Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-02-14
ECCENTRIC JOHN sAMmoNs.
Announcing His Own Funeral and Then
Hldiag Hianseif ia Oven.


Hiding Himself ia an Oven.
fNexb,lrgh X. y Cor n Y. Tribunel
John S. Sammons, the eccentric old farm
er ssho on Thanks eiving Day had a para.
4yllc iii and. falling upon his dhot stove,
was found alone insensible with his face
aud head burDed TO crisp, and who nov
lies in a critical condition, is known all over
the county. He lives in the town OF Craw-
10 Il. Years ago he provided himself with
q complets burial outfit. He also pur-
chased collins for the burial OF his dogs and
cats, his only companions He bought his
own coifin and set the day for his own
funeral. Ills arrangements were complete
Tor the burial service. Even the
shroud was arranged and the under
taker engaged to ofliciate at the cere-
monv He also bought a dozen pairs
Of black gloves for the pail bearers, and 1t
IS said "A clergyman was engaged. The en-
tire population OF the surrounding country
became excited over tho event, and when
the time arrived for the ceremony plows
were stopped, farmers donned their Sunday
clothes and housewives let their chu rs
stand still in order to attend it, Hundr eds
congregated at the old mans house, and
hardly a farm house within fifteen miles
was unrepresented. A great many believed
ia the vagaries of the old man, and at
tended, not with the hope of seeing him
dead and laid out in the coffin attire that
he had provided for himself, but with de-
sire if he really was dead, to pay him
tribute of respect. Others made fun OF him
and said he was lunatic. Some four hum
dred congregated for the funeral. The
roads were lined with wagons bound for
hs little old farm house, and every tree,
htching- post and fence-bar was utilized
for the horses.
The crowd soon grew entirely too large
20 be accommodated within the walls OF
the two-story house, and as the visitors
roamed about the place it was discovered
that even a stone tomb had been built
among the rocks by the hands of the old
farmer. He had prepared the tomb both
for himself and for his dogs and cats. As
his friends and neighbors entered the house
they naturally looked for the coffin. They
found the coffin and the pall-bearers wear
ing the black gloves he had furn shed. but
the corpse was missing. Everybody was
mystihed, and a search was made. Every
nook and corner in the old farm house
one had seen him leave the place. and all
were sure that it had been impossible t.
spirit away his body either dead or alive.
At last the dingy old kitchen was over
hauled. Closets were thrown open. boxes
uncovered, and drawers pulled out, but no
trace of the missing man could be found.
Look in the oven," suggested an OLD
lady who had taken an interest in the
search;" may be he might have crawled in
there"
The door of the huge oven soon swung
open, and the eccentric old farmer was dis
covered in his hiding place. 1t was the last
place in the house to look for a person
either dead or alive, and but for the fore
thought of the old lady would probably
have been passed by. The old man was
pulled out by his heels and found to be in
good health. Then the four hundred
friends and neighbors silently returned TO
their plows and churus, yowing TO let John
SammOns bury himself when he did die.
But this feeling has since died ont, and
now the news of the serious accident to
tho old man has been received with mu h
regret among all his acquaintances.