The Sun.
London, England, 1870-02-24 00:00:00

FIRST DEAD THEN ALIVE

A strange story is told by the Louisville Commercial of
the 26th ult. of the resuscitation of an executed criminal.
A man named Kriel, in that city, was lately sentenced to
death for murdering his wife, and was accordingly hanged
in the middle of last month. Mr. Kriel, we are told,
" went to his doom grim, implacable, and unnaturally
firm." As is not unnatural with gentlemen in his
position, " his desire to live was paramount to
every earthly desire. When the drop fell it
was obierved that the closed hands and position
of the legs and feet of the culprit remained entirely un•
changed, " shewing a tremendous exercise of will and con-
trol of nerve." The neck was not-broken, and General
Whittaker, who was present at the execution, declared
that pulsation in the carotid arteries of the neck was
discernible after the gaol surgeon and his assistants
declared life to be extinct. After hanging some minutes
Mr. Kriel was cut down, and his body placed in a coffin ;
" the eyes that stared half open when the cap was
withdrawn, remained closed after a slight touch upon
them, and the face assumed an appearance of rest. The
red flushing of the cheeks came back to a certain extent,
and the dark colouring on the neck under the knotted
rope partially disappeared." No one seemed to have any
charge of the body, and it was driven away in a hearse
to the vault in the cemetery. " Now," says the CoM-
mercial, " comes the closing scene in this strange story.
Near midnight a light waggon was driven rapidly out of
Walnut-street, in which were seated three muffled silent
figures ; one of them a surgeon of great experimental
knowledge, a firm believer in the theory of resuscitation
of animal life through the galvanic process. In the
waggon were a mattress and several blankets. The
waggon halted near the cemetery fence ; the horse
was held by the driver, and two men went to the vault,
carrying between them a large sack well filled. In a short
time they returned bearing with them a motionless figure
shrouded in a blanket. The figure was placed on the
mattress, and in silence the waggon was driven back to
the city. The body was conveyed to the surgery of a
most skilful and learned surgeon, where some ten or
twelve excited and expectant students stood anxiously
awaiting the arrival of the strange party. The body
was placed in a recumbent position on the tabh3,
the clothing unloosed, the chest extended, and
an incision made in one of the veins of the
arm. At first but a small drop of dark-coloured
blood came forth, but repeated incisions and manipula-
tions of the body caused it at last to trickle forth more
freely. The galvanic battery was then applied, and in
less than fifteen minutes the warm blood commenced
to course through the chilled body, and at last
the eyes were opened. The students stood appalled,
and could hardly realise the extent of the demon-
stration before them. One of them spoke to Kriel, asking
him, `Are you sensible ?' The eyes answered expressively,
and the lips opened ineffectually, for no speech came
forth. Stimulants were poured down the throat of the
revived criminal, and in less than one hour after
he had been placed in the surgery, Kriel sat
up and asked them, ' What have you done ? Am
I alive ?' The consternation, and yet the profes-
sional delight of the spectators were loudly ex-
pressed. Steps were immediately taken to save the life
thus marvellously restored. Strangers disguised Mr.
Kriel, furnished him with means, and by daylight a man,
weak and tottering, but firm and immovable in his de-
meanour, crossed the river, and was last seen by a watch-
ful, silent friend, who kept near him, on the train leaving
Seymour, Indiana, on his way to an unknown, but it is to
be hoped a better future."

The Cork Constitution s tys :—" We have heard
that about a fortnight since two cases (one of them sup-
posed to contain thirty stand of rifles and the other fifty)
wore landed hero from Liverpool, and were taken possession
of by the revenue and handed to the police. They wore ad-
dressed To order,' and contained in addition about 1,000
rounds of cartridges and caps."
Lord tiairns, the Dublin ii'xpress understands,
presented a document to Mr. Gladstone on Saturday, signed
by the Provost, Senior Fellows, Junior Fellows, and Pro-
fessors of Trinity College, Dublin, stating that, in their
opinion, the Fellowships of Trinity College should,
without dolay, be opened to all, without regard to religious
creed. •

The last explosion at the Morfa Colliery turns out
to have been less serious in the consequences than was at
first apprehended. Ono man's hand has been shattered, and
several other colliers have been slightly injured, but not
sufficiently to prevent their resuming work within a short
time after the occurrence (f the explosion. To-day's Wes-
tern Nail says:—A naked light appears to have been the
cause of igniting some gas, though why a naked light
should have Leon permitted in such a dangerous spot is not
explained.
THE CONSERVATIVE LAND SOCIETY.—The post
of architect and surveyor to the 1. nited Land Comrany
and the Conservative B•,nefit Building Society, which was
open to public competition, owing to the decease of the late
Mr. James Wylson, has been conferred by the two Boards
of Directors on Mr. John Ashdown, formerly surveyor of
the Orphan Working School and the Hammersmith Bridge
Company, and connected with many other public works.
There were 61 candidates for the position.

PROVIDENT CLERKS' BENEVOLENT,

FUND.

The twenty-ninth annual meeting of the mem-
bers of this fund was held last night at the London
Tavern. Thomson Hawkey, Esq., one of the trus-
tee=, presided.

The CHAIRMAN said, before the business com-
menced, he felt it necessary to explain to them the
circumstance that had led to his occupying the chair
that evening, which had on former occasions been
so ably filled by his most excellent friend and their
very warm supporter, Mr. John Abel Smith. The
cause of the absence of their respected treasurer was,
he regretted to say, illness. He had, however, that day
seen Mr. Smith's son, and he had assured him that
although his father was prevented the pleasure of
presiding over them that evening, yet his illness
was not of a serious character, and there was every
hope of his speedy recovery. (Cheers.) The ill-
ness of his friend was the only ',cause of his regret,
as otherwise he had the greatest pleasure in being
with them, as he had taken a warm interest in the
affairs of the Provident Clerks' Benevolent Fund
from i s
,commencement. Ile had to congratulate
them on the smallness of the meeting, as it
showed that the members had the greatest
confidence in the manner in which its affairs were
conducted, because it was invariably the case that
where it was thought there was a screw loose in
societies similar to theirs there were plenty of
people always ready to come forward to pull it to
pieces, .and cross-question the directors, who, on
the present occasion, seemed to him to be almost
as numerous as the members composing the meet-
ing. (Hear, hear.) As he had already said, the
smallness of the meeting showed the greatest con-
fidence—a circumstance that gave him the utmost
pleasure. He would not further detain them, but
call upon their respected secretary to read the report
of the directors.

Mr. W. T. LINFORD then read the report; which
was as follows :

" The directors of the Provident Clerks' Bene-
volent Fund have the pleasure to prL sent to the
members and friends of the fund their twenty-ninth
annual report. The income of the fund for 1869
was from subscriptions and donations £1,684 85.5 d.
legacy awarded by the executors of the late IL G.
Marner, Esq., £52 103. ; interest on investments,
£1,553 12s. 2d ; total, £3,290 10s. 7d. Pursuant
to the resolution of the last annual general
meeting, an election of seven annuitants took
place on the 27th of May, 1869, when two
clerks and five widows of clerks sere elected,
whose annuities amounted collectively to £165
per annum. Four annuities have fallen in by death,
and there are now upon the fund 102 annuitants,
viz.: 19 clerks and 83 widows receiving £2,045 per an-
num. The board are now enabled to recommend tb
seven additional annuitants be elected during the
current year. A resolution to that effect will be
submitted to the meeting. By the strictest eco-
nomy, and by advocating as much as possible the
claims ofithis fund, the board have for many years
been able to recommend the election of new annui-
tants. While they rejoice .that so much has been
accomplished, they feel that were their efforts
seconded, as they should be, by the great body of
clerks, there would be few, if any, disappointed
candidates for the benefits conferred by the fund.
They are not without hope that such support will
yet be accorded to an institution possessing such
peculiar claims upon the class for whom it was
founded."

The CHAIRMAN said it now became his duty to
wove the reception and adoption of the report and
balance sheet they had jus; heard read. Everything
had been so clearly stated that it was hardly neces-
sary for him to say one word. A period of thirty
years was a long way to look back in the case of
human life, but it was not so in a society such as
theirs, and that there should be such a large accu-
mulation of funds, after deducting the very moderate
expenses, was a matter for general congratulatioal
because it showed that the society had been moat
ably managed, otherwise the gratifying result
could not have been accomplished. (Hear, hear,)
The funds were invested in securities of the most
undeniable character, and they had given very valu-
able help to a large number of their members by
way of loan, and be was quite sure, from what be
knew of the directors, they had taken tLa
best security for the repayment of the sums
so advanced. (near, hear.) That they were
able to give such a sum as appeared in the
report to 102 annuitants, and that they were about
to propose the election of seven additional recipi-
ents, was most gratifying—(cheers)—and altogether,
he must Ban the report was one of the most satis-
tory he had ever had placed in his hands. (Cheers.)
He bad much pleasure in moving its adoption.
The motion, which was seconded by Ali. PIL'
CHER, was put to the meeting and carried unani-
mously.

Mr. R. 11. JONES, the chairman of the board of
directors of the Provident Clerks' Life Assurance,
said it now was his pleasing duty to propose a re-
solution for the election of seven additional annui-
tants to those already on the fund. (Cheers.) It
might be interesting to them to know that since
the establishment of the fund they had lent to
2,420 members no less a sum than £48,400, they
had given £3,700 as guarantees, and they bad
pai I in annuities a sum no less than.
£21,266. (Cheers.) With such results he
did believe that they had fully carried
out the object for which they, started. It was
well now and then to look back in order to see
whether they had done all that it was possible to
accomplish, and, taking that view, he felt he had
right to say they had done so. (Cheers.)
Mr. PRICE seconded the resolution. He bad been
told he must not harp upon the old string, that of
urging their strong friends to come forward and
help them ; but he felt certain, if the great body of
clerks were to come forward and help them, they
should be enabled to have an election of 70 in-
stead of 7 annuitauts. They had the support of the
great leading merchants—(hear, hear)—but he
felt the clerks as a body had not come forward as
they ought to have done in their support to such
meritorious and admirable fund. (Cheers.)
The motion was carried unanimously.
Mr. JEFFS then moved a vote of thanks to the

treasurer andltrustees, and congratulated the meet'
ing that they still retained all those who, years ago,
first gave them their valuable assistance. (Cheers.)
He had, however, an addition to move to the usual
resolution, and that was the expression of the deep
regret of the meeting at the cause of the absence of
their much-respected treasurer, Mr. John Abel
Smith, who had for years presided over their
meetings.
It was, however, suggested that the more respect-
ful way would be to pass the usual vote of thanks,
and then put the resolution, conveying the regret
of the members at the illness, and their hope for
the speedy recovery, of Mr. J. A. Smith, us a sub'
stantive motion. This was done, and both resole.
Lions were carried unanimously.
The CHAIRMAN, on behalf of his co-trustees, 11'
W. Crawford, Esq., Thomas Baring, Esq., M.P.,
and Baron L. de Rothschild, returned thanks.
Major BURT moved, and Major SNELL seconded,
a vote of thanks to the medical officers, Dr. Jones,
Mr. John Gay, and Mr. Alfred Smee, for their
gratuitous services. This resolution was Edo°
carried.

Mr. COLEMAN moved, and Mr. SANCTON Wool)
seconded a vote of thanks to the auditors, Mr. Cl;
E. Gray, Mr. James Gray, Mr. W. S. Higley, and
Mr. F. J. Scudamore. This resolution was also
carried.
The CHAIRMAN said he only wished he could 0
that Mr. Scudamore had been as successful in big
other undertakings—(laughter)—as he had been ill,
auditing the accounts of the Provident Clerks
Benevo!out Fund. Ilowever, they could not btlt
i
wish him success in the work Vi as then engag`‘`
in. (Cheers.)
Air. REYNOLDS moved, and Mr. PILCH ER SCCOHCI''
a vote of thanks to the chairman, which was carrieL`
in the mcst cordial manner,- and the chairmall
having expressed thanks for the compliment, tbe
proceedings terminated.