The herald., 1895-09-05
LIVED WITH A CORPSE
The Most Strange Action
of a Mother
CAUSED THE VAULT TO Be Opened
And the Remains Taken to Her
Apartments
WHERE SHE WEPT FOR THEM
Her Daughter Had Been Idolized by All
the Family
And the Death Occurred in Very I'm
timely Manner
Sine Had Been a Belle and Visited a Friends
House Where She Suddenly Died.
tho ont in a
WHERE SHE WEPT FOR THEM
Her Daughter Had Been Idolized by All
the Family
And the Death Occurred in a Very Un-
timely Manner
Sine Had Been a Belle and Visited Friends
House Where She Suddenly Died.
The Corpse, Kept in a Room
for Nearly nonth

A very curious case of affection devel-
oped to morbid degree has recently
come t" the notice of this paper. The
person in question is woman, and the
object of her regard was the dead body OF
an idolized daughter The mother had
lavished every pride and hope of fond
parent upon her. and was prostrated
when she learned of the girls sudden
death. Instead, however, OF controlling
her grief in the usual manner she caused
the vault containing the remains to be
desecrated and the casket and the body
taken to her private apartments, where
she succeeded in keeling them for nearly
a month before the rest of the family dis
covered her strange conduct
The name of the family is withheld
from publication from the fact of their
prominence in this city; nor, indeed.
would the sad occurrence be made public
at all were it not for the unusual and pa
thetcally morbid features of the case.
The affair happened seven years ago and
has been known to only few people, but
as frequently happens, in the case of
family skeletons, the uncanny facts have
pushed themselves loose from the c loset
and present it's whitened remains to
view.
This family consisted of father, mother
and three children, two sons and
daughter. Upon this daughter was law
isbed all tho affections that parents could
bestow and ali the privileges that wealth
and social prominence could procure.
The young woman is said to have been
very beautiful, but the prodigalty OF her
parents and the homage of her brothers
had the effect of developing in her those
most unfortunate of the many female
weaknesses-wllfuln and vanity.
She was accom- pished, and although
she had not made her entrance formally
into society, her brilliancy and the posi-
tion of her parents had already attracted
admirers to her side. When the young
woman was only II years of age. her
mother began to plan and talk of her en-
trance into Vanity Fair. She was finally
presented, and to her the svenins was the
greatest triumph OF which she had
known, and when the final guest had de-
parted she smiled upon her mother with
that sense of complete victory which is
SO sweet to a woman's heart. Her future
seemed assured, for a short time only
life to her was but succession OF tri-
um phs, her father idolized her, while her
mother required homage from all, that
was surpassed only blythe extent of her
own worshiping. 10 use an everyday
expression, there was nothing too good
for her, and the best was only what she
deserved.
She finally engaged in a filtration with
married man. who is still residing here.
He had resisted all of her attacks and she
had gone into the affair with the avowed
intention of breaking him all UP. At the
onset it was harmless enough, but the
matter finally developed into serious
liaison, and as has been known before
and since. she suddenly realized one day
that the man had proved the master.
The shame and misery of the situation
presented themselves before her, and
finally, driven to desperation. she con-
tided in friend who resided short dist
ance from the city. and 1t was agreed
that she should pay her visit.
1t was to the home of this friend that
physician was called and the case stated
to him. Within a short time after the
girl died.
When the news reached the family that
she had suddenly succnmped to all at
tack of heart failure. the mother was
prostrated. The body was en- balmed,
after which it was deposited in a vault
The interior of this edItice is constructed
OF marble and a heavy slab was placed
across the opening.
The mother of the girl was heartDroken
and wandered about the house vainly
calling for the child to return. One even
ipg this woman left her home, and ac-
companied by several men visited the
vault. She caused the place to be opened
and the casket removed to her private
apartments. Both the door and the slab
across the niche were replaced and all
evidences OF the act concealed.
After the occurrence "a marked change
came over the mother. She no longer
appeared morose and pre- occupied, and
the balance of the family began to feel
happy even in their sorrow. that she was
beginning to bear up and become "a
signed. 1t was noticed though that she
would retire to her apartments and re-
main for hours at q time ana what ap-
peared stranger still, positively forbade
any person to enter.
The poor haf.craze1 woman-for such
she had become-visited the room for the
purpose of weeping and praying over the
dead body of her idolized daughter. 1t
may have been possible that she had
OWNED the true cause of tie girl death
and was bitterly upbraiding herself as the
cause of the daughters untmely end.
How long these visits would nave lasted
or the family remained in ignorance of
the gruesome guest within their home
can only be con jectured. The mother was
allowed to continue her strange behavior
as the others did not wish to interfere
with anything that seemed to afford her
relief from, ur comfort in her sorrow.
She followed this mode OF life for nearly
month and it was only by accident that
the facts were learned.
The mother went to the room one even
ing to weep over the body and failed to
return; She was absent the entire night
and when she did not appear the follow
ing morning, it was decided to invade the
sacred precincts of the place. They found
her lying prone across the coffin. She
had tainted from exhaustion. When they
revived her she bitterly resented their
having intrudsd and declared they had
come to take her child Naturally every
attempt was made after the discovery to
induce the woman to allow the casket to
be again deposited in the vault This she
positively refused to permit and the fami
ly were in sore distress over her madness.
At length they succeeded in accom- plsh-
Ing their desipe by piece of strategy.
The Young woman friand at whnsa