The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1916-02-19
A Singular Case Of
Resurrection
By F. A. Mitchell

be. They have substituted live parts
Of the human body for dead parts; they
hove set heart substance beating out
side its proper place in q mans breast
If they keep on they may in time make
man out Of parts Of other men But
If the stories Of what Indian fakirs
have done in keeping persons alive in
a comatose condition for many years is
true these ROckefellers or scientific
fellers or whatever they are have yet
much to learn from an antique and ap-
parently undeveloped civilization
There Is a story going the rounds
among the undergraduates Of a certain
university which, II 1t can be substan-
tiated, puts the modern scientific inves-
t1gator to shame. Arnold Gereau, as
s1stant professor of chemistry-he has
charge OF the laboratory-is one Of
those phenomena who spring up once
in a century. He is very young, and
1t Is well known that he was born with
certain mental powers, a certain su-
pernatural knowledge Of things on
which many man has studied for a
Hfedme without making any progress
whatever.
Wilbur Stockbridge, a member of
the class OF '15, SO the story goes, one
day went to Professor Gereau with N
yellow bit Of paper on which was writ
ten in old English style:
This is the body OF William Arbackle.
private In his majeSty's -th foot Cap
tured In the patriot lines with maps show
ing our fortincations on the upper part of
Manhattan Island. He waS condemned
for a spy. An Indian serving with tho
same regiment-he had Joined it at Singa-
poFe-propoRod to General Washington to
put the man to sleep for an indefinite peri
Cd Instead OF executing him. The general
who was averSe to the execution, consent
ed, and Arbuckle was turned over 10 the
Indian, who claims that any time after
nifty or even q hundred years life will
sttll be in the body. But not ono man in
many millions will be able to effect
resurrection.
Young StOckbridge told the professor
that in e1cavating for building pur-
poses on the upper part of Manhattan
Island on property owned by his family
tomb had been discovered containing
the body Of a man in British uniform
of former period. The paper had
the body had been buried.
Gereau-mind you, don't vouch for
thts-arranged with the student to
bring the find to the laboratory, which
at the time was closed on account of
the spring recess and would therefore
be at the professors individual dis
poSal. No one has attempted to give
the process by which Gereau manipu-
lated the remains OF Private Arbuckle,
but 1T is claimed that he effected q
resurrection. The professor AYERS that
he worked on lines which are being
followed by modern scientific tnvest1-
gators. He must have had an inkling
of the method by which animation
was suspended by the Indian or he
would not have been able to restore
1t by reverse action, which, he says,
he applied. He gives as a fundamental
principle that the Indian knew how to
suspend-nOt kill-the action Of the
heart, and Gereau restored the pulsa-
t1ons, which are the basis of animal
life.
Whether the story Is true or false
there is one part Of it that fits In with
modern scientific investigation 1t is
said that Gereau found that certain
members of the body had suffered
from the long suspension Of their func-
tiOns. The reSurrected man showed
signs Of decay, and the professor fear
ed that, though he had remained In an
ordinary condition Of health for more
than 130 years, he would die within
few hours after resurrection.
A test was begun Of different organs,
and the first tested-the kidneys
showed decay. Gereau at once tele- |
phoned to the College of Physicians |
and Surgeons for a pair Of sound kid
neys and, removing the ones affected. |
introduced the new ones. He supposed |
for some time that Arbuckle had died |
under the operation, but half bottle
OF Irish whisky brought him round |
The liver was next tackled, and half of .
it replaced. There were other parts
to be substituted, but. those mentioned |
were the principal replacements
These operations required several
hours, and another hour passed before
Private Arbuckle spoke Then he
voice that seemed to come through dry
leather:
Corporal of the guard
Gereau was delighted. 1t looked as
If he might save his patient. for while
the man had doubtless been deanimat-
ed in good health his being brought
back to consciousness was not only a
difficult matter but a dangerous one.
There are several versions of the rest
OF the story. Some say that Arbuckle
was sufficiently restored to remember :
and speak Of his expected execution.
Others aver that Gereau. finding his
breathing defective, worked his arms ,
vigorously, but in spite of his efforts
the man died. l
1t is said that at one time Arbuckle
sat up. and was given stiff drink '