Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1889-08-19

A we'll known attorney of ST. Paul, Gays
the Globe, related The following story of his
thrilling experience With catalepsy, con-
di,i,nally that bis name be withheld from
publication
1T has oeen said that there are infallibe
signs which denote death, and are unms.
tskable to the practicsd eye Of the medco.
deny that such is the case, and no one has
had better opportunity OF judging than l
nave. When l died, or rather when three
of the hest-knoan medical men in Boston
asserted that was dead, had cen for
three days previous to my supposed demise
in condition CT violent hysteria, bordering
almost on insanity, owing to the deatn OF
sister whom loved to distraction. at the
expiration of that time subsidized into the
condition l have previously described. My
death was attributed by the learn ed dlsci'
Piles of 1Esculapius 10 disease OF the heart.
The three old fogies held CONSULTATION over
me, and heard them discuss the advlsabtli.
ty ofa post morte N examination, thsre be.
ug slight difference of opinion among
them as TO what vas the ecsual cause. at
this time Was lying on BOARD, perfectly
rigid, and fully realiZsd the fact that should
be buried alive if I couldn't brace up and
explain matters within the next few hours.
Immediately blessed my mother and BROTH
or for their refusal to allow those old
butchers to 60 for me with their knives.
That's all that saved me- 1 tell you. This
seems wild story but just the same it's a true
cne Why, I can even remember laugh.
ing quietly to myself to think that the win
dows bad been opened all around the room.
1t was devlish cold weather, too, but could
not feel the cold much. l knew, however,
that those windows he'd been opened to pre-.
vent the decomposition of my ill.used frame.
How did get out OF the fix? Well, 1t was
Just by the skin of my teeth. When the IN
dertaker and h3 fool assistant brought the
coffin and | was lifted into 1t | knew at once
that the coffin was too short and just achsd
to say so, but I couldn't speak a word to
save my life. l was toDgue-tied; hadn't
control OF muscle. The merest accident
in the world prevented my being buried
alive. had been lying in the awful Uondi.
ia | have described for over three days
when tbs beast of an undertaken came
around again to screw up the coftin. A
tack had been left sticking out from the
drapery gracing the interior of the sarcopha
gus, and the fellow in the coffin business
commenced q series of vicions jabs at 1t with
eharp edged screw driver. Ga one of
these the instrument struck nail head and,
flying off at a tangent, took me on the jaw
with considerable force. The blood spout
ed forth, and instantly regained the use of
my limbs. wanted to knock seven kinds
of blue fire out of the coffin man, and was
out of it in no time. The undertaken skip
ped, but put it all over his assistant, l am
ashamed to say, for the man was too horri-
fed at my resurrection to defend himselfin
the least. Now you can just bet am as
healthy man as the most of them nova
days, and I've Issued strict orders that 10
the event Of my death am not to be buried
until an artery has been opened and my de-
cease absolutely proved"