The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-05-07
A ROYAL FUNERAL.
THE BURIAL OF THE Gypsy QUEEN
Obsequies OF ,Gannie Jefrero, Queen of
All United States Gypsies, Mt Day
ton, Ohio-Ceremonies and
Lamentations.
dayton, Co) spccial.l

Gannie Jefrers, Queen Of the gypsies Of the
United States, who died at Greenfield,
Tenn, March 10, was buried here to-day.
Gypsies are encamped all about the city to
the number of about 1900, haying Travelled
by wagon from all parts of the country.
The Queen was embalmed and laid
out in Nashville, Tenn, Immediately
upon her death, and then brought to this
city, where her tribe own considerable
property, and large lot in Woodland
Cemetery, where lie buried the former
Queen and King of the gypsy tribes Of this
nation. The remains looked beautiful in,
deed. She was laid in handsome casket,
made of the finest wood and lined with the
finest silks and satins, and mounted with
gold and jewels. In the cemetery where
she was to-day buried, the ceremony was
touching and imposing. The lot belonging
to the gypsie is marked by beautiful
and exquisitely carved monument Of
granite, shipped here from Greece.
The funeral procession which was COM
posed entirely of gypsies, formed in the
northeast section Of the city and marched
to the southern extremity of the city,
where the cemetery is located. The pro-
cession and ceremony were witnessed by o
great crowd. A rope was stretched around
the grave, leaving an enclosure large
enough for the mourners TO stand in. The
crowd surged up against this rope, bend.
ing It almost to breaking. Mounds In
the vicinity were trodden on. Boys
and men sat on tombstones and filled
the trees and every place that would afford
an opportunity for seeing what was going
ON. The funeral services were very Chris
tian, being conducted by one of the leading
pastors of this city, with the choir of his
church and the wife of the reverend gentle
man accompanying the mourning husband.
The grave was square pit about ten by
eight feet In dimensions. At the
bottom was box made Of stone
slabs, and in this box the coffin was laid,
by the side Of another, that of the
daughter of the deceased. The daughter
was only ten years old and died in 1866,
but the body had been exhumed to be
placed beside that Of her mother. There
were stifed cries and sobs as the mourners
gathered about the grave, and several
broke out in loud cries as the coffin was
lowered. The preacher referred to the de-
ceased, whom he had known personally in
life. She had been Christian, he
said, and the Bible she had worn with
reading was placed at her feet now that
she was dead. At tho conclusion Of his re-
marks the choir sang the "Sweet Bye.and'
Byen and the services closed. The most
affecting scene was when the great stone
was about to be lifted by means of a der
rick close at hand, and the stone box con.
tanning tho cofiins closed. The sons and
daughters climbed down to the coffins te
take their last farewell, the latter being
lifted into the grave. Their sobs and
cries filed the air, and were
echoed by the mourners that stood
on the brink Of the grave. They threw
themselves PROSTATE on the cofiins, kissing
the hard wood, and it was only with great
difficulty they were persuaded to come out
OF the grave. By means Of the derrick the
stone lid was then put into position and the
dirt thrown upon it. A large monument
will be erected over the grave, on which
will be placed life-siEe statue Of tho dead
Gypsy Queen In white marble.