Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-02-06
ECCENTRIC JOHN SAMMONS.
Announcing fiis Own Funeral aud Thcn
Hiding Himself In Oven.

Hiding Himself I'm an Oven.
fNewburgh N YJCor. ~ Y. Tribune1
John ). Sammons, the eccentric old farm
er who on Thanksgiving Day had a para
lytic fit and, falling upon his redh stove,
was found alone insensible with his face
and head burned to a crisp, and who now
lies in a critical condition, is known all over
the county. He lives in the town of Craw-
70 d.. Years ago he provided himself with
a complete burial outfit He also pur-
chased cofins for the burial of his dogs and
cats, his only companions. He bought his
own coffin and set the day for his own
funeral. His arrangements were complete
for the burial service. Even the
shroud was arranged and the under
taker engaged to officiate at the cere-
mony. He also bought a dozen pairs
of black gloves for the pail bearers, and it
is said a clergyman was engaged The en-
tire population of the surrounding country
became excited over the event, and when
the time arrived for the ceremony plows
were stopped, farmers donned their Sunday
clothes and housewives let their chu MS
stand still in order to attend it. Hundreds
congregated at the old mans house, and
hardly a farm house within fifteen miles
was unrepresented. A great many believed
in 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 be really was dead, to pay him q
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
his little old farmhouse, and every tree.
hitching- post and fence-bar was utilized
for the horses.
The crowd soon grew entirely toe large
to be accommodated within the walls of
the two-story house, and as the visitors
roamed about the place it was discovered
that even 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 pail bearers wear
ing the black gloves he had fIrn shed, but
the corpse was missing. Everybody was
mystified, and search was made Every
nook and corner in the old farm house
from cellar to garret was ransacked. Nc
one had seen him leave the place. and oil
were sure that IL had beon 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 be 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 houss 10 look for q person
either dead or alive, and but for the fore
thought of the old lady would probably
have been passed by. Tho old man was
pulled cut by his heels and found TO DO in
good health. Then the four hundred
friends and neighbors silently returned u
their plows aud churns, vowing TO let John
Sammons bury himself when be did die.
But this feeling has since died out, and
now the news OF the serious accident g.
the old man has been received with much
regret among all his acquainsances-