The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-02-08
STRANGE DELUSiON IN
MASSACHUSETTS.

Excitement Respecting the Alleged
Premature Burial of Young
Lady.
fDsuyers Correspondence of Boston Journal
The greatest excitement since the
DAYS of withcraft in this usually quiet
town has existed here for week or
more. Having been at considerable
pains to learn all the facts in reference
to this case, the public may rely upon
their correctness.
On or about Christmas, Margaret
Finley, the daughter of Robert Finley,
residing near the Danvers junction,
aged II years, went out skating, took
cold, had fever, induced by pneumo-
MIA or some lung difficulty, and died
Sunday, the 9th of January. She was
one of several children, and the family
are and respectable,a and most
lymembers of the Episcopal Church. The
deceased was healthy and sprightly
girl, in complexion blonde, with regu-
lar features and rose cOlored checks
On Thursday, the fifth, day from her de-
cease, her funeral was attended By
friends and Deighbors, and she was
placed in q tomb at tie cemetery. All
through her sickness it was observed
there was much color in her face, and
when life had departed this rose tint
fingered, insomuch that at the funeral
IL was noticed that she looked like one
sleeping, aud wondrous fair.
This matter having been talked over
the next day, it was suggested that the
Girl might have been in trance. Ii
was said that somebody had dreamed
that she was entombed alive, or com.
munjcation of some kind from the spir-
it world has revealed the supposed fact
of which have spoken. This spread
like Wild-fre. Soon parties visited the
sexton, Mr.. Peter Watt, obtained the
keys of the tomb, with physician, VINO
was to restore the deceased to her
friends. The coffin was opened, and the
fair form Of the young lady critically
examined by the experienced doctor.
Not the least indication Of life appeared,
and no evidence of her being buried
alive was discovered This it would
seem ought TO settle the matter. 1t did
not; and now the story went forth all
that day that DR. Chase, the physician
referred TO, had actually found the girl
alive, and numbers we've drawn u the
tomb 10 see if it was so.
Every hour more and more the story
grew, and finally parties went to the
family of the girl, and reported that che
was alive, had been removed I" :he house
of Mr.. W., the sexton, and anxious 10
return homo The astonished father
hurried off early on Saturday morning
to the house where he was to receive
his child, and 10 there was not word
of truth in the report. In vain the sex
ton asserted over and over again that
the girl was dead, and that there was
nothing to warrant any excitement
Crowds came and went, increasing IN
numbers from dag TO dag. and on Tues
day and Wednesday last hundreds had
visited the torab, looked upon ard han.
died the lifsless remains Of the child.
On Tuesday, one week after having
been eltombed, hundreds from all quar-
tiers came, and, although decomposition
had commenced day before, there were
those who could see signs Of life, and
otherwise intelligent persons were ready
to make oath that her flesh was warm
TO the touch The Selectmen had at
last to interfere and put stop to the
excitement by forLidding any more
visits to the tomb. There was nothing
but q foolish dream or silly sport OF a
spiritual telegram from some place not
laid down on the maps which has crea
ted all this excitement, and it is mat
ter of astonishment that such delu-
sion could have existed, been so exten
sive and influenced so large class OF
intelligent persons. After this, let no
one be surprised at anything.