Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1878-12-05
CHE Stprv Temer.
THEDEAD ALIVE.

THEDEAD ALIVE.
The present excitement over the resurrec'
ton business, gives the following thrilling
story particular interest
In the town of Kilmare, in the north OF
Ireland, reside many families of distinction
The head of one of these was q Mr.. Bell, 9
young gentleman of twenty-five. He married
the only child of wealthy East India mer.
chant residing in Liverpool, by whom he had
two children. In the fourth year Of their
welded life, Mrs. Bell was taken suddenly ILL.,
and expired the next day.
The old churchyard Of Kilmare stood on
the side of hill, and Immediately in the rear
Of the church and adjoining the chancel, was
the tomb of the Bell family. Here, in
accordance with immemorial usage, the body
of the deceased lady was to repose, and there
it was deposited on the third day after her
demise. After the ceremony, the key Of the
vault 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 q thin rain fell which increased at
about midnight to smart shower. Mr.. Bell
was about retiring, when the clear tones OF
the door.bell rang through the building. Mr..
Bell opened the door and stepped out into the
corridor. At that moment, as he glanced
down the stairway, he saw the housekeeper
moving towards the door. Then he heard
her set the small lamp she carried on the
table, and open the bolts of the door. Then
.aadreadfui and prolonged sbriek followed,
and at the same moment Mr. Bells butler
ran along the hall towards the front door.
Mr.. Bell had reached the head of the stairs
and was in the act of descending, when the
butler reached the spot where the housekeep-
er lay on the floor apparently in swoon.
What was Mr.. Bells surprise to see the but
Ter raise his hands, fix his gaze upon the door,
and then sink to the floor as though struck
dead. $500 e. - =. '..<.5
Utterly bewildered and confounded, Mr..
Bell hastened down stairs. The sight that
met his gaze when he reached the centre of
the hall almost froze his blood. There stood
the figure of his wife in her grave clothes,
leaning against the pillar of the door, with
one hand thrown across her breast
"Julia, my darling, my wife! Mr.. Bell
exclaimed, and stepped towards the figure.
It made movement towards him, and the
next instant it was enfolded in his arms. 1t
was indeed the wife, but that day buried, who
was restored to the arms of the bereaved
husband and children. The explanation
which she offered was very imperfect. For a
short time after her supposed death, she was
aware of all that went on around her,
but before she was placed in the coffin
she lost all consciousness. She said that the
first sensation of the consciousness she had
was one of pain. Then she saw an indistinct
glimmer. With powerful effort she arose
aud saw woman standing by her side. The
woman sbrieked and fled, and then Mrs. Bell
discovered that she was lying in coffin in
the family vault. Fresh strength came to
her every movement, and releasing herself
from her shroud, she stepped to the ground
and passed out of the varlt, the door of
which was wide open. Down the church.
ward path she passed to the main street. along
which she walked for half mile, until she
reached her late home. Fortunately, the
large gate to the park was unfastened, and
she hastened up the roadway to the dwelling.
The rest has been told She rapidly re-
gained her health, and lived to good "old
age.
Next day the lamp was found extinguished
on the floor of the vault 1t was identified
as one which usually stood in the vestry, and
was used by the sexton. 1t had doubtless
been removed at the same time when the key
of the vault was taken. Beyond that all was
mystery.
Mrs. Bell was buried with her valuable
diamond ring on her finger. The design had
been to steal this from the supposed corpse
Finding it impossible to remove it, the daring
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 victim Of a
trance, and aroused her to consciousness. On
the finger, just below the ring, marks of teeth
we're distinctly visible for several days after
Mrs. Bells resuscitation.
Soon after this extraordinary occurrence,
the vicar of the parish resigned his living
and removed his family to England. Several
years passed away, and the incidents recorded
were almost forgotten. Mrs. Bells father
died, and Mr.. Bell and his family Quilted
Kilmare and took up their residence at Tox
teth, near Liverpool
And now for the sequel.
During the Chartist riots in 1910, James
Binns was arrested for murder and lodged in
Lancashire Jail. He was tried, convicted,
and sentenced to be hanged. Before the last
sentence of the law was executed, he made
confession of many crimes, and, among the
rest, of his exploits, as professional body.
suatcher, in which business he had been en-.
gagged for many years. The following facts
are taken from his confession -
In July, 1920, he was living in Belfast,
having fed from England to escape punish
ment for his offences. He had done several
small Jobs in Belfast for the doctors, and on
the night of July 20, in the year named, a
we'll known physician of Belfast sent for him,
and told him that he had very delicate
piece of work for him to perform. A Mrs.
Bell, lady of great beauty, and the wife Of
rich proprietor, had just died suddenly, and
the doctor and his associates desired the body
to investigate the cause of death. The doc.
tor paid him so much money down, and dis
patched him to Kimare with such instruc-
tions as were necessary. At midnight, he
went to the churchyard armed with wrench,
pair of shears, and a pick.lock. The night
was dark, and rain was falling. 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. Steathily drawing near, he
glanced in. 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 a
ring from the finger of the dead. A sudden
thought struck him, and slouching down, he