The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1883-05-10

n most extraordinary case Wn1cn nits
astonished all the medical profession in
Russia and Poland, has just come from
Wa saw. A short time ago there died
In the outskirts of the old capital .
young peasant woman who was buried
with that haste which characterizes the
funerals Of the Russian peasants. A few
days afterward doctors were called to
determine the cause of her death, but
none could say positively as TO the
nature of q disease that had shown no
symptoms whatever, and which had
brought this young woman to prema-
lure and sudden end She was buried
in due course. However, it was ru-
mored about the city that her husband
often ill-treated her, and at her death
some people went SO far as to say that
he was the cause of it. These rumors
spread more aud more until they
reached the ears of the authorities, who
Immediately caused the body to be ex-
humed The judicial commission fol-
lowed the grave-digger to the cemetery,
and the latter proceeded to disinter the
remains. Having reached it rope was
lowered, and, after fixing it firmly
around the half-rotten coffin, the CHASTITY
level of the earth They opened the
bier and, TO their horror and stupefac-
ton, discovered not only the woman
but a second sharer of this her last rest
ing place, in the shape of child that
was lying at her ieet The child had
been born in the tomb, where it had
lived for several hours. Thus the tomb
of the mother had been both its cradle
and tomb ut the same time. AS to the
mother, it was discovered that she had
been buried alive when in comatose
state. and, on returning to conscious
ness. had given birth to the child. 1t
was easily seen that the poor woman had
suffered terribly.
Burying people alive in Europe has
occurred too often of late years, and
can only be accounted for by the mat
tention Of doctors. which. in this case,
should be treated as criminal offense.
The fear OF the living of being immured
alive has gained such power over the
mind that Russians, when on their
death-bed, have left legacies for the
foundation and maintenance of mortu-
aries in their native city, where sup
posed corpses are placed for three days
not have parted The mortuary of Fri
burg can be quoted as an instance OF
these peculiar institutions, which are
confined principally to Eastern Europe.
where cataleptic fits are known to be
more prevalent than in any other part
of the globe.
In tie center OF the cemetery at Fri
burg stands house VIII CHI, to an unob-
servant person, would have every APP
pearance of small chapel This
thought would be suggested through the
sight of tower, VIII oh contains bell;
but, on entering this lilliputan build
inr, the searcher for knowledge might
be astonished TO sec human form, dead
to all appearance The stiff, rigid body
rests upon Q marble slab, dressed in
death garments, and the rings which
depend from a wre rope that runs
through the ceiling, are attached to its
fingers. A further inspection, aided by
the theory of the apparatus which the
genial attendant is wiling to give to all
visitors, would explain this somewhat
mysterious position of the dead body.
The fingers of the supposed corpse are
placed in magnetic steel rings that fit
tlgntiy. onoulu the poiy SHOW any
signs Of termination, the slightest culver
of the nerves OF the fingers would affect
the steel rings. which in their turn COM
municate with another stronger mag
netic current that forces itself on the
bell. making it toll, which brings AN at
tendant physician to the rescue. By
this means several bodies placed in this
mortuary since 1865 have returned to
life. A peasant woman, named Pezoff-
ekf. recently walked from her tomb on
the third day after burial. st. Peters
barq Cor. philadelphia Press.