Part 44 (2/2)

_November 23rd, 1892._

I have just had an interesting conversation with Miss Dodson and her friend, Mrs. Grange.

Miss Dodson told me that she was not thinking of her brother or his wife at this time, as her mind was absorbed by certain other matters. But the brother was an object of special concern to her, as her mother on her deathbed, in 1871, had specially charged her--and she had promised--to take care of the other children, especially this brother, who was then five years old. He had married in April, 1885, and she had not seen him since, though she had heard of the birth of his first child, a little girl, in January, 1886; and she had never seen his wife nor heard of the birth of the second child.

She is as sure as she can be that she was awake at the time of the experience. She knew the time by a clock in the room and also a clock outside. She heard this latter strike twelve afterwards, and the apparition must have occurred after eleven, because lights were out in front of the public-house. The children seemed to be with her a long time; indeed, they seemed to be still with her when the clock struck twelve. The room was usually light enough to see things in--_e.g._ to get a gla.s.s of water, etc.--owing to the lamp in the street, but the distinctness with which the vision was seen is not explicable by the real light. The children were of ages corresponding to those of her sister-in-law's children, _i.e._ they seemed to be a little girl and a baby newly born; the s.e.x was not distinguished. She was not at all alarmed.

She heard from Mrs. Grange by letter, and afterwards orally from her brother, that her sister-in-law died between eight and nine the same night.

She never had any experience of the kind, or any hallucination at all before: but _since_ she has occasionally felt a hand on her head in trouble.

Mrs. Grange told me that she was with the sister-in-law about an hour and a half before her death. She left her about seven o'clock, without any particular alarm about her; though she was suffering from inflammation after childbirth, and Mrs. Grange did not quite like her look; still her state was not considered alarming by those who were attending on her. Then about 8.30 news came to Mrs. Grange in her own house that something had happened at the sister-in-law's. As it was only in the next street, Mrs. Grange put on her bonnet and went round to the house, and found she was dead.

She then wrote and told Miss Dodson.

VII. D. From _Proceedings_ S.P.R., vol. viii. pp. 200-205.[228]

The first report of the case appeared in _The Herald_ (Dubuque, Iowa), February 11th, 1891, as follows:--

It will be remembered that on February 2nd, Michael Conley, a farmer living near Ionia, Chickasaw County, was found dead in an outhouse at the Jefferson house. He was carried to Coroner Hoffmann's morgue, where, after the inquest, his body was prepared for s.h.i.+pment to his late home. The old clothes which he wore were covered with filth from the place where he was found, and they were thrown outside the morgue on the ground.

His son came from Ionia, and took the corpse home. When he reached there, and one of the daughters was told that her father was dead, she fell into a swoon, in which she remained for several hours.

When at last she was brought from the swoon, she said, ”Where are father's old clothes? He has just appeared to me dressed in a white s.h.i.+rt, black clothes, and felt [mis-reported for _satin_]

slippers, and told me that after leaving home he sewed a large roll of bills inside his grey s.h.i.+rt with a piece of my red dress, and the money is still there.” In a short time she fell into another swoon, and when out of it demanded that somebody go to Dubuque and get the clothes. She was deathly sick, and is so yet.

The entire family considered it only a hallucination, but the physician advised them to get the clothes, as it might set her mind at rest. The son telephoned Coroner Hoffmann, asking if the clothes were still in his possession. He looked and found them in the backyard, although he had supposed they were thrown in the vault, as he had intended. He answered that he still had them, and on being told that the son would come to get them, they were wrapped in a bundle.

The young man arrived last Monday afternoon, and told Coroner Hoffmann what his sister had said. Mr. Hoffmann admitted that the lady had described the identical burial garb in which her father was clad, even to the slippers, although she never saw him after death, and none of the family had seen more than his face through the coffin lid. Curiosity being fully aroused, they took the grey s.h.i.+rt from the bundle, and within the bosom found a large roll of bills sewed with a piece of red cloth. The young man said his sister had a red dress exactly like it. The st.i.tches were large and irregular, and looked to be those of a man. The son wrapped up the garments and took them home with him yesterday morning, filled with wonder at the supernatural revelation made to his sister, who is at present lingering between life and death.

Dr. Hodgson communicated with the proprietors of _The Herald_, and both they and their reporter who had written the account stated that it was strictly accurate. The coroner, Mr. Hoffmann, wrote to Dr. Hodgson on March 18th, 1891, as follows:--

In regard to the statements in the Dubuque _Herald_, about February 19th, about the Conley matter is more than true by my investigation. I laughed and did not believe in the matter when I first heard of it, until I satisfied myself by investigating and seeing what I did.

M. M. HOFFMANN, _County Coroner_.

Further evidence was obtained through Mr. Amos Crum, pastor of a church at Dubuque. The following statement was made by Mr. Brown, whom Mr. Crum described as ”an intelligent and reliable farmer, residing about one mile from the Conleys.”

IONIA, _July 20th, 1891_.

Elizabeth Conley, the subject of so much comment in the various papers, was born in Chickasaw towns.h.i.+p, Chickasaw County, Iowa, in March, 1863. Her mother died the same year. Is of Irish parentage; brought up, and is, a Roman Catholic; has been keeping house for her father for ten years.

On the 1st day of February, 1891, her father went to Dubuque, Iowa, for medical treatment, and died on the 3rd of the same month very suddenly. His son was notified by telegraph the same day, and he and I started the next morning after the remains, which we found in charge of Coroner Hoffmann.

He had 9 dollars 75 cents, which he had taken from his pocket-book.

I think it was about two days after our return she had the dream or vision. She claimed her father had appeared to her, and told her there was a sum of money in an inside pocket of his unders.h.i.+rt. Her brother started for Dubuque a few days afterwards, and found the clothes as we had left them, and in the pocket referred to found 30 dollars in currency. These are the facts of the matter as near as I can give them.

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