St. Paul daily globe., 1890-05-28
ENTOMBED, YET ALIVE
A Marvellous Case of What
May Be Suspended Ami
nation
Is in the Vault Of Oakland
Cemetery to Await De-
velopments.
The Body Of a Lady, Twice
Buried, Shows Signs Of
Animation.
An Agonized Husband and
Perplexed Physician Are
Interested.

Facts are frequently more remarka-
bic and. even startling. than any fabric
woven by the most fanciful imagina-
ton, an aphorism which is proven by
the occurrences of almost every day in
the fields of science, philosophy and in
vention. Who would have believed few
years ago that person could communi-
cate hundreds of miles with another by
talking into a little instrument called a
telephone? Or who would have be-
lieved until recently that a little sheet
of tinfoil could be made to reproduce
the sounds of the human voice? When
the story of the trip of Phileas Fogg
around the world in eighty days was
told, it was believed to be an impossible
feat, yet George Francis Train has just
accomplished it in sixty-seven days.
The phenomena of nature are more
wonderful than all others. NotWith-
standing the advancement of science,
there are still conditions that are IN
explicable and at which the human
mind stops. cropping blindly for means
to unravel the mystery.
A strange case of suspended anima-
ton has just developed in the Arlington
Hills district of the city. A similar case
occurred here several years ago, when
railroad man supposedly died from
typhoid fever. TWenty-four hours after
he was pronounced dead, a barber came
to shave him, and in the operation
drew blood. Later the man recovered.
The present case is that of Mrs. Louise
Klinefelter. The lady Is the wife of
Louis Klinefelter. who is associated
with his father in the manufacture Of
tonic beer. at 746 Payne avenue. Mrs.
Klinefelter has been i'll for some time
with embolism. a medical term for a
clOtting of the blood. a week ago to-
day she died, and on last Friday after
noon she was buried i'll Oakland ceme-
tery. The remains looked so natural
and lifelike that the
HUSBAND HAD AIISGIVINGS
about burying her, but as all prepara-
tions for the funeral had been made he
was prevailed upon to proceed. Dr..
Pool, the attending physician, Jacob
Rochstroh. the undertaken, and others
pronounced her dead. On Saturday the
husband recollected that his wife had a
premOnition that she would be buried
alive, and before her death had related
this to relative. He called upon
Dr.. Pool and expressed his conviction
that Mrs. Klinefelter had been buried
while in a state of suspended anima-
ton. Together Klinetitter and the
doctor proceeded to Oakland
cemetery and had the sexton
eXhume the body. DIR. Pool performed
the usual tests in such cases. and found
that the circulation, respiration and
cutaneous indications were as in death.
He also applied galVanic battery with
out any signs of there being life. The re-
mains we're thereupon reinterred. Mon
day Mr. Klinefelter had the body again
taken up and placed in the vault at Oak
| land cemetery, the lid of the coffin being
removed to await developments. 1t
was noticed then that the lips were
bloodless, and the face, while still very
| natural, was quite pale. An examina-
ton Yesterday showed showed that the
lips were full and red, and the face re-
markably lifelike. There was, how
ever, no further indication of return
| ing life. The body still remains in the
vault to await further inspection and
developments.
The Klinefelters are a very respect
able family, and reside on Beaumont
street, at No. Gil. The son, Louis, lives
next door, at No. 900. Louis was not at
| home last evening, but Mr.. and Mrs.
Klinefelter answered the GLOBE report
| er's ring of the bell. They were much
averse to talking upon the subject. dis
| liking publicity. They stated that the
| son, Louis, was satisfied that his wife
had been buried while in state
| of suspended animation, and con-
| firmed all that has been stated
in the story above. The daugh-
| terin-laW had a premonition of being
| buried alive, and only a short time be-
fore her supposed death had related
this conviction to relative OF the fam
the fact OF the
APPEARANCE OF DEATH
| on Monday, and the remarkable life col
oring of the lips and face found at the
inspection of the body yester-
day. They had doubts about
Mrs. KIinefelter's recovery, but
thought it was clearly a case of being
in trance. The body will be kept in
| the vault until there is a return of life
or assured death. Incidentally, Mr..
KIinefelter remarked that he had been
| in a similar state at one time, and his
! body prepared for burial. He remained
/ in that condition for twenty-four hours,
conscious OF human voices, seemingly
from afar, but absolutely poWerlesS to
manifest a signal or sign.
A call at 534 Collins street found DR..
| d. Pool. the physician who had attend
ed Mrs. Klinefelter, and who had per-
| formed the tests at Oakland cemetery.
In substance DR.. Pool stated that he
pronounced Mrs. KlInefelter dead, which
she was to all appearances. Her dis
ease was embolism, or ciot of blood at
the heart, which stopped its beating.
| He accompanied Mr.. Klinefelter, the
husband, to Oakland and per-
formed the tests, as related. There
was one test which he had moi
made and about which he informed the
| husband. 1t was an operation on the
eye, drawing off certain substance
Ii still alive the subjects eye will fill
again, but the sight will be destroyed
If dead, there will be no filling up
There was a possibility of Mrs. Kline
felter being in a trance. but only pos
sibility. In cases of catalepsy sus
pended animation sometimes fol
lowed; but it was not 6
characteristic OF embolism. DR.
Pool said there were remarkable cases
of suspended animation which science
could not account for. Meantime Mrs
Klinefelter is lying in the vault at Oak
land. Anxious friends and relatives
are hoping that she may return TO life
Scientific minds admit the possibility
but doubt the probability. All await
future developments with great de
gree of interest.