The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1882-08-12
HOURS IN ACOFFIN.
Thrilling Adventure of shoes
Maker Martin Strong. Pre-.
pared for lIasty burial.
A. Night of COmcentrn.
tea Agony. A Joke
tE Il hat Nearly
Killed.
Philadelphia Cor. New York News.

aCA ~ X Vhys - - OkAc
b HAT Nearly
Killed.
Philadelphia Cor. New York News.
''Seven hours in a coffin added ten
years to my life" was the singular
remark made to your correspondent
on Thursday last, which resulted this
morning in unfolding most remark
able tale of adventure. Martin
Strong, a shoemaker living-or rath-
err dying-at his brothers house on
Twelfth street told for the first time
of horrible experience through
which he passed in the summer of
1868, when he was pronounced dead
by the physicians and came within
an ace of being buried alive. Strong
has suffered many years with an af-
lection of the spine. He has been
unable to attend to his business for
several years, because of his ailment,
and now appears to be on
THE VERGE OF THE GRAVE. Ia
81 will tell you all that l remem-
ber,'' said the shoemaker, as he gulp-
ed down a tumblerful of brandy and
water, 'but object to having any
thing published in newspaper, and
don't thank my old doctor for send
ing you here. In the month of Juue,
1868, was taken violently i'll with a
terrible pain at the base of the brain,
and chilliness all the way down the
spinal column. L then lived in
room on South street and had shop
on Ridge avenue. About the middle
of June / took to bed, and called in
Dr.. Harker, (who died few years
ago, by the way), and afterward DIR.
Cummings, now living believe near
Camden. Neither of them appeared
to know what allied me. became
delirious and remained in that state
from the 28th of June to the 4th of
July. remember distinctly awak-
ening on that morning and hearing
the noise of fireworks. In the after
noon the queer feeling in my back
bene increased, and by shutdown, |
felt as though | was paralyzed from
the neck down. remained in that
state until nine o'clock the next NOR
ming, and then the chilly feeling be-
gan extending all over the body. j
lost all power of motion, and could
not even open my month or eyes.
Still ] heard everything going on
about me. DIR. Cummings held my
pulse and heard him tell my broth
err that would
PROBABLY LIVE UNTIL NOON.
At eleven o'clock-for | heard the
clock strike--a SILVER seemed to go
through me and my brother lifted my
head. / heard the doctor say, He's
going now, think l could not ut
ter sound or move muscle. Then
felt the doctor unbutton my night
shirt, and place his ear above my
heart. He raised his head in a mo-
ment and said He's gone My God,
how did try to move at that mo-
ment, but it was no use; / couldn't
even as much as wink. MY body
must have been cold to give the idea
of death, but / could not feel the
cold except in the region of my
spine. My supposed dead body was
covered with sheet and placed in
the middle of the bed. My brother
then locked up the house and went
out Now what happened almost i'm
mediately afterward is SO very
strange and incredible that / must
ask You to believe it simply on my
word alone, because / would not in
suit your intelligence by such a stu
pendous statement unless it were
true. lay there thinking of the aw-
full agony would endure should they
bury me alive. ] seemed to live
lifetime and the mental torture was
the most terrible you can imagine.
My brother had been gone about ten
minutes, / should judge, when sud
denly
FELT A NEW SENSATION.
My back seemed as though it was
pricked by hundreds of needles, and
l felt q warmth creeping down my
backbone. This warmth extended
gradually to other parts of the body
and involuntarily drew great sigh.
That simple action brought back the
suspended functions of life and the
next instant had thrown the sheet
off and was on my feet. / was still
weak, and sat down in chair to
think. Then / knelt down and Of
fered up prayer Of thankfulness.
These feelings were now succeeded |
By the jolliest humor imaginable. l
felt SO good that l could scarcely re-
strain myself from opening the win
dow and shouting for joy, but re-
strained myself and sat still. Then
it occurred to me that 1T would be
harmless joke to surprise my brother,
the doctor and the world in general by
suddenly rising out of my coffin if /
coala maintain my equanimity long |
enough for them to put me in. The |
more ! thought of the scheme the
more / liked it and actually laughed |
aloud as imagined the
HORROR STRICKEN C0UNTENANCES
OF the people at seeing dead man
rise up and speak. My brother
might return at any moment, SO to
carry out the plan successfully l laid
down again and had the sheet ready
to draw over my face the moment
heard him come in. / suppose l re-
manned in that position for twenty I