Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-22
OPENING HIS SONS GRAVE.
A Germans Strange Method of Set.
Ting a Dispute with an Under.
taker.

A Batavia, N. Y, dispatch of the 10Th
instant says "The village of Oakteld,
in this county, is thoroughly excited
over the actions of a German named
Charles Hirsch, who has dug open the
grave of his son Charles for the pur.
pose of ascertainlng the material of
which the coffin is composed. In Deem
Der, 1880, malignant diphtheria appear
ed in the family of Hirsch, who was the
father of several children. The disease
was of the most destructive type, and,
one after another, in quick succession,
he was bereft of five of his children. A
child would be attacked in the morning,
and at night would be dead, and within
twenty-four hours buried. One son drank
a cup of coffee, and in fifteen minutes
was takencwith choking and died almost
instantly. At this time the burial of
another child was taking place. A
Batavia undertaken had charge of the
funerals, five in one week, and few
weeks ago a difficulty arose between
him and Hirsch in reference to the
quality of the collins which were pro-
vided. The undertaken claimed they
were of certain materials, while the
father and purchaser believed he had
been cheated.
The misunderstanding could not be
made clear, so the German determined
to open one of the graves and satisfy
himself He employed the sexton to
assist him, and proceeded to the burying
ground. With spades and shOvels they
accomplished their work speedily, for
the grave was in low portion of the
cemetery, and the earth was filled with
water and was handled readily. They
began operations about ten o'clock in
the morning, and in an hour and half
had the grave opened and the coffin box
was reached. With tools with which he
had thoughtfully provided himself
Hirsch unscrewed the top of the
box and removed it. Then he
crushed in the glass at the
head of the coffin. The body had been
buried nearly seventeen months, and the
odOr which arose from it in its advanced
state of decomposition was extremely
! nauseating. 1t was borne with GOODNESS,
however, and the work was prosecuted.
The coffin was nearly filled with water,
and it is said the body was actually float
ing in it. The head and upper part of
the body were best preserved. With a
stout stick Hirsch raised the head of his
sons corpse and propped it up so that he
could get piece of the bottom of the
coffin. He succeeded, and then broke
off splinters of the side and top. Having
secured what he had worked so hard for,
Hirsch, assisted by the sexton, filled the
grave and left it. 1t is reported that at
noon Hirsch left the grave and secured
his dinner, entering the dining room of
the village hotel and being ordered out
by the landlord on account of the un.
bearable stencil with which his clothes
seemed to be impregnated. When the
news of this proceeding became noised
about much indignation prevailed, and
expressions of condemnation were heard
on all sides. By some it was chart
tably considered that the man was in
sane, while others believed he did
it without knowing better. The for
mer theory prevails, however, for citi-
Zens OF Batavia who know HIM state
that for some time they have noticed
peculiarities in his conduct which would
be inexplicable in sane man. He is a
prosperous farmer, and evidently is well
to do. There is a growing feeling over
his strange actions, but it is not likely
the authorities will make any move in
the matter. Hirsch rendered himself
amenable to the law, however, besides
endangering the health of many persons
by opening the grave and permitting the
foul, poisonous gases and odors to es-
cape. The grave was open for nearly
three hours.