The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-11-16
MOST PECULIAR FUNERAL.
Obsequies of Millionaire Doctor
Which Cost Nearly $4,000.
Eb.o,,, fba Ma,, Vail De-.

Obsequies of Millionaire Doctor
| Which Cost Nearly $25, 700.
From the Ne,c York Press
WILMINGTON, MASS, Nov. 12-All the
curiosity seekers of Middlesex county came
here yesterday to witness the funeral of DR..
Henry Hillen, physician who has made
nearly 100000 by selling pills which re-
stored youthful vigor" and made decrepit
old people drop their cares and frolic and
skip like lambs. These pills sold for 81 a
box, and thou gh their composition is Sc
cret, it is said that their chief ingredients
are PHOSPHORUS, Spanish flies and a won
derfully potent species of ginger which
| grows in Africa, which has the power to
make the tongue and throat of him who
eats 1t smart for twenty-four consecutive
| hours.
Dr. Hillen made pills and ran the New
England Medical institute, on fremont
row, in Boston. Here in Wilmington he
played the flute and raised cranberries All
of his vacations brought him about SIS, 900
year, and he was likely to die a tenfold
millionaire, when fall from his carriage
last month brought on a sickness which his
pills could not cure, and he died on the eve
of the presidential election.
And his funeral was greater event than
any he had ever occasioned while living.
| Over 5000 people collected in and around
the big, yellow Hillen mansion, which is
located half way between the little country
road and a sixty-foot windmill, which
stands midway in the estate, and serves the
double purpose of pumping water out of the
large cranberry boys and into the cisterns
which supply the house and barn. Million
aires have died in Middlesex county before
now, but no millionaire in America ever
had funeral like DR.. Hillcn. It's cost is es-
timated all the way from $50 TO $40, 900,
and the expense is hardly begun il the
Widow Hillen carries out her designs. An
approximate guess at the cost is made as
follows:
Carved coffin of Spanish mahogany on
which a wood carver has worked for
the past two years. ......:... ...... $4,000
Carved box TO hold coffin, of same ma
terial not yet completed. ....-........ 10000
occasion ..............'........ 1000
Temporary tomb ........... .-........... 400
Temporary box to hold remains ......... $50
One hundred carriages Observation-Disclosures. 900
Embalming, flowers etc. ................ 300
IOLdl. ....... Sxo, 4oU
In addition to the above Mrs, Hillen is
having two similar boxes made to hold her
self, and all these will be put in plate
glass case and deposited in a $4,000 tomb
in Winchester.
AJ q O'CLOCK OuHuhJ dlbtTuOOu buB newly
shaved lawn In front of the Hillen home
was covered by about 1000 people. Three
big policemen stood at the doors of the
house and admitted nobody save by card.
Carriages lined the streets as far as the eye
could see in every direction. Every few
minutes fresh carriages would arrive,
drawn by horses all white with lather. and
filed with smiling country farmers and
their wives and daughters. These carriages
came by twos and threes, and it was
easy to see from the mud on them
tina their occupants bal been
So eding" their horses, for countrymen
will trot their beasts even when goi z TO a
funeral. Below the house and und-r ~"
shadow Of the windmi tower stood block
ca intended to convey the rem ,u,- 10 their
temporary lodging pli ce. 1t was mounted
on lIur big iron w iee sab ~ the size of
moving mach ne wheels, and was II ieeG
long by feet i, ide. On the car was a
broa lcloath covered catafalque 10 feet high
To co .er this required ne j, 200 "a DIS Of
broadcloth, while it had so yards Of l0-nch
silk fringe aud $40 yards Of inch silk cord
In its makeup, 10 say nothing OF tassels,
rosettes and other pmblems OF mourning
Standing on the platform were twelve big
gilt pins to hold the casket in place, maxim,
the whole affair look ike big cribbags
board. To bis car we e haine. sed four
coal black sseeds, heavily caparisoned In
funeral d. aperies. These were to be led by
grcoms The car was made for the occasion |
by Lackhondt of Cambridge, and cost Mrs |
Hilea 81 500, Lackhondt { king it back !
after the funeral. Nothing like II was ever