Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-04-22
A NIGHT WITH THE DEAD.
Experience of a German who WAS
supposed to have Departed tlafs
Life, and WAS Placed i'm che Dead
Hnusa-An Exciting SCENE


Life, and WAS Placed i'm che Dead
| House-An Exciting scene.
/ From the San Francisco Alta, April 10
The terrors of the grave, the fear o.
death, and the terrible calamity of beins
buried alive, have all been forcibly pic
tured more than once; but any picture,
however clearly drawn, must fail to leave
the impression produced of either that is
obtained By experience; and in no case
can any one be so alive to these terrors
and fears as the one who being
considered dead, is treated as such. For
some time past German, known by the
saloon on First street as waiter. His
constitution was weak, and the confne-
ment necessarily attending his employ
ment affected him very much. He con-
suited some physicians, who pronounced
him consumptive, and advised him TO give
up his employment and put himself under
the care of physician, or go to the hes
pital. He decided on adopting the litter
course, and some short time ago went tG
one OF our hospitals. His condition
rather grew worse daily, and lately he
was confined TO bed, and little hopes en-
tertained of his recovery. About week
ago he grew still worse. He was visited in
the morning by the physician, who con-
sidered his recovery hopeless. During
the day he grew still weaker, and when
the doctor paid his evening visit he found
him pulseleSs, and pronounced life ex-
tinct. The body was Immediately re-
moved and placed in the dead-house at
tached to the hospital. It was deposited
in case where two other bodies had al
ready been placed, and between them.
The cover was put on, and the keeper of
the dead-house retired for the night
About midnight a loud screaming and
yelling of the most unearthly character
was heard in the dead-house. The
watchers heard it, the patients heard it,
and the party who had charge of this
portion of the building heard it also. A
silent sense of fear, of terror the most
terrifying, stole over them all, and they
concluded that scene was being acted
similar to that witnessed by Tam O'Shan-
ter at Kerkalloway where he saw ''war-
looks and witches in dance" The
keeper of the dead house was sought af
ter, but being aware of what he was re-
quired to do he sought concealment, per-
ferring to let the ghosts fightit out among
themselves, rather than attempt to be-
come peace-maker. The yells and shouts
IN the dead-house still continued, while the
door received an occasional bang, accom-
panied by the demands: "Open the door:
let me OUT At last the keeper was pre-
Nroilo1 10 Y1rOoaoI 20 Iao1
and open the door, when the ghostly
form of the German, whose life had been
few hours previously pronounced eX-
tinct, and wh0 had been dressed in the
robes OF the dead, stood before him. The
keeper tainted outright, while the terrified
German rushed headlong through the
long halls and corridors of the building,
spreading dismay and terror as he went.
Some more courageous than the rest,
caught and arrested him in his frantic Ca
reer, but the next instant the poor
German fell on the floor in a swOOn.
The physician was at once sent for and
restoratives used by which he was restored
to consciousness, and although he is still
weak and under treatment in the hospital,
his recovery is considered certain and only
a matter of time. He now walks about
pretty stoutly, and is permitted to go out
side the hospital limits. He visited his
late employer few days ago, and related
to him the fact that having gotten into a
trance, it was thought he was dead, and
he was removed to the dead-house. low
he felt when he returned to consciousness
we give as he told il himself: "Vell, ven
| got sick and vass in bed dat day, the
doctor came to me, and said vas very
sick. He vent away, and after he vent
fell asleep. | knew nothing more till |
woke in de night, and there vas no light.
l put out my hand, and l could get no
bed-clothes, for vas cold. den put my
hand to vone side to try for the bed
clothes, and, Och, my Colt, vat you tink
| got-vy, dcd man! Dere he vos, cold
enough, sure. | roared mid all the
power l had, and vas going away
by the other side, win sure, put
my hand on another. Then l roared,
and called, and cried out all l could,
and ven / vas getting up, my head struck
board that was covering me. Oh, said
|, vot docs this mean, we're am IL Am l
ded z and roared and bawled, and threw
off the cover and jumped about as if l vas
mad. And l knocked at the door vid
my hands and feet, but nobody would
open it for me, and thought l vas ded
myself. l was not shure. | had the
dead mans dress on me. At last the
door opened, and ven / looked at the
man vat opened it, he fell down mid fear,
and 1 ran till was caught. Then l faint
ed, and ven come to myself, | thought it
vas dream. But it as true as 1 am
here"