The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-06-17
CORPSE SAT UP AT HER GRAVE.
Thievish Propensitics of Sexton Saved
Woman's Life,

Near llfracomb, in the southern por-
ton of England" said John Tapscost
from that country, to News reporter
"a lady of great wealth and social posi-
ton was buried some time prior to 1920.
BY the way, she was a cousin to my
mother, from whom learned the some
what remarkable story / am going 30
tell you. When the lady in question
was buried there was upon her finger
large and valuable diamond ring The
sexton who officiated at the funeral
was aware Of this fact and 1t excited
his cupidity. He reasoned that he was
poor, the lady was dead and the valua-
BILE jewel could be of no possible use to
her down in the cold, dark tomb, but
could he possess it the cash ii would
bring would buy many comforts for his
wife and little ones. He resolved to
dlsinter the body and steal the ring.
About the hour of midnight f2llowing
the burial he stealthily exhumed the
lady, opening her coffin by the pale
glimner of waning moon and, lifting
the white, dainty hand attempted to
take off the beautiful ring. 1t fitted so
tight, however, that he could not re-
move it, and, desiring to get thr ough
with his grewsome task as quickly as
possible, he took out his pocket knife
intending to amputate the finger which
refused to give up it's precious jewel
No sooner had he made an incision
than the supposed dead woman sudden
ly sat bolt upright in her coffin. The
startled sexton, frightened almost to
death, fed with the speed Of an Amer
lean cannon ball train.
You see, the lady was in a cataieplic
state and supposed to be dead. The
moment the sections knife entered the
nesn her nervous system respondei
with the rapidity of biography, the cir
culation started up and she began to
breathe. Tne cool night air soon re-
stored her enough for her to get out
out of the coffin and walk to her home,
some mile or more away Ringing tie
door bell, her husband looked down
from second-story window and was
startled at seeing ghostly, white
robed figure standing on the porch be-
low. He was too frightened to come
down, but after repeatedly ringing the
bell the door was finally opened by a
servant. After the CONSERVATION of the
moment was over a most happy re-
union followed between the lady and
her household
The poor sexton was not only not
prosecuted for grave robbing, but the
grateful lady presented him the covet-
ed ring, while her husband gave him a
large sum of money. His greedy desire
Tor the lady's ring had been the means
OF her rescue from horrible death and
her gratitude knew no bounds She
lived several years after this tragic
event and bore several children before
she died in fact.
Another case occurred in England
ABOUT this time" the gentleman con-
tinued, ''in which an S-year-old girl
was put into her coffin, but before it
was closed lady present fancied she
saw very slight heaving of her breast.
mirror was held to the child's face,
which was soon covered with a faint
cloud OF moisture. Restoratives We're
applied and she soon revived After she
grew up to womanhood this same per-
son was twice more coffined ready for
burial and twice more rescued from a
living tomb. She finally died at the adj
vanced age of 81 years and was put
into her fourth and last coffin.
1t is things like these" the English
gentleman remarked in conclusion,
(which make me tremble at the fear
of being buried alive, and to avoid
such horrible fate will leave a pro-
vision in my will for the embalmins or
the cremating of my body Either of
these methods would insure one agains.
living burial. Dallas News.