St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-12-26
WAS SHE RURIED ALIVE.
A Strange Discovery In an Opene
Grave i'm X entuckV

Chicago Mail.
John r. Pierce of Pretty Prairie, OAK,
was listener few evenings ago to dis
cussion as to the probabilities of such things
as people being buried alive ever occurring
at all. Mr.. Pierce is man of venerable
appearance, with flowing white hair and
patriarchal beard. His forehead is high,
and stern honesty is evident in every Inca
ment of his cOuntenance. His deep interest
obtained voice.
''Yes. gentlemen. had the prettiest
girl that ever stepped on Kentucky soil.
mean what say, and do not say so be-
cause was her father. She died as she
stepped out into the world of wOmanhood.
Died OF heart diSease-sO the physicians
said. 1t was up on Green river, Calhoun
county, Kentucky-I used to live there.
She taught the neighbors' little ones their
A B Cs-kept school all for the fun of 1t
and through the greatness Of her heart.
Why, the farmer boys for miles around
used to flock after Mary, and although she
had smiles for them all, and good word
for Bob and Jim and Andy-good- hearted
BUT UNcoUTH NEIGHBoR
chaps-the bluegrass of the spring-time
and the golden leaves and fading ferns of
autumn had more attractions for her. And
she worshipped me and her mother! We
buried her in the orchard, under her favorite
pippin tree, and the little paling fence
round the grave was whitewashed regularly
every year. l raised tobacco. principally,
and it impoverished the soil. The old lady
and l went out to Dakota. I went into the
cattle business and prospered. They all
know me at the stock yards. In the season
am here every week or two. Well, the
old woman and got settled out there and
began attending the little church in the hol-
low on Sundays. By-and-by wife suggested
that we should bring the remains of Mary
from the old Kentucky plantation to the
new home in the West and place them in
the little grave yard over OH the hill side,
with white headstone so large that in her
falling sight, wife might see it. l agreed,
because Mary's memory was as dear to me
as life itself. We started for Green river.
Arriving at the old homestead we found
everything changed. The little orchard had
been
CHANGED INTO CORN FIELD.
but sacriligious hands had stopped at the
apple tree and the grave beneath it. We
made our business known and some strange
men went to work throwing up the sod.
They were careless, and wife protested at
their rude action; but with tears land I
can't force them back now watched the
work. They dug down and down-we
placed her deep in the soft loam-and by
and-by spade struck the coffin lid. All
rotten and broke. it was thrown up. With
anxious mothers eye, my wife had watched
the work. Although fifteen years had
passed away. there Mary lay as when we
buried her. But her long black hair, longer,
perhaps, than when last saw it, was
tangled down her back. She was face
downward! Turned in the coffinl She had
deem buried alive!'
NO one dared or cared to question the old
mans statements, although physician to
whom the story was subsequently related
assured the reporter that although the body
was found face downward it was not proof
that the girl had been buried alive. Mus
cular contraction long after death is strong
enough to turn the body over. The physi-
clan thought it hardly probable that any
body in this age and generation was or was
likely to be buried alive. With simple in
struments and adequate knowledge physi-
clan can positively toll whether life is extinct
or not. The trance theory has been ex-
ploded by DR.. Hammond in his work on
Spiritualism ond nervous arrangements. A
thermometer placed beneath the tongue is a
thoroughly scientific test. Life may pos
sibly exist at ninety degrees or trifle
lower, but not much lower than that tenn
perature. A still stronger test is by the
capillary circulation-an examination of
those smaller blood-vessels that permeate
the system. Blood may have ceased to flow
through the arteries, so the books say, but
life exists while these minute organs per-
form their functions. Another test is used
one, however, not recommended by the
code because it is old fogyish and unscien-
titic. And yet it is the most certain of all.
A mirror placed before the mouth of sup
posedly deceased person will give evidence
at once by the appearance of moisture if
there is any life left.