The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1878-05-14

spot where the housekeeper lay on the
floor apparently in swoon What was
Mr. Bells surprise to see the butler raise
bis hands, fix his gaze upon the door, ,and
then sink to the floor as though struck
dead.
Utterly bewildered and confounded,
Mr.. Bell hastered down stairs. The sight
that met his gaze when he reached the
center OF the hall almost froze his blood.
There stood the figure of his wife in her
grave clothes, leaning against the pillar
or the door with one hand throw wn across
her breast. For a moment Mr.. Bell was
almost overcome; then he remembered
the white figure which he saw crossing
the lawn few seconds before the bell
rang, and another glance showed him
thas the garments of the figure before
ID we're dripping with rain.
"Julia, my darling wifem Mr.. Bell
exclaimed and stepped toward the fig
ure.
1t made movementltoward him and
the next instant it was enfolded in his
arms. The scene that ensued battles all
description. 1t was indeed the wife but
that day buried, who was restored to the
arms of the bereaved husband and chill
dren. The explanation which she offer
ed was very imperfect and unsatisfacto-
| ry. For 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
says the first sensation of consciousness
she had was one of pain; then she saw
an indistinct glimmer, and finally pang
shot through her frame; with powerful
effort she rose and saw a woman stand
ling by her side the woman shrieked and
fed, and then Mrs. Bell discovered that
she was lying in coffin in the family
vault; fresh strength came to her every
moment, and releasing herself from the
shroud she stepped to the ground and
passed out OF the vault,the door of which
was open down the churchyard path she
passed to the main street, along which
she walked for half mile, until she
reached her home. Fortunately the large
gate to the park was unfastened, and she
FASTENED up the roadway to the dwelling.
the rest the reader knows. She rapidly
regained her health ard lived to good
old age.
But who was the woman who stood
beside the coffin when the corpse sud.
denly arose and startled her into sulden
fight2
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 sexton
liz had doubtless been removed at the
same time when the Key to the vault was
taken Beyond that all was mystery.
The object Of the woman, however
was easily discovered. As already sta.
tied, Mrs. Bell was buried with valua
| BILE diamond ring on her finger; the de-
lsscnsof the woman was tossteal this from
the supposed corpse; finding it impossi
siSle to remove it, the daring thief had
rsiseG the hand of the dead woman to
her mouth, and in her attempt to with
draw the ring with her teeth caused the
Ipsng which went through the frame oI
the evident victim of a trance, and arous'
ed her to consciousness. On the finger.
just below the ring, the marks OF 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 robber of the tomb
was. The general impression was that
the garb of female was assumed as o
disguise, and that the depredator was in
reality man, and probably aprofession'
al body -snatcher.
1t 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 gain 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 their residence at Tex.
teth near Liverpool.
And now for the sequel.
| During the Chartist riots in 1S4O
James Binns 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 wa.
executed he made confession Of many
crimes, and among the rest Of his ex
ploits,as professional body-snatcher, In
which business he had been engaged fol
many years. The following facts are ia
ken from his confession:
In July. 1920, he was living in Belfast
Having fed from England to escape pun
tishment for his offenses. He had done
several small jobs in Belfast for the doc
tors, and on the night of July 20, in the
year named, well-known physician O
Belfast sent for him and told him that ht
had a very delicate piece Of work for hin
to perform. A Mrs. Bell, lady of grea
beauty, and the wife of q rich proprietor
had just died OF very peculiar disease
and the doctor and his associates desired
the body to investigate the cause Of he
death. The doctor paid him so mucf
money down, and dispatched him to Kill
mare with such instructions as were ne
cessary. He was to secure the corpse
and coach would be ready at th,
churchyard gate in which there would b
1.-TWO assistants who would be ready tt
assist him at given signal. He went t.
Kilmare on the day Of the funeral, "a
which he was present; he examined th
lock on the door Of the vault, and wa
satisfied that he could easily remove it
| At midnight he went to the churchyar,
armed with wrench, pair of shear
and picklock. First satisfying himsel
that the coach was in waiting he entere
the graveyard and proceeded to tn
vault; the night was dark and rain wa
falling; creeping up by the side of tn
/. church, he approached the tomb of th