The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1909-02-12
A STRANGE CASE OF
RAISING THE DEAD.
copyright. 1908, by American Press Asso-
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There Is vacant lot 100 feet front
by 200 feet deep in the upper part of
New York about which nearly a CEN
fury ago residences were springing up.
One day in 49, 1t was announced that
this lot had been bought by man
who intended to use 1t for livery
stable. The proximity OF such proper
ty being undesirable, residents Of the
ncigbborhood dubbed together and
bought the property. Two gentlemen
invested 81 eco each forming a trust,
every investor having the right to nom-
mate person to inherl; his interest.
The property was to be kept intact till
but one Of these nominees remained
alive. This person was to then be-
come its owner The nominees were
al! under one year Of age and selected
from families remarkable for longev-
ity.
When ninety years had passed but
two nominees were living. Gustavus
Clough Wyatt and Lydia Ward Selby.
Mr. Wyatt was ninety-one years OF
age, Mrs. Selby ninety-two and half.
Both were In fairly good health con-
sidering their advanced age. Mr..
Wyatt had willed the property in case
he should live to secure 1t to his son,
Walter Lambert, aged sixty five. Miss
Selby's interest was to 60 to her great
grandniece. Florence Dudley, aged
fourteen,
Six years later both Mr.. Wyatt and
Mrs. Selby had experienced great
change. In each there remained but
The flicker Of the last drops Of life's
burning oil. The property which one
or the other would own was worth
S1.OOO.0OO. Lambert. who would in
.herit II his father should be the sur
yivor. was an cid curmudgeon whom
everybody hated. Florence Dudley was
a lovely eirl with no means whatever
and engaged to Travers Trask,
young medical man who proposed to
make surgery his specially.
Since the Inheritance of a million
was dependent upon the lives Of these
two aged people they were kept like
plants in conservatory. The slight
est draft Of air coming near either
one Of them was considered of more
Importance than cyclone elsewhere.
Both lived on toast water, and neither
was permitted to go out Of doors. Mr..
Wyatt was under the constant care OF
DR.. Myrtlewood. young man whose
whole time was engaged for the pur-
pose by Lambert. Mrs. Selby was I'M
der the care Of DIR. Trask. who visited
her every day.
The autumn Of 49, was balmy up to
the 18th Of November. when blizzard
came down that carried or most Of
Z those whose lives hung In the balance.
Old Mr.. Wyatt and old Mrs. Selby
both lay dying. Mr. Lambert had spies
In the Selby home, and DIR. Trask, who
had his fiancee's interests in charge,
managed to keep himself fairly posted
ms to the condition of old Wyatt Each
principal was approaching the end of
the race. and 1t seemed probable that
the winner might survive by only
few hours. DIR. Myrtlewood was keep
Ing old Wyatt up by stimulants, and
DIR. Trask was doing the same by Mrs.
Selby. Sympathy was entirely with
Miss Dudley. every one hoping that
she would inherit.
At O'Clock on the morning Of Nov.
Ia. while the storm was still raging,
DIR. Trask saw that his patient was
sinking. Word came that Mr.. Wyatt
could live but few hours. An hour
after this Mrs. Selby, despite the eff
feet of the most powerful stimulants,
passed away. Lambert was still alive.
Within ten minutes after Mrs. Selby's
death the fact was reported to DR..
Myrtlewood who gave over attempting
to longer keep his patient alive, and
he died half an hour later.
DIR. Trask may be said to be on the
scouting line of his profession. While
a student. he had witnessed an expert
ment which has startled the world.
He resolved to repeat It, Turning ev-
cry one out Of the room where Mrs.
Selby had died except his intimate
friend. DIR. Semester. a graduate of a
prominent German school Of medicine,
whom he retained for an assistant. he
made an incision over the wOman's
heart. He then inserted his hand and
clasped the organ. squeezing 1t gently
and aging 1t. This process he
kept up for some fifteen minutes, when
a faint tinge of color appeared in the
patients cheeks. DR. Semester placed
mirror under the woman's nostrils
and slight moisture appeared on the
glass. The massaging continued some
ten minutes longer, when the patient
opened her eyes.
Hastily covering the body to the
chin DIR. Trask summoned every one
In the house and said to them:
Il wish you to witness that on this
1:tth day of November at 3:45 p. nj.
Mrs. Selby lives"
At that moment the patient sighed
and said In feeble voice, II feel SO
queer
DO you hear that ?" said the doctor.
SHE not only lives. but speaks. Leave
the room. Everything depends upon
keeping her composed"
No one knew what was passing In
the sickroom till o'clock, when the
two physicians emerged and announc-
eel that Mrs. Selby was dead.
There was a lawsuit over the inner
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