Democratic messenger., 1889-12-21
GORGEOUS FUNERAL.
Nearly Half % Million Dollars
Spent tO Crafty a Craze
for Display.

WILMINGTON. Mass, dec. 9-when
DIR. Henry Hitler died here year ago he
was carried to his Inst resting. place In n
silk.lined. gold. plated. claloratcly carved
caskci Of SOLID mahogany, inclosed by an.
other caskct no less extravagantly NJ.
pointed. Six richly caparisoned coal.
blrck Perherons In gold. mounted hnr.
ness. each attended by a colorei groom
carried the casket To the temporary vault
where the doctors body has been guard.
cd night aud day by u watchman, a $500
lamp shedding light for the guardian dur.
ing the night.
The widow has now ordered the con.
siruciiOn of new caskeis-0ne fur her hns.
band, the other for herself Each casket
Is In two paiis-ilie caskct proper and the
sarcophagus. The material in all four is
solid mahogany. Corded silk Of the value
of $40 yard Is the material used for the
inside upholstering. The lids are made 10
separate panels, highly polished. richly
carved and fastened by solid gold hinges.
with knobs of solid gold for opening them.
The doctors new caskci is fastened by
heavy brass door 0t Gothic design, hay.
ing knob made of six pounds OF solid
gold. On the panels are solid gold tab
lets inscribed with the doctors favoritc
passages Of Scripture. such as Il know
that my Redeemcr liveih." blessed are
they that die in the Lord" Standing ut
the head of the coffin is a figure of the
doctor built out of solid mahogany aud
reduced 10 a height Of eighteen inches =
About him are the figures of four angels
welcoming him To Paradise.
Mrs Killers coffin. On the other hand.
has her figure rccumhcnt on the Id. with
three angels minisiering To her. and the
doctor kneeling beside her with his right
arm supporting her head. The sculptor
has drawn n sketch of landscape. ON one
0f the side panels. showing at intervals u
meadow, n river. "a hill. forest. u valley
and. last or all, u mountain. ut the apex Oi
which is n white cross. Clinging 10 the
cross Is u naked chcrub and behind M.
other chcrmb. and then another. until
twenty three are counted climbing tu.
ward the cross During the twcniy.iuu
year of her married life Irs Hitler SAYS
she bore her husband twcniy-thrcc child.
rem. none Of whom lived The procession
up the mountain. she SAYS. pcrpctuaics
the memory of her little ones
Mrs. Hitler has also had made for her.
self a burial robe nj yn outlay of $20,OO0,
made Of white ottoman silk. which is
corded heavily.
There Is also wilderness uf white silk
lace running in perpendicular panels aud
tucked and gathered and ilu,cd until il
stands out I" n disI"ncc of five inches
There are other panels of white surali Of
the most expensive manufacture BE.
tween the panels Of silk aud lace are in.
icrmediatc panels constructed solely nf
dai'ies made IN France ot pure silk. alter
II design bought in Boston for $iD. II is
estimated that 5000 nf these daisies are
scwed into this gown The robe opens
IN front. and is fastened ly upward ol 9OO
solid silver hooks designed like II scrpcnl's
heal
The total outlay by Mrs. Hitler will he
not Tar short uf $j00.O0O The mali>olcum
Will he of hammered granite. with four
windows. ~ hich will admit as many differ.
ent colnret rays uf light. and chairs fpI
sirht.secrs will hc provided within.