Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-08-10
THE DEAD OF MUNICH.

The cemetery at Munich always has
attractions to the visitor, on account Of
the pecuiarity of funerals and the expos
ure Of the bodies of the dead three days
before burial. The law requires the bo-
dy Of everyone dying in Munich to be
conveyed 10 the cemetery within three
hours there to remain, in buildings
erected for the purpose, for three days.
During these three days a wire is attach
ed to the hands of each corpse leading to
a spring bell, so that an alarm will be
given TO those whose duty it is to be on
guard in case of resuscitation. We could
not ascertain whether there had ever been
case OF resuscItation, but it appears
that long time ago case OF burial alive
had led to the establishment of this GUS
tom, which had been regularly kept up
ever since, TO avoid the recurrence of
such catastrophe.
We Immediately proceeded to the first
of these halls, in which the bodies of the
poor were deposited, and there found IS
bodies, not laid out as if for burial, but
reclining in floral bowers or resting upon
beds of flowers. Spectators were not ad-
mitted to the rooms, but they were sur
rounded by windows, through which
full view and inspection of each could be
had. There were Is bodies in this room,
seven Of which were infants and ii of
those of grown persons, except one beau
tiful girl of about IL years, arrayed in
white muslin, resting on bed ofhowers,
with wreath of orange blossoms around
her head, reclining as if asleep, with her
bare arms lying carelessly by her side.-
Noae Of them, except the infants, were
lying as we usually dispose of the dead,
but in every case, whether old or young,
there appeared to be an effort to place
them in careless or hslf-recining atti-
tude so as to have the appearance Of be-
ing in a natural sleep. An old man in
this room, not less than sixty years OF
suit, was almost in sitting posture.
Around each body there were also
number of bouquets, with cards attached
to them, having been sent to the cemetery
by friends of the deceased, just as they
are sent to the house by friends in Balti
more. After the expiration of three days
the body is placed in the coffin by the un-
dsrtaker, and the friends and relatives
assemb BILE at the cemetery, and the funeral
takes place.
After viewing the bodies Of the poor
and critically examining the floral deco
rations, as we'll as the seven nnocents,
which were arrayed in plain white dresses,
we passed on to the adjoining hall, whore
the bodies Of the wealthy were lying in
state. Each one was numbered, and
list on the outside wall gave the names
and age of the deceased. The twelve
bodies in this room were lying in state
under magnificent. floral canopes. and
looked AS if they were reposing on banks
OF the rsrest and richest exotcs, carried
up TO wreaths and arches over their heads.
They also were lying in positions to re-
semble life rather than death, even TO an
old lady, whose age was given on the list
as 81 but who did not look, in her reclin-
ing position, banked up and crowned
with floral tributes, to be more than Co.
Under another canopy were two little
girls. about six years Of age, perfect
models Of beauty and innocence. There
appeared to be boxes under them, proba-
bly, filled with ice. Just as we were
leaving another infant was brought into
the poor room by girl, who carried it in
white box. From the number Of these
boxes lying around we suppose that they
are furnished by the undertaken. Bou-
quets were being handed in by some Of
the friends Of the deceased. and quite
number Of strangers wera there, looking
at the bodies and the decorations through
the windows. None of them had the
ghasty appearance Of death, the effort
apparently being to deprive death Of its
terrOrs.
The tombs and monuments in the
cemetery were very grand and imposing,
and around the high brick wall was an
imitation Of the Campo Sante at Pisa !;
the decorations of which are not very ex-
tensive.-C. Z. Fulton in baltimore
american.