The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-03-03
Remarkable Cases.
CRIMINALS WHO HAVE RETURNED TO LIFE
AFTER EXECUTION.

The following singular circum stance
is recorded by Dr.. Plot, in his Natural
History of Oxfordshire -
In the year 1850, Anne Green, SER
want Of Sir Thomas Read, was tried
for the murder Of her new born child,
an / found guilty. She was executed in
the coulk yard at Oxford, where she
hung abyut half an hour. Being cut
down. she was put into a coffin and
brought tway to a house to be dissect-
ed wnefe. when they opened the cof-
fin. Notwithstanding the rope remained
un,oosef and straight about her neck,
they perceived her breast to rise, where
upon one Nassau, a tailor, intending on
ly an act of charity, set his foot upon
her, and as some say. one Drum, a
soldier, struck her again with the butt
end of his musket. Notwithstanding
all which, when the learned and eminent
Sir Walter Perry, ancestor of the pre-.
sent Marquis of Lansdowne, then Ana
tony Prof. of the University, Dr.. Wal
lis and Dr.. Clark, then President of
Magdalen College, and Vice Chancel-
lor Of the University, came to prepare
the body for dissection, they perceived
some small rattling in her throat here
upon desisting from their former pur-
pose, they presently used means for her
recovery by opening vein, laying her
in warm bed, and also using divers
remedies respecting her senselessness,
insomuch, that within fourteen hours
she began to speak, and the next day
talked and prayed very heartily. Dur
ing the time Of this her recovering, the
officers CONCERNED, in her execution
would needs have had her away again
to have completed it on her; but by the
mediation of the worthy doctors, and
with some other friends with the then
Oovernorof the city, Col. Kelsy, there
was guard put upon her from all fur
ther disturbance until they had sued
out her pardon from the government.-
Much doubt indeed arose as to her ac-
tual guilt. Crowds of people in the
meantime came to see her, and many as
serted that it must be the providence
of God who would thus assert her in
nocence.
After some time, Dr.. Petty hearing
she discoursed with those about her, and
suspecting that the women might sug-
gest unto her to relate something of
strange visions and apparitions she had
seen during tho time she seemed to be
dead, (which thew had already begun
to do, telling that she said she had been
in fine green meadow, having river
running round it, and all things there
glittered like silver and gold, she caus'
ed all to depart from the room but the
gentlemen of the faculty who were to
have been at the dissection. and asked
her concerning her sense and apprehen-
sions during the time she was hanged
To which she answered that she nei.
ther rememered how the fetters were
knocked of how she went out of the
prison when she was turned off the
ladder whether any psalm was sung
or not nor was she sensible of any
pain that she could remember. She
came to herself as if she had awakened
out of sleep. not recovering the use o
her speech by slow degrees. but in {
manner altogether. beginning to speal
lust where she left on the gallows.
Being thus at length perfectly recovee
after thanks given to God and the per
sons instrumental in bringing her to life
and procuring her an immunity from
further punishment, she retired into th'
country of her friends at Steeple Bar
ION, wnere she was afterwards married
and lived in good repute amonghst he
neighbors. and not dying till 1859.
The following account of the case o
a girl. who was wrongly executed il
1866, is given by a celebrated Frencl
author, as an instance OF the injustic
Which was often committed by tn
euuivocal mode of trial then used i
France.
About seventeen years since, youn
peasant girl was placed at Paris, in tn
service of a man who, smitten with he
beauty, tried to inveiyle her ; but sh
was yirtuous, and resisted. The pru
} dence of this girl irritated the master
and he determined on revenge. II
secretly conveyed into her box man
things belonging to him. marked wit
his name. He then exclaimed that h
was robbed, called in a commissaire
"a ministerial officer of justice. an
made his deposition. The girls bo
was searched. aud the things were dis
covered. The unhappy servant wa
:. Imprisoned.
+ She defended herself only by HI
, tears she had no evidence to prove th'
! she did not put the property in her DO,
and her only answer to the interrogat'
q ries was that she was innocent. II
8 Judges had no suspicion OF the depr
Q witty of the accuser. whose station WI
respectable and they administered tn
9 law in all is vigor. the innocent 81
was condemned to be hanged. II
9 dreadful Office was inlfectually perform
t ed, as it was the first attempt Of the SC
: Of the chief execotioner. A surgec
S had purchased the body for dissection
}. and it was conveyed to his house. c
e that evening, being about to ope
e the head. he perceived a gent
g warmth about the body. The dissec
3 iny knife fell from his hand. and
o placed in bed her whom he was abo
IS to dissect.
It His efforts to restore her to life We
!. effectual, and at the same time he Sc
d for clergyman on whose discretion al
d experience he could depend. in order
le consult with him on the strange event
h we'll as to have him for witness to /
At conduct. The moment the unfortuna
IS girl opened her eyes she believed hers
D, in the other world. and perceiviny t
g. Ggu of the priest, who had a mark