The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-24

still warm-all these things had not been
conducive to a great tranquility of the
soul. Perhaps even a less superstitious
man might also have suffered some dis
comfort under similar circumstances. As
it was, the driver was paralyzed with
fear. For a long time he hesitated, half
inclined to run away and desert horse,
wagon, coffin and all. He dreaded TO
look behind. not knowing what strange
specter might meet his gaze.
But, as the sounds though constantly
repeated seemed to be growing some
what weaker, he gradually became rec
oncled to the situation, and at length
screwed up courage sun1cient to look
about him.
There were no spirits on hand, and
there could no longer be any doubt that
the sound came from the inside of the
coffin. The knocktngs had by this time
become so weak and intermittent that
they had almost entirely ceaser, and the
driver knew that man could not live
long in that box.
TO look into that coffin, not knowing
what awful sight might meet his gaze, re-
quired no mean exercise Of moral cour-
age, but the farmer, who had by this time
become somewhat accustomed to the gen.
eral uncanniness Of the situation, set his
jaws grimly, made another noble effort
and forced open the lid.
The negro had come back to life. His
knees had been bent in the endeayor to
force apart the loosely nailed walls of his
narrow prison. The black clothing which
had been provided at the prison for burial
purposes was rumpled and twisted.
The hands were clinched and bleeding
at the knuclxles. The eyes were bulged al
most from their sockets showing great
rings of white about the pupils-a natural
result of the strangling. AS the horror
stricken farmer stood looking the muir
derer slowly turned on his side, then slow
ly back again. The air seemed to revive
him, for he was now breathing easily, and
had stopped beating the sides of the coffin
with his knuckles. Yet he showed no signs
of consciousness.
The driver hastily resumed his seat and
hurried on the horse at the top of his
speed. When the Wilson cabin was reach
ed a doctor from Arkansas, Immediately
across the river, was sent for. When he
arrived Wilson was still apparently in
state of coma, slowly turning from side to
side, but making no sound, and giving no
evidence that he knew what was going on
about him.
The doctorfirst tried to set the eyes back
into their normal position, and, after some
effort, he succeeded. Next he forced some
liquor into the mans mouth, the effect of
which was to cause him to reich and gag
violently. But do what he could, the negro
could not be made to speak. After some
hours of steady work at rubbing and ap-
plying stimulants, both without and with
in, the man who had that same day been
pronounced dead by the states physi-
clans was walking about the room. Later
he sat down to a supper.
In a few days the doctor departed, say
ing that his administration would no lon
ger be required, as Grant Wilson was
now as sound a man as one would care
to see, able to do hard days work, and,
saving in one particular. Just as we'll Off
in limo a he ha1 -.
his first. The only difference between the
now legally dead Grant Wilson and the
murderer who had expiated his crime on
the gallows is the fact that he is as mute
as post. He is unable not only to artic-
ulate but to utter sounds of any sort
whatever 1t is supposed that the shock
to the nervous system or the tight clutch
of the rope during the seven minutes
strangling destroyed his vocal chords or
impaired them so as to render them use
less. The doctor is of the opinion that
his recovery was due to the jolting of the
wagon. which arouse him from a profound
state of coma.
About a week after Wilson had, with
the exception of his voice. been restored
to his usual healthy condition, he sud
denly disappeared. His neighbors think
that he is in hiding, as he does not know
that he is legally dead and cannot be tried
again.
The murder for which Wilson and his
companions, Griffin Hubbard and Bob
Purvis, were hanged occurred about a
year ago, at Carolina Landing. on the
Mississippi river. King. the victim. was
a river trader, running a boat from ST.
Louissdown the river and disposing Of his
wares to the natives OF either bank on
the way.
Wilson. Hubbard and Purvis plotted 70
murder King and rob his boat In the
first they were successful. the fatal shot
having been fred by Hubbard with a shot
gun. But, owing to the desperate resis-