The Forrest City times., 1888-05-19
oLp-TIME Bopv-sNATcHINo.
How the Resurrectionists Worked . Century Ago-Pcrils of tho Guild.

How the Resurrectfonfsts Worked .
 Century Ago-Pcriis Of tho Guild.
 The Monthly Chronicle of North Country Lore aud Legend (England) prints some stories of the body-snatch- ing days. when tho bodies of the new ly-buried dead were stolen at night out of their graves. when every suspicious looking person observed near a church. yard was at once set down as a resur- rcclionist, and when armed men watch- ed the graves all night One Sunder- land resurrectionist was caught in . curious way. He had got body. said to be that of young woman, put it into a sack. fastened rope around the middle, and carried it to the church. yard wall in order to drop it over. The wall was only about three feet high on the inside. but fully twice as high on the other side. So when the man had lifted the body on to the copestone and was getting over the wall himself the rope somehow slipped over his head. and he fell and hung suspended on the side toward the outside. while his sack fell back toward the church. yard. He was found thus by ono of watchers going his rounds. The body snalcher was still alive when he was cut down, but soon afterward died. His memory still survives among old Sun derland folks as "Half-Hanged Jack"
 The son of an old sexton at the bor- der village of Cornh Il tells this story: ''One morning early in December about 1880. Jamie Marchall. the sexton in question. was reused from sleep by a loud knocking at tho cottage door and a voice that he seemed to recoc- nize called out: Get up. Jamie! For Gods sake. be quick. manp When the blacksmith opened the door he saw the son of well-known farmer lately deceased. The young man was at the lime studying medicine in the Univer- sity of Edinburg. Before he uttered a word Marchall noticed that his arm was through the brldle-rein of horse from whose side the steam rose in clouds. while the young mans face was haggard and pale. The young man called out. Get your spade and mat tock. and come with me to the church. yard quickly The blacksm tn took his tools in silence and followed. On the way the young msn exclaimed. I'll be satisfied soon whether it is him or not. Thlnk. Jamie of having your ain father laid out on the dissecling- board for you to cut up. l had tho knife in my hand when 1 saw it was me father. But I'll be satisfied before 1 sleep. l left the hall, and have ridden here, Jamie, 10 satisfy myself. When his fathers grave was reached he took a spade and helped the bewil,lcred sex ton to open it The coffin having been reached, he called, Break the lid with your mattock. and put in your hand Marchall did as he was ordered. and put his hand inside. 'Is he there, Jamiep' was the anxious inqui fry. Aye. aye. he's n right Nacbody's flashed him. Robert; ye ha'e been mis- la'en. was the sexton's reassuring re- ply"
 The following extract from The Gen. tic mau's MagaSine of March l776, will show that then body-snatching was carried on in London with no attempt at concealmenL ''rhc remains of more than twenty dead bodies were discovered in shed in Tottingham- court-road. supposed to have been de- posted there by snatchers to the sur geons, of whom there is one. it is said in ihe borough. who makes an open profession of dealing in dead bodies. and Is known by the name of The Res urrectionst