Martinsburg weekly independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1873-1875, 1874-11-28
A FUNERAL SENSATION
A Supposed Corpse In westchester
County Comes 10 Gire After BE-
ing m Ice for Three Days-The
Subiecr atiii Alive

n
County Comes 10 Lire After BE-
ing m Ice for Three Days-The
Subject stiii Alive
A most remarkable instance of
a supposed corpse having been
found TO possess signs animation
and really being restored To life
after lying on ice for three days,
has just iranspired at Yonkers,
Westchesssr county. 1t appears
that a seven ear-old caild Of
machinist named Miller, living on
Rverdale avenue. in the city above
named. having been in delicate
heath almost from the time of its
birth, was attacked by an unusu-
ally severe fit of illness At an early
hour LAT Thursday morning. A
physician was called in, and he,
after apparently satisfying himself
~ TO the coarse OF treatment to be
adopted, prescribed Tor the little
ose, and an leaving intiraated that
he would call again in the after
noon. 1t is understood that the
medicine prescribed was 4 power
full spiate; but, whether this was
the case or not. it is asserted that
when the medical man called in
the afternoon n glance at his pa
tent induced him to pronounce
the child dead. The services of an
undertaken were, of course at once
procured, and by him the suppos-
ed corpse was tenderly prepared
for the last rites and then placed in
an ice coffin until the usual time
for interment should have elapsed.
A wake was accordingly he'd. and
mourning friends and relatives sat
up" with the body day and night
until Saturday afternoon, the time
announced for the funeral Friends
ofthe family had gathered in con-
siderable numbers to assist i'm paw
ing their tribute of respect TO the
sorroWing parents, and almost
everything being in readiness for
the committal of "dust to dust.n
the undertaken and his assistant. on
transferring the body from the ice
coffin TO the casket in which it was
about 10 be inferred, were struck
with establishment ut the peculiar
a pearance of the remains. 1t was
noticed that there was marked
absence of rig0r morris, or the stiff
ness which IS an inseperable con-
comit2nt OF departed life. This
discovery produced an indescriba-
bly, painful state Of anxiety to the
parents, while the half frightened
guests crowded around the ainbig-
uous corpse, suggesting various
means of telling whether the child
WAS really dead or alive, Three
or four physicians were sent for,
and they at once commenced a
thorough search for any lingering
evidence Of vitality that might re-
main in the subject, resOrting.
among other means, to that of ty-
ing a cord tightly on the fingers,
whereby il was seen that the nails
changed color, plainly Indicating
that the heart had not ceased to
perform It's all-lmportant functions
When il became apparent that
there was life in The child the most
approved manner administering
restoratlves was resOrted to, and
accordingly more palpable degree
OF vitality produced, although it is
doubtful if the little one, who was
so providentially rescued from a
living tomb, can long survive
the protracted frsezing ordeai thro'
which it has passed. TIE child
was still alive last evening. " Y.
San 17th.