The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-08-05
ALIVE IN HIS COFFIN.
THE ASTONISHING EXPERIENCE OF
GEORGE WELLINGTON.

Rescued.
On the evening Of June Is, 1856,
George Wellington. an Indiana farmer,
had gathering Of friends at his house.
He was man forty-two years of age,
and of robust health. and on this even
ing it was noticed that he was III partic.
ularly good spirits. After the guests
had departed he remarked 10 his wife
that he felt more like singing and dane
ing than going to bed. They retired
about halfpast II O'Clock, and she was
asleep before midnight.
The farmer was always out Of bed at
tive O'Clock, bat on the morning follow
ing the party the wife awoke at six and
found him still sleeping. When she at
tempted to arouse him she discovered
that he was dead. \ doctor was sent
for, and he arrived in the course Of an
hour to pronounce it case ofheart
disease. lie said the man had been dead
three hours when the wife awoke. The
undertaken came and prepared the body
for burial. 1t was remarked that the
CORPSE retained iife-llkc appearance,
and that none Of the limbs grew rigid,
but the two other physicians called in
vigorously combated the idea that nc
was in trance and might be restored to
lite. Nevertheless. the wife and sons
had secret hope that death had not
really come to him, and the funeral was
put two days ahead. During the inter-
val the corpse was constantly watched
for signs of returning animation, but
nothing occurred to delay the funeral a.
rangemcnts.
The burial was to take place in coun-
try graveyard, and most OF the vehicles
gathered at the house belonged to farm
crs. The usual ceremonies took place
over the dead. and the coffin was brought
out and placed in the hearse. W lille the
procession was forming, q team attached
to an empty wagon came down the road,
running away. The wagon collldcd with
the hearse. and the latter vehicle was
upset and the coffin flung out. Four or
five men ran to picked it up, but before
hand had touched it q voice was heard,
saying:
For Gods sake let me out Of this! !"
The people at first moved back in al
fright, but rs the voice continued TO ad-
dress them the coffin was righted and
opened, and Wellington was found
struggling to get out. With little as
sistance he pulled himself out Of the box
and walked into the house and sat down
iii K chair. In half an hour he had his
clothes on aud was moving around
among the amazed people TO whom hr
related this experience:
Il did not fall asleep until some time
after midnight. When | awokc the
clock was striking five. j made move
to rct out Of bed, but TO my great
amazement. I could stir neither hand
nor foot. had the full use OF my cars,
but could not open my eyes. largucd
at first that was not yet wide awake.
but when my wife shook me and called
me by name, land l could not respond by
even moving an cyelid, l became salts
fled that I was III trance. My mlnd
was never clearer, and my hearing was
painfully acute. l made effort after et-
fort to throw off the great weight which
seemed to be holding nc down, but L
could not bend 4 toe or crook finger.
However. it was only after the doctor
had pronounced me dead that | iclt any
alarm. Up to that time ii had seemed
to me that | could soon manage to get
rid of the weight. Had 4 pistol been
fired in the room I am sure the spell
wouldhayc been broken. After the doc
tors ultimatum l felt that should bc
buried alive. But was alive: All OF
4 sudden this query flashed across my
brain, and was troubled more than |
can tell YOU. As | had never died be-
fore. how was | to know the sensations?
Could the dead hear and think: Was
the mind ola corpse i'll active operation:
It was problem | could not solve.
''Notaword was spoken ncarmc which
| did not catch and fully understand.
There was great deal Of weeping, and
| failed to satisfy mysclfas to the cause.
had died, but it did not seem rs if this
was aSuf!iclcnt excuse. When my vile
bent oyer the coffin and sobbcd and
.sricvcd, and refused TO be comtortcd, |
itlu not Iccl .llt VIII lltl Oil tiIS A'li-
trary. her action surprised me. When
the two other doctors pronounced me
lead made up my mind that WAS dead
aud that tho end had come. had been
taught 10 believe that the spirit ol the
dead asccnded to heaven. and that the
dead were dead III mind as well rs body.
1t was Il base deception. felt lndl@-
nanl tina! il was So.
AS I'LL instance OF the aculcnc>s "i
ny hcariny. let me explain that after |
WIS placed in the r"liu the receptacle
WaS muvcu over 10 IN opcn WMir!oW n
thr Varl":, "ncrr II was supporter on
,:rN horses. Two nl my nci-lh"r> l""k
,r%t> on Il wa.un box in the harnyard,
.ullv Iwu hundred lrcl away. and tur
,li l.uur rnnvcr>ch III my draih III "ri!-
NARY tones of vOirr. / did NOT inl>- one
in. lc word OF tlc conversation. IL both
altcrwar,!, admitted. could hear every
-i,.,. .,i' ,Lr Kitchen t.1Drl; and mil.l Of