The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-01-03
DEATHS SENSATIONS.
A MAN WHO PRACTICALLY pIEr
THREE rlMEe N ONE YEAR.

Personal Experiences with Death Go 20 I
shsw That the Moment Of Final Disco
luton L. Absolutely Painless and with-
out Fear of Future Iafe.
Although neither a physician nor
clergymnn ! wish TO eorroborate the
views Of the physicians contradicting
Rev. DR.. Epworth under the heading.
-"what Is DEATH" in your Sunday issue.
As Federal soldier, May 81, 1862,
was one Of those who fought against
the surprise Of General Johnston. at
the time commander of the Confed-
crate army, at Fair Oaks. The sur
prise was made at noontime, whilel
our boys were eating lunch. remem-
Der one soldier being struck in vital
part and killed while leaning upright
against tree In the act of carrying q
fapiack to his mouth, remaining after
death in precisely the same position.
When Isaw him standing there l mis-
took him for live man, especially as
he seemed TO me intent only on eating
his hapiack, but the illusion was dis
PEELED when touching him, because as
an officer wanted him to join his COM
rades.
My own personal experience in the
matter confirms the physicians also.
The Both of April, 1896, a fire was rag
ing in my factory in San Francisco. Byl
some means | was about 100 feet FROM
the main entrance in the burning build-l
ing whom, to my dismay, beheld the
five story wall topple over me through al
skylight. Passively l lowered my head,
thinking only of my coming death and
wishing it would be swift. In less than
a second thousands of bricks fell on me,
sounding like a big drumstick beating
on big bass drum remember a
crash, then nothing, but when came to
my senses l was wedged in between
heavy timbers, the upper part of my
: body only being free.
About dozen steps back of me was a
stranger to me whe-had not received
scratch, but asoertaining that my leg
I was broken, and also my utter inability
I to save myself, he crawled over to me
r and attempted to pull me out of my ter
d rible situation. But all his efforts only
T increased my suffering and as saw the
u flames como up entreated him to leave
4 me to my fate and try to save himself
h Finally he crawled away, promising
;. however, to return with help and axes
"a must have been bewildered, for no &C
/. of my past life came to my memory, bu
v suddenly thinking of my small, mother
u less children shouted for help, whis
~ Ting at intervals through my fingers.
4, Some firemen must have heard, 70
presently there were several streams Q
IN water poured on me. | then realize
tss my danger, yet /. who had never gon
x into battle without o pang, felt non
H. whatever while in that deathtrap. Th
te water and smoke combined must hav
&C. asphyxiated me, for when my strange
he returned leading brave party of fir,
*, men and policemen l laid as one deat
NJ Believing me dead, and being in ver
dangerous position, they cut away pa
os- of the timbers and rudely but safel
he passed me over the debris in the stree
,d A deafening shout from an innen
&C. throng which had witnessed the gallal
i, 4; rescue, streams of cold water and fre'
-. air revived me, and begged of them
~ m be careful with my limbs, which we
of dangling from my body.
vas After many weeks Of suffering q
vas physicians decided to break my Il
Of If again, but being unable to do it WI
while had my senses they decided
chloroforin me. Being subject to hes
the disease objected, but the matter bel
ury urgent / finally consented to take
anasthetic. Fully convinced, howev
,rI that should die under its influence, /
,rk knowing that either way would ha
wn. to die, l agreed to take the only char
ces S of life had and laid myself resigned
cast on my back; yet, although convine
that my last hour had come, had !
n a II the slightest recollection of my form
aui deeds. As heard the physicians wi
pers gradually lost in the distance '
for only wondering what would come ne
we're -ecoyared bo,yeyer. but break
The =, ~, - ...,,+ - :.
was my reg d tniiu uiiio ~ -
ons adhesions in my knee, 1t was decl
: for that should undergo another operati
+, me u which necessitated the use of anestl
The les again. This time the physici
lock. thought was u goner sure, for 1t
. as them nearly two hours to revive
=, n vet, although certain of my last hot
could not recall my past life, ant
lent neither case did fear death when l
Oh squarely to face it.
o,oal In each instance the passing away
painless, while in the fire suffoea
came almost unconsciously, while
arVey most the same sensation came in
~ other cases. In the case of the sol
n of at Fair Oaks Seven Pines a certain
must have elapsed between his dec
tone and my notice of him, yet heavel
hades did not seem to bother him
We OF tiapjaek seemed to be what he want
on his eyes were on it and his mouth
u $50 ~ open ready to receive it. In my
busl. case / could claim to have died
from times within year, yet do not tn
had any other but sensation of re
- I'M nn DIR. Epworth, in his assertion also
nun. either a look of horror or beat
owark overspreads u deceased persons
oiiege seems TO forget that the Scriptures
I tea Of 1 us that the soul leaves our terre
praeti- envelope at once on dissolution;
ser of the body cannot show what rece
the soul had on the other side o
Styx.-An Interested Reader in
, most York Press.
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