The National Register. — London, England, 1815-01-15 00:00:00

... 1 . „..xs .s. _:;.~ " Oo Tiegiriday I plod another visit to the remnants of Joanna. The body was thin lwginning to be offensive , ber lips and. fingers fm and aanimed a black appearance, but even this change did not shake tt.e Nide of her followers, and I was. obliged seriously to address Sharp,, stating that putreliction had actually began to lake and, if continued, it would be to no purpose to open the body. To this he replied, rather sharply. do not be uneasy, you will not seder by it, for depend upon it she will m churn to the body.' My -answer was, that if they thought so, they should endeavour to keep it sweet for her reception, far should the ceremony of her marriage in Heftiest continue two days longer, the tenement would not be habitable on her return. Well then, said he, the greater will be the miracle. The God that raisedsip Lazarus will raise her up, and dad lie would do so he had not the smallest doubt. The.evil, I re tilled, in this case finds its own remedy, f . er in two or three days she ma ill stink you all out of the house. Colonel Harwood informed me, that several medical men lied called and inspected the body, who agreed in opinion of lies being dead, except Dr. Sims, who would not speak decisively from her warmth, so that es eu on the question of death we could not agree. . " On the day of her death, the news of Peace with Am erica arr i vet! from France. This event inspired her followers with fresh emmfidence. 'Do you not think,' said one of them, it is a most curious circumstance, oh! if you did not see that God is about to do a great walk. you insist be blind indeed ! ! ! In the course of Tuesday I called again, for the purpose of informing the attendants 1 would decline opening the body if they would 'mot consent to it on time feilowieg day. I saw an this occasion Mr. Sharpe, and Colonel Harwood, w lin considered the time would not be expired till the tullaa nig mottling at tour o'clock, according Ur her dying iejmine sioes, making four days from her death, after that tissue I was at libeity they said to open the body. On this, I appointed two o'clock next day, when the Colonel informed me be would himself Hempumint the medical gentlemen who were appointed to attend Mrs: tiontlicott. lie requested to know the names of the medical gen- Ilenmeu I intended to introduce, when I gave dif names of Messrs. Clarke, Want, Caton. and Meeclowl.--The disciples in attendance vele equally sanguine in the idea of her rising again. She is not dead, but sleepeth. seemed to be the opinion of the whole. Its per fOrming the disaectioo, it was requested by Mr. Tozer, that would conduct it in the seine manner as the Ctesarian operation, that all • hopes of resuscitation might not he destroyed ! To this request I replied, that certainly the same power that could raise a putrid body could raise one that had been opened. His next request was, that I would take care of the child, for he and all the disciples were • fully confident, if Joanna was not raised before opening the body, the child would be found on dissection. " The following day, a quarter of an hour before the time ap pointed, I arrived at Mrs. s. ' s, in orderto prepaie the body for the operation, but I was not permitted to touch it till the expiration of the hour, hanging as it were with a fond and eager hope to the last moment, in the cherished expects' ion of her rising again. At the appointed hour of two the medical gentlemen were punctual in their attendance, viz. Dr. Adams, Dr. Sims, Messrs. Taunton. Clarke, Want, Caton. Mathias, Cook, and several others whose names I • was not acquainted with. ['then went with some of the disciples to the apartment where the body was lying, and I was surprised to find her exactly in the same situation as when she died, lying in bed, amid covered with flannel, with her wearing apparel, her rings, and every thing in the same unaltered state. The body was now in such a high degree of pntrefitetion, that we could not trust to the limbs to ensivey it. and it was accordingly moved to the table on a sheet. On every thing being in readiness, the attendance of the medical seen was requested, who all placed themselves iound the table, and behind them stood the disciples smoking tobacco, a proof that they dial not consider the proplactess.to possess the most savoury odour! Outing the examination. a most interesting scene was presented. The believers were all on tiptoe to see Shiloh appear, and there vm lei could not hove a view themselves, , were must anxiously mak inquides of the others. No promised child, however, appeared ; w hich so confounded Ow rest that they gradually left the room abashm•d and dismayed. dissection of every part, no orgasmic disease could be discovered to account for her death. " The body was in so highly a putrid state, that it was thought minec,essary to examine the brain, where it was probable all the mischief lay, and which would have been discovered had the dis section taken place the day after her death. She certainly suffered from determined ti of blood to the head; and the seesati us of giddiness and numbness of the extremities she experieticed about a month infuse her dissolution, indicated compression of the brain from distension of blood vessels. When I saw her the day prcced- -.4.1., -THE NATIONAL REGISTER. ~. / A PUN. i►:g her death, she was apoplectic, and in this state it may be said she died. " The state of the internal coat of the stomach was particularly inspected, in► consequence of itdoemetion having been sent to tl►e coroner that she had been poisoned ; but the appearance of it pro ved there was no foundation for such a supposition. ". The disappointment of her disciples on opening of the body, may be better conceived then described It was strongly depicted in eery countenance. Mr. Sharp was the only one that held oat to the rest the balm of consolation. Life, he observed, was involved 'in mystery. His mind had been often tinned to the investigation of the works of the Deity, to discover evidence fur the existence of the soul ; that he was satisfied of the existence of a God and of a soul; that he was in hopes by this woman something would be re vealed ; but now he felt greatly disappointed, and all he could say was, that he was in the same state will► respect to his knowledge of God as before be saw this woman. Two finale attendants, Mrs. Townley and Mrs. Underwood, were inconsolable. They had all pictured to themselves many happy days. the enjoyment of a heaven on earth. This sad event, this unexpected change, so suddenly coming upon them, was too muck to bear. Me of the disciples declined be should turn Unitarian. None condemned her as an impostor ; one declared he would ever revere her memory. and once a month visit the epot where she s tv.as laid with pious and revereu• tial awe!" Dr. Reece states, that •• It is not true that any certificate was signed by the Medical Gentlemen that were present at the opening the body, declaring, that there were no sappearanees that accounted for her dissolution. A report having been circulated that she had been poisoned. and the Coroner having expressed his determination to empanuel a Jury for the purpose of investigating the fact, a cer• tificate was drawn up, containing a declaration that there war ma foundation for such a supposition." HER FUNERAL. After dissection on Saturday sennight, the body was put in a plain coffin in the presence of three gentlemen. When the lid was screwed down, pitch was applied to the edges and rim. While this was performing, the strictest injunctions of secrecy were given to all present. At twelve o'clock at night, the crowd having retired from the street, the coffin was carried by four men to the nndertak era, at the corner of Rathbone-place, Oxford-street. Here it remained during Sunday. On Monday afternoon, about two o'clock, it was put into a hearse, drawn by two horses, without the usual ornament of feathers, to favour the belief that it did not contain a corpse, bnt was only going to receive and convey one. The hearee, followed by three gentlemen in a coach and pair, then proceeded to Marylebone upper burying-ground. near Kilburn, where it was interred, and the usual church service performed by the Clergyman. The few people whom curiosity attracted round the grave had not the slightest suspicion that the coffin contained the remains of Joanna Sionthcott. Such ptecantions were taken, that it was impossible the secret could prematurely transpire. It was known to none of her followers, and scarcely to any of her late confidants. The three gentlemen who followed the corpse to the grave were muffled up more than is customary even to mourners they wore great coats, which were buttoned up to the chin, black cloaks standing high in the collar, handkerchiefs tied round the lower part of The face, and their hats pulled over their eyes. So completely had they succeeded in disguising themselves, that nut R feature was visible ; they abstained from all conversation, so that the writer of this communi cation could not recognise their persons. On their road to the place of internment, they were joined bSt a fourth person, equally well disguised as themselves, and Who did not separate from them. This last is conjectured to have been Tozer. Rues to the Saints the fact reveals,, " JonipA's 60 Is east," For, spite of gifts, of faith and seals, DEATH Melia her Up at WA: TOZER, in grief, says-L" SHARPY, you gat, • The Doctors could not save her. SHARPE says--" Four days will prove all that; If not—then we'll ca : grore her." York, Jan 4, 1115. s • G. W. S. ••4JpP 4i6 " - • to aiiimmu ~r.~