Virginia Free Press

SINGULAR DEATH

The following singular account of the death of Mr. Hemmenway, of Pepperell, was forwarded to us through the Post Office, by a gentleman of that town, and intended for the Galaxy of last week, but by some inattention in the Post Office, we did not receive it until Monday the 8th. We now present it to our readers, assuring them that the utmost reliance may be placed on the relation. Mr. Hemmenway, we will add, was personally known to us, and has always been a man of temperate habits, and at the time the accident happened, was in perfect health. We give the relation as we have received it, without further comment, and will esteem it a favor, if any of our Medical friends will enlighten us as to the probable cause of the death, or the still more singular alteration of the state of the body.

As Mr. Artemas Hemmenway, of Pepperell, Mass. on Friday morning last, (October 5th,) was dipping some new cider out of the vat, he was stung by a yellow wasp on the middle joint of the second finger of his right hand. He cried out immediately that he was in great pain, and a person who was near, came up and extracted the sting from the wound. His anguish increased so much, however, that he was obliged to be led to his house, at a distance of not more than ten rods from the spot where the accident happened. As soon as he reached home, he threw himself on his bed, unable to support himself, appearing to have no local pain, but complained of an universal distress, as he expressed it. There was neither sickness at the stomach nor spasms of any kind. He complained of a queasiness in the bowels for a few moments and soon after, his countenance became black, and he sunk into a state of insensibility, and expired in less than twenty minutes from the time that he was stung.

A physician was instantly sent for, and arrived in about half an hour after Mr. Hemmenway's death, when the body was found in such a state as made it inexpedient to examine it.

N. E. Galaxy