The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-18
HIS USEFUL PRESENT.
A Deaths Head at a Midnight
Feast in a Beer Hall.
The Coffin Given in a Joke Serves as the
Burial Casket of Charles Kitteiberger,
Saloon-Keeper

Charles Kittelberger, for years proprietor
OF saloon under the Baldwin Hotel, on
the northeast corner of Market aGd Powell
streets. was carried to his grave in the Ma
sonic Cemetery Thursday, followed by
| large host of sorrowing friends. He was an
old resident and a most popular man. He
kept his place from the time the Baldwin
Hotel opened. All had a good word for
Charlie" Kittelberger. as he was called.
In appearance he was sort of a Fals;aff,
and resembled that famous character in
more ways than by his physical proportions.
There was the same rolling jovial good
humor in Kittelberger, and his laugh had
rollcking Falstaffian flavor. There was
none of the lean and siippaTed panta-
looms" about him, and his appreciation OF
the good qualities of Jack" fally equaled
that of Prince Halls boon companion. In
social party he was generally the soul of
the company, with his ability to set the
table in roar. Aud this was why he was
so well liked, and why so many regretting
friends followed his remains to their last
resting place.
STRANGE AND SOMEWHAT CHASTITY.
There was one strange incident connected
with Kittelberg-r's burial which serves to
illustrate his character, besides furnishing
an example of the grotesque and odd. He
was buried in coffin that was made a pres
ent to him for that very purpose.
About four years ago there gathered in
Kittelberger's saloon large party of
friends. 1t was the anniversary of his
birth, and the event was always made by
his friends an occasion of unusual cornwall
Ity. Many presents were always made to
kittelberger on these occasions. At this
time his nlacp literally wi
fowers, while his wholesale merchant
friends presented him with baskets of wine.
In the midst of their jollty he passed some
remark about the epnemeral nature of the
testimonials of regard. and said: "Why don't
you present Inc something useful?'
COFFIN FOR A BIRTHDAY PRESENT.
One of his friends was connected with an
undertaking office and conceived a strange
idea, which he put into execution. At the
| next birthday gathering, while the event
was being celebrated in the usual manner,
lie presented kittelberger with q magnifi-
cent coffin, which he said was the most USE
full thing in life he could think of. All who
attended the party thought the presentation
! a huge joke, and Kittelberger himself ac-
| cepted the present without any idea how
soon he was to demonstrate its usefulness.
| The idea OF the party on this occasion was
| to get kittelberger in state where oblivion
| follows the quafting of too many cups,
| and then put him in his present. but
the notion was not carried out; perhaps on
account of its seriousness. The ancient
| Egyptians always had what was called the
memento mort, or deaths head at their
| greatest feasts, in order to keep before their
| eyes the idea OF the mutability of things
| and the power of death. The coffin pre-
| sented to kittelberger was worthy of hav-
! ing been originated by an ancient subject of
| the PtOlemles, in order to cap the epicurean
| climax of pleasure with the tragic emblem
! of its end.
HE ACKNOWLEDGED ITS USEFULNESS.
When the birthday party was over kttel-
| berger turned the joke to his own account
| and, in his good-humored way, said he ac-
| knowlsdged the usefulness of the present
| His friends protested that no harm mad been
meant, that they knew he was not supersti-
| ti0us. that they hoped 1t would be many a
| long day before he would need to use such a
| present. Kitteberger himself always spoke
| of the matter in the light of jest, aud had
| many laugh afterward at his OWE expense.
| He had the coffin, however, sent to
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. and kept fer him. 1t
| was most handsome casket, made of the
| finest oak. and was alterward beautifully
! mounted in silver.
When the joke was afterward retaied, as
it was often done over the social glass, the
| most grotesque stories were associated with
| hitteIberger and his coffin. Some would
| state that On every anniversary OF his birth
| Kitteiberger would HE himself to the I'M
| advantageous ana ensconse himself within
| the satin-lined folds OF the casket in order
| to experience the strange sensation of occu-
| pying, while living, "the narrow house"
| which was to be his last reSting-plac
| The story was so distorted in lis travels
| that many were led 10 believe that Kittel-
| berger took occasional maps In his coffin,
| transferring it into sort OF temporary bed.
ONLY HAD To WAIT THREE YEARS.
| All of these stories were false. The fact
| is Mr.. kittelberger never saw the coffin after
| he sent it to the undertakers. though his in
| s;rucions We're that should he die he was
! be buried in it. That wish was to be graft
| fed sooner than he imagined, or his friends
| had any idea of, for just three years after
| the coffin was presented he was carried to
| his grave iii it, while some OF the very
| friends who were present when it was made
| the subject of an hilarious midnight jest fol
| lowed this CHASTITY gift to its journeys end.
| No better illustration could be found of
| the truth that slight is the dividing line be-
| tween the laugh of the III cry aud tue sigh
| of the sad,