Charity Hospital in New Orleans once had a wagon to carry the dead to the Paupers Field,

and on at least one occasion a driver seems to have done more than his duty. The New Orleans

Bulletin of May 29, 1875 related the story under the following 'shocker' headlines.

                                                BURIED ALIVE

                               SICKENING TALE OF OUR HOSPITAL DEAD

                               A MAN IN THE CHARITY WAGON REVIVES

                             HE ATTEMPTS TO GET OUT OF HIS COFFIN

                                      THE DRIVER SMOTHERS HIM

          The story accused the driver of killing the 'dead' man as the latter attempted to

get out of his coffin. A witness (C. H. Beggs) testified that he saw the incident, stating

according to the newspaper, "The driver lifted out a coffin and was about deposit it in

the hole prepared for it, when the occupant of the coffin kicked off the lid and cried,

"For God's sake, do not bury me alive!" The driver picked up a brick and and crying,

"You ------ ------, I have a doctors certificate that you are dead, and I'm going to bury you."

He then struck the man, and stunning or killing him, proceeded with the burial.' The Bulletin

remarked that "The police took the matter very coolly and did not seem to think it worth

working up."   

       There is much more details in the GUMBO YA~YA book put out by Pelican Publishing Company  ISBN: 0-88289-645-8