The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1878-01-17
BURIED ALIVE.
some Strange hut northumberland



Gases.
1t is always with a feeling of horror
that we read of grave being opened
and the finding cf the fact that burial
had taken place before death had actu-
ally claimed it's victim and yet such
cases are of more frequent occurrence
than is generally supposed.
Some very strange cases of persons
being buried alive and the manner in
which the facts were brought TO light.
have recer tly been made public. A few
of the most remarkable of these are
now presented as showing to what an ex-
tent this blundering has of late years
been carried on in the United States.
The last truly horrible case was that of
lady, by name Mrs. Roberta Ainslee,
of New Orleans. The lady had been sick
for some time with a malarial fever, and
was at the end of ten days pronounced
dead by her physician, as all signs of
animation seemed to be suspended-the
body was cold, the pulse stopped, and
tie lips were bloodless... Mr.. Ainslee was
himself sick at the time and could not
attend the funeral of his wife but in q
few days afterward he called the old
colored woman who had attended her in
her last illness, and made her give him q
detailed statement of the facts. After
listening to her story, Mr.. Ainslee stated
that lie had had a strange dream in re-
gard to his wife, and he was firmly of
the impression that she had been buried
alive. So strong hold did this dream
take upon his mind, that as soon as he
was able, he, in company with few
friends and an undertaken, went to the
vault in which the body had been placed,
and opening the large box in which the
coffin was confined, that receptacle was
found to be sprung at every joint, and
the top almost pried off. Upon OPEN
lug it the body of Mrs. Aiuslee was
found to be lying on its face, and the
terrible expression the face had upon it
gave evidence of the struggle that must
have been made for freedom. Scarcely
less mournful are the consequences of
the sad discovery. Mr.. Ainslee is now
raving maniac.
A short three years ago Miss Addie
Carter, the daughter of well-to-do
farmer, in middle Tennessee, to all ap.
pearances died, and was buried. The
young lady had on her hand at the time
beautiful diamond ring, the gift of her
betrothed, and it excited the cupidity Of
man on the farm, to such a degree that
he made up his mind to possess it.
This he could not do without exhuming
the body, and that he did late at night.
II seemed that after he had burst the
coffin open he was, on account of the
swollen condition of the finger, unable
to phil the ring off, 50, taking out his
knife, he attempted to amputate the
finger. The lady, who it seemed had
only been in trance, was brought to
consciousness by the cutting, and Civ.
ing scream, 50 scared the man that
he fled. Miss Carter then, after many
painful efforts, succeeded in getting free
from her grave and in making her way
home. The effect upon her family can
be imagined, and her lover, upon hear
ing of the case the next day, at once
made her his wife, and she now presides
at his table as Mrs. Collins, with moth
ing to remind her of her dreadful fate
but the scar upon her finger.
One of the most painful cases of ante
mortem interment took place few years
ago in Philadelphia. The lady, young
Quakeress of good family, had apparent
ly passed from this world of sin and
ooiho", uil'i was Ill Hu open COllln placel
in q vault amid the relics of her ances-
tors. Nearly six months afterward the
vault was opened to receive another
tenant, when sight met the eyes of
thJse present that will never be forgot
ton by them. On the steps Of the vault
sat, or rather reclined against the wall,
all that was mortal of the young lady.
She had walked from her trance, and
being unable to find her way to earth
again, had sunk in helpless despair upon
the steps.
A very singular case occurred to a
minister some two years ago III. Mon
mouth county, New Jersey. After q
short illness he was thought to be dead,
and preparations were made for his
funeral. But it was not to be-the
man was only in a trance and as the
undertaken was making ready to screw
down the lid of the coffin, he discovered
a twitching of the supposed dead mans
eye-balls, and upon proper remedies be-
ing applied, the gentleman WAS restored
to full life and vigor. He describes
most vividly his feelings at the time, as
he said that he could hear all that was
going on around him, but could not
move until the last moment.