The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1883-02-15
Buried Alive In Russia

A most extraordinary case which has
astonished all the medical procession in
Russia and Poland, has just come from
| Warsaw. A snort time ago three died in
the outskirts of the old capital a young
peasant woman who was buried with that
haste which characteristics the funerals of
the Russian peasants. A few days after
ward doctors were called to determine
the cause of her death, but none could
say positively as to the nature of disease
that had shown no symptoms whatever,
and which had brought this young woman
to premature and sudden end. She was
buried in due course. However, it was
rumored about the city that her husband
often ill-treated her, and at her death
some people went so far rs to say that he
was the cause of it. These rumors spread
more and more until they reached the ears
of the authorities, who Immediately
caused the body to be exhumed. The
Judicial commission followed the grave
digger to the cemetery, and the latter
proceeded to disinter the remains. Hav'
ing reached it, rope was lowered, and,
fixing it firmly aroua d the half-rotten
coffin, the CHASTITY fright was hoisted
once more to the level of the earth.
They opened the bier and, to their hor-
ror and stupefaction, discovered not only
the woman, but second sharer Of this
her last resting place, in the shape of
still-born child, lying at her feet The
child had arrived at entire maturity, and
had been born in the tomb, where it had
lived for several hours. Thus the tomb
of the mother had been both its cradle
nd Ac 70 ho
mother, it was discovered that she had
been buried alive when in comotose
state, and, returning to consciousness,
had given birth to the child. 1t was
easily discovered that the woman had
suffered terribly. for not only did the
dried up blood, which was still visible
on he lips. give evidence of the fact, but
also her tongue, pierced by her teeth,
and her hands clasped together convul-
sively.
Burying people alive in Europe has
occurred too often of late years, and can
only be accounted for by the inattention
Of doctors, which, in this case, should be
treated as q 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 main
tenance of mortuaries in their native
city, where supposed corpses are placed
for three days in the hopes that their
thread of life may not have parted. The
mortuary at Friburg can be quoted as an
instance of The peculiar institutions,
which are confined principally to East
ern Europe, where cataleptic fits are
known to be more prevalent than in any
other part of the globe.
In the center of the cemetery of Friburg
stands house which, to ON unobservant
person, would have every appearance
of a small chapel. This thought
would be suggested through the sight of
a tower, which contains q bell but, on
entering this liliputian building, the
searcher for knowledge might be aston
ished at seeing human form, dead to all
appearance. The stiff, rigid body rests
upon q marble slab, dressed in death $
garments, and the rings, which depend
frem a wire rope that runs through the
ceiling, are attached to its fingers. A
further inspection, aided by the theory
of the apparatus which the genial attend
ant is willing to give to oil visitors, would
explain this somewhat mysterious posi-.
ton of the dead body. The fingers OF
the supposed corpse are placed in mag.
netic steel rings that fit tightly. Should
the body show any signs of termination,
the slightest culver of the nerves of the
fingers would affect the steel rings. which
in their turn communicate with another
stronger magnetic current that forces
itself on the bell, making it toll, which
brings an attendant physician to the res
cue. By this means several bodies placed
in this mortuary since 1865 have returned
to life. A peasant woman, named PEP
offeki. recently walked from her tomb on
the third day after burial. list. Peters
burg Cor. Philadelphia Press.