Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-12-22
ASHES TO ASHES.
THE LATE INCINsRATION MYSTERY.
Who the Burned Body Belonged TO-Cre-
nation of Charles A, McCreery, and
: Return Of His Ashes to Friends
in New York City.

Special Dispatch to the Cincinnati Enquirer.
NEW YORK, December ls.-The body
cremated in the crematory erected by
the late DR.. LeMoyne, in Washington,
Pa, was that OF Charles A. McCreery,
son of James McCreery, the head Of
James McCreery & Co., dry goods dealers
in this city. He was not an enthusiast
on hesubject, but was calmly convinced
that the way to be rid OF dead bodies was
TO burn them. He had an adherence
OF being eaten by worms and OF rotting
and becoming repulsive. He was well
educated and intelligent, and not at all
given to hobbies. The mystery attending
the cremation created more excitement
and wonder in Washington than the
cremation of the body of the Baron De
Palm. For some time the trustees OF
the LeMoyne estate had been in corre-
sponpence with the relatives of Mr.. Nc
Creery in regard to the use OF the fur
mace for burning his body. The trus-
tees declined to say any thing except
that they were pledged to secrecy, and
that the necessary certificate OF death
would be signed by physician in good
standing.
After the body had been burned it
was rumored that it was that OF An
drew Tracey, the young lawyer who
was hanged in Smithport, Mexican
county, Pennsylvania, on the 4th inst,
and it was said that the neck of the
dead man was horribly discolored. Per-
sons who saw the cremation refused to
give any information, and the residents
of Washington were mystitied.
Mr.. McCreery lived with his father in
Inwood, on the Hudson. He was only
twenty-four years OF age, but for several
years he had taken an active part III the
business of the firm OF James McCreery
& Co., manifesting marked executive
abilities and very gsod business judg-
ment. About two years ago the pull
monary trouble that had threatened him
for some time became so badly seated as
to force him to give up his business life |
and devote his time to an effort to con-
quer the disease. He withdrew from |
the firm, and did all he could to regain |
failing health and strength, but his con-
could not withstand the attack |
upon it, and about two months ago he |
sank rapidly, and on Sunday morning,
the 9th ultimo, he died. He had many |
warm friends, and his death was sim
cerely regretted. He had kind word |
for every person employed by the firm,
and never failing regard for their well
fare.
The body was kept in a metallic cof-
fin in Mr.. McCreery's house until taken |
to the Inwood Presbyterian Church,
where funeral services were performed. |
Mr.. McCreery had expressed a desire |
that the coffin should not not be opened,
as he did not wish his friends to see his |
face. The funeral was attended by |
many irinds from New York and 1on-
kers.
After the service the body was taken |
TO Woodlawn Cemetery and put into a |
receiving vault, according to the direc- |
tons that Mr.. McCreery had leyt. In |
looking over some papers few days |
after Mr.. McCreery's death, one OF his |
relatives found letter in which Mr.. |
McCreery said that he desired |
to have the body cremated. |
The father and mother deemed
the desire OF their son to be almost
and they decided to have the |
ceremony performed as soon as a Gre
matory could be engaged. Except to a
few friends, the request was not made |
known, and until Monday last the body |
lay in the Woodlawn cemetery. The |
with the trustees OF the |
lie Moyne estate were satisfactory, it is |
and on Monday the vault |
was opened and preparations were made
for the transfer Of the body. Under
taker G. w. Quick, OF Gonkers, had
charge of the arrangements for remoy-
ing the body. On Monday morning his
wagon was driven from Yonkers to the |
and the coffin, in rough box,
was taken from the cemetery TO the |
depot in Jersey City. Undertaken Quick |
says that he expected to go to Washing !
ton, but that the pressure OF business |
him TO stay. One OF his EN-
ployes, it is understood, had charge of
the body on the way. The box was |
marked &C. w. Quick, Washington,
Penn" 1t arrived in Washington on |
ueSudy mOInlnsJ anu Was tdhch III
hearse direct to the crematory, where |
the fire was started on Monday morn
ing. Four or five gentlemen escorted
the body to the hill on which the fur
mace stands. At about o'clock the |
body wrs placed in the Catafalvue, and |
in about two hours it was reduced to |
ashes.
No one was allowed to enter the build
ing except relatives and the sons OF DIR.
LeMoyne. Soon after the ceremony
the relatives took train for New York.
The incarceration was thoroughly sue
cessful. The body weighed only about
pounes previous to death.
The ashes weighed only about five
pounds They were brought to New
York City to-day in a tin box about
eighteen inches square.