The Story of a Cork Leg

1899

A story at once recalling the famous song about the steam arm and a ghastly tale by Edgar Allan Poe is told of John Stanton, who recently died in New York.

Stanton had lost one of his legs, and in its place he wore an artificial limb, which was placed in the coffin with him. At the wake, while the ceremonies were in full swing, someone shook the coffin, thereby releasing the spring in the limb, and the corpse's leg arose erect in the air.

The drunken mourners were thoroughly frightened and stampeded. Some jumped from the windows.The stairs were blocked by the others in their efforts to flee, many persons being crushed, and it became necessary to summon the police before order could be restored . . .