The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-07
The Cremation OF Baron Dc
Palm. Ht Washington. l'n.. YES
larstuy
WASHINGTON, Pa, Dec. Q, 1876.

WASHINGTON, Pa, Dec. 9, 1876.
Special CornspoEdence Of the IntellIgeucer.
The first experiment, ever made in
America, Of inclneraling human body
in crema,ory Of modern design, took
place at Washington, Pa, yesterday. The
new furnace Of Dr.. F. Julius lie Moyuc
was tested, and the remains Of an individ.
nal were literally and designedly reduced
10 ashes.
The subject Of the burning was the late
Joseph Henry Lewis, Baron de Palm,
Grand Cross Commander Of the Sovereign
Order of the Holy sepulchre at Jeru.
salem; Knight OF St. John Of Malta;
Prince Of the Roman Empire; late Cham
berlain to His Majesty the King Of
Bavaria; Fellow Of the Theosoplical So.
ciety, etc, who died on the Goth day Of
last May In New York. The body was
taken from the Masonic Temple AMI
placed In q vault on the 29th OF May, and
there remained until the s.h Of June,
when II was embalmed by Mr.. A, Back.
horst, a New York undertaken.
The renains reached Washington; on
Tuesday morning, being encased in aneat
rosewood coffin, which was enclosed in u
rough box. When we visited the cre-
nation. building this morning, we
found the mummiied body in u crib
about six feet long, ten inches deep and
twenty inches broad, the whole lying, on
4 cataialque. The crib is mounted on
runners OF band iron, SO as to allow
about two inches space between the bot.
tom Of the crib and that Of the retort, thus
allowing the ashes TO fall Though inters.
tices into the bottom Of the retort. The
body was in an excellent state OF preser.
yation, odorless, and Of dark mahogany
color; the fatty tissues were almost en-.
tirely absorbed, the skin drawn over the
nose and cheek bones, the articulations
Of joints and limbs showing the flesh fac.
cid, though tough enough to have been sep.
arated from the muscles, the subject gener-
ally appearing more solid than at death;
the eyes were wasted; the lips were drawn
tight over the mouth; the hair and beard
dry, gray and dusty. The remains as
they lay on the catafalque measured six
feet two inches. The Baron weighed one
hundred and seventy.six pounds the day
he died. The remains when received at
the cremation building in Washington
weighed nInety.two pounds.
Al 8 o'clock this morning, in the pres.
ence OF about thirty five persons who
had assembled in the cremation building.
the preparations commenced. The trunk
OF the body was was tilledswith myrh,
frankincense and spices, then wound in
4 large white sheet, which was sat.
urated with solution OF alum,
10 prevent the cloth from burning
while being placed in the furnace. After
being literally covered with choice dow.
ers, and eyergreenS, at S:2j o'clock the
crib was taken up BY Col. Henry S. Olcott,
Henry J. Newton, DR.. F. J. lie Moyne
and DR.. W. J. 0Jdale, and carried to the
smaller room containing the furnace; the
retort was opened, the body hastily fore.
ed In, and then began the work Of in.
cineration. The heat was estimated at
about one thousand degrees, the coke fire
having been burning over thirty hours.
Among those present atthis time were
A. Buckhorst and DR.. otterson, Of New
York, DR.. W. J. o,daic, Of Pittsburgh,
DR.. Folsom, Of Boston, DR.. Little, Of
Washington, Pa, Dr.. Clymer, OF Browns
vile, Pa, Dr.. J.C. Hupp and Mr.. s. l..
Brice and Mr.. Spalding Wallace, OF
Wheeling, together with newspaper men
from all parts OF the country.
The work OF incineratiOn was fully as
rapid as expected, and at halt.past u
o'clock the furnace was closed, all fire
being extinguished. It was thought the
retort would be cool enough in 80 or 4S
hours to admit the ashes TO be removed.
Col. 0lcott brought with him fantastic
urn for the reception OF the ashes. 1t was
made Of unbaked clay In Hindoostan.
The capacity Of the urn Is about three
pints. It was thought it would be too
small to receive all the ashes. The ashes
are 10 be taken to New York and deliy-
cred to the Cremation Society.
From time to time those present took
a glance at the burning body through
small aperture in the door Of the resort.
The smaller bones, ribs, &c., soon erum.
bled and fell away, but the larger and