The Lake Charles echo. [volume] (Lake Charles, Parish of Calcasieu, La.) 1876-1898, 1892-09-09
OLD TIME FUNERALS.
WHEN LEADVILLE DID THE "PRoPER
THING" FOR DEAD MEN.

when "Texas Jack" Was Buried the
whole Town Turned Out-There Was
Brass Band, n Chorus from an Opera
Company and Long Procession.
To one who passes along the streets of
Leadville now there is just one feature
In particular which serves as mark Of
comparison of the Leadville Of today
with the mining camp of thirteen years
ago. Leadville now is respectable,
staid and as solemn as a mining city
can be, but it isn't the solemnity in the
abstract which strikes one now, 1t is
specific solemnity which concerns
itself with funerals.
To one who has lived in the past, when
every funeral was an occasion for as
much celebration as circus, the quiet
and sedate cortege moving along Chest
nut street today is something not to be
considered. 1t is too gloomy to suit the
old timeri but, alasI the old timer is no
more.
In 1879 the town was wild, Every
body carried "gun"-nOt in his pocket,
mind you, only the natural born fool
did, and he rarely lived to repent of it,
| The weapon was stuck in his belt right
| handy for immediate action. AS con-
sequence rarely day passed without
| violent death. Added to this the work
of pneumonia kept the grayedigger over
in the valley at work night and day.
This may sound like eXaggeration, but
| it isn't. The twinkling lights in the
valley presented a greWsome appearance
| at night and more so when their purpose
was known, They lit the gravediggers
| at work. Pneumonia was a fearful
enemy. Men were strong, fearless,
healthy in the morning, and when even
ing came with it was the physician and
the next day the undertaken, No ac-
commodations fit to be called such were
obtainable, and men after days of hard
work in the mines were obliged to sleep
in that frosted atmosphere wherever
they could.
Rev, 7. j, Mackey was the most pop
ulaT clergyman in town at that time.
He was loved by the good people and
respected, almost Venerated, by the
| gamblers and the miners, which doesn't
imply that miners were not in them
selves reputable people. Whenever q
miner OF a sporting man or woman died
it was Parson Mackey who was called
in. There was one day in particular
when the parson held four funerals, and
that was the record. Four was fire.
quently eQualed, but it stood as the top
notch for one clergyman.
Mr., Mackey, who was an Episcopal
Clergyman, held services in the Tabor
opera house. Fifty dollars q day was
the rent, and the collection never fell
short, 1t was necessary to close the
doors then long before the time for the
beginning of the service to keep back
the crowds. This four funeral day
spoken of was the day on which ]. b
omobundro, known all oyer the world
as Texas jack" was buried,
Leadyille never did funerals by halves
A brass band was regular thing. Nc
funeral was held without one The
band attending upon Jack was made III
of fifty pieces, being combination Oi
several. Fay Templeton's opera com
papy was playing an engagement il
} Leadyille then, and Fay agreed to sup
ply her company to act as choir. The
coffin was set upon the stage loaded
with flowers, and flowers were rarel
than mines in Leadyille, and Rev
Mackey appeared in his Tegimentals Al
chaplain Of the Tabor Light Guards tt
preach the funeral sermon. As he pro
ceeded, whenever he made an ILLUSION
= to any good quality in Jack the congre
cation applauded as Yociferously a
though they were approving O fin
i | feature of play There was no dis
} order-these people meant it all. The!
. wept at the preachers words and stamp
ed their feet IN approval Of his hope TO
+ Jacks chances over there.
Before the services Mr, Mackey haC
been waited upon by the Tabor Ligh
Guards, They recited TO him the fac
, that all the senior officers but the char
lain were absent from the city, and toll
him that as he was ranking officer Q
the day be must don his regimental
and lead the company. At first he d.
! INJURED vigorously, but finally, equippe
E with blue and gold and sword tha
: knew not its place and the propriety {
! keeping il, be marched upon the stag
I 10 help Jack along. When the service
J, were over he found they had provided
horse for him TO lead the column.
The preacher wasn't the most renlarl
Z able horsemal in the world, but he wa
game, and he mounted and starte
II away. Directly the band struck up th
y dead Marc in SauP the preacher an
z bis steed became almost ss prominent j
/ the corpse or they would have bee
J. elsewhere than ID Leadville. Hei
everything went. The dominic waltze
to the graveyard on bis fiery charger
p actually waltzed, but nobody notice
4 that That WAS q regular thing, OK I
n least not striking innoyatiop.
At Cnobpndro's funeral, as at q
funerals IN Leadyille, work Of q
z kinds was suspended Men and wome
Z thronged upon tho sidewalks paclSe
!. them. OnecoQld really have walked {
y the heads Of the people and nobod
would have noticed ii IN those da,
tie undertaken took great pride in II
turning out. Riding ia the carriage wit
the preacher he would look back 10
" ingly and say;
v "Ah, now this Is funeral that Is
N funeral This Is something ike. Los
ct the crowds, parsoni and we've q
seven more pieces IN the band thar a
tended the Swede that Nice CloslSey bnrit
4 yesterday Cor onaha World -Heral
DUO % careIessness.