The Paris edition of the New York Herald, May 14, 1895, says:—
“The case of the woman buried alive at Annecy, in the Haute-Savoie, the other day, has almost found a pendant at Limoges. A woman, belonging to the village of Laterie, died, to all appearance at least, a few days ago. After the body had been placed in a coffin, it was transported to the village church. On the way the bearers heard sounds proceeding from it, and at once sent for the mayor, who ordered it to be opened. The woman was found to be suffering from eclampsia, which had been mistaken for death by her relatives.”
The following case is instructive in that the victim was exhumed without an order from the Home Secretary, or waiting for any formalities, and was restored to life:—
“BURYING ALIVE.
[From the Spectator, October 19, 1895.]
RESUSCITATION IN IRELAND.
“Sir,—Apropos of your article and the correspondence about being buried alive, in the Spectator of September 28, the enclosed may interest you. It is an extract which I have copied to-day out of a letter to a neighbour of mine from his brother in Ireland, dated October 6, 1895:—‘About three weeks ago, our kitchen-maid asked leave to go away for two or three days to see her mother, who was dying. She came back again on a Friday or Saturday, saying her mother was dead and buried. On Wednesday she got a letter saying her mother had been dug up, and was alive and getting all right. So she went up to see her, and sure enough there she was “right enough,” as G—— says, having got out of her trance, and knowing nothing about being in her grave from Saturday till Tuesday. The only thing she missed was her rings; she could not make out where they had got to. Her daughter, it seems, told the doctor on her way back here that it struck her that her mother had never got stiff after death, and she could not help thinking it was very odd; and it made her very uncomfortable. He never said a word: and the kitchen-maid heard nothing until she got the letter saying her mother was back again and alive. Luckily, she did not “come to” until she had been taken out of her coffin. It was a “rum go” altogether. They say exactly the same thing happened to a sister of hers who is now alive and well.’—I am, Sir, etc.,
“Peveril Turnbull.”