DURING resurrection times, in
addition to watchers of graves and churchyards, trap-guns were set to
scare the violaters of the so-called last resting-places of the dead; but
in spite of all dangers the outrages were numerous. One instance is
recorded of a student in Glasgow being killed by stumbling over one of
these guns. He and two companions were in search of a body in the
Blackfriars churchyard at the time of the fatal mishap. When he dropped
dead, his fellow-students were horrified, but the fear of discovery forced
them to adopt an extraordinary method of taking away the body of their
unfortunate friend.
They carried it to the outside of
the churchyard, and placed it on its feet against the wall; then they each
tied a leg to one of theirs, and taking the corpse by the arms, they
passed slowly along the street towards their lodgings, shouting and
singing as if they were three roysterers returning from a carouse. Once
safely home, the dead man was put to bed, and next morning the story was
circulated that during the night the poor fellow had committed suicide.
The fatal adventure was thus kept quiet, and it was not until many years
afterwards that the true version of the night’s proceedings was made
known.
