A GRAVEDIGGER ENTOMBED.
An extraordinary scene, ond one which caused the greatest alarm among those who witnessed the occurence, took place at Smithdown Cemetry. The remains of a Liverpool gentlemiia named M'Burnie were to be buried in the cemetery. The funeral service had been read and the mourning relatives and friends assembled, rotnd the newlymade grave where the remains of tho departed were about to be consigned. The grave was a deep one, and just before the coffin was lowered it was discovered that the gravo wanted widening at the bottom. For the purpose of elfecting this one of the attendant grave diggers went down into the grave, While he was at work the shoring which was supporting the grave sides gave way, and a great quantity of earth fell in, completely. burying tho grave-digger, Great alarm was caused by the occurence. Information was at once sent to the Registrar's office, and the assistance of a staff of workmen was immediately sent tu the scene of £he accident, They at once set to work for tho purposo of extricating the entombed gravedigger. They found, however, that this was a work which would entail considerable difficulty and time. It was theretoredetormiued that the body which was intended to have been been placed in the grave that had fallen in should be taken to some other resting-place in the same graveyard, and this was done, the staff of twelve workmen iiv the meantimo oxerting themselves to resctto the giavedigger. It was found that a great quantity of earth had fallen in.upon the poor lmm and it was nearly two hours before" could be reached. It was found, when extricated that he was alive, his escape being somewhat miraculous, It would seem that when the sides of tho gravo gave way, two of the props fell upon tho man, one on each side of his heat', thereby keeping the fallen' clay and earth from smothering him. Tho occurrenco occasioned the greatest excitement among tho officials and others in the graveyard at the time,
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Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1699, 31 May 1884, Page 2
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340A GRAVEDIGGER ENTOMBED. Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1699, 31 May 1884, Page 2
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