The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-04-18

ment, and, releasing herself from the
shroud, she stepped to the ground and
passed out Of the vault. the door of
which was wide open. Down the church
yard path she went to the street, along
which she walked for half mile, until
she reached her late home. Fortunate
" the large gate to the park was unfas-
tened, and she fastened up the roadway
to the dwelling. The rest the reader
knows She rapidly regained her
health, and lived to good old age.
But who was the woman who stood by
the side of the coffin when the corpse
suddenly rose and startled her into sud-
den fight
Next day the lamp was found extin-
guished on the floor of the vault. It
was identified as one which usually stood
in the vestry, and was used by the sex
ton. It had doubtless been removed at
the same time when the key Of the vault
was taken. Beyond that all was a mys-
terry.
The object of the woman, however,
was easily discovered. AS already stat
ed, Mrs. Bell was buried with q valua-
BILE diamond ring on her finger. The de-
sign of the woman was to steal this from
the supposed corpse. Finding itimpos-
sible to remove it, the darling thief had
raised the hand of the dead woman to her
mouth, and in her attempt to withdraw
the ring with her teeth caused the pang
which went through the frame of the evil
dent victim of trance, and aroused her
to consciousness. On the finger, just
below the ring, the marks of the teeth
were distinctly visible for several days
after Mrs. Bells resuscitation.
Every effort was made to keep this re-
markable circumstance secret from the
gossip of the neighborhood, neverthe-
less every exertion was used quietly to
ascertain who the rohber Of the tomb
was. The general impression was that
the garb OF female was assumed as @
disguise, and that the depredator was in
reality 8 man, and probably profess
ional body-snatcher.
It was thought that the remarkable
circumstances attending Mrs. Bells sup
posed death had aroused the desire of
some medical expert to possess the body
for the purpose of an autopsy, that he
had employed a person to steal it, and
that the body-snatcher, discovering the
valuable jewel, had resolved to gam pos
session of it for himself.
Soon after this extraordinary occur
renee the vicar of the parish resigned
his living and removed his family to En-
gland. Several years passed away, and
the incidents herein recorded were al
most forgotten. Mrs. Bells father died,
and Mr.. Bell and his family quilted Kill
mare, and took up the residence at
Toxteth, near Liverpool.
During the Ohartist riots in 1910,
James Binnis was arrested for murder
and lodged in Lancaster jail. He was
tried, convicted, and sentenced to be
hanged. Before the last sentence Of the
law was executed, he madea confession
OF many crimes, and among the rest of
his exploits as professional body
snatcher, in which business he had been
engaged for many years. The following
facts are taken from his confession:
In July, 1920, he was living in Bel
fast, having fled from England to escape
punishment for his offenses. He had
done several small jobs in Belfast for
the doctors, and on the night of July 20,
in the year named, well-known physi-
clan of Belfast sent for him, and told
him that he had very delicate piece of
work for him to perform. A Mrs. Bell,
a lady of great beauty, and the wife of
a rich proprietor, had just died of very
peculiar disease, and the doctor and his
associates desired the body to investi-
gate the cause of death. The doctor
paid him SO much money down, and dis
patched him to Kilmare with such in
structiOns as were necessary.
He was to secure the corpse, and
coach would be ready at the churchyard
gate in which there would be two assist
ants who would be ready to assist him at
a given signal. 4
He went to Kilmare on the day of the
funeral, at which he was present. He
examined the lock on the door of the
vault, and was satisfied that he could
easily remove it. At midnight he went
to the churchyard armed with wrench,
pair of shears, and a picklock. First
satisfying himself that the coach was In
waiting, he entered the graveyard and
proceeded to the vault. w
The night was dark, and rain was fall
ing. Creeping up by the side Of the
church, he approached the tomb of the
Bell family. To his surprise he saw
that the door was open, and faint light
burning inside. Stealthily drawing
near, he glanced in.g He saw the coffin
lying along the marble slab, and in front
of it woman was standing. A second
glance showed him that the woman was
at work trying to remove ring from the
finger of the dead. A sudden thought
struck him, and Aslouohing down he
reached in at the door, and with his
shears, which he had brought to rid the
corpse OF It's cumbersome shroud. he cut
piece from the skirt of the woman's
dress and retired unobserved. AS lie re-
msined for an instant peering into the
strange scene, to his horror and aston
ishment, he saw the corpse arise and
raise the hand which the woman was ap-
parently in the act of putting to her
month The woman cyoxn a ob,.;oL