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The True Story Of The Man Nearly Murdered By A Deadly Mysterious Christmas Gift In The Mail
More than 100 years ago, a gift mailed to a New Jersey man wasn’t from a secret Santa, it was from someone trying to kill him
Christmas is a time for friends and family, often represented by the exchange of gifts to signify goodwill and cheer. Unfortunately, some gifts aren’t always given with good intentions, including a mysterious present one Princeton, New Jersey man received more than a century ago that was intended to kill him.
The December 19, 1904 edition of the Washington Post reported the curious case of William Lutz, a Princeton businessman who nearly met an early end due to a devious present he at first thought was sent to him in good cheer but was actually designed to kill him. On December 17th, Lutz found a small package in his mail that upon opening held a small plug of tobacco along with a note that read, “Friend Will: Accept this little token as a Christmas present. Hoping you will enjoy it. With greetings.”
Although he had no idea who had sent the gift, Lutz was not about pass up on a freebie. He placed the tobacco in his pocket and there it remained until later that evening.
