Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-12-20
DIED AT SEA.
BURIED WITHOUT ANY CEREMONY.
a hIid Ocean Funeral-A Wealthy Ph,la-
deIphian Thrown to the Sharks and

= Mid Ocean Funeral-A Wealthy Ph,la-
deIphian Thrown to the Sharks aud
Sea Monsters.
Concerning the death and burial at sea
of Charles IugersOll, prominent and
wealthy citizen of Philadelphia, the sub
ioined statements have been obtained
Charles Ingersoll was last seen alive by
members of his family early in the spring
Of the present year, before his departure
for Europe. He was about 76 years of
age and in apparently vigorous health.
Somewhat eccentric in his way of doing
things, he merely stated in his last letter
homo that be would sail from France
about the 9th of August, not stating by
| what steamer. 1t was rot until the 7th of
September that the family has succeeded
in tracing the fate of their relative, and
this by dint of inquiries actively prosecut-
| ed by letters and ocean cable. The
| French consul at New York has not to
this day sent any word to members of the
family, who visited the consulate in search
Of information Of the deceased.
| Mr.. Ingersoll sailed on tho 5:h Of
August from Havre for New York. on the
French line steamer France. Among the
other American passengers aboard was
one who makes the annexed statement.
Mr.. Ingersoll seemed to be more or less
iu,iisposed during the whole voyage, but
did not encourage efforts made by fellow
passenger who sought to render friendly
services. On tho 18Th of August, about
I. NJ, Mr.. lngersoil tainted at the
breakfast table, and was carried to his
state room, where he died about 2:30 p.
~, of the same day, the ships surgeon
prunOuuc:rg the cause to bo consumption
or heart disease.
The passenger III question, believing
that the body would probably be commit
ted to the waves early On the next morn
ing, arose about ) a. M. and went On deck
when, in reply to his inquiries, an Officer
informed him that they were about t.
bury the gentleman who had died the day
before. The passenger then went below
and got three of his friends to get up and
go Oh deck. About 4 a. m, he said, Mr.
Insersoll's body, sewed in canvas, was
brought on deck, where it was placed OF
q piauk and pitched into the sea, withOu
any ceremony whatever.
The steamer Franco arrived at NuN
York On the 10th of August. forty -eigh
hours after the body of Mr.. IngersOll has
been dropped overheard. The usual repor
was made to the French consul, to whom
| pClSOIsAl CAACCtS VI CllO ucCCdSCu puS
scugcr were handed over. Among thesl
were q pOcket-book containing care
bearing tho address of Mr.. Ingersolfs
family, to whom, as stated above, no notic'
Of the death was sent.
Inquiry among gentlemen who hav,
Travelled ON French steamers elicited thu
fact that the French law requires the bur
ial 1T sea within "a hours of the time o
death, the burial to take place before day
light and that no such thing as a buria
service is known on those steamers.
A daughter of the Iato Mr.. Ingersoll
Low in Europe, has visited the Hon. Lev
Levy p. Morton, the American minister a
Paris, and laid before him formal com
plaint of her fathers treatment, and i
is expected that tho complaint will b.
formally presented to the French govern
| uaent,