Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-05-03

IL Put y Rock on HIS Crave
NV ALMADks, April 27.--Msny Of the
quicksilver miners in this place have been
untitled for work during the past four weeks
by the singular circumstance attending the
sickness and death of one Of their number.
About month ago Augustus +. Gabriel.
son who had long worked in the mines, tell
sick with what appeared to be some form of
fever, and after three or four days illness
he apparently died. Two or three of his as
sociates were with him at the time,
and they, with some others, put him in
his coffin the next day. That night two
miners sat up with the corpse, going on
duty at obout 3 o'clock. They had bottle
and some pipes, and along toward midnight
they began to tell stories of early days IN
this section. The men had their backs to
the coffin, and had just enjoyed good
laugh over one of their yarns, when there
was chuckle in the gloomy corner where
the coffin lay which caused their blood to
run cold. Turning around quickly, they
saw Gabrielson sitting bolt upright in his
coffin, and heard from his own lips, as they
sat speechless, the following story:
THAT reminds me, boys, Of a story they
used to tell here twenty-five years ago,
wien | first came into the diggin's. There
wasn't any such crowd here then as there
is now, but nearly everybody who came mere
had an idea that there was silver here. One
day q party OF smart chaps came along and
said thew knew that the Spaniards had
mined here for silver and got 1t. L knew
,Lev hadn't and so did lots. of other people
but nothing would convince them. They
had 10 investigate. They roamed all
around for few days, pretending to be
locating certain points, and then they
drew angles and made measurements
in a mysterious sort OF way. Az
length they got our curiosity aroused,
and we half came to the conclusion that
thew had got pointer somewhere and that
maybe it would be just as we'll to stand IN
with them. From that time on they had
things all their own way. If they wanted
US to turn our backs we would do 1t, and II
they had invited the whole camp to 60 out
into the mountains and leave them alone l
guess il would have been done. After this
Sort of thing had been going on awhile they
suddenly disappeared, and when the camp
came to investigate it was discovered that
lbey had stolen every ounce of quicksilver
that we had on hand. A madder aud
hotter crowd you never saw. We followed
them for forty miles, but lost all track Of
them. and finally, after losing three or tour
weeks time, we returned and went to work
A slivker gouge you never saw, but Tor ten
years after that time no stranger ever go'
mere than the commonest courtesles IN this
camp.
The two watchers asked few questions
and laughed a little, and the man lay bach
in his coffin. as if tired and weak. Then ht
| seemed to notice that he was not in bed
and on rising again uttered scream, anc
would have fallen 10 the floor 1t his watchers
had not seized him lie was then conduct
ID back to bed, ard for two or three days
was delirious, ard apparently very low. Al
the erd Of he fourth day b. apparentIy dieC
again, and was nHce more lait out foI
burial THIS time he was watched more
rlcep!r. and q few kOnrs after he was placed
in the coffin second time it was noticed
hat II ere we're signs of returning color II
his lirs, and after little rubbing he open
ed bis eyes again. :,
Bv this time the miners we're all deeply
interested in the case, and every day they
would call TO the last man to hear the iates
| news. Some Of them grew superstition
| and declared that the trouble was warning
TO everybody. Gabrielson became quite
lively on this occasion, and it was though
| for a time that he would recover but at thu
end of the fifth day he began to tail again
and on the evening Il the sixth he appar
emily died as beforeg The miners insisted
that he be taken out in the fresh air, but tn.
| doctors said he was dead xow for sure, and
| that il would be bar6arous to expose TIL
BODY to the air. While no further actor
| in this line was taken, it was agreed tina
the corpse should be left in bed tive
or three days and watched. During THU
| time il was impossible to get any work done
| EVERYBODY hung around, and all the liars il
the camp did their best to entertain tn,
loaiers with stories of the supernatural
On the second day Gabrielsor
came to life again and took medicine
The news was promptly communicated Il
the waiting crowd on the outside, and 81
great was the Joy that all hands, save on,
| or two watchers indulged in celebration
which lasted until the sick man died ono,
more and thus brought the festivities to ,
close. The strain on the nerves Of tn
4 populace had become terrific by this time
| and one OF the miners set upas q revivalist
calling on all to repent, for the last da!
vas evidently near at hand. While thes,
religious ceremonies we're going on prepare
lions were once more made to bury the deaf
man, but on he day set for the funeral h'
| came to life again for the fourth time. 81
excited were the people that they made W
| their minds that Gabrielson was bewitched
and an effort was made to discover som,
1 mears of exercising the evil spirit. An
| oiEer doctor hsd been sen, for, aud he, il
con pany with the ore fr,t in attendance
| made determined effort 10 save the sicl
| nsp, but Without avail. He died again OIL
Tuesday night, and as he was still dead Oh
Sui day, it was decided to bury him. Bot
icctors pronounced him dead beyond hope
and the men the1selves made up thei
| nil DIS that all was over. When all wer,
agreed on this point the coffin lid wa
screwed on, and the remains Of Gabrielsol
we're borne to the grave.
This morning a man passing by tn
cemetery found an enormous rock on thu
new-made grave, and on reporting it Il
some Of the miners they expressed no sur
prise, but said:
Its Just as well to anchor him there
Ycu cant tell what may happen, YoI
| know"
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