The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1863-04-22
Srlrtt stlistcllanp.
Discovery OF Petrihcd Bodies.


From the New York Express, March 2S.l
Ii has already been stated that worlmcn
have been employed for several DAYS in re-
moving the bodies from the graves of the
old Baptist Church, corner of Wooster and
Amity streets. One day. while the labor.
ers were engaged in their work, u grave
was discovered which had once contained
live or six coiiins, with their remains. All
hut one OF these collins were very nearly
gone. Tho two nearest tho surface of the
earth still had thoir plates affixed to them
aud from the dates contained thereon il
was Nscortained that they had boon laid in
inc earth about thirty years since. The
body III the third coffin was still left per-
tect IN form, the stockings and shroud in
good state of preservation and tho flesh
hardened almost to pctrifacaton. This
sight surprised the workmen to such de-
gree that they sent for Mr.. VIM IL. Burger.
the superintendent of the ground, who had
tho coffin carefully put away until Col Del
ayen, the City Inspector could hc notified
of the discovery.
cstorday, party consisting of some
dozen gentlemen, including the CITY lnspec-
tor, cN.Coronor llr, Edward u. Conncry, DR..
Cyrus Ramsey and others, visited tho church
Tor the purpose ofviewing this phenomenon.
The examination took place in one of tho
class'rooms III the basement of the church.
Tho box containing the coffin was laid along
one of the benches The box was broken
open, the lid of the coffin removed, and
there lay tho body, covered with its shroud
IN full view of the spectators. The shroud
was coated with a thin, white mouldy sub
stance,
un removing the shroud the body was
discovered to be somewhat more altered
than when at first viewed after disintcr-
mcnt. The skin was of Il dark reddish col
or, Tho legs, abdomen, chest. arms, hands,
and, IN fact, every portion of the body,
except tho head. which was decoraposed,
somewhat retained their original form,
and had assumed hardened condition, ap.
preaching very nearly to petrilaction. On
being struck with an iron litter the body
emitted sound like that which would pro-
cecd from stone struck with similar in
strument. All the cellular and adipose ts-
sues were converted into substance re-
aemhling dried or crumplcd tallow. The
skin was cut through with some difficulty.
and the tendons and muscular iihres were
found to DO as in an ordinarily healthy
body immediately after death
On examining the abdominal region. I'M
mstakable evidences that q post mortem
examination had been performed wore dis
covered. 1t was suggested by the medical
examiners that the body might be that of
some unfortunate creature who had been
the victim of poison. From tho fact that
tho hair was jetty black and that the teeth
were in perfect, sound condition it is con-
Jectured that the woman, whoever she
was, could not have been more than thirty
or thirty-tivc years old at the time of her
death. However that may be- it is pretty
certain that the remains must nave been
inferred over thirty years ago, from the
fact that tho collins found above the one
which contained her body, showed by the
dates on their plates. that they had lain be-
meath oGrth for that full period. 1t is a re-
markablo fact that there was not the slight.
est stencil from the body, even from the
head which had decayed