positive conclusion could be reached; some of them being decided in the opinion that it was him, while others thought it was not.”
“He had no relatives in this part of the country. The name on the box accorded with his own, except the initial J. instead of T. No further evidence could be found to establish the identity, though the prevailing opinion seemed to be that it was the body of TW Cowne, a gifted and accomplished young man. It was removed to the vault in the cemetery to await some clue as to who it was, by whom sent, and to clear away the mystery surrounding the affair.”
“PS. Mr. William R. Smith arrived on Thursday evening from Memphis, having started with the remains. Unavoidable detention caused his arrival one day later. this explains all. The deceased proves to be Mr. Cowne.”1(1863, November 14). Portsmouth Times, p. 3.2
