The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-19
YOUNG MAN BURIED ALIVE
Voluntarily Inferred at Baltimore
for Exhibition Purposes.
Expects 60 Remain Under Ground
Until Next Wednesday Fnsts
While in Subtcrrnncan COnhnc-
mCnt-His Object Il To Make Money.


Until Next Wednesday Fnsts
While in Subtcrrnnenn COnhnc-
mcnt-His Object IL Ia Make Money.
BALTIMORE. Aug. 1g-GeorEe Simon.
of Buffalo. was buried yesterday after
noon at River View Park and proposes
to remain buried until Wednesday after
noon. In order 10 secure the burial Simon
did not pursue the usual course of dying.
but went down into the grave alive for
the purpose OF eIiciting dimes from thos"
who want To see. OF at least hear. a living
man i'm his grave There is nothing mys-
torious about the performance. and there
is not a hint of mesmerism or occult con-
troll of the spirit which enables the ope-
rator to lay aside the Weaknesses Of the
flesh and remain in a trance. Simon
Claims to do without food or drink during
his voluntary intermcnt
His coffin is "A box feet long. feet
wide and "a feet deep. Connection from
the surface is maintained by two wooden
tubes. each four inches square, one at the
, head and the other at the foot Inside
, the coffin he has "A blanket a pillow and
an incandescent light Il was intended 10
place the coffin 50 deep that the top would
be four feet below the surface of the
I
a depth which would leave the top Of the
box about two feet under the surface so
| much water collected in the hole that
| they could 90 no farther. As it is. the
box rests on blocks TO keep il dry.
Half-past o'clock yesterday afternoon
was the time set for the burial but before
the obsequies could begin a rainstorm
caused a pOstponement 20 a later hour
After several attaches Of the park had
bailed the water out OF the holes under
the tent over the grave and had scattered
cinders 10 furnish a dry footing Simon ap-
peared, climbed down into the c-fin. the
earth was piled on. and his long Coufiue-
I ment began.
Simon is young man, being. according
70 his account, only twenty years old. He
is thin and weak looking. which he says is
due TO the number Of voluntary fasts he
| has endured. He said yesterday before
going under ground.
Il began this burying business three
| years ago and am in it simply for the pur-
! pose Of making money. I viii so down to-
| day and come up on Wednesday and then
| 90 down again on the following Sunday.
| 1t was only By constant practice that I
| was able to develop the Will power neccs-
/ Sary 10 enable me to fast so long. and I
assure you that do fast the entire time
am buried. receiving not a drop OF drink
! nor a CrUmb 10 eat
| When first began the trick a day was
| all l could stand. Later got so 1 could
| stay a day and a night Now I can stay
! down three days without much effort com
| pared to the trouble 1 used 10 have. NV
| longest period without food or drink was
! i've days and four nights. and Il nearly
/ finished me On one occasion 1 was down
| Tor fifteen days, but took nourisbrnant
| during that time. Even at that. when il
was over, l had 20 be lifted out OF the
| coffin, I was 81 weak and cramped.
carry nothing into the coffin with
] me except a haIf-piut Of whisky which
! use IN case l suddenly becomp faint
| When leave the box go at once TO a
/ hospital and there remain for a couple Of
/ days. getting my strength back.
., 4 become very cramped while living in
| the bON and get but little chance 10 shift
my position during the day as / have to-
| lie on my back 70 talk through the tube
| 20 people VINO come into the tent The
t HDS one nave yI mere Is little larger than
IL.
Not much ventilation can be secured
through the two tubes. and the condition
or me air IL thus made another unpIeas-
ant feature. During the day / have pIen-
" 10 think about in answering the cues
! lions Of people who visit the grave but
at night. when no one is around. the
time passes very slowly, and II il were
not for the thought that / am making
money out OF II / would have 70 give IN
| up. sleep about four hours a night
[ but 10 is not easy TO do much sIeppiDg
when you are hungry.
i am going TO keep my contract and
| appear here, but ] am afraid the damp
ground viii have its effect upon me, for
after one burial in a wet spot I had a Sc
attack rheumatism