Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-04-24
A CHATTANOOGA CREMATION.
a Sister Calling Up Brothers SPIRIT
Burns the Il ones on PYre.

From tie Chattanooga Times.
Ten years ago Chas. O. Whitney, ESQ.,
Of this city, died at Rhea Springs where
he mad gone for his health. He was one
Of the best known citizens ofChattanooga,
and left a valuable estate. His remains
were Inferred At the springs, on the prem
ises Of Dr.. WATSON, temporarily 1t was
then supposed. as his family intended to
remove them to this city and erect mon
ument to his memory. Later develop
ments, however, defeated these plans, and
the remains slept undisturbed in the
grave where first deposited. The Whit
ney family left this city for Memphis sew
eral wears AGO, and the deceased lived
only in the memory Of his friends, now to
be rudey brought before the public again
i'm q most sensational light, as the sequel
proves.
On Wednesday last an elderly lady ar
rived at Rhea Springs and called at the
residence Of DR.. WATSON. She gave her
name as Mrs. Hammatt, of Los Angeles,
Cal, and introduced herself as the sister
of Chas. O. Whitney, whose remains were
inferred on DR. WassOn's premises. she
was a lady of - or j3 years Of age. Her
hair was slightly gray, but her appear
ance was that OF a woman in the prime of
life, and her manner that Of an elegant
and refined lady. She had with her writ
ten authority from Mrs. Whitney to
ExHUME THE REMAINS
Of her brother, and permission to take
anything from the body she desired.
she asked DR.. WATSON and DR.. Aberna-
thy, leading physicians of Rhea county,
to accompany her to the grave. She took
several lab0rers along. Her manner eX-
cited some curiosity from the gentlemen,
ana the proceedings were watched with
deep interest.
On reaching the grave she seemed to be
deeply moved. The grave was opened,
and she directed that the body be remOV-
ed from the coffin. Nothing remained but
the bones and few shreds Of clothing.
Her actions now became even more curl
Gus. She first removed a small yalueless
shirt stud from the coffin and carefully
deposited it in her pOrtmanteau, and,
PICKING UP THE SKULL,
addressed the gentlemen on the spiritual
life of humanity. She said man was pos
sessed of two spirits; one dWelled IN the
hair and the other in the bones. That the
spirits in the bones could only be freed
through fire, and that the spirit OF the de-
ceased was communicated to living me-
diums through the hair. She plucked all
the hair from the skull and carefully
handled each lock and then deposited them
IN her receptacle. She entered the grave
and exclaimed: "NOW am
POSSESSED OF MY BROTHER's SPIRIT,
and | speak for himW She closed her
eyes and seemed to be responding to ques-
lions for the deceased. She spoke to her
brother as if he were before her, and
would then answer for him as if endowed
with supernatural gifts.
When she had concluded this address
she directed the negroes to build a fire and
BURN THE BONES.
The gentlemen stood aghast, but were
pOwerless to interfere, as she had full au-
thOrity to do with the remains as she saw
tit. She directed the negroes to build a
high pyre and then place the bones on top.
She lighted the pile herself, and stood by
until me bones crumbled into dust. When
the fire died out she exclaimed: "rhus do
/ free the spirit" She would not take
the ashes. She asked that the grave
remain open for several days to allow the
spirits freedom in coming and gong.
After the strange scene at the grave she
visited DR.. Abernathy's family and asked
for lock of hair from each member, so
that she could commune with their spirits
when she was gone. She said she had
eXhumed and burned the body of another
brother who was buried in Florida. and
she also proposed to burn the body of her
husband. She said that animal food OF
any sort would destroy her spiritual pow
ers, and ate no animal food and drank no
water, but lived entirely off Of fruit.
Mrs. Hammatt left Rhea Springs Thurs.
day. She is described as a woman of in
telligence, and has we'll poised mind on
all other topics.