The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-11-15
Secrets Of an Old Graveyard,

The ground has been used for bury
ing ground for about one hundred
and twenty years. From fifty to
seventy-fve bodies have been re-
moved, and the disagreeable under
taking has been about completed.
The Pittstown Ledger furnishes the
following curious particulars:
The removal of the bodies from
this burial ground, and the excava-
ton for the new church edi6ce, has
brought to light some curious facts
which have caused considerable talk
and speculation. For instance, the
body in one coffin was found to be
turned face downward, which strange
circumstances might be attributed to
burial while living or supernatural
agency, but is generally supposed by
the coffin filling water. In another
case both body and coffin Chat Of an
old resident of the vicinity, inferred
many years ago) were found upside
down, and this could not have re-
suited from water in the grave. The
coffin was undoubtedly inferred, and
if so, how could it be turned over in
this manner? The theory is that af-
ter burial the doctors who were puz-
zled as to the cause of death, took
up the bony for examination, and
put the coffin back upside down, as
it was found. One grave, in which
there had been some remains, as
time could not have moulded them
away, was ascertained to be entirely
tenantless-supposed to have been
visited by body snatchers. The bones
of two persons who died thirty or
: forty ago of black smallpox, were
found to be entirely black. Three or
, four bodies were found to be partial
ly petrifed, caused by the water (al-
9 though the graves are in rather high
, ground) and one body that OF an old
man who had hanged himself nine OF
S ten years ago-was believed to be
!, turned entirely to stone, as it weigh
$ could not otherwise be accounted fol
G but for some reason the relatives
= who took charge .of the coffin declin
e ed to have it opened. In one grav'
e among the human bones were fount
y large teeth of some animal, the pres
" ence of which could only be account
II ed for by supposing that they wer
II thrown in among the dirt at the tim
: of the interment, and had gradual.
I. worked down to the decaying body
"a It is demonstrated here that tn
J. teeth, and after them the skull, long
le est resist the process of decay. nm
r are the last portion of poor humani
i ty to return again to mother earth.
A remarkable disinterment too
place on Wednesday last, in diggin
for the foundation wall, near tn
:" Hanover and Walnut street corne
of the burial ground. The remain
of man were found in square DO!
about eighteen inches below the sui
n. face there being few bones, piec
of skull, a bunch of sandy hair, som
metal buttons, a portion of fame
skirt or blouse, small copper coin,
;. pocket-knife, the soles of pair I
- boots, and five or six links of chair
~ The man had evidently been burie
n. hastily, in his clothing and boots, an
ly the knife and coin had been in b
10 pocket. How the piece of chat
er which was several inches long, can
there, is a mystery. Had the ms
,r- been hanged, or executed in son
ed manner for crime, or had the cha
he accidentlly got into the grave wh'
,ly he was buried?
les Many incline to the former opinit
an Tradition has it that two soldiers
Oh the Revolutionary war were fou,
buried in that corner of the gray
yard, and. the articles found abo
lily this person indicate that he had be-
as dressed in military clothing; b
al wherefore the chain, if soldier9
so might have been deserter, spy
M a Tory, who had been snmmar
zen dealt with, and who had been han
oS cufred at the time of his execute
The chain was in just about I
49, position it would be if used to i
.,r handouts which were on the wri
Gus of the occupant Of the mysteric
ps, box; but no handouts could be fou
the Could they have corroded and rust
away? The box was pine wood ia
aug ened with large, old wrought no
lay and both nails and wood were "
'fa- preserved. If this mysterious p
"p sonage was buried in the days of
70 Revolution, as seems probable,
mo must have slept there nearly min
years, and his name and history m