The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-11-21
MARY ANN MILLS,
DIED APRIL 8, 1916.
A rad Of wars 6 m and a ia


From the unusual weight Of the casket the
old sexton was satisfied the body had become
petr6ed. The screws that held down the por-
ton of the lid covering the face and chest were
removed, and there, disclosed to view, was the
perfectly preserved face of a beautiful woman
apparently as natural as on the day she died.
To assure himself that the body was really
petrfied, he violently shook the coffin, and it had
| no effect upon the remains The sexton related
his discovery to few of his friends. and a week
had not elapsed before the people of the south
western part of the city began to flock to the
cemetery to see the curiosity. The pay he has
received for his trouble in admitting them to the
vault has brought him an income of from Sc to
$40 per week since his discovery became known
Journal reporter put coin into the old
mans hands, and was allowed to inspect the GU
riositv. The body is wonderfully we'll preserved
and Charles Williams, the undertaken who con-
Quoted the lady's funeral, says she looks as nat
ural as she did the day she was placed in the
casket. The color of her face is of much
lighter brown than that of the Egyptian mum
mics exhibited in this country. Her eyes, half
open, are so we'll preserved as to show the orig-
nal color, blue, and the eyebrows natural
as in life. She had black hair. which the few
who remember her in life agree was not very
long at her death. It has grown down to her
waist, and has partially hidden her forehead
She was buried in brown silk dress, and it,
while not petrfed, looks as fresh as it probably
did thirty years ago. The ring on her finger re-
mains as it was placed by her husband and every
particle of clothing she wore is in perfect state
of preservation The body is not as heavy as
the same amount of natural stone would be- but
by the transportation it's weight has more than
trebled. She was of small stature, and yet one
man can hardly lift her body now.
The story of tbs young womans life and
death is not less interesting than the fact of her
transposition from flesh to stone. She came to
INDIANAPOLIS bride. in February, 1916. She
was native of France, and the daughter of a
prominent citizen of Bordeaux. Her father and
mother died when she was young girl, and
being without immediate relatives in France
she came to America to make her
home with a relative in New York
few months after she reached New
York she met a young printer by the name of L.
o. Mills. He was captivated by the French
beauty, whose clear complexion, sky blue eyes
and black hair made her woman of uncommon
attractiveness The two were engaged and in
February, 1916, were married. She was twenty
five years of age, and he slightly her senior
The young man was full Of ambition and had
long desired to try his fortunes in the West. A
few days after the marriage they bid farewell to
! their New York relatives, and set out for the
West They reached indianapolis during
the latter par, Of February Mills, on application,
was given work on the Journal The couple
had not been here many weeks before the young
wife began to fail in health, and it soon devel-
oped that she had nasty consumption. She rap
idly grew worse and died April 0, at one of the
! the hotels in the city. Young Mills had Chas.
Williams. then n the undertaking business, take
charge OF the remains and placed them in the
vault stating that he intended returning to New
York. when he would inform her relatives, who
would likely order the body sent to that city.
| The day after the funeral he left the city, and
nothing has ever been heard from him or the
| ladies' relatives.
| In 1866 Mr. Williams sold the vault to Charles
| Kregelo, and turned over the old casket to Mr..
Kregelo, after relating to him the circumstances
| of its having been left there. Mr.. Kregelo has
| never disturbed it, for the reason that he thinks
there is possibility of the relatives of the lady
| calling for her. Mr.. Williams is of the opinion
| that the relatives OF the lady did not know AZ
| what point in the West the young couple had
| located, and that the young husband never re-
| turned to New York, or notified his brides rea
| lions of her death.
! Since the discovery that tho body had petri
fed, there have been several liberal offers for il
| by persons who desire TO exhibit il in museu ms
but Mr.. Kregelo says that while be remains the
! owner of the vault it will not De disturbed. Il
| is regarded az very remarkable case of petrf
cation by undertakers and physicians. Mr.
| Williams, who was in the business here fol
thirty years. says that in all that time he never
knew of but one case that would admit of com
| parison. That was the petrifaction of baby
| In moving the body ten years after it had beer
| buried it was found to be completely transformed
into stone with the features ali natural life