The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-06-09

placed upon two logs.
Then came the inquest-the first held in the
Black Hills. 1t was queer scene. There
stood the City Marshal, tall, rough, hon
est man, with bronzed.brown face and tear
stained eyes, a pair of nayies on his hips, but
gentle as lamb in the face of death like
this.
The Coroner, miner with grizzled beard
and hard grimy hands, stood by the body
with book in his hand. Two doctors, just
arrived that morning from Platte county,
Mo-, looking more like tramps thar pro-
fessionals, stood by. A reporter, Jewish
clothing dealer, a saloon keeper, lawyer
and two miners constituted the jury, which
sat itself upon log which insisted upon
rolling over every two minutes. The in.
quest was brief, the reporter organized the
jury, swore them in, elected the evidence,
made the verdict, and founded the first of
ficihl archive for the city. The verdict was
Accidental death from suiIocation," that
was all, and material was ready with which
to start graveyard in Custer.
Then came humane hands and kind hearts,
and dressed the unfortunate stranger.
Charles Fahey found white shirt, the only
one in the city, sheet was converted into a
shroud, and Charley Holt soon lay in a
rough pine box upon a bier of logs. This
was not all, fire was built in the corner of
that black, deserted cabin. The roof opened
to allow the smoke to escape, and then a
half dozen noble men sat and watched I'M
til daylight. They were bound to start a
graveyard. With the rising of the sun came
lades-yes, ladies ; kind-hearted pioneers
who had woven wreath of pine twigs,
winter ivy, pine cones and four little frag-
ments Of white tarletan and pieces of the
black silk strings of Mrs. Dorfmends bon
net. This wreath was laid reverentially
upon the unpaiDtcd pine box it was all
these five noblc-hearted woman could do,
and do it well But still the graveyard was
| not iuaugurated. Here was corpse neatly
shrouded, wrcathed aud confined-and no
graveyard but site for Il city graveyard
was found-a natural cemetery already
planted with groves of trees, and laid out
by nature into broad, irregular avenues, all
sodded and half green. Cascades, orna-
mented with glittering lilies, lent their aid
to the frosted evergreen foliage and snow
white grotto of quartz to beautify the new
!yselected site for the city of the dead. A
halfdozen brawny athletes, with pick and
shovel, tore open the virgin soil, and made
the grave. They were generous sections,
these amateurs, and sunk a hole like unto q
mining shaft. 1t was at least twelve feet
| long-this grave for the half.grown boy
But the trouble was only half over. Who
would act as parson There is no preacher
| in Custer, and a two hours canvass of the
city failed to find professor Of religion
| among 300 people, Worse than that, {
close search failed to find proper book
| The Mayor, an honest man, appealed to ONT
of the two lawyers in the city to "say {
few words at the grave, to be Christian-like,
but such pleading was not in his line 81
the three doctors were applied TO, but witt
like success Then came committee o
Judge, Mayor and Marshal to the reporter
Surely paper man" knew something abou
funerals ; and, said the Mayor, Eve want t.
put the lad away kind O christian-like
not like dog" Besides, a graveyard ha'
to be started.
Then came Miss Ida Simms, like an ange
of goodness, with small gilt-edged Bible
the only one in the city, and the funera
cortege moved through the main street c
the "city." 1t was a picturesque scene o
this bright, sunny day. A wagon contain
ing the unpainted coffin, upon which lay tn
ladies' evergreen.wreath. Then the Mayo
Judge, Councilmen and Marshal, rough blu
shirted men in miners and slOuch hats.
dozen or two miners, merchants and hunte
brought up the rear, and the processio
moved silently on,
Then a shallowgrave on the hillside, sum
as one of the amateur sections said, "cl
down to the bedrock, gentleman, dow
whar the dirt shows good color" Silent
the body was taken from the wagon Al
tendery laid in the golden earth upon Il
bedrock. Then every head was barred al
every bronzed countenance bowed while oI
or two selections of Scripture were read. I'll
grave was soon filled and white pine hea
stone set in the earth and thus the city
Custer inaugurated its graveyard.
The saddest point about this affecting il
cident is yet to be mentioned No letter
papers, or even the slightest clue to his hon
or friends have been found. All that
known is that he walked all the way fro
Sioux City to the Black Hills to die al
start a graveyard.