There's a story here in upstate NY about a child back in the 1800's that,
when he was told he was sick and about to die, asked to have a window in his
casket so he could look out (apparently he didn't like the idea of being
buried).  His casket was set up that way and apparently can still be seen to
this day though I have resisted attempts to take me to the site (it's just
south of Norwich).

Then there's the guy in Mexico that had his deceased wife placed in a
glass-enclosed coffee table (alleged photo available on request).

Signed, A tomb with a view.

-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, June 19, 2001 9:01 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Glass cased coffin


She was there all right (blond in the coffin )dressed to the nines sequins
et all ; a real lady ; she was.
Glass cased coffins were in vogue around late 1600 to early 17 cent. In
order to shore up some crumbling foundation we had togo deep into the
crypts. Below ground these are walled up affairs and in poor light it is you
and the rats trying to decide what is crypt and what is just poor repair to
an early foundation. Most of the practicing catholics I was with refused to
enter these inner sanctums...they made the sign of the cross and just ran
away...that just left me and a few hopeless alcoholic laborers who were so
thirsty for "Irish lunch" that I believe they would have plundered the tomb
if so inspired; and as misery loves company we continued on the better part
of 16 ft below grade where we found the suspect wall after stumbling over
several burials. At this point we are crawling over ruble and cussing our
misfortune
But there she was under a pile of lime dust, which I brushed away with my
shirt sleave revealing a gold toothed skull with blond hair in all her
brocaded finery.
Locating the tomb of the patriots of the revolution out in the grave yard
was equally as interesting. A Victorian monument 20 ft high graces their
resting place. It is solid brownstone ;but we found an entrance stone at the
15 ft level. We lowered a very trim guy into it where we had to drill
through a poured floor of lime mortar; from there we entered a disheveled
crypt that was full of bones and  skulls  ; it was at this time an executive
decision was made to close the crypt an continue the restoration of the
monument it was Black Monday the crash in the 80's on wall street and the
streets were littered with corpses drunk on recession. Best Michael