Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-01-22
EVENING STAR.
OPENING A GRAVE - EXTRAORDINARY
PRESERVATION OF HUKAN boDIks

OPENING A GRAVE - EXTRAORDINARY
PRESERVATION OF RUKAN BoDIks
From the Dayton tOhio) Empire, January I3l
Mr.. George Lane, who has charge of
woodland Cemetery, near this city, was
called upon the other day by Mr.. George
+. 10y, who resides about three miles
southeast Of Germantown, in this.countv
to remove the remains of his first wife a
grandchild, and other bodies, from am.
lily burying- ground upon his farm. and
inter them in his lot in the Germantown
Cemetery. The buryihg- ground was
made many years ago upon the side of
q little hill, in a field some distance from
the residence Of Mr.. 10y, in accordance
with the custom in the Mama Valley al
that day, when almost every property.
holder had q burying-place upon his farm.
The first grave opened was that of Mr..
Logs first wife, who was inferred about
twenty.four years ago. On reaching the
coffin it was found to be perfect-at
least to appearance-and the men pro.
ceeded to completely unearth Il, and
raise it to the mouth of the grave. This
they soon ascertained to be a difficult
task, and the small force engaged at it
was compelled to procure assistance. The
earth at this time was completely taken
from around the coffin, and removed from
under the coffin, as far as it could be
reached, but still it was found difticnlt
to even move it.
The assistance of six men was at
length obtained, and it required all the
strength they were in possession of to
raise the coffin from its bed and place it
upon the ground at the side of the grave.
1t was supposed by those engaged in the
dlslnterment that the coffin was filled
with water, On account Of its extreme
heaviness, but after it was taken from
the grave, it was measurably dry, and
no signs of water could be discovered.
The lid was then with difficulty removed, ,
when it was ascertained that the body
was In an excellent state OF preservation.
Upon a close examination, it was found
that the remains would not give way un-
der the pressure of piece of board which
one of the gentlemen placed upon the
corpse; and this strange circumstance led
to still further investigation. The shroud,
and indeed all the covering which was
upon the body at the time Of interment,
twenty-four years ago, had disappeared
mot vestige Of them remained. The
body was perfect, except the right leg,
from the knee to the ankle Joint, vhere
the flesh seemed to have wasted awav.
and lay at the bottom of the coffiu in a
substance resembling ashes mixed with
sand. With this exception of decay, the
body and limbs exhibited the same per-
fectness of exterior as they did when life
and animation were in the body.
The body, indeed, had been petrifed
1t was, by some strange quality of the
earth, and other causes of which we can
form no conjecture, turned into q stone
of drab, or, more properly speaking,
flesh color and the chisel of the artist
might initiate, but could not make so
! close resemblance to the " human form
divine" The smile which lighted up
her countenance at the moment when
death gently united the cord which bound
the soul to clay, still seemed to linger
upon the face of stone! The light of
the eyes was gone, and they were sunken;
but from the sightless Orbs the soul
seemed to look upon those who were
viewing, with astonishment, that human
form of stone.
The grave of the grandchild of Mr..
10y was next entered, and the coffin ex-
humed. 1t was also found to be heavy,
and when opened, the corpse presented
much the same appearance as that of
Mrs. Loy. 1t was not az perfect, how
ever, although petrifed. The BODY and
limbs had about the same appearance as
they did in life, but the exterior had lost
its life like contour. The most remarka.
BILE thing connected with the remains of
the child was, that the hair upon the
petriiied skull was to all appearances the
same as in life Mr.. Lane clipped q
small ringlet from the crown and tied it
into knot. The other bodies which
were exhumed-one or two in number
were only partially petrified, and were
mostly decayed.
A great many persons, attracted by
so remarkable a phenomenon, gathered
around these remains with wondering
eyes. The like had been " read about, !"
but never seen by them before indeed,
wevery much doubt whether as great
curiosities in human petrifaction were
ever before Seen, although we have
strange accounts coming down to us
through misty ages. These bodies of
stone in human shape were re-interred
in the cemetery at Germantown, where
they will probably remain until the
Great Day" when they will be trans.
formed into receptacles for immortal
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