Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-03-11
THE HAHN CREMATION,
A Father-in-Law Fulfills HIS
Novel Promise Simple Cere-
monies-Sketch of the Life Of
Dr. Hahn.

special Dispatch 10 the Pittsburgh Post
WASHINGTON, Pa, March 3.
The body Of DR.. Samuel Hahn, who
died at New York City on Monday,
March Sth, OF erysipelas OF the face, ar
rived hare at 40 P. N. The deceased
was forty years of age, and weighed l60
pounds. The body was Immediately
conveyed to the crematory on Gallows
Hill 1t was accompanied by A. Kauf-
man, iather-in.law OF the deceased, and
Dr. Hardy, friend. The corpse was
encased in plain iron casket, which
was carried into the receiving room OF
the furnace The coffin was opened, the
body lifted out, placed on the CRIB
with alum. No services whatever
were held Before placing the
corpse in the furnace Mr.. Hard
NJ said, Uncover the face OF the
corpse" The directions were obeyed,
and the face appeared slightly swollen
aud somewhat discolored. The chin
was covered by short, shaggy black
beard At S:05P. VI the body was car
riei to the retort room by four men, and
showed into the retort head-foremost.
The door was placed on and secured.
slight odor, as OF burning hair, peryaded
the vicinity OF the furnace Tor lew
minutes, but was not perceptibIe either
in the reception room or the outside
building. In twenty minutes the sheet
began to expand, the bones Of the ieet
could be seen, devoid Of flesh, sizzling
noise was heard for a short time, but
soon ceased, and at the end OF one hour
the friends left for the hotel perfectly
satisfied with the cremation. Mr..
Kaufman expressed himself as
wishing that his body shall be disposed
OF in the same way.
MUTUAL AGREEMENT.
Mr.. Kaufman related a story while
in the building to the effect that DIR.
Hahn and himself had conversation
regarding cremation short time prevl-
GUS 10 his death, and each bound himself
10 see the other cremated when death
occurred. Mr.. Kaufman and friend
manifested no sorrow or grief and chat
tel and pulled cigars with the utmost
cumplaceucy during the cremation.
They seemed to look Un ii rs matter oil
duty. They inquired particularly re-
garding the size OF a crematOry retort,
&c. and remarked that they would prob
ably send A man from New York To IN
spect the crematory and would build
one like It.
DIR. Hahn was married, and leaves a
vile and two children. he was Hun
garlan by birth. lie protested no reIi-
gion.
John Dye, fireman, sealed up the door
of the retOTt at $50 L IL, at which time
the body was much reduced. Dye then
said: Hes doing well; will be nothing
left inside OF three hours The friends
Of the deceased Will leave on the morn
iug train. They have directed that the
ashes be forwarded by express to Now
Rork.
EAUFMANN's PROMISE.
New York sun Of Tuesday.
Only two months ago Mr.. Abraham
Kaufman, of 223 East Fiity-socond
street. said to his son-iu-law, DIR. Saml
Hahn.
Promise me to have my body crema.
ted when | die
The promise was given,
But, said DR. Hahn, though am a
Younger man than you, may die first.
Promise me, IN turn, that III that case
YOU will have my body cremated.
This promise, too, was gwen, and tue
men shook hands. Dir. Kaufman, who
is the senior partner OF the firm of \. <
G.. Kaufman, SOC Broadway, picture
dealers, is about 81 years old, and DIR,
Hahn was about So Recently DIR. Hahn,
i'm attending patient who had erysipe-
las, was infected with the disease. The
erysipelas gave rise to meningitis aud
pneumonia. lie was taken seriously Ill
on February 18th, and he died at 9
o'clock last Friday evening at his father
in.law's house.
Mr.. kaufman was thus suddenly
called up 10 put in execution solemn
promise, which at the time it was given
he looked at as hardly more than a re-
turn OF ciyiiity To his sou-lu-law. Zach
was in h,alth at the time, but DIR. Hahn
had all the robust appearance OF the
prime Of life Mr.. kaufman did not
known whether or not the crematory at
Washington, Pa, was yet IN existence,
or whether. il it were, the use of ii could
be obtained. and Prof Felix Adler
communicated with DR.. Mayer, Rabbi
al the Eighth street Jewish Synagogue,
Pittsburgh, vino completed the arrange
meEtS.
UAUN's CAGEEE-ryNERAL SERVICES.
Mr.. Kaufman is Il PrusSian, but DR.,
Hahn was Hungarian, born in Neutra.
lie studied medicine in the University
of Vienna. At the time OF his gradua-
ton cholera was raging IN Hungary, and
lac went from the University to attend
his suffering countrymen. lie came to
this country and began to practice in
1867. lie was man Of much learning
and OF irreprOachable character. Ii is
said ui him that he attended rich and
poor patients with equal zeal and as
siduity. lie left wife and two chill
dren.
The services took place at three o'clock
Yesterday afternoon. The body was
sealed up in an iron coffin, the lid OF
which was laden with flowers. The face
was 50 much changed that 1t was
thought best not To expose 1t 10 view.
There were no ceremonies, but the
many friends who had gathered in the
lNflOTs III lNItt ~ NlNNN WIZ dNhiNSoNN
by Prof. Felix Adler, the founder OF the
Society for Ethical culture, whose meet
ings are held ON Sunday IN Chickering
Hall Mr.. Kaufman is a member OF
this society, but Dr. Hahn was not.
Prof. Adler spoke at considerable length
in German. lie sought to impress
upon his listeners that they should not
sullrr themselves TO be governed by
their emotions. The blow was hard, he
said, but all were subject TO general
laws. and by bowling TO these laws they
would be more religious, more moral,
than bv the exhibition Ut grief.
Atthc conclusion of his address, DIR.
Emil Gruening, who had been warm
personal friend Of pr. Hahn, paid
glowing tribute TO the deceased, and the
services were over
YoV who lead sedantary liyeS-PTiut-