Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1870-02-26

Strange DeIusion in Massachusetts.
Excitement Respecting The alleged
Premature Burial ofa KOung Lady.
The greatest excitement since the days
Of wiichcrsf in this usually quiet town
has existed here for week or more.
Having been al considerable pains 10
learn all the facts in reference 10 this
case, the public may rely upon their cor
rectness.
On or about Christmas, Margaret Fin
ley, The daughter Of Rober, Finley, resid-
ing near the Danvers Junction, aged II
years. went ou skating, took cold. had a
lever, induced by pneumonia end some
lung difficulty, and died Sunday, the 9th
OF January. She was one Of several chill
dren, and The family are intelligent and
respectable, and mostly members Of The
Episcopal Church, The deceased was a
healthy snd spiightly girl, in complexion
a blonde, with regular features and rose
colored cheeks. On Thursday, the fifth
day from her decesse, her funeral was al
tended by friends and neigh bors, and she
was placed in a tomb al the cemetery. All
through her sickness j, was observed
there was much color in her face, and
when life had departed this rose tint ln.
pered, insomuch that ., the funeral it was
noticed that she looked like one sleeping,
and wondrous fair
This matter having been talked over
the next day, i, was suggested lba, the
girl might have been 10 a trance. Ii was
said ,hs, somebody had dreamed ihs! she
was eniombed live, or a communication
Of some kind from the spri. world has
revealed The supposed fac, OF which |
have spoken. This spread like wild
FIRE. Soon parties visited The sex!on, Mr..
Peter Watt, obtsned the keys Of The
tomb. with a physician, who was TO re-
store !hs deceased 10 her friends. The
The coffin was opesed, and The fair lorm
Of the young lady criricslly examined by
the experienced doctor. Not The least
indication Of life appeared, and no evi
dence Of her being buried alive was dis
covered. This i, would seem ought to
seile the matter. Ii did not; and now
the story went forth all that day that DR..
Chsse, the physician referred to, had sc-
tnslIy found the GID alive. and numbers
were drawn 10 the tomb 10 see il il was
so. -
Every hour more and more The story
grew, and finally parties went 10 The fam
lily Of The girl. and reported that she was
alive, had been removed 10 the house OF
Mr.. w.. the sexion. and anxious to re-
turn home. The sstonished fsIher hur-
ried of early on Saturday morning 10 the
house where he was 10 receive his child.
and 10 there was not word Of truth in
the report. 10 vain lbe sexton asserted
over and over again that The girl was
dead, and that there was nothing TO wsr-
rant ANY excitement. Crowds came and
went, increasing in number, from day to
day, and on Tuesday and Wednesday
last bunnreds had visited The tomb, look
ed upon and handled the lifeless remains
OF The child.
On Tuesday. one week after haviug
been eniombed, hundreds from all quar-.
iers came. and. although decomposition
had commenced days be fore. there were
those who could see signs Of life, and 9th
erwIse intelligent persons were ready 10
make oath that her aesb was warm 10 the
touch. The Seleclmsn bad al last 10 in
ierfere snd pa,s step .e the exciienenlby