Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1899-08-10
SAT UP IN HER GRAVE.
ThieviSh PrOpensities of Sexton
Saved a Woman Who Was
Buried Alive.

'Near nfracomb, in the southern por-
ton of England" said John Tapscott,
from that country, to reporter, "a
lady of great wealth and social position
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 I am going to
tell you. When the lady in question was
buried there was upon her finger large
and valuable diamond ring. The sexton
who otficiated at the funeral was aware
of this fact and it excited his cupidity.
He reasoned that he was poor, the lady
was dead and the valuable jewel could
be of no possible use to her down in the
cold, dark tomb, but could he possess it
the cash it would bring would buy many
comforts for his wife and little ones.
He resolved to disinter the, body and
steal the ring. About the hour of mid
night following the burial he stealthily
exhumed the lady, opened her coffin by
the pale glimmer of waning moon,
and, lifting the white, dainty hand, at
tempted to take off the beautiful ring.
1t fitted so tight, however, that he could
not remove it, and, desiring to get
through with the grewsome task as
quickly as possible, he took out his
pocketknife, intending to amputate the
finger which refused to give up its pre-
cious jewel.
mo sooner had he made an incision
than the supposed dead woman sud-
denly sat bolt upright in her coffin. The
startled sexton, frightened almost to
death, fled with the speed of an Ameri-
can cannon ball train.
''You see, the lady was in cataleptic
state and supposed to be dead. The mo-
ment the sections knife entered the
flesh her nervous system responded
with the rapidity of telegraphy, the cir
culation started up and she began to
breathe. The cool night air soon re-
vived her enough for her to get out Of
the coffin and walk to her home, some
mile or more away. Ringing the door,
bell her husband looked down from a
second-story window and was startled
at seeing ghostly, whiterobed figure
standing on the porch below. 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
most happy reunion followed between
the lady and her household.
''Thc poor sexton was not only not
prosecuted for grave robbing, but the
grateful lady presented him the coveted
ring, while her husband gave him a
large sum of money. His greedy desire
for the lady's ring had been the means
of her rescue from horrible death, and
her gratitude knew no bounds. She
lived number OF years after this tragic
event.
"Another case occurred in England
about this time" the gentleman contin-
ued, Gin which an eight-year old girl
was put into her coffin, but before it
was closed lady present fancied she
saw a very slight heaving of her breast.
A mirror was held to the child's face,
which was soon covered with faint
cloud of moisture. Restoratives were
applied and she soon revived. After she
grew up to womanhood this same per-
son was twice more cotfined ready for
burial and twice more rescued from q
living tomb. She finally died at the adj
vanced age of 81 years and was put into
her fourth and. last coffin. Dallas
(TeX.) News.