McCurdy's Corpse For Western Wednesday...!

It's not often that a persons corpse has a more interesting life than the man did, but in this story that was the case.

This whole story is fairly strange and sad at the same time. Probably ol' Elmer McCurdy didn't mind at all. He would probably be proud that he was remembered all this time for something.

Failed bandit Elmer McCurdy’s corpse had a more interesting life than the man did.

In 1911, Elmer McCurdy mistakenly robbed a passenger train he thought contained thousands of dollars. The disappointed outlaw made off with just $46 and was shot by lawmen shortly thereafter. McCurdy’s unclaimed corpse was then embalmed with an arsenic preparation, sold by the undertaker to a traveling carnival and exhibited as a sideshow curiosity. For about 60 years, McCurdy’s body was bought and sold by various haunted houses and wax museums for use as a prop or attraction. His corpse finally wound up in a Long Beach, California, amusement park funhouse. During filming there in 1976 for the television show “The Six Million Dollar Man,” the prop’s finger (or arm, depending on the account) broke off, revealing human tissue. Subsequent testing by the Los Angeles coroner’s office revealed the prop was actually McCurdy. He was buried at the famous Boot Hill cemetery in Dodge City, Kansas, 66 years after his death.

I reckon that being remembered for something is better than being forgotten altogether. Turns out he was more useful dead than alive. That to me is the sad part!

Coffee out on the patio this morning. It seems to be a little cooler!