The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1880-04-29
Rrnnehf Rack 10 Life

In the year l72S Margaret Dickson
was tried at Edinburg for the murder
Of her child, supposed TO have been born
during the absence Of her husband. Az
ter her condemnation she behaved inthe
most penitent manner, acknowledged
her ihfideiity, but constantly and stead
lily denied tina! she had murdered her
child or even formed an idea of so hor-
rible a crime. Attic place OF execution
her behavior was consistent with her
former declaration. and she was hanged.
After execution her body was cut down
and delivered TO her friends, who put il
into a cart to be buried at her native
place; but the weather being sultry, the
persons who had the body in charge
stopped to drink at a village about two
miles from Edinburg. While they
were refreshing themselves, one of them
perceived the lid of the coffin move, and
uncovering it, the woman Immediately
sat up. when most of the spectators ran
Off with every sign Of trepidation.
A person who was drinking in the
house had recollection enough to bleed
her; in about an hour after she was put
to bed, and next morning she was so re-
covered as TO be able to walk TO her own
house. By the Scottish law, which is
partly founded on that of the Romans, a
person against whom the Judgment Of
the court has been executed can suffer
no more in future, but is thencelorth
totally excrlpated; and it is likewise
held that the marriage is dissolved by
the execution of the convicted party.
Mrs. Dickson having been thus con-
victed and executed, the kings advo-
cate could prosecute her no further, but
he filed a bill in the high court of justi-
ciary against the sheriff for emitting to
fulfill the law. The husband of this re-
stored convict married her publicly a
few days after she was hanged; and she
lived about thirty years afterward.
A case is given in which a young lady
arose out of her coffin and appeared be-
fore the family at supper, "pale and
frightened. but fair to see as before
death" The doctor, the priest and the
undertaken saw the error of their way,
but the priest alone made amends, by
officiating at the young lady's wedding a
year after he had preached her funeral
| sermon. Petrarch, when q middle-aged
man, lay twenty hours in a trance, and
narrowly escaped being buried alive.
We have often heard the story of the
| consul's wife who was buried alive and
released from her painful position by
robbers, who broke open the coffin to
steal the lady's jewelry. Among the
other stories of resuscitated victims OF
apparent death, is one of an old gentle
man who was revived by one of his
skeptical friends putting a burning taper
to his nose. His life was saved, but the
sad story of his escape from the very
laws of death was ever afterward told
by the SCARED and crimson beacon ON
| his face. .ftI. f.
A number of stories are given of the
revival of hospital patients after they
have been carried QUITO the d~ead-house.
! This seems q very common occurrence
in Europe. Two of the most terrible
statements are of children being born in
the tomb, one of whom, according to
Mr.. Mackay, being discovered by a
lucky incident, lived to be a man, and
occupied for several years the post of
acknowledgement on the frontiers of
ChereZ.
Several instances are given OF persons
who have been cognizant of what was
going OF around them, yet powerless to
stop their burial. One case is given of
a schoolmaster who, had it not been for
the arrival of a sister, would have been
buried alive. The passionate grief OF
the sister caused the eyelids of the de
ceased" to CULVER, and the truth was
discovered.
1t is impossible to prolong the list OF
examples, but enough has been already
said to show, the wickedness of nasty
funerals, and the necessity of establish
ing a proper system of tests. Does it
ever occur to the minds of Americans
that funerals are often conducted very
quickly in this country. as well as in
Italy and the warm countries of EuropeP
1t is doubtful if the bodies of the poor
people who live in the tenement houses
OF our large cities are examined very
closely before they are inferred; it is
doubtful if the greatest care is exercised
in this matter in the rural districts,
where good physicians cannot be at the
death beds of sick persons, and where
rich and poor alike are often intrusted
to doctors who are neither famous for
learning or intuition. The writer in
BelgraUtG is inclined to think that one
OF the needs of the world at the present
moment is a simple test, and not acorn
plicated series of tests, which would be
out of the reach ofthe poor and beyond
the reach inexperienced or badly-paid
doctors. 1t will be reassuring to have
that test as DON as possible. Chicago
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