The daily gazette., 1879-02-10
TIL, DEAD ALIVE.
Unexpected Results Of Rifing n Family
Vautt-A BOdy-Sndtcter's Secret.


Vautt-A Body-Sndtcter's Secret.
The present excitement over the resur-
rection business gives the following story
particular interest
In the town of Kilmare, in the north
of Ireland, + side many families Of dis
tinction. The head of one of these was
"A Mr.. Bell, young gentleman of twenty
five. lie married the only child of a
wealthy East India M rchanl residing in
Liverpool,by whom he had two children.
In the fourth year of their welded life
Mis-. Bell was taken suddenly i'll, and
expired next day.
The old church yard of Kilmare stood
on the side of hill, and Immediately in
the rear If the church aud adjoining he
chancel was the tomb of the Bell family.
Here, in accordance with immemorial
usage, the body OF the deceased lady was
to r. pose, and there it was depos ted on
the third day after her demise. After
the Ger mony the key of the vault was
put in its usI,l place by the sexton in
the vestry of the church.
The day had b Ell glo omy,and as night
drew on thin rain fell, which increased
a. about midnight to smart shower e.
Mr. b. II was about retiring, when the
clear tones Of the door-bel rang through
the building. MIR. b II opened the door
and stepped out into the corridor. AT
that moment, AS he glanced down the
stairway, he saw the housekeeper NOV
ing towards the door. Then he heard
her set the small lamp she carried on the
table, and open the bolts of the door,
Thcn dreadful and prolonged shrek
followed, and at the same moment Mr..
Bells butler ran al ng 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 housekeeper lay on
the floor apparently in a swo n. What
was MIR. Bells surprise to see the bul Ter
raise his hands, iix his gaz' upon the
door, and then sink to the floor as though
81 u, k Il ad.
Uu,rly bewidered and confounded
Mr. Bell has ened downs airs. The sight
that met his gaze when lie rec ched the
centre OF tue hall almost iroze his blood
There stood the figure of his wife in her
grave clothes, leaning against the pillar
Of the door, with one hand thro n across
her breast.
Julia, my darling, my wife :" Mr..
Bell examined, and stepped towards the
| figure.
1t made movement towards him, and
the next instant it was enioldei ia his
arms. 1t was indeed the wife, but that
day buried, who was restored to the arms
of the bereaved husband and children.
The exPlanat on which she offered was
very imperfect. For short time after
her supposed d ath she as aware of all
| that went on arolnd her, but before she
was placed in the coflin she lost all con-
sclousnes.. She said that the first sensa-
lion Of consc business she had was one of
pain. Then she saw an indistinct glim-
mer With a powerful effort she rose
| and saw woman standing by her side.
The woman shrieked and fled, and then
Mrs. Bell discovered that she was lying
in coffin in the family vault Fresh
strength came 10 her every moment, and,
releasing h rself from the shroud she
stepped to the ground and passed out of
the vault, the door of which was wife
open. Down the churchyard path she
passed to the main street, along which
sue walked for LA I mile, until she
reached her late home. Fortunately the
large gate TO the park was unf stened,
and she fastened up the roadway To the
dwelling.
The rest has been told. She rapidly
| regained her health, and lived TO good
old age.
| Next day the lamp was found extin-
guished on the floor If the vault. 1t was
| identified rs one which usually stood in
the vestry, and was used by the sexton.
IL had doubtless been removed at the
same time when the key OF the vault
was taken. Beyond that all was mys-
terry.
Mrs Bell was buried Nth her valuable
diamond ring on her finger. The desig II
had been to steal This from the supposed
corpse. Finding it impossibl to remove
jit, the daring thief hal 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 trance, and aroused her tu
consciousness. On the finger, Just belo "
the ring, marks of teeth were dist nctly
visible Tor several days after Ms. Bells
resuscitation.
Soon after this extraordinary occur.
renee the vicar of the parish resigned his
living and removed his family TO Eng
land. Several years passed away, and
the incidents herein recorded were al.
nost forgotten. Mrs. Bells father died
aud MI. Bell and his family quilted Kl.
mare and took up their residence at Tox-
teth, near Liverpool.
And now for the sequel
During the Chartist riots in l84O, j aines
Blnns " az arrested for murder and lodg-
ed in Lancashire Jail. He was tred,
conv, oted and sentenced to be hanged
| Before the last sentence of the law was
| executed he made a confession of many
crimes, aud among the rest OF his eX-
ploits, as prof.> sional body y-snatcher, In
| which business he had been engaged for
many wears. The following facts are
taken from his confession:
In July, 1920, he was living III Belfast,
having fled from England to escape pun
/ ishment for his otfenses. He had done
several small jobs in Belfast for the doc
tors, and on the night of July 20, in the
year named, a well-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 a rich pro-
prietor, had just died suddenly, and the
doctor and his associates desired the
body to investigate the cause of death.
The doctor paid him so much money
down, and despatched him to kilmare
| with such Instructions as were necessary.
At midnight he went 10 the church
yard armed with wrench, a 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