Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-11-10
A STRANGE OCCURRENCE
A DEAD NAN rURNs IN HIS sHKoUD

A STRANGE OCCURRENCE
A DEAD NAN TURNS IN HIS sHRoUD.
Tho Remarkable Manner In Which Prepa-
ratiODs for . Funeral Wero interrupted
Tho Grave to 30 Kept Open.
While funeral wake was in progress at
West Brighton, Staten Island, Thursday,
the corpse turned over in the coffin, to the
great fright and excitement of the rela-
tives and friends. On Monday morning
Daniel Demps0 an undertaken, was
summoned to to home of Mrs. Connolly,
on Henderson Stenue, to take charge OF
tho interment of her son Michael. aged
twenty eight years, who sho said died on
Sunday night. Mr.. Dempsey intimated
that It would not be necessary to put the
body on ice Immediately, but that he
would call in the afternoon with an ice
box. Mr.. Dempsey then applied an EN-.
balming substance over tho body and laid
it on a board near an open window, where
the body was laid ont " in the old fashion
Of an Irish wake. The friends of the
family in New York and Brooklyn assem-
bled at the house, and by nino o'clock at
night tho crowd was SO great that the
neighbOrs generously offered the use OF
their houses.
Candles were lighted. pipes were
smoked, tobacco and snuff wcze passed,
prayers were offered Mt intervals and
whatever virtues the young man possessed
in life were rehearsed during the night.
At midnight the mother of tho deceased
sent again for the undertaken and gave
instructions to have tho family grave
opened at Flatbush cemetery. This order
was promptly carried out and on Tuesday
morning the undertaken arrived at the
house and found the body still unchanged.
The time for the funeral was fixed for
Wednesday at 10 o'clock. At 7 il the
morning Mr.. Dempsey placed Tho body in a
coffin and shortly after his departure .
messenger was dispatched for him. He
was not 1T his residence, however, and the
messenger was obliged to cross in a boat
to Bergen Point, whittier MIR. Dempsey
had gOne to his other establishment.
When Mr.. Dempsey and tho messenger
reached the house it was near the ap-
pointed time for the funeral.
"Oh, my boy is not dead at all Y"
screamed tho mother, as Mrs. Dempsey
entered.
The undertaken was speeohless for a few
moments. He supposed that tho poor
woman had become crazed with grief.
''No, Mr.. Dempsey" cried Mrs. Con-
nolly's daughter, grasping him by the
shoulder "please don't take my brother
away to-day. lie is alive yet"
"What do you mean, anyhow" ?" gaspad
out MIR. Dempsey at last.
Oh," said Miss Connolly, "yOu had
not gone away half an hour after placing
him in the coffin when went to look at
him and saw that he had leaned over on
ono side. I screamed and mother, with
six or seven women and two men who
were in the room, rushed over and looked
in ut the body. l put my hand on his
forehead and so did everyone present
and they all declared the body was
cold"
Mr.. Dempsey was dumbfonndcd. /" He
must be dead" he answered.
But look at the natural color of the
face" said Mrs. Connolly.
"That arises from tho preserving quail
ity of the embalming stuff which ap-
Piled" was the reply.
The excitement spread rapidly and the
room of the dead was soon crowded. The
undertaken at this predicament was
puzzled for some time. At length, seeing
| that neither the relatives nor friends
could he pacitied, he advised them to
send for a physician and that in the
meantime he would under no circum.
stances remove tho body until signs of de-
composition were visible. He then placed
tho body again on it's back in the coffin
and hurried off in his wagon in quest of a
doctor.
Shortly afterward Drs. Walzer and Am
brOse arrived and held consultation.
They recommended that the body he kept
in th house at least ono day more.
Yes" said tho distracted mother,
ana will keep my boy here for the
next ten years, aye, forever, if he keeps
his color as he does now," and she rush
cd to the coffin and passiOnate)y kissed
the body.
Tho scene at this timo defied descrip.
tion. Women screamed, men rushed to
and fro and drove away in the carriages
they had hired to attend the funeral and
the crush of the curiosity seekers to gain
admission to the house was fearful.
Friday morning the physicians called
again and found no perceptible change in
the appearance of the body. The body
still remains in the house and the excite
ment throughout tho village is intense.
A reporter met tho undertaker's messen-
ger on his way to Flatbush cemetery with
instructions to keep tho grave open till
further orders. A message was also dis
patched to the pastor of Catholic church
in Brooklyn, to which the body was con.
veycd, explaining the cause of tho delay.
OTHEl: HAPPENINGS Or THE DAY
Death of Two Persons who Wero Poisoned
by Eating Pumpkin Pic.
On Thursday last tho family of Charles
II. CARRIER, of Norristown had pumpkin
pic for dinner, of which all ato heartily.
The flour with which the pie crust was
baked subsequently proved to contain
quantities of crystallized arsenic. When
tho victims of tho poison wore attacked
with pains in tho abdomen and violent
vomiting DR.. MahlOn Preston, the family
physician, was called in. He treated them
for malarial fever. DR.. Munstead, the
family physician of the visitors, also was
called in. He prescribed for the same
disorder. Tho ladies were removed to
their homes after a few days. Mrs. Gar
Der had but a slight attack. Henry B.
10 rl>or klo o,,1v Snu rccoDt1v od ~, IL rod