The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1917-05-06
Deep MYSTERY
EXPLOSION
OF GRAVE
Is MADE, SHOW
ING BODY OF F. OFFENBERG,
BURIED FOR six YEARS, APPAR-
EMILY lNTAcT-LiGHTNING Is
SUGGESTED AS CAUSE.

An investigation to ascertain the
ause Of The mysterious explosion in
he grave Of F. Gutenberg at Sunny
de cemetery last Sunday afternoon,
las thrown no light on the strange
phenomenon. 1t is a mysterious cir
,umstance that does not seem to have
parallel. A small cedar tree near
i,9 grave has withered and died since
= strange explosion, and this fact
dds a slight evidence to the theory
hat a bolt of lightning struck the
grave, following along the roots or
he tree, which had grown in the i'm
mediate proximity of the receiving
vault containing the body which had
been inferred for nearly six years. In
his manner, according to the theory
ii lightning the massive top OF the
receiving vault, which with the false
vault testing upon it, weighed 2,50O
ounds, was lifted and displaced.
This theory, however, is by no
means borne out by the weather con-
iitiOns at the time of the explosion.
there were no clouds in the sky and
hough it was then dusk and the sun
vas sinking, the afternoon had been
orfectly clear and the sun had shown
rightly all day If it was stroke Of
lightning that caused this phenome-
non, it came from a clear sky.
Other theories that have been adj
eanced here as to the cause of the
mysterious affair have been entirely
disaproven by the investigation.
There was not a particle of water in
the grave to create steam or gas in
the vault, the vault was perfectly in
tact with the exception of the massive
top having been lifted, showing evil
dences that it had only recently been
torn loose from the cement with which
it was Theoretically sealed. There
were no evidences of gas or odor about
the grave at all.
But the strangest fact growing out
of the investigation made by L. G..
Booth, sexton Of the cemetery, r. l..
Dekle of the firm of G. L. Dekle &
Brothers, undertakers and others, who
did their work with the consent and
request of relatives was that the body
of the dead man appeared as the very
day that it was buried. The features
appeared as natural as during the
mans life, really, they were almost
life like The face was full, without
a visible wrinkle, the beard natural
and the arms folded across the breast.
The fact that the body was so we'll
indicates that the vault had
been absolutely air tight. 1t has been
known that bodies placed in air tight
vaults have been preserved for years,
and according to an authoritative in
formant, it is possible for an embalnl-
ed body Theoretically sealed in a vault
to be preserved for as long as the av-
erage mans life.
The statement that the body was
placed in a metallic casket is mis-
take, but the top of the casket was
securely fastened. The fact that the
TOP of the vault was displaced would
Indicate that the explosion was from
he inside, but the intact condition Of
he body disproves this. 1t required
terrific force to move $500 pound
weight and overturn the headstone as
it did, the explosion breaking glass
urn that had been placed on the vault.
G. l.. Dekle has written to the Sun
nyside, a magazine that deals with the
scientific. explanation Of such occur
rences to see if he can learn of SIM
lar case or the possible cause of the
Of the explosion.