The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-26
BIS ASHES TO THE WIND.
STRANGE FUNERAL RITES OVER
HENRY MEYERS REMAINS.

He Was Incinerated to the Music of a
Band-His Ashes Were Cast Into the
Air from the Statue OF Liberty in New
York Hsrber-An as He Directed.
A little white cloud fo2ted out from
the head of the Statue of Liberty at 4
o'clock in the afternoon, and in it dis
appeared in the four winds of heaven
the remains of Henry Meyer, hotel
keeper, of Staten Island.
To be buried in this singular, half
cynical fashion in midair, as it were,
was exactly as the dead man had often
directed while he lived. As he had
wished, his body was cremated, his
handful of ashes was preserved in a box
until the next Sunday should come,
and then, with the popping of cham
pagne bottles and expressions of good
viii, but no grief, was cast from the top
Of Liberty whenever it would go. In
the clear sunshine of the beautiful day,
looking no bigger and of no more i'm
portance than puff Of cigar smoke.
the cloud hung for moment under the
lee of the statue. Then the sharp north
west wind caught it, whirled it instantly
out of sight in the direction of the dead
mans old home, and that was the last
of the body of Henry Meyer.
A jovial though an odd soul, and a
hotel keeper for thirty years at Port
Richmond, Mr.. Meyer was well known
to every Staten Islander and good
many other people, too. From the name
Of his hotel he got to be called "Puck"
Meyer, SO that his real first name was
generally forgotten. He was skeptic,
a socialist, strenuous advocate of Gre
nation, pretty good liver and man
of great popularity in spite of a thousand
pecuharities which will be Staten Island
folk lore for generations
No one saw PUCK" die. He was
found dead in his bed in the hotel on the
morning of Feb. IA. His wife was the
first to discover his death. AS his will,
made many years ago, directed, the body
was taken to the Fresh Pond crematory,
on Long Island, two days later and in
cinerated. A committee from the Staten
Island Schuetzen corps, of which Meyers
had been a member, accompanied the
remains in three carriages, with brass
band.
The body was dressed in the blue uni
form of the Schuetzen corps, and after it
had been consumed the brass buttons
and other pieces of metal which the fire
had not destroyed were preserved as
souvenirs. The ashes, weighing little
more than three pounds, were of a
whitish color and as feathery as cigar
ashes. They were carefully placed in
round tin box and put in charge of First
Lieut.. Moritz Wegerle. Then, with the
band playing lively air, the party re-
turned to Staten Island.
The special committee took the steam
er Bay Ridge for Bedloe's Island.
To avoid curiosity Lieut.. Wegerle had
the tin box in brown Gladstone bag.
He swung this carelessly in his hand as
the party climbed to the top of the ped
estal Then they went outside the statue
on the stone platform surrounding it,
and there the bag was opened and the
master of ceremonies disclosed four
brown paper bags, each containing an
equal amount of Meyers ashes. There
was spoonful or two left in the bottom
of the case, which were saved for
"Puck's" married sister ON Staten Island
at her request.
As he handed around the bags Mr..
Rinschler made this speech:
"Here are the ashes of old Puck
Meyer. He was a good man, beloved by
all. Inever knew of any wrong thing
he ever did"
Each man that got bag stuck it into
his pocket. Then the party proceeded |
to climb the winding stairs to Liberty's |
head Their movements, however, had |
been observed by Watchman Horn, and |
as they began the ascent he called out:
"What have you got there? Puck |
Meyer"
CONSERVATION was depicted on every
face until Horn shouted again: cts |
all right. Go ahead. You can come
up" Up they went accordingly, but in
one of the sharp turns Capt. Fink who
is a portly man, got hopelessly stuck.
He handed his bag of ashes to Mr.. Boehe
and went back to the pedestal. 1t had
been intended to throw the ashes from
the torch, but that was impossible. They
had forgotten the necessary formality of
the special permit.
Each man took his station therefore in
The head corresponding to the points of
the compass, and as each bag was emp
tied the members cried, "Here goes the
ashes of Puck Meyer. Happy daysp
Happy days to old Puck Never"
said Mr.. Rinschler.
He was a good fellow" remarked
Lieut.. Wegerle.
You're right he was" said the others
according to the prearranged
formula.
do you believe in the resurrectiony'
asked one of the committee of brother
member as they boarded the 5 o'clock
boat.
"Well, / guess there's something in
t." said the brother laconically.
''Then all I've got to say is that Puck
Meyer will find hard job pulling him
'elf together when that day comes"
Meyer was 66 years old and came TO
his country from Hamburg about thirty
i've years ago. He was one of the first
volunteers from Staten Island on the
northern side during the rebellion. He
erved through the war and got wound
n his left leg in skirmish In Tennessee.
lie refused to let the surgeons amputate
lis limb. although they said he couldn't
i've unless he did, and brought the leg
md the rest Of his body home safe and
ound at the end of the war. He never
wore an overcoat, always wore a silk
lat the year round and always carried 8
,ane. The Staten Island children al
most worshiped him.
Meyer provided in his will tha. his
riends should have a champagne supper
,ffAr SCATTERING his ashes bIlt it was |