The Fort Dodge Messenger: Jan. 18, 1905

Safety Deposit Vault in Chicken’s Gizzard

Remarkable Recovery of Jewelry Lost by Fort Dodge Girl

Found the Chain in a Hen

Had Been Lost For Several Months Without Any Suspicion of its Whereabouts – Chain Showed Signs of Wear From Digestive Organs.

As the result of having chicken for a Sunday dinner, Miss Mamie Gaulson, living on the flat in this city has recovered possession of a much prized necklace that was lost by her two years ago. The chain was found stowed away in the gizzard of the fowl, where it had evidently been for some time, as it is quite noticeably worn in some places altho in the whole it is in very good shape.

Miss Gauson (sic), with her parents, has only recently moved to this city from a farm south of Gowrie. Two years ago, last summer while picking pansies from a flower bed in the yard, she lost the necklace in question. She prized it very highly, and as soon as it was missed by her, made a thorough search of the premises, but without result. After a few days the incident faded out of her thoughts and the chain was given up as lost for good.

When the family decided to leave the farm and most to this city they sold off all but a few of their fowls, and these they killed, dressed and after freezing them, packed them down in a barrel and brought them here to Fort Dodge with them.

There were a dozen of them and they have been eating them along on special occasions every since they arrived there. There was one very fat hold hen that had been saved  until the last.

On Sunday it was decided to pick the bones of the old biddy, and she was brought in and thawed out. When the gizzard was opened, owing to an accident, the inner lining was cut into, and a speck of what appeared to be gold shown out from the contents. On investigation, what was the joy and surprise of Miss Gaulson to draw forth from the half digested mass in the sack, the long lost chain. It was as bright as the day it was lost and with the exception of the few links that showed considerable wear it appeared to have suffered little damage.

Of course it is highly improbable that the chain was swallowed as soon as lost, as it would surely have been entirely worn out by the actions of the digestive organs in that case. It was probably made a meal by the old biddy only a short time before her sudden and tragic death.

Tags: 1905, Gaulson