Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-06-15
BURIED ALIVE.

dSTry Demo, VINO was DurleQ IN
grave soon after midnight Monday
morning at Chicago, will remain under
ground without food or water for PIG
hours. but he will be supplied with air
through wooden pipe. His grave W as
dug and the burial took place in the
presence OF large crowd of persons
more or less sceptically inclined, but
who were unable to fiud any suspici Gus
flaws in the arrangements. Beno's last
statement was that the feat was made
possible by series of induced sleeps,
which he termed 'trance slumbers. "
These last twelve hours each, and at
he end of each ne converse5 with the
audience present through the wooden
tube, which is his only connection with
the outer world.
Thousands of persons visited his
grave on Monday and Tuesday and
conversed with Beno through the
wooden tube. His face was visible
through glass placed in such posi-
ton that his features, though not his
body, could be seen. Beno says his
trance slumbersn maintain him, and
that it would make no difference to
him if he had neither light nor air.
1t was possibly eight o'clock on
Saturday night when two grave dig
gers appeared at the place selected and
began TO prepare the grave. Beno, who
boasts that he is without the sense OF
feeling, taste or smell, was all ready
y, 2raocaA Ia,
deep black He took with him as his
only solace pockst mirror. He
slipped into the casket, baGe fare
well to the crowd and was
lowered into the hole il the ground
The cover OF the coffin was nailed down
aud the earth filed III over II, leaving
uo:hing but the ventilation tube above
he surface of the ground.
Bsno awoke at midnight Monday
night ami talked to the crowd. He
will remain buried nine days, and will
% watched closely by scientific men.
Beno declares that it is impossible
for him to experience pain, and that he
ean drive al awl into his skull &c deep
that he can hang chair on its handle
Red hot needles "a 'sed through his
flesh cause him no annoyance, be says
Beefs, eak tastes the same 10 him ss
eggs, be declares, while the only way
ne can tell paris green irom sugar is by
the color.
Beno says that he recently ate
large quantity of paris green; following
it up with doses of arsenic and bella
donna. Then ne smoked cigar and
smiled at the doctors who were walt
ing to pump him out if he began to get
iii, but the deadly drugs had no effect
upon him.
Ia the Cook County Hospital Beno
sstonished the surgeons some time ago
by allowing them to cut his head open
without taking an anaesthetic. He had
broken off an awl in his skull and be
wanted the piece OF steel removed. he
said ne did not feel the operation.
Beno says he can pass into state OF
coma at will and sleep for days without
nourishment. He declares he has sold
his BODY in advance to Bellevue Hos
ni,al. in New York, for $500. Upon
mis- death the institution is to receive
the body and study will be made OF
it.
Beno is wrapped in two blankets IN
the casket. The grave is about three
feet deep, the ventiating shaft is at the
foot of the coffin and an electric light ls
90 placed that his face Gun be seen al
all times. He says his mother is an
Eovntian and his father an English
man