National Republican., 1883-03-16
Is THE YOUNG MAN DEADs
The singular circumstances Surrounding
the Illness and Death OF Mr.. william Il.
Lusby.

The singular circumstances Surrounding
the Illness and Death OF Mr.. william Il.
Lusby.
In order to set at rest the numerous rumors
regarding the death and interment Of the
late William r. Lusby, (which have been dis
turbing tho quiet precincts of Capitol Hill
for some days, REPUBLICAN reporter
thoroughly investigated the matter yes
terday morning. Mr.. Lusby, who was but 10
years old at the time of his death, complained
on the eighteenth of February of painful
swelling in his neck. Local remedies
were applied, but did not seem to re-
lcve the pain or decrease the swelling
On the twenty-frst of February the young
man called upon DIR. Bayne, who said the
swelling was an absCcss and Immediately
lanced it. No pus or foreign matter exuded
and on the twenty-third the swelling was
again lanced by the same physician with like
results, clear blood alone following the with
drawal of the lancet. The swelling increased,
but on the twcnty-iifth of February he seemed
much better and was lively and spirited On the
following day he complained great deal, and
his mother on going up stairs about o'clock,
having gone down stairs only half an hour
before, found him dead.
All the remedies and treatments used in
the rcsuscitation of suspended animation
were resortud to- but to no avail and Coroner
Patterson, DR. Bayne, DR.. Adams, and DR..
Roberts agreed that Mr.. Lusby had died
of heart disease. His funeral took place
some days alterward, and, as the
corpse preserved such natural appear
ance it was placed in vault in Congressional
cemetery instead of being Immediately con-
signed to the earth.
Z r,,rt xiui tpH bn
vault every day. until Che was taken i'll
himself aud since his prostitution some
member of the family or employe has made u
daily regularly inspection of the corpse.
These visits gave rise to many Curdling stories.
Some said Lusby had turned over in his
coffin: others avcred that his father, upon
going to the vault one morning, was met by
his son, and that the latter had since been
under treatment in the house of Mr.. Cross,
the keeper ofthc cemetery. THE REPUBLICAN
man called on Mrs Lusby, the mother of the
deceased at her store, No. l220 Eleventh street
southeast, yesterday morning and learned the
above facts of her sons illness and death.
She had given up all hopes for his return to
life.
The reporter then went to Congressional
cemetery. having obtained Mrs. Lusby's per-
mission to view the body, and was Shown to
the vault by Mr., Cross. The heavy
iron door was thrown open and the
vault was entered. After removing the
| lid of the box, which was burdcncd with
flowers, the coffin, acloth-cOyered, silvcr-orna-
mented casket, was exposed to view. Mr..
Cross lifted the headpiece and moved back the
glass so that the face of the dead could he
examined While the appearance of the flesh
was rather remarkable for that of person
who had been dead three weeks, the discolora-
tion which precedes decomposition was pain
fully evident.
The skin on the fingers had shrivelod the
eyes were sunken, and the nose and ears were
slightly discolored. Remarkable to relate,
however, not the slightest aroma of mortiica.
ton could be discovered. While the face
is BLUSH it looks very natural, and Mr.. Gross
said the body was remarkably preserved. A
physician last night said that if there was ut
smell of decomposition he thought tho
body should be examined by medica
men and electricity applied to settle the ques
tion whether he is really dead or in a state o
suspended animation. Mr., Cross said the
bodys appearance had changed considerably
in the past week.