The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-05-26
IMPRISONED IN A TOMB.
=.
A hachinist Endures Hours Of Agony and
Horror.

How Young Mans Hair Turned White 1,
aDay When he Was "a Years Old-Saves
by Friends Dream.
Charley Barber is So years old ant
his hair is gray. Twelve years ago
when he was "a years old. his hair wa.
silvcry white. 1t turned white in q
day. Mr.. Barber is one of the pro
Drietors Of the saloon known as the
House of David" In bis youth he
worked at the machinist's trade in
Elmira, N. Y. He was born in
Schuyler County. his father being q
wooden miller. Old Caleb Hill, father
of Gov. Hill. of New York, built the
mill.
One day Charley Barber was sent by
his employer to the Elmira cemetery
to place brass hinges on vault door.
The vault was large. 1t contained be-
tween twenty and thirty bod D 1t
was built in hillside. Barber finished
his work about o'clock in the after
noon. The day was warm. The
atmosphere of the vault was cool and
inviting. As he expressed it. che
wanted to make half day of it," SO
be went inside the vault and lighted
his pipe. leaving his tools lying on the
graveled walk outside. Half an hour
later the door of the vault suddenly
closed silently. The wind had blown
1t shut The new hinges had been
oiled and worked easily. The key was
in the lock on the outside. The lock
closed witls a@spring and Barber was
imprisoned. HIS first thought was that
some one was playing joke on him
somebody had closed the door to
frlghten him. But he was killing time
for the afternoon. He didn't care. He
smiled and pulled at his pipe. II can
stand il as long as they can" he
thought They'll come back and open
the door after awhile"
An hour passed and no one came to
open the door. Barber grew frighten-
ed and uneasy. He chung to the hope
that somebody had closed the door and
would release him. He dared not
think that no one knew of his imprison-
ment There were horrors in that pos
sibility. For long time he stood
close to the vault door listening
with strainine senses for footsteps on
The walk. None came. His nerves
became strained to their highest ten
sion. He could take no account of
time. Moments were like hours. His
brain worked until it seemed to boil.
The vault was cold. but sweat ran down
his temples. He knew that he must
wait He knew that to fight was USE
ess; but he could not wait-he must
ind relief in fighting against the inn
pregnable. He shouted for help. The
terror in his voice frightened him-as-
founded him. He shrank down and
covered his face with his hands. And
hen he felt that he was weakening
hat he was giving way to his terror.
He was a strong man. Without being
.ble TO define it ho 70 1t that his fright
must never be allowed to reach the
point of hclplessness. He must fight
% keep his mind. He sprang to his
eet. He seized the heavy handle of
he heavy iron door and wrenched with
III his power. He shouted continually
HELM! Help! Help!' With frepzled
ked against the door
INT. bis heavy boots and
,ruised MS feet. Hs-struggled until |
le was exhausted. He sank to the
,round. He was getting wild and he
new 1t. He must calm his red-hot |
rame. He pressed his hands to his
read. THE panorama of his life pass
ID before him like whirlwind. How
uickly and how clearly and distinctly
"a could recall every act of his life.
And how calm and happy seemed his
fe. But now he would surely die. He
vould waste away. He would become
razy with suffering. He would starve
0 death. He imagined himself break
ne open coffin and tearing with his
eeth at the cold. dead body. He shud-
cred and wept. He could see himself
mumbling, groveling maniac. His
right became frenzy. Now he
croamed instead of shouted, and beat
is hands and bleeding feet against the
.one walls of the vault His head
semed bursting. He fell unconscious to
he ground. He dreamed. And with
Is outward senses numbed. nature
lunted him. In contradiction to his
orrible position he dreamed that he
as boy again, at the old home in
chuyler County. His mother was with
i'm. and, holding him by the hand. led
i'm through the fields. He chased the
ltterflies and the ground squirrels.
o rolled on the piles of fresh-cut
Ass and climbed the apple trees. He
rove the cows along the dusty lane
i'd whistled at the robin in the hedge.
Q stretched himself out Oh the hay in
10 NOW and watched the mud swal-
VS. fly in and out, and while he
atched them he fell asleep. He
woke. His hands and feet were brus.
and sore. The close darkness about
M startled him, and with the return
his senses his former terror, redoub-
4. seized him. He sprang up and
ain began his fight for freedom.
DIV long he struggled and screamed
does not know. He again fell
useless to the ground.
Mr.. Barber had friend named Hyde.
lom he describes as a queer, wild fell
W. always getting notions in his head.
metimes we thought him "a little .
any," On the second night after
Irber was imprisoned in the vault .
de could not sleep. About midnight ,
awakened his wife, saying: Il
mt help thinking of Barber. I seem
see him lying in the vault he went ;
to fix the other day. must 90 out ,
fha cematarv opd rot b;x,, -