The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-02-21
IN TRANCE She HEARD
. H.ER..DEATH ANNOUNCED ] ] !.
Terrible Experiences Of Woman
Who Was Twice In Coffin
Awaiting Burial. ~
saw ED BY 10 AUGHTER:
LONDON, February POS J.

33.. III LONDON, February 20.
There Is alady IN this room who has q
been In her coffin twice. and has her
death certificate In her pocket at this his
moment" a " stg S5$ 5gs
This singular nnnouncement5wa was madoa ~
at the annual meeting OF the London 49,
ISOLATION for the Prevention Of Prematurey
Burial. * 5S TX ..s s5assi
The subject Of It Is Mrs. Heigham. ~
woman who still has the good fortuna u
to be enjoying the best Of health az her
home In Holland road. Kensngtoln1l5$ she
has been subject to ca talept frances,
and thrice has been in imminent danger
81 being buried alive. "a, 553S 81
The story Of her first escape is best old Il
In her own words. It's terrible realism
only finds a parallel In the awe-inspir ring
ina gination of Poe. i.
.NIy first trance,.' Mrs. Heigham told
the m Getting, was brought about u bys5
shock. was told tliat all my property
had been lost. The news was quite ur-sss
OK pected, and IT. sent me In to p ysteric
3lapsed into 5insensibi ~, and al
the end Of two hours my limbs began TO-
ASSUME the rigidity Of death, NJ eyes yes
wcfe open, and j could see wha \ was ha p-s
ipeninE, but / was VI Bile TO move l hanu&
Or foot or, or to show that life had not yet
left my body. y;s
Horrifying Experience. s$sS
"1magine my horror then, when. q ftera
being left for twenty-four hours, was
taken from bed and relied on the floor.
Pins and needles were stuck In my bodys#
in order to see whether blood Would Sllo W.
5Fortunately i could feel no bodily pain
but the strain on my mind was terri
After this every one gave me 3up 5Ioras
dead. Poor lady q amsa1Ea . J, "
out#of all earthly suffering, Fl rememb erS
hearing the doctor say. Oh. the terror o 8: 4
that rclnent.
worse was, however. to come, for the
order for my coffin was given. 9Wnens tne
undertaker,s men came to measure me ne. !,
tried TO shrek aloud, but not souuu
came from my bloodless lips. \ ccsll le no.
have been more helpless hau t,e 1 nus
Death In reality taken my soul. me ma
agony came when my CONN was pro gnNIS5
into the room. At sight Of that gru'eso In,e 4
obiect placed by my bedside q telt as u !.
nv hrain-or what was left Of tt-Would u
finally break under its futile efforts % ass
sert itself. y, q ], 80. ~ &
II then lapsed into unconsoelousne q torss
nIrs a = eirham then related how her y
daughter, who had never quite given Up
hnne. arose from her bed in the H!nolet olsi
the night to visit her notner for N e lass3s
time. 81 83
Saved From Burial.
The girl was unable to. sleep OWN g sstoss
an eyer-recurrng presentiment tnat he J, T Al
nnrent had not really passed away q no ST
atly enough, it was this mldnlgh val AL IA
that really saved Mrs. Heighaml IRON A aleSeS
: As she gazed with fearful eyes upon g.
her mothers stll FORM she thougnt slls "
snw q movement Of the eyeltds. fdasttiy VI
sl,muonlng the serynn IS, she heidS q DOL
Fla Of strong smelling salts 70 Mrs,B t1elsn
ants nostrils and in her q gltatlon. spnt
mart Of tho contents over the uhcohsStO0uaisss
womans face. !, ~. - =, -, :,
heayed u deep sigh, and suddenly y say npEi
In my bed saved by my loYes n
and energy. z =, !, -, Z !, ,,ar y. y
markable experiences she now posss .'sss.
tho death certificate slgneas py5 tne
who attended her. and, though tne plaui-5i
horror, she would not part WIZ tne ooSu-3
ment for a great deal.
Mrs. Hcigham's subsequent attacks
we're not quito SO serious. but In both
RI SEES she was at first thought to 20 oeao-.AS
Nv ali but her devoted daughter. n
Curiously enough, Mrs, itelghan 4 mas "
herself taken degrees as o doctor OF psy-J
chology, and In face OF the foregoing "a 4
ii was somewhat startling TO near het III
annou nee that she had mo rear OF deas sn "
for many, many years to come
.s v