The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1867-12-05
THE DEAD RETURNED TO LIFE.


The Cleveland P2aindealer has been
shown private letter detailing events that
recently occurred in a southwestern Ohio
town, that give peculiar force to the old
adage that ''truth is stranger than fiction"
Mr.. Delos w. is a wealthy and influential
man, residing near the village of r. On
! the Thursday preceding the prize fight be-
tween Gallagher and Davis, the old gem
! iIeman was thrown into high state of
excitement at learning that his only son,
John, had gone to Cleveland with the
ayowed purpose of attending the fight,
and his excitement was intensified by still
| further discovering that John had helped
| himself to his (the fatlIer's) pocket book,
| containing $500. Mr. w. fumed and
| fretted over the conduct of his son, and
went TO bed on Thursday night with ra-
ging headache and marked symptoms of
fever. He was about the place in more
composed state Of mind on Friday, but
the interview with John on Monday after
noon, Immediately after the sons return,
threw the old gentleman into paroxysm
Of rage ard grief, which was rendered
doubly severe by Johns insoence and mis-
acknowledged that he had lost $3.50 of
the money in bet on Gallagher. Mr..
W.'s frenzied feelings finally got the better
of him, and he felled his son to the floor
with blow Of his fist, and Immediately
thereafter fell down himself in a seEseless
condition. Great excitement in the fam
lily ensued. The mother ran screaming
for assistance, which was soon forthcom-
ing in the persons of several of the neigh~
bors. Mr. ". was found in an appa~
rently Iifeless condition. with blood flow
ing from his mouth and nose. A subse-
quent examination by physician led to
the announcement by him that Mr. w.
had died from the bursting of a blood yes
sci So evidently had the vital spark fled
that no efforts at resuscltation were made ;
and the remains were.prepared for.burial
as promptly as possible.
The funeral of the deceased took
place the following Wedncsday-Mr. W. S
body had only been coffined the previous
day-up to which time it had been draped
= in its shroud in the parlor Notwith-
standing the wonderful life-like look of
the skin, and the color in the face, 1t oc-
CURED to no one to suggest the Postpone~
ment of the burial until death was abso-
lutely certain. The funeral was very
largely attended, and everybody remarked
the life-Iike appearance of the ''dcceased. -
The remains were temporarily placed
in one of the vaults of the cemetery, owing
to the fact that brick tomb, commenced
for their reception, had not been compile
ted
At ten O'Clock on Thursday night the
village was thrown into great excitement
by the report that ghost had been seen
in the cemetery short tine before, and
! that the old lady who had first seen ii had
been frightened into fit from which il
, was doubtful whether she would recover
: Thinking that probably the ghost was per-
sonated by some scoundrel, who had play
S ed the same trick several times before, 8
number Of persons armed themselves will
shot guns, proceeded TO the cemetery, anc
e commenced a cautious inspection-thei
: hearts keeping up an anxious humping il
their bosoms, in spite of their assumed
bravado. They had not long to wait, foI
l., there, fitting among the tombs, was
o white object, plainly TO be seer. Will
trembling hands the guns were raised ant
! fired, when-sirange fact for ghost
they saw the white creature fall between
), a couple of graves Plucking up courag
: they cautiously approached the object ant
turned a dark lantern upon it. Their feel
/ ings can be better imagined than describe
: when they found that the ghost was tn
r, lately 'deceased' Mr.. Delas w !
Whilst portion of the party picked u
e the bleeding and senseless body of the oil
gentleman, and started homeward with il
m the remainder FASTENED to the vault
There they found Mr.. WIS coffin broke
p open and lying upon the floor, and tn
coffin of deceased lady, that had bee
y placed upon it, likewise thrown down froI
k the shelf and standing on end, PARTIAL
e, broken open, displaying its CHASTITY inmate
The vault door, which was rather wea
le affair, had been forced open by the re-
urrected w.
id The party then went to Mr.. W.'s hous
where they found that his wound was NJ
as serious, and that he had recovered b
senses. His story was briefly told: +
m had been carried to the cemetery in
~ trance. Early on Thursday evening col
sciousness returned to him, and tue horr
p truth flashed upon his mind that he vi
" cofiined alive. This gave additional Wig
ms to his struggles TO get free, ard he final
on succeeded in bursting the coffin. Dir. '
ed is now fast recovering, and seems good t
he a long lease of life yet.
ry
n L.