ALIVE IN KER COFFIN.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 3780, 4 January 1908, Page 4

ALIVE IN KER COFFIN.

The London Daily Chronicle tells a gruesome story ot an unfortunate woman who seems to have narrowly escaped being buried alive. One day early last mouth Mr Albert Richards, one of the woman’s sons, returned home to find his mother lying on a rug in front of the fire, in a swoon, as he thought. He at once summoned a doctor, who declared that Mrs Richards was dead, and gave a certificate that she had died from heart failure. The funerdl arrange, merits were made, and Mrs Richards was placed in a coffin. Her son, however, who was very much attached to hi? mother, paid frequent visits to the room where she lay, and was convinced from the colour which seemed to come into her face that she was not dead. He communicated his opiniow to other members of the family, who, as the day of tne funeral drew near, were filled with cnxious thoughts. Another doctor was called in, and he, at the son’s request, applied what he regarded as the besr ‘ bp opening a vein in tue woman’s arm, but there was no s'gr of blood, and tl:; doctor concluded that the woman was dead. The son continued to notice periodical changes in his mother’s features, and, on going to look at her the following morning, he found to his amazement, that his arm was saturated with blood. Mr Richards again ch. the doctor, who appeared somewnat sin prised at tfaio - >'- ! •" ■ ordinary development, and alter lie had examined the woman without discovering any signs of decomposition, said he did not think she was quite dead Ae aavised that Mrs Richards should be taken out of her coffin, and that the coffin should be taken on of the room. After this had been done, hot bricks and bottles and mustard plasters were applied, and Luc body became thoroughly warm. The woman showed no sign of consciousness, however, and on the following day, the second doctor satisfied himself that she was really dead. The funeral hnn been postponed from Wednesday to the Saturday, and on the latter day Mrs Richards was finally laid to rest after nearly a week of agonising suspense on the part of her family.