The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-12-11
Buried Alive and Shot as a Ghost.

. ( b 2 q : |
The Cleveland Plaindealer of the LIST,
learns through private letter the de-
tails of an extraordinary occurrence
that recently took place in ia town Of
Southern Ohio, and tellsthe story as
follows:
An old gentleman, named Delos Will
mans, became frantically angry with
his son because he had lost a large sum
of his fathers money on bet: His
frenzied feelings finally got the better
of him, and he felled his son to The floor
with blow of his fist, and immediate
ly thereafter fell down himself in a
senseless condition. Great excitement
in the family ensued. The mother ran
screaming for assistance, which was
soon forthcoming in the persons of sew
eral Of the neighbors. Mr.. w. was
found in an apparently lifeless condi-
ton, with blood flowing from hisnlouth
and nose. A subsequent examination
by physician led to the announce
ment by him that Mr.. w. had died from
the bursting of a blood-vessel. So ev-
identity had the vital spark fed, that
no efforts at resuscitation were made,
and the Hremains "were prepared for
burial as promptly as possible. The
funeral of the "deceased" took place
the following Wednesday. Mr.. WIS
body had only been coffined the day
previous-up to which time it had laid
draped in it's shroud, in the parlor.
Notwithstanding the wonderful life
look of the skin, and the color in the
J face, it occurred to no one to suggest a
: postponement Of the burial till death
!, was absolutely certain. The funeral
! was very largely attended, and every
:? body remarked at the life-like appear
e ance of the deceased. The "remains
: were temporarily placed in one Of the
4 vaults of the cemetery. owing to the
: fact that a brick tomb, commenced fol-
o their reception had not been completed
n AZ ten o'clock on Thursday night, the
e village was thrown into great excite.
! ment by the report that a. ghost had
d been seen in the cemetery short time
= before, and-that the old lady who hat
q first seen it had been frightened into {
J. fit, from which it was doubtful whethe'
J. she would recover. Thinking tina
If probably the ghost was personated b,
8, some scoundrel, who had played TIN
!! same trick several times before, a mum
81 Der of persons armed themselves wit
% shotguns, proceeded to the cemetery
y, and commenced cautious inspection
% their hearts keeping upar- anxiou
u humping in their bosoms in spite 9
or their assumed bravado. They had no
8. long to wait, for there, fitting anon
a. a the tombs, was a white object plainl
.; to be seen. With trembling hands th
OF guns were raised and fred, when
g strange fact for a ghost they saw til
le white creature fall between q couple
- graves. Picking up courage, the cat
~, iously approached 'the object, am
3, 3 turned dark lantern upon it. The
~ feelings can be better imagined tina
- described, when they found that tt
W. ~ ghost was the late deceased Mr.. w
nj. Whilst portion of the party picked |.
ii. the bleeding and senseless body OF Il
ha old gentleman and fastened homewal
in with it, the remainder fastened to Il
nd vault. There they found Mr.. WIS co
he fin broken open, and lying upon Il
ma floor, and the coffin of deceased lad
cd that had been placed upon it, likewi
est thrown down from the shetland stan
The ing on end, and partially broken ope
the displaying its ghostly inmate. y
Of vault door. which was rather we;
the affair, had been forced open by the re
nd directed man. The party then went
and Mr.. WIS house, where they found tn
the his wounds were not serious, and th
Z he had recovered his senses. His 81
ny was briefly told. He had been G.
ried to the cemetery in a trance. FL
ly on Thursday evening consciousnt
returned to him, and the horrid trr
ome flashed upon his mind that he was 9
! a fined alive. This lent addition
.ker strength to his struggle to get free, a
hrst he finally succeeded in bursting OF
ess- the coffin. 42
~" ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
eth; INCREASE oFTHE METHODIST CHUR
neal IN THE UNITED STATEs.-TEe incre