The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-11-11

AK EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF SUSPENDED AM
NATION on STATEN ISLAND.

IN EXTRAORDINARY SAsn We sestsN AMI
NATION on STATEN ISLAND.
NEW YoRK, November 9.--0n Monday
morning Mr.. Daniel Dempsey, an under
taker. was summoned to the residence OF
Ms. Connolly, on Henderson avenue,
West Brighton, Staten Island, to take
charge Of the intermcnt OF her son Michael,
aged twcnty-eight years, who she said died
on Sunday night. Mr.. Dempsey inti-
mated that II would not be necessary to put
the body on ice immediately, but that he
would call in the afternoon with an ice
box. lie then applied an embalming SUB.
stance over the body and laid It OH board
near an open window, where the BODY was
~Iaid oufv in the old fashion OF an Irish
wake. The friends OF the family In this
city and Brooklyn assembled at the house,
and by O'Clock at night the crowd was so
great that the neigbbors generously offered
the use OF their houses. Candles were
lighted, pipes were smoked, tobacco and
snuff were passed around, prayers were
offered at intervals, and whatever virtues
the young man possessed In life were re-
hearsed during the night.
At midnight the mother OF the deceased
sent again for the undertaken and gave in
Structions TO have the family grave opened
nj 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 yes
terday ut 10 O'Clock. At 7 in the morning
Mr.. Dempsey placed the body in coffin,
but shortly after his departure messen-
yer was dispatched for him. When Mr..
Dempsey and the messenger reached the
house, however, II was near the appointed
time for the funeral.
"Oh, my boy Is not dead at ALL"
screamed the mother as Mr.. Dempsey en-
tered. The undertaken was speeches. for
a few moments. He supposed that The
poor woman had become crazed with grief.
"No, Mr.. Dempsey" cried Mrs. Connol-
ly's daughter, grasping him by the
shoulder. "Please don't take my brother
away to-day. He is alive yet"
"What do you mean, anyhow" gasped
out Mr.. Dempsey at last.
"Oh," said Miss Connolly, "you had
not gone away half an hour after placing
him i'm the coffin when 1 went TO look at
him and saw that he had leaned over on
one side. | screamed, and mother, with
six or seven women and two men, who
were in the room, rushed over and looked
in at tie body. put my hand on his fore
head, and so did every one present, and
they all declared the body was cold"
Mr.. Dempsey was dumbfounded. Gle
must be dead" he answered.
"But look at the natural color OF the
face :" said Mrs. Connolly.
"That arises from the preserving quail
ity OF the embalming stuff which i ap-
Piled" was the reply.
The excitement spread rapidly, and the
room OF the dead was soon crowded. The
undertaken, in this predicament, was puz-
Zled for some time. At length, seeing that
neither the relatives nor the friends could
be pacified, be advised them to send for q
physician, and that in the mean time he
would upder no circumstances remove the
body until signs OF decomposition were
visible. lie then placed the body again on
its back In the coffin and hurried off in his
wagon in quest Of doctor. Shortly after
ward Drs. WalZer and Ambrose arrived
and held consultation. They recommend
ed that the body be kept in the house at
least one day more.
eyes" said the distracted mother, "and
i will keep my boy here for the next ten
years-aye, forever-if he keeps his color
as he does now," and she rushed to the
coffin and passionately kissed the body.
The scene at this time defied description.
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.
This morning the physicians called again
and found no pereeptible change in the APP
pearance Of the body. The body still re-
manned in the house late this afternoon,
and the excitement throughout the village
was intense. An undertaker's messenger
went to Flatbush cemetery with instruc-
lions TO keep the grave open till further or
pastor Of a Catholic church in Brooklyn,
TO which the body was to be conveyed, ex-
planning the cause Of the delay.