Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-08-20
FUNERALOF W.T.. CROASDALE
The Body Reduced to a Hand
full of Ashes.
3AST INTO THE CREMATOUY
Oration by Henry George
Over the Dead Body.
Floral Tributes from Loving Friends
MIR. Croasdalo's Last Illness - Before
Realizing the Critical Nature of His
Illness He Became Unconscious and
Passed Away.

Passed Away.
Special Correspondence of Gazette and Journal
W New YoRK, Aug. 13.-William r.
M Croasdale was incinerated ut the Mount
v Hope Fresh Pond IL. 1.) Crematorv,
a yesterday afternoon, and all that re-
H mains of the once brilliant editor is but
handful of ashes and this will be given
" its final place of rest to-day. The crema-
tion was not i'll compliance with any
direct request of Mr.. Croasdale's, as he
was unconscious some hours preceding
death, but his friends had frequently
X heard him express his views in hearty
q favor of this disposition of the dead and
f out of Difference to them the body was
x .reduced TO small quantity of ashes in
ala white hot retort in close proximity to
the cemetery where his beloved mother
u lies at rest.
SA The funeral services over the remains
lN.were conducted at the Manhattan Sin
gle Tax Club by Father Huntington
who read the collects of the Episcopal
" Church for the dead. Henry George,
s the president of the club and the leader
of'tbe single tax movement, delivered q
talbrief and eulogistic address over the
IA body. Mr.. George was quite visibly af-
a fccted in pronouncing the Grafton over
M his able coadjutor and disciple. He
r spoke with strong emphasis of Mr..
Croasdale's courage, honesty of purpose,
and his tireless work in the cause of
truth, and referred warmly to his 10y
atty to friends, his warmth of heart, and
admiringly dwelt upon his vigor in
combating evil :" No man could have
been more imbued with the impulses
4 of those about him." said Mr.. George, in
4 l.;
tiles. He concluded his oration by read
ing two stanzas from Lowell's works,
VA the author who had died few hours
previous. These verses were Mr.. Croas-
fai dale's favorites in poetry.
M The body was attired in black and
( enclosed In black casket. The features
H N were remarkably lIfe-like. Deaths hand
had obliterated the harder lines about
the brows and from his mouth, and left
only the kindlier and warmer ones. AT
the foot of the casket rested huge
a pillow of Japanese lilies and sweet peas,
a tribute from the Delaware society Of
(. which he was the first president Other
D,t flowers expressing the fearful regret of
M other friends banked the room in pro-
M fusion. A picture of the deceased draped
M in black was shown hanged from the
wall at the head of the casket.
N The pall-bearers were Henry George,
Louis i. Post, A. j. Steers, Isaac Cooke,
a Il. N. Vallandigham, r. Harry Young
Read Gordon, j. A. B. Dilworth, Jason
"a John A. Mason, h. j. Shriver, John p
M Crawford, Martin Battle and L. III. Un.
derhill
The great love and esteem in which
~ Mr.. Croasdale was held was clearly
manifested on all sides. Among those
who attended the services were Con
gresham John DE Witt Warner, Loui;
Windmuller, A. M. Jamison, Mr.. Viii
N.Y. liams, treasurer of the Single-TaX Club
and William McCabe.
Death is said, by close friend an(
attendant, of Mr.. Croasdale's. to hay,
resulted from malarial fever brought OF
N by impure water Mr.. Croasdale hat
Just purchased summer home in Sulli
N van county, New York, about 30 mile
"A outside of the city and had sunk wei
n by which water was reached, at eight o
10 feet under tho ground. Mr.. Croasdal
had used the water, which proved TO b
impure and unhealthy, until malaria
fever developed itself. Peritonitis en-
A sued, and the end quickly came. Til
N death-stricken man did not realize hoN
n critical was his condition although h
N was very sick man. In addition 1
y his valuable library Mr.. Croasdale die
possessed of his fine country residence
where lie passed away.
AT THE FIERY CREMATonY.
The services We're over at 3 p. N
when about so Of those present took tn
carriages awaiting them for the crema
tory. The funeral party arrived ther
at 4.30 o'clock.
The crematory is a brick building
with a tall iron and brick chimney.
is situated upon slight eminence an
Is approached by the carriages in Gil
cuitous drive. The cortcge halted i
w front of the doorway, when attendant
M appeared and the remains were born
i into the building. The friends followe
VA slowly and then seated themselves o
3N benches arranged in lines immediatel
E within the entrance. The attendant
.E with the casket in charge, had disaI
# peared behind a doorway to the left.
|W The interior showed II facade wit
.H two retort doors in the centre. The
We're the furnaces and on either sit
were doorways opening to the two r
sW ception rooms used for the purpose
2 preparing the bodies for incineratio
ix The interior of the structure as seen
M the waiting friends of the deceased pr
M sented u very simple and impressi'
NT spectacle
1$ There was the utmost silence for abo
W Is minutes. Certain sensations fiitt,
& through the minds of the onlookers
|H appreciable only by themselves but
M an indescribably solemn nature. Sc
# eral of the ladies, including Mrs. Georg
M seemed very much affected.
N Suddenly the doorway through whit
N the remains had disappeared opene
= The iron carriage reappeared and upC
lM it lay the remains clad completely
M white the outlines of the form easi
81 recognizable to every one. The carria
'N was wheeled by the three attendar
sN noiselessly and with decent celerity
M the front of the nearer retort door. ~
i& furnace gates had already been II
screwed and slight movement from
# attendant was all that was necessary
WI throw open to view the gaping cave
of glowing incandescent fire. The ne
.N moment the iron tablet resting on
rollers on the top of the bier and bea
N ing the remains was slid lightly into t
X burning cavity. The door was clos
M and darkness took the place OF I
M almost binding white heat of the fu
mace.
M The moment was most affecting OF
1M Several of the ladies We're overcon
M and hid their faces in their hands.
,. In the midst OF most conflict