Monday, June 10, 2013

Not A Peaceful Rest...!

Today's mystery is really more of a how...but I reckon it might qualify as a mystery.

It always takes place in Texas, which is pretty cool. The circumstances are rather sad, though. You'll see what I mean after you read the story!

Rest in Peace?





In Texas, USA, in 1899, Canadian actor Charles Francis Coghlan became ill and died whilst he was in Galveston. Because it was too far to return his remains to his home on Prince Edward Island, 3500 miles away, he was instead buried in a lead coffin inside a granite vault.

A year after his death, in September 1900, a hurricane hit Galveston, flooding the graveyard, shattering Charles Coghlan’s granite vault and carrying away his lead coffin out into the Gulf of Mexico.

In October 1908, eight years after the hurricane, fishermen on Prince Edward Island spotted a weathered box floating near the shore. It was the coffin of Charles Coghlan, which had finally returned home. He was buried in the nearby church where he had been christened as a baby.

See? I told ya it qualified as a mystery! Would I lie? (Don't answer that!)

Coffee out on the patio this morning. I have some chocolate brownies and some donuts left, if that's OK!

9 comments:

Gorges Smythe said...

That's STRANGE!

Chickenmom said...

I guess the old saying "You can never go home again" was just thrown out the window!
More rain on the way here - Save a chocolate donut for me. (make it 2)

Momlady said...

I didn't know that lead could float. Weird.

linda m said...

Now that is indeed weird. How could that happen? As Momlady said - lead doesn't float. Coffee outside sounds good. Have a great day!

JO said...

It's right up there with weird and mysterous. But I'm glad he made it home.

Pass the pot please.

Dizzy-Dick said...

That is a great story. For those who wondered why a lead coffin wouldn't sink, it is displacement that keeps things afloat. Look at ships, they are mad of steel and they float.

HermitJim said...

Hey Gorges...
I would say that indeed it is!

Thanks for coming over today!



Hey Phyllis...
I'll say that it was a long and strange trip back home, but he must have been destined to be there!

Thanks for coming over this morning!



Hey Momlady...
Dizzy has a good explanation further down in the comments, but think about the fishing boats and naval ships all made from steel.

Coffins are pretty airtight as well!

Thanks for coming over this morning!



Hey Linda...
Really strange that he could end up off the coast of home after 8 years!

I appreciate you coming over this morning!



Hey Jo...
I'm glad that he managed to make it back home, and I'm sure that he had providence helping!

Somethings are meant to be!

Thanks for coming by today, sweetie!



Hey Dizzy...
Thanks for the explanation on metal floating.

It does make for a great story, doesn't it?

Thanks for coming by today!

Mamahen said...

Looks like he was just ment to go home......am I to late for a snack?

Sixbears said...

Great story! Long long way to PI.