St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-04-07
prince, Runjeet Singh, made a full
statement of occurrences to which he
was an eye witness.

His narrative, duly verified. together
with the statements of others, was for
warded to Dr.. James Braid. of Edin-
burgh, through Sir G. E. Trevelyan, sec
rotary of the treasury. He stated: II
share entirely in the incredulity of the
fact of man being buried alive and
surviving the trial for various periods
of duration; but however Incompatible
with our knowledge of physiology. in
the absence of any visible proof to the
contrary,I am bound to declare my belief
in the facts which herein state, however
impossible their existence may appear
to others. / was present at the court of
Runjeet Singh when the fakir was
buried alive for period of six weeks,
and although l arrived a few hours after
his actual interment, and did not cOnSe-
quently witness that part of the great
phenomenon. | had the testimony of
Runjeet Singh himself, and numerous
others, the most credible witnesses of
his court, to the truth of the fakir hay
ing been so buried before them.
But, at the time appointed for the
disinterment, l accompanied Runleet
Singh to the place of burial. 1t was in
square building. in the middle OF the
gardens surrounding the royal palace at
Lahore, with an open veranda all
around, having an inclosed room in the
center. On arriving there Runjeet
Singh. who was attended on this Occa-
sion by his whole court, diSmounted
from his elephant, and asked me to join
him in examining the building to satisfy
himself that it was effectually closed,
as he had left it. There had been
door on each of the four sides OF the
room, three of which were perfectly
closed with brick and mortar; the
g., I,
perfectly closed with hard, dried mud
up to the paddock, and this paddock was
sealed with the private seal of
Runjeet Singh in his presence,
when the fakir was inferred. In
deed, the exterior of the building pre-
scented no aperture by which we could
be admitted or any communication held
whereby food could be conveyed to the
buried fakir. / may also add that the
walls closing the doorway bore no
marks whatever of having been recently
tempered with. Runjeet Singh recog-
niZed the seal as the same one he had
affixed, and as he was as Skeptical as
any European could be of the success of
such an undertaking, to guard as far as
possible against any collision, he had
placed two companies from his own per-
sonal escort near the building, from
which four sentinels were furnished,
and relieved every two hours, night and
day, to guard the building from intru-
sion. AT the same time he ordered one
of the principal officers of his court to
inspect the premises frequently, and
report the result of his inspections to
him. while he himself, or his prime
minister kept the seal which closed the
hole of the paddock, and the latter re-
ceived the report morning and evening
from the officer of the guard.
After concluding our examination we
seated ourselves opposite the entrance,
and saw the officers break the seal, un-
lock the paddock and throw open the
door. Runjeet Singh, myself and the
fakir's servant entered the dark place
with torch, and descended intoa sort of
cell. where was placed wooden box
which contained the fakir's body, sealed
and locked. On being opened by the
servant we saw figure enclosed in
bag of white linen, fastened by a string
over the head. The servant lifted the
body out, and RunJeet Singh and de-
scended further into the cell, which
was so small that we were only able to
sit on the floor in front of the body, and
so close to it that our hands and knees
came in contact with it.
THE RESUSCITATIoN.
The servant then began pouring warm
water over the figure, but to satisfy
myself against fraud | tore open the
bag, which looked widowed, as though
it had been long buried. The legs and
arms were stiff and shriveled, the face
full. and the head reclining on the
shoulder like that of corpse. l then
summoned medical gentlemen, who
came and inspected the body critically,
but could discover no pulsation in the
heart, the temple or the arm. The ser,
want then recommended bathing him
with hot water and gradually relaxing
the legs and arms from the rigid state
in which they were contracted. Run
jeet Singh taking the right and | the
left leg. to aid by friction in restoring
them to their proper action, during
which time the servant placed
hot wheaton cake about an inch thick
Oh the top of the head, renewing it
two or three times. He then pulled
out of the ears and nostrils the wax and
cotton with which they were stopped,
and, after great eXertion opened his
mouth by inserting the point of q knife
between his teeth, and, while holding
the jaws open with his left hand, drew
the tongue forward with his right. in
the course of which the tongne flew
back several times to its curved posi-
ton upwards. in which it had Origi-
nally been, to close the gullet. He next
rubbed the eyellds while with clari-
fed butter until he succeeded in OPEN
ing them, when the eyes appeared
quite motionlesS and CLASSY.
AFTER the hot cake had been applied
the third time to the top of the head,
the body was violently cOnvulsed, the
nostrils became inflated, when respira-
ton ensued, and the limbs began to as
fr,I Int
ton was yet family perceptible. The
servant then put some butter on the
tongue, and made him swallow it. A
few minutes after the eyeballs became
dilated and assumed their natural color,
when the fakir, recognizing Runjeet
Singh sitting close to him, articulated,
in hollow, sepulchral tone, scarcely
audible: DO you believe me now?'
Runjeet Singh replied in the affirma-
tive, and invested the fakir with an
elaborate pearl necklace, costly gold
bracelets, pieces of silk, muslins, shawls.
etc.
the mode by which such a result was
effected, and was Informed that it rested
on the doctrine of the Hindoo phySiolo-
gists that heat constituted the self
existent principle of life. and that if
the functions of the other elements
were so far destroyed as to leave that
one IN its perfect purity, life could be
sustained for considerable lengths of
time, independent of air, food or any
means of sustenance. To produce such
state the patients are obliged to under
go a very severe preparation, dietary
and otherwise"
WHAT TANNER PROPOSES.
DR.. Tanner expects to have all his ar
engagements perfected by May 18th, and
will be duly prepared, securely sealed
up in coffin, taken to cemetery and