Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1878-08-07
THE DEAD OF MUNICH,
Inantmate Forms on Flowery Beds Ex-
posed to Public View.

posed to Public View.
G. G. Fulton in Baltimore American.
The cemetery at Munich always ha,
attractions to the visitor ON account OF
the peculiarity Of funerals and the ex.
posure q the bodies of the dead for three
days before burial. The law requires
the body of every one dying in Munich
to be conveyed to the cemetery within
three hours, there to remain, in build
ings erected for the purpose, for three
days. During these three days a wire is
attached to the hands of each CORPSE,
leading to spring bell, 30 that an alarm
will be given TO those whose duty it il to
be on guard in case of resuscitation.
We could not ascertain whether there
had ever been case of resuscitation, but
it appears that a long time ago a case of
burial alive had led to the establish
ment of this custom, which had been
kept up ever since, to avoid the recur-
renee OF such catastrophe. We imme-
diately proceeded to the first of three
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
admitted to the rooms, but they were
surrounded by windows, through which
full view and inspection of each could
be had. There were 18 bodies in this
room, of which were infants, and IL
those of grown persons, except one beau
tiful girl of about II years, arrayed in
white muslin, resting on bed of flowers,
with wreath of orange blossoms around
her head, reclining as if asleep, with her
bare arms lying carelessly by her side
None 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 half reclining attitude,
so as to have the appearance of being in
a natural sleep. An old man in this
room, not less than 60 years of age, the
body dressed in black cloth suit, was
almost in sitting posture. Around
each body there were also a number of
large 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 in Baltimore.
After the expiration of three days the
body is placed in the coffin by the un-
dertaker, and the friends and relatives
all assemble at the cemetery and the
funeral takes place. After viewing the
bodies of the poor, and critically exam
ining the floral decorations, as well as
the bodies of the seven innocents, which
we're arrayed in plain white dresses, we
passed on to the adjoining hall where
The bodies of the wealthy were lying in
state. Each one was numbered, and |
list on the outside wall gave the name
and age of the deceased. The 12 bodies |
N this room were each lying in state
Under magnificent floral canopies, and
ooked as if they were reposing on banks
of the rarest and richest exotics, carried
Up to wreaths and arches over their
heads. They also were lying in posi-
tons to resemble life rather than death,
even to an old lady, whose age was given
)n the list as S4, but who did not look.
IN her reclining position, banked up and
with floral tributes, to be more
than 60. Under another floral canopy
were two girls about 6 years of age per-
feet models of beauty and innocence.
There appeared to be boxes under them,
probably filled with ice. Just as we
we're leaving another infant was brought
into the poor room by girl who carried
it in a white box. From the number of
these boxes lying around we suppose
they are furnished by the undertaken.
Bouquets were being handed in by some
Of the friends of the deceased, and quite
4 number of strangers were there looking
1t the bodies and decorations through
the windows None of them had the
chastity appearance of death, the effort
being to deprive death of its
bPrrOrY