Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-12-08
Ia q Coffin But Not Dead.

The singular death, or perhaps singular
dea,hlike sleep, into which the relatives OF
Laura Rathfeld say she has fallen, has caused
great commotou ia The East Fad laura
Ratified was OF IL u girl seventeen years OF
age, and resided On tie north side ol Green,
q widow. She is described as q rather good
looking young girl, Of pleasing exterior. FOR
year past abe has been subject to cramp at.
tacks, and Friday, week ago, vas seized With
90 epieptic fit. She suffered severely for seve
raj days aud Dr. Mason add savera! other ply
sicians we're called to her aid.
Wednesday morning about nino q clock, she
vas seized with conVuIsons, and to ell lutents
ADD appearances suddenly passed out OF this
world into another and better land. She was
li.eless and cold, and there was not slogle sign
that the breadth had not passed out OF the
body. She was given up for dead, and the
physiciaa ordered cofin 10 which to lay her
remains, while she vas dressed 10 shroud.
Sorrow reigued in the house The mother
was stricken with grief, and preparations were
made Tor the funeral. Now comes the mystery.
The body lay in the coffin uatil Thursday noon.
| Within that time, it is asserted ny those who
! watched beside the c0rpse-the mother OF
! tic girl and an old German ady-that they
| saw the lips move and the color of the face
! change from the palI9r which indicates death
to enc which bespoke the existaace Of life in
! the body.
When The minister OF The German Lutheran
church, on Preston and Green streets, to which
church the family belong, heard CT this start
| iiug statement, be came 70 tho house and
seemed to be Impressed With the belief that
the girl WAS not dead, but was only in trance.
| He ordered the body to be taken from the
coffin and laid upon lounge, and to let 1t
there lie until it was definitely established that
death had entered the house. A lire was
made 10 the room, and the body has lain there
since DR.. Krim was called upon Thursday
afternoon to como TO the house. de went re-
iuctantly, ara an examination convinced him
that the girl vas dead. He says her eyes we're
sunken, her face had assumed tho pailoT Of g
corpse, her lips were Of an ashy hue, while her
body was stiff. Still The mother and relations
we're not cnnviaced. Another doctor doubted
slightly that the girl lad died.
There is story, the !aal!iS, sly that the
grandmother Of tie girl had ia her youthful
DAYS fallen iE5o similar a0matosa state, re-
NAMED in tha, condition for TWO days, reonV
cred. and attcrTard lived to tho good Gid age
OF seventy. This story strengthened the fam
| lily in their hopes (be!ief may be too strong n
tarm) that the daughter had not passed away
10 all her glorious glrihood, but 10 reality sill
! lived und would be restored 70 consciousness in
due time. Since Thursday several changes
have occurred in the c0rpssGke body, they
say, Which STILL confirm and increase their
| homes. Up to tilday evening the bosom Of
| the girl was stiff and cold IS ia death, bat at
| that time it became soft and warm as 10 life,
while the other portion Of the body was all
cold. Then, too, the lips opened on Friday,
closed again ID the evening, and yesterday
morning wera again found open.
The minister ofthe German LutIlsGsn church,
who has been 81 the house cysr7 day, says
that on Friday the right cheek had h!aekisi
hue, while yesterday warm glow and blush
ing color as cf life appeared, and her face be-
gan to assume a mere Datural aspect But the
most peculiar thiug Of eli is the fact that, al
though the body has been lying On 4 lounge by
q fire ever sinoa Thursday EGGn. there is DO
! smell in the room OF dead body. as would
naturally be the Case With corpse lying in
room any length Of time. The physicians ad-
wise that she be net buried just DOW, but day
or Two must convince the family OF the girls
actual death or actual living. The appearance
Of the body last evening was that Of death; the
eyes the cheeks, the month and the s!iffened
body all told the tale. The cara and the neck
were rather soft, however. and looked natural.
The mother, who has been watching the body
ever since its transformation in the present
state, the relatives and the ministers, who have
been there, seem to think that she looks even
more natural than when in tuIl possession Of
her faculties. The physicians who have been
at the house seem to think that death can be
seen, but some circumstances make them hesi-
tate in being positive. The case is certainly
peculiar one and must attract attention. Louis
ellie Courier Journal
The King Trfal---Verdict Of Chilly.
rCorrarnondanna of The AlaSanEriN Gazatte. /