Case Three
An officer of artillery, a man of gigantic stature and of robust health, being thrown from an unmanageable horse, received a very severe contusion upon the head, which rendered him insensible at once.
The skull was slightly fractured but no immediate danger was apprehended. He bled profusely, and many other of the ordinary means of relief were adopted. Gradually, however, he fell into a more and more hopeless state of stupor and finally, it was thought that he died.
The weather was warm and he was buried with indecent haste, in one of the public cemeteries. His funeral took place on Thursday. On the Sunday following, the grounds of the cemetery were as usual, much thronged with visitors and about noon, an intense excitement was created by the declaration of a peasant, that while sitting upon the grave of the officer, he had distinctly felt a commotion of the earth, as if occasioned by some one struggling beneath.
At first little attention was paid to the man's asseveration but his evident terror, and the dogged obstinacy with which he persisted in his story, had at length their natural effect upon the crowd.
Spades were hurriedly procured, and the grave which was shamefully shallow , was in a few minutes thrown open that the head of its occupant appeared. He was then seemingly dead, but he sat nearly erect within his coffin, the lid of which in his furious struggles he had partially uplifted.
He was forthwith conveyed to the nearest hospital and there was pronounced to be still living, although in an asphytic condition. After some hours he revived, recognised individuals of his acquaintance and in broken sentences, spoke of his agonies in the grave.From what he related, it was clear that he must have been conscious of life for more than an hour, while inhumed before lapsing into insensibility.
The grave was carelessly and loosely filled with an exceedingly porous soil and thus some air was necessarily admitted.He heard the footsteps of the crowd overhead, and endeavoured to make himself heard in turn.
It was the tumult within the grounds of the cemetery, he said, which appeared to awaken him from a deep sleep-but no sooner was he awake than he became fully aware of the awful horrors of his position.
