The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1881-01-12
ONE WEEK IN 4 DEAD.HOUSE.
A Corpse Keeps Warm Eight Days Ar
ter Death - The Atlanta Physicians
Puzzled,
atlanta monograph.

atlanta monograph.
One week ago yesterday Miss Minnie Byrd,
the lourtecn.year-o!d daughter or 1. a: BYRD,
q wclI-known printer OF this city, was pro-
nnunccd dead by the attending physician. DIR.
simpson, and placed in ncasket ready for bur-
TAI. The funeral was arranged TO take place
the Sunday afternoon following, and at the
al pointed hnur tho hcarse and carriages were
at The door ready to take those in attendance
upon the funeral TO Oakland Cemetery. \
few moments before the funeral services were
to m Mr.. Frank Ridge noticed that Il
small flower had fallen from one of the hands
ol the corpse into the space between the body
and the side of the coffin, the lid Of which had
never been placed on. Mr.. Ridge lifted the
position from which 1t had fallen, noticed that
tle hands of the deceased were still warm.
and also that the lips and ears were still high
Iy cO!Orcd and also warm. lie called the al
tcntion Of Il lady to the fact, and asked her to
nut her hand under the corpse and sec II the
back was warm. The lady did us requested
and found that there was still considerable
warmth in that portion OF the body lying
next to the bottom OF the coffin. These obser-
vatiups were soon mad known TO those IN at.
tendance, and the hcar>e and carriages were
dismissed. The rom was cleared and several
held Il conference for the purpose
Of ascertaining what was best TO DC done.
They made an examination Of the condition
Of the body, and after some discussion decided
that life was extinct. The mothcr0 of the chlld
about this time interposed and insisted that
the romans snOulu noI DC buTicu Us iollE "s
there was any reason Tor believing tlGat her
child was still alive.
Nothing more was done until the following
day, when Mr.. Green Holland, the Keeper oil
Oakland Cemetery. called at the house for the
purpose OF asccriaining why It was that the
funeral did not akc place. lie thought that
something was wrong, as he had prepared Il
grave at the request Of a friend Of the family
who notified him Of the death. When Mr..
Holland reached the house he learned all OF
tha fnc.y I'm tho rnSa and Stntp0 to Mr.. RyrQ
that.if he would send the body as 1t was TO the
cemetery he would taxi care OF 1t until fnr-
ther developments were reached. Ills was
done. ard tho body sent to Oakland, Whrre
the casket was deposited in the dead house.
Since that day there has been no percepti6le
change In the condition of the body.
No signs OF decay are noticed. and certain
portions of the body are yet warm and life
Der Of persons have visited the cemetery, 70:
the purpose Of ascerta!nlns If what they had
heard WAS true.
A number OF the physicians Of the city have
satisfactory conclusion. The ease Is one o.
the most remarkable on record, and what VII!
be done with the body remains 10 be seen ; al
p.eSent we can't say.
TIE DOCTORS SAY SHE IS DEAD.
atlanta Constitution.
Yesterday Drs. Cofer. Collier and Fowler Wis
tied the cemetery for the pnrposeo Of making q
thorough examination Of Miss Minnie BYRD
the young lady whose remains have been 49,
Ing In the dead house for the past week. A
battery was applied and every known test re-
sorted 10, bnt no evidence Of life could be dis
covered, and sfter a complete and satisfactory
examination the physicians declared Miss
Byrd dead.
This is indeed n remarkable case and every
physician who has seen the body Is lost for Z
solution. AS has been stated, after her death
the body still retained It's warmth. The coloI
still adhered TO the lips, and every appearance
of life was visible, yet she was pronounced
dead. During tho entire week the warmth o
the body was readily nscertained, and ever
now the temperature Is only n little h"'n"
that Of q living bcing.-. -.erday, DR..
In makiT;Gas attempting to detect n pulsn.
Cofe,"uiscovcred n slight corpsc.like odor. IT
i; asserted that the remains will be buried to-
day,