Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-03
THOUGHT HIM srInn ALIVE.
Singular Look of Dead Mans FRce--A
Funeral in Brooklyn Not Completed
The Coffin Left Open In a Vault.
From the .Nsao York Tribune.

The Coffin Left Open In a Vault.
From the vs,o York Tribune.
"He is aliyew exclaimed John Carroll
as he gazed at the face of Dennis Blake,
who lay in coffin on Tuesday afternoon
last in st. Vincent de PauPs church, in
North Sixth street, Brooklyn. This was
the elimination of an impression which
had been gradually forming in the minds
OF the friends and relatives OF Mr.. Blake,
that he was not dead. He was taken sick
about three weeks ago with heavy cold
which developed into pneumonia. lie was
remarkably strong and vigorous, being
nearly feet in height and weighing
ABOUT 40 pounds, and it was thought by
every one that he would soon be well. He
Kept little hotel at No. 1911 North Second
street, and was q highly-pOpular man
among the free-and-easy citizens of the
Fourteenth ward, so his place was over
run with visitors making inquiries con-
corning his health. His cOndiCOn appear
ed TO be pretty good on Saturday last, but
IN the evening his symptoms grew worse
rapidly, and he died, it was supposed,
about l O'Clock Sunday morning. He was
conscious, and talked nationally with his
relatives until about i've minutes before
his death. Then while in the middle ola
hisjaw fell, his face blanched, large beads
OF perspiratiOn came upon his forehead
and his eyes closed. ''He is dead, thought
his relatives in the room, and their de-
mOnstratlons of grief were heard In
the room below and told those who were
gathered there that the end had come.
Henry Hamilton, an undertaken, was
sent Tor. 1t was not thought necessary
to put the body on ice, as the tenn perature
nf the ~ hrnnUbf
ing point after the windows had been
opened. After daylight, when friends be-
gan TO come in to look at the body, how
ever, it was the general comment that IL
should be put upon ice. So the underta-
keT came again with an ice-boX of the
largest size and the body was placed in it.
Candles were lighted and placed at the
head and feeJOf the corpse, and the mourn
ers bewailed their loss and talked OF the
virtues that Denny" possessed aud how
kind he had been to the poor. Every
one who looked az the face through the
glass place in the lid of the box remark
ed it was the most natural corpse ne had
ever seen.
On Tuesday, when the body was dress
ed by the undertaken, it was as white as
marble. After 1t was put into the coffin
the friends crowded into the little room
and it was the general opinion that "Den-
ny III a sun VI DidCh ClOAnGbs iOOkEu a1
If he was only taking short sleep, and
that his eyes might open at any moment.
The natural appearance OF the tace was
the talk OF all until the coffin was closed
and taken to the church, where a mass
was celebrated. The church was crowd
ed The coffin was placed in the middle
aisle, directly ia front of the altar, and
after the services were over the friends
were invited to take last look at the
f.-A loci 49, . ~
Old landlord OF Denny" VINO said that
Blake was alive. A remarkable change
had come over the face since the body had
been brought to the church. The rosy
flush which denny" had on his cheeks
when he came from Ireland over twenty
years ago had returned, and a smile had
spread over his features. The relatives
and friends became greatly excited and
the news spread like wildfre over the
neighborhO0d. Peter Blake, the cou-
sin of denny" held consultation
with the undertaken as TO what shOald be
done.
Bury him." said the undertaken, ''for
he is surely dead"
Then the body, followed by eight car
riages, was taken to Calvary cemetery.
The coffin was again opened there, and
the face appeared more life-like than ever.
The head had also moved slightly; but
this was said to be due to the JOlung Of
the hearse. The body was not placed IN
the grave as originally intended, but it
was deemed better to leave it in a vault
over night. That Blake might have every
chance to escape, the lid OF the cOfiln WAS
left open.
On the following day lPeter Blake took
DR.. Edward Duggan, who had attended
the sick ID an, to the cemetery to exam
inc the body. The vault was opened and
Denny" was found in his coffin with the
smile and flush on his face. and looking
as il ne must awaken If shaken. The body
was cold and stiff. There was no sign OF
breathing and the heart was still. TAX
ing lance, DR.. Duggan made a large
cash in the left check aud in the bottom
of each foot. Not a drop of blood flowed
ana the doctor pronounced the man dead
His opinion was confirmed by small black
spots which had appeared behind the
ears, and the creases in the neck, indica-
ting the beginning OF decomposition, the
sure and unfailing evidence of death. But
that there might be no mistake, when the
vault doors were closed the cOfiiu lid was
left Off, and a hole in the roof OF the vault
was made to supply Blake with air IL he
had need OF it. Despite the assertion OF
DR.. Duggan that Denny is dead, there
are MANY OF his friends who doubt it. IN
dertaker Hamilton said that heneVer saw
such flush appear upon the face of a
dead person, but be attributed IL to the
heat of the church. He added that if
"Denny" was not dead before, the 300
pounds Of ice that WAS put around him
In the box would freeze live man. let
alone dead one. in few hours. If''Den-
ny'' is not found situng up in the vault,
he viii be buried at 10 O'Clock this morn