Bedford inquirer and chronicle. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1854-1857, 1856-11-07

REMARKABLE CAsEs-CRlMINALs WHO
HAVE RETURNED TO LIFE AFTER Exc
cUTIoN.-Tbe following singular circum-
stance is recorded by Or. Plot, in his Ma
rural History of Oxfordshire:
In the year 1850, Anne Green, servant
of Sir Thomas Reed, was tried for the muir
der of her new born child, aud found gull
ty. She was executed in the court yard at
Oxford, where she hung abont half an hour.
Being cut down, she was put into a coffin.
and brought away to house to be dissect-
ed, where, when they opened the coffin, not
w1thstandine the rope remained unloosed.
and straight about her neck, they perceived
her breast to rise, whereupon one Mason, u
tailor, intending only an act of charity, set
his foot upon her, and, as some say, one
Drum, soldier, struck her again with the
butt end of his musket Notwithstanding
all which, when the learned and eminent
Sir VIM. Perry, ancestor of the Marquis of
Landsdowne, then Anatomy Professor of
the University, DIR. Wallis and DR. Clark
then President of Magdalen College, and
Vice Chancellor of the University, came to
prepare the body for dissection, they per-
ceived some small rafting in her throat;
hereupon desisting from their former pur-
pose, they presently used means for her re-
covery by opening vein, laying her in
warm bed, and also using divers remedies
respecting her senselessness, insomueh that
within fourteen hours she began to speak,
and the next day talked and prayed very
heartily. During the time of tkis her re-
covering, the cficers concerned in her exc
cut;on would needs have had her away
again 10 hare completed it on her; but by
the mediation OF the worthy doctors and
some other friends with the then governor
of tue city, Col. Kelsy, there was guard
put npon her from all further disturbance
until they had sued out her pardon from
the government. Much doubt Indeed arose
as to her actual guilt. Crowds of people in
the meantime came to see her, and many
asserted that it must be the providence OF
God who would thus assert her innocence
After some time, DR.. Petty, bearing she
discoursed with those about her, aud sus-
pecting that the women might suggest unto
her to relate something of strange visions
and apparitlons she had seen during the
time she seemed to be dead, (which they
had already begun to do, telling that she
said she had been in fine green meadow,
having a river running round it, and all
things there glittered like silver and gold,
he caused ali to depart from the room but
the gentlemen of the faculty who we're to
have been at the dissection, and asked her
concerning her sense and appreheusions du-
ring the time she was hanged. To which
she answered, that she neither remembered
how the fetters were knocked off, how she
went ont of the prison, when she was turn
ed off the ladder, whether any psalm was
sung or not, nor was she sensible of any
pains that she could remember. She came
TO herself as if she had awakened out of
sleep, not recovering the use of her speech
by slow degrees, but in manner altogcth-
er, beginning to speak just where she left
on the gallows.
Being thus at length perfectly recovered,
after thanks given to God, and the persons
instrumental in bringing her to life, and
procuring her an immunity from further
punishment, she retired into the country to
her friends at Steele Barton, where she was
afterwards married, and lived in good re-
Pute amongst her neigabors. having three
children, and not dying till 1869.
The fplloHing account of the case of |