American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1826-09-19
Volume v.

prlated by Us to the practice of dissection and il
was our intention this particular night to nyes
tigate new und singular theory connected with
the organs OF respiration. which had been shor!
time before proposed by German professor. The
apartment which We had hired as our dissecting
room was soated in obscure lane in one of the
northern outlets Of the city and we had agreed
with person. who made his livelihood by the trait
nc, to furnish us every week with fresh subject
Tor dissection. The evening of which / speak.
RENE Tber well, dark and stormy, and it was
about 8 O'Clock when Luback and | reached our
apartment The usual arrangements had been
made by Luback's servant; aud we found the body
which was 70 form The subject oil our investigation
stretched out upon the dssecting taee, and covered
with white CLOTH On examining our instruments.
however, We soon discovered that part OF ihe appa-
ratus with winch our proposed experiments we're
TO be made had not been provided and Lubacl K i'm
redately set off, accompanied by his servant, in
order to procure the necessary articles and, in
the mean time il was agreed hat should proceed
to lay open the body, and make the proper arrane
mens Tor entering upon our exprria ents immedi-
aely on Luback's return. With this view, re-
moved the cloth from The corpse, but what was my
SUI prise, when discovered in the features oil the
young man whose execution had that evening
witnessed! There was the same air of serenity
and composure in the countenance which had struck
me so much and except tbat the lips were slightly
convulsed il did not seem that death had produced
upon him any change. The clothing had been aI-
most wholly stripped If but part Of the fatal cord
still remained twisted atound the neck. had pres
pared my knife, bur when looked upon the Calm
and beautiful countenaDce OF the young mao, and
recoliectsd the words which be had spoken on the
scaffold, | hesitated to ii / Ielt as il it wes
living body which was lying before me, aud shu1-
dered as laid the edge Of the knife on the young
mans bosom But this was only the feeling os
4 Had E<u t,itx
trimming the tapers, and placing them 10
give me the best light, addressed myself serious
| y to my work And now mus, tell what have
resolved to tel-ihe horrible truth, which tA'e
never yet disclosed 10 any human beng, but which
| have thought OF, ard dreamed Of. III my stcree
soul, every morning and every n'ght, Tor anoss
forty years. and the recollection OF which has esery
day become more intolersble, and mure grlrious 10
be borne beseech you, reader, 20 Judge as gent-
ly as you can while you ead I'll had set ihe edge
of the knite, have said, 70 the young mans boz
som, and was preparing to make thz d st cut,
when my hand accidentally passed over The region
Of the heart, and to my great asionshment, tele
that the pusaon OF the arteries going on still,
| had before remarked thai The body was Hexihes
and still retained considerable degree nt heat Eua
this had not surprised me, fur these appearances
ofen ,eman for many houls after the last spark oil
hte has been exiting eoished but the beating Of the
heart seemed TO indicate HE, aud knew not what
10 think laid my hand again upon the spot, ard
the pulsaons were now strong and regular. | CAN
not tell what was passing i'll my mind at his times
Tor was agitaled and alarmed, but | kbew-yes /
knew, and remember clearly what did. held
my hand over the young mans heart, and pressed
it DOWN. leant upon it heavily, and with my
whole weight: the hrobbing strong for mo-
meni, but il gradually became fainter and fainter,
and a. length died wholly away. knew not why
did this only know that did it, and ] know
that thereby took away the lille OF fellow MOI
tai
Would to God had now The power, though ar
The expense OF every thing dear TO me, OF updoing
what was then done but it is idle to talk thus
A shatp quyering ran through the body when 'hs
last lain, beating had ceased and with horror saw
the eyes open, and stare wildly upon me for mo-
ment. The hand-the weather-beaten and etn.
Drowned hand and the pale, pale ann. rose up as
If pointing al me, and instantly ieli down, dead and
noiionless. / stood for some momenls supplied
and irtesolute /; at length put my hand again upcn
the heart, and found that il remained stu and les
less / then resumed my knife, and remember
| said to myself, /" think | may now proceed "
Blu, on The instant dreadful detection occurred To
me and something within me said, almost audb!y.
+" 1t is murtes - | endeasored to repsess The
thought, and for moment busted myself with
case oI instruments which was lying upon the ia
ble But the terrible reflection again came oyes
me like fit oil sickness, and | ciied out, " Oh,
God what have duns y III an instant the insiru-
ments were dashed upon the floor, and was .n-
dea,orng by rubbing the body with my hands, to
recall the banshcd lie. There was no one bear
to assist me, but with great exeriion | con-
tri,ed TO dag the body towads the fire, and set
ling it upon such position that The heat might
fall upon the chest continued the tncuon with
my hands for long time without ntefmsslon It
was in vain the pusatons OF the heart mad CEASED
forever. flew to my lancets, and laid open vein,
but the blood was cold and congealed, and not a
drop would flow cannot describe the dislrsc-
I.aId af me- l tht. st.lf