Vampire Books Online / A Horrible Superstition

The Providence Herald of September 5 says :- "The village of Peacedale was thrown into excitement on Thursday last by Watson's Corner, on the shore of the Saugatuck River. The family of Mr. William Rose, who reside at Saunderstown, near South Ferry, are subject to consumption, several members of the family having died of the disease ; and one member of the family is now quite low with it. At the urgent request of the sick man, the father, assisted by Charles harrington, of North Kingston, repairs to the burying-ground, located one mile north of Peacedale, and, after building a fire, first dug up the grave of his son, who had been buried 12 years, for the purpose of taking out his heart and liver, which were t be placed in the fire and consumed, in order to carry out the old superstition that the consumptive dead draw nourishment from the living. But as the body was entirely reduced to ashes, except a few bones, it was shortly covered up, and the body of a daughter, who had been dead seven years, was taken out the grave beside her brother. This body was found to be nearly wasted away, except the vital parts, the liver and heart, which were in a perfect state od preservation. The coffin was nearly perfect, while the son's coffin was nearly demolished. After the heart and liver had been taken out, they were places in the fire and consumed, the ashes only being put back in the grave. The fire was then put out, and the two men departed to their respective homes. Only a few spectators were present to witness the horrible scene. It seems that this is not the first time that graves have been dug up where consumption was prevalent in the family, and the vital parts burned in order to save the living. A few years ago the same was done in the village of Mooresfield, and also in the town of North Kingston."