"About the end of June last, a poor woman died in the hospital at Aberdeen, and was buried in a churchyard in the neighborhood. A company of young surgeons agreed with the grave-digger to set some mark on the grave as a direction for them; but some person, in order to disappoint the grave-digger's employers, moved the signal to another grave, that of a woman who had been buried about 3 or 4 months. The party came, and directed by the mark agreed upon, dug up the grave, drew out the coffin, and carried it home; but, upon opening it, a vapour, like a flame of brimestone, came forth, and suffocated them in an instant. Two women also going past the room fell down dead. It is said, that eleven persons thus perished."
Published in The New-Jersey gazette, Nov. 15, 1784
