The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1878-04-19
THE DEAD ALIVE.
,rDv1GHT VISIT TO \ FAMILY VAULT
THE BODY sNATCHER's SECRET.

Within the memory of many now living
u a rssurectioniSt, or bOdy-snatcher, piled
Il. disgusting trade, and had for his clients
most learned and famous surgeons and
sbvsicians of the day. Criminals executed
I. the drop and unclaimed dead of the hos
.taIs had ceased to be interesting subjects
H. the anatomists, and with the refined
i,,te Of the epicure they longed for the
forpses Of the delicate nurtured and refined
sud we're ready to run great risks and pay
iarge prices to secure them.
Graves were ruthlessly robbed Of their
contents. and even the walled tombs of the
ppulent and high born were raided on, and
fIe newly introduced tenants removed to
bass under the knife of the operator and
ihe microscope of the man of science.
Hundreds of stories are related of the
horrible deeds of the body snatcher, but
Among them all none is more remarkable
Md sou-harrOwing chan the one just about
4o be narrated. The facts were given to
HE writer recently, and it is believed that
iLey are now published for the first time.
In the town of Kilmare, in the north of
sand, reside many families of distinction.
fIhe head of one of these was Mr.. Bell, a
soang gentleman of twenty five. He in
isrited large estate from his uncle, and
removed from his former abode to take
possession Of the family mansion in XII
hare. He married the only daughter of "A
wealthy East India merchant residing in
liverpool, by whom he bad two children.
o. the fourth year of their welded life Mrs
Bell was taken suddenly i'll, and expired
the next day. Ihe symptoms were of
peculiar nature, and the limbs so increased
u size Immediately after death that a mag
ffcent diamond ring of great value could
pot be removed from the lady's finger and
Nas buried with her. OF course this fact
Fas we'll known to the inhabitants Of Kill
1uare as Mrs. Bell was the wife of the most
considerable man theTeabOut, and naturally
therefore all concerning her was matter Of
conversation aud rumor.
The old church yard of Kilmare s'ood on
the side Of bill, aud Immediately in the
pear Of the church and adjoining the chan
cel was the tomb of the Bell family. Here,
ln accordauce with immemoridl usage the
body Uf the deceased lady was to repose
and there 1t vas deposited on the third day
after her demise. After the ceremony The
key Of the vaul. was put in its usual place
by the sexton in the vestry of the church.
The day had been gloomy, and as night
drew on thin rain fell, which increased
at about midnight to a smart shower. MIR.
Bel, who was about retiring, went to close
Ru open WINDOW, and as he did so he fan
lawn in front Of the house. The next mo
ment It disappeared, and, satisfying him
stlt that he vas the subject of "A de,usion,
be commenced to uudress. Suddenly the
Gear tones Of the door bell rang through
the building. Mr.. Bell paused, and moved
,oWald The door of the apartment to listen.
~ a lew seconds the sound again reverbra-
ted through the house, ard Mr.. Bell OPEN
ed The door and stepped out iuto the cor
5ileT' At that moment as he glanced down
the stairway he saw the huusekeeper NOV
'ng toward the front door Then he heard
Ter set the lamp she carried on the table,
qua open the lock and bolts of the massive
door. Then a dreadful and prolonged
SlIek followed, and at the same moment
DIT. Belle butler ran along the hall toward
,he front door. Mr.. Bell had reached the
mead OF the stairs and was I'm the ACT of de
sceHulhg,'Wb ben the butler reached the spot
"ueIe Tue h"GSekecper lay ON the hopr APP
ldIeHliy ~ swOOn. What was Mr. Bells
surprise to see the butler raise his hands,
~ TX hlS gaze upon the door. and teen sink to
'He 1o"r, as though struck dead
- Itterly bewIldered aud cunfnuuded, Mr.
De" haStened down stains. The sight that
eI .'eI MS gaze when he reached the center of
me hall almost frOze his blood. There
1000 the figure of bis wife in her grave
'N'N'ii'iE up against lile Dllidl oI the
I"'' WIN QUE hand thrown across her
breast For moment MIR. Bell was almost
.'eIcome, Then he rememb bered the white
r-u'e which he saw crossing the lawn a
seconds before the bell rang, and
"noIner glance showed him that the gar
'!IDIs Oh the figure before him were drip
Plug with rain.
yulI'a, my darling, my wife - Mr.. Bell
II.'.lDed, and stepped toward the figure.
., - u"ue a mOven eut toward him, and
arms. i" '''
lue scene that ensued battles all descrip.
- II was indeed the wife, but that day
Su'eu' who was restored to the arms of the
'eIeavef husband aud children The ex-
f-"r"l'oh which she offered was very i'm
perfect and unsatisfactory. For Short
-.o after her supposed death she was
- Oh all that went on around her, but
All To'e sue was placed in the coffin she lost
e. e., o'.SClouSness. She said that the first
- -. 'Ju oI consciousness she had was one
moy Pu' linen she saw an indistinct glim-
Ga- S"d Analiy severe pang shot through
o' frame. With a powerful effort She
80 @ru @ saw woman standing by her
IT, :, he woman shrieked and fled, aud
vIiat. ,Ir GlS. us, Bell discovered by small lamp
80 'ay on the floor that she was lying in
L. ~ Iho ldtnily vault.
,,h ioSh strength came to her every mo-
sbru' aud, releasing herself from the
p,ss,1I' sue stepped to the ground aud
W. OUT OF The vault, the door of which
ns,L ",ue open. Down the church yard
EI';at sue passed to The main street, along
ra,oIlsshe u sue walked for half a mile until she
larIa her late home. Fortunately the
tboH gaze TO the park was unfastened, and
inc Iryened n, up the roadway to the dwell
rain, Iue rest the reader knows. She
so3d old age.
tba u' u.,ho VINO was the woman who stood by
And 'e 1. ol The coffin when the corpse arose
New ',ed I her into sudden flight?
enisLAt, DAY the lamp was found extin-
ijan,'suI on the floor of the vault. 1t was
yes-rr yr'ieu as one which usually stood in the
doni,y, qua was used by .he sexton. had
VII, less ., been removed at the same time
ynnd .Le ,ue Key of the vault was taken. Be
IT, '"at all was mystery.
easiI,, 51oJect OF the woman, however, was
Be-! discovered. As already stated. Mrs.
ripo was was buried with a valuable diamond
al.9 ia her finger. The design of the wo-
eorns. vas 70 cal this from the supposed
it. H. FINDING it impossible to remove
the a. do uaring thief had raised the hand of
Atlsn''a'u woman to her mouth, and in her
p 10 withdraw the ring vzi,b bar