The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-08
IN TIE JAWS OF DEATH.

PRACTICAL JOKE WITH TRAGIC PossIBILI-
TIEs-A MAN LOCKED IN A SAFE VAULT
HIS TERRIBLE IxPERIENCE.
From the 81. Louis Post April 81
Clarence Newcomb, son Of ex-United States Marshal
and ex-Congressman Newconb, underwent nm ex-
peronce few days ago which he will forget.
The sporiive humor Of friend led 10 the perpetra-
tion OF joke which came near having serious aud
fatal termination. Mr.. Newcomb had stepped into
the vault attached TO the once OF Lonergan This
OF the Detective Agency, where he Is interested The
vault used for the storing away OF valuable books
papers, &c A gentleman who In the Office at
the time closed the door upon Newcomb by way OF q
practical joke. The door closed with snap, ana Mr..
Nowcomb Ielt some misgivings AS he found himself
surrounded with n darkness which was almost pal
paolc. His fears were Increased by the recollection
oil that, except himself aud Mr. Ihiei,
was IN possession Of the numerical combination by
which the safe was unlocked, and that Mr. Thel had
stopped out u few minutes before
AN AWFUL PRRDICAMESr.
In the meantime tnc practical joker went out
ultnp m The unny plight IN which his yictim must
mud him sell whom discovered that he could
out Mr. Newcombss reflections " ere boco ming more
and more serious every moment lie could not hear
apy sounds IRON the outside aud wondered what had
became oi his TREND lie tried to cry out. but knew
that his voice, II raised TO Its highest pitch,
could penetrate through the thick walls that
rounded him. He tried but the revcrberations Of his
pounded against walls bruisng hts hand an at-
tempt that know must DO Intellectual TO attract
a
to be hopeless prisoner almost without tho slightest
hope oil rcliei
DESPAIR AND RELIEY.
The ticking OF his watch, plainly audible in the
dense darkness adnonishcd him OF tho rapid flight OF
time. The iDtorvuls between tho seconds
longer than he had known before. The quiet had
become intense that no could PANTY hear the beat
Ing OF his heart II tnumped against his side, like the
sound oil pio dr,vor, falling AT regular intervals and
drNing--so he thought-hIs burial place deeper and
deeper INTO the Garth He thought he could hear his
blood as IT was pumped OF his heart ana coursed
through his VEINS IL reminded him Of tho murmur
OF brook lowing through the woods and tricxIing
over messy The action OF his lungs mad bc-
come suddenly and strangely audible. Respiration
wus becoming difficult. Inc regular inhalation aud
exhantion OF his breath sounded like bellows that
being worked with difficulty. The Iabofcd action
OF mis- lungs, constantly becoming harder and
harder, brought 10 his mind the terrible Qucs-
ton, how much longer could he live this
conined Atmosphere Ito Calculated how much
contained in those narrow walls and how long IL
would support nic Al tho farthost IL appcarcu 10
him that could not live moro than twenty minutes,
and then no would have 10 breathe this vitaiod air
and over again Ito cried out again but stopped
the reflection that tins useless expenditure of
the very hydrogen whiSa no must depend Tor Lille
Tor time to como. Tho silence Ucgan to
broken by murmur, winch he coutu not at FIRST
derstand. fnc murmur gradually increased 10 a loud
buzz buzz, and then nc realized tnat this must be
Ny rush OF blood 10 tho head tho effect OF has
roaring thunder. lilo felt himself stagger, ana then
lost consciousness AT this moment Mr.. fhel cano
IN hurriedly, having boon iniorped OF the situation
and unlocked the safe. Mr. Eewcomb had tainted,
but was restored by the tree Of water mixed with
some stimuanl