Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-09-03
OLD TIME FUNERALS.
WHEN LsADviLLE DID THE "PROPER
THING" FOR DEAD MEN.


When "Tcxns Jack" Was Buried the
whole Town Turned out--There Was
Brass Band, n Chorus from an Opera
Company and n 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 o mining city
can be, but it isn't the solennity in the
abstract which strikes ono now. 1t is
a specific solemnity which concerns
itself with funerals.
TO one who has lived IN the past. when
every funeral was nn occasion for as
much celebration rs 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 timer; but, alasl the old timer is no
more.
In 1870 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 o
violent death. Added to this the work
of pneumonia kept the grnvedigger over
in the valley at work night aud day.
This may sound like e1asgeration, but
1t isn't. The twfnkling lights in the
valley presented . grewsome appearance
at night and more SO when their purpose
was known. They hit the gravediggers
at work. Pneumonia was O fearful
enemy. Men were strong, fearless,
healthy In the morning, and whom even
ing came with It was the physician and
the next day the undertaken. No ac-
commodations at TO be called such were
obtainabie, and men after days of hard
work In the mines were obliged to sleep
in that frosted atmosphere wherever
they could.
Rev. T. j. Mackey was the most pop
ular clergyman in town at that time.
He WINS loved by the good people and
respected, almost venerntsd, by the
gamblers and the miners, which doesn't
imply that miners were not in them
selves reputable people, Whenever O
miner or a sporting man or woman died
it was Parson MRckey who wac called
in. There was one day in particular
when the psrson held four funerals, and
that was the record. Four was fire.
quentfy eQualed, but it stood as the top
notch for one clergyman.
r.. IT,. -
Clergyman. held services in the Tabo.
opera house. Fifty dollars a 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 o. was the day on which j. B
Omohundro, known all over the world
as "Toxas jack" was buried.
Leadville never did funerals by halves
A brass band was regular thing. Nc
funeral was held without one. The
band attending upon Jack WAS made VI
of fifty pieces. being q combination OF
several. Fay Templetotis opera com
pany was playing an engagement il
Leadville then, and Fay agreed to sup
ply her company to act rs choir. The
coffin was set upon tho stage loaded
with flowers, and flowers were rarel
than mines In Leadville, and Rev
Mackey appeared in his regimentals a.
chaplain Of the Tabor Light Guards tx
preach the funeral sermon. AS he pro
ceeded, whenever he made an ILLUSION
to any good quality in Jack the congre
cation applauded as vociferously a
though they were approving a fin,
feature of play. There was no dis
order-thcse people meant it all. They
wept at the preachers words and stamp
ed their feet in approval Of his hope fo
Jacks chances over there.
Before the services Mr.. Mackey hat
been waited upon by the Tabor Ligh
Guards. They recited to him tho fac
that all the senior officers but the chap
lain were absent from the city, and tolt
him that AS he was ranking officer o
the day he must don his regiInental
and lead the company. At first he de
INJURED vigorously, but fill. -ly, equipped
with blue and gold and sword tina
knew not its place and the propriety o
keeping it, ihe marched upon the stag
to help Jack along. When the service
were over he found they had provided
horse for him to lead the column.
The preacher wasn't the most remark
able horscman in the world, but he wa
game, and he mounted and starte,
away. Directly the band struck up tn
dead March in Saul" the preacher an
his steed became almost as prominent a
tho corpse--or they would have bee
elsewhere than in Leadville. Her
everything went. The dominic waltze
to the graveyard on his fiery charger
actually waltzed, but nobody notice
that. That was a regular thing, or a
least not u striking innovation.
At Omohundro's funeral, as at o.
funerals in Leadville, work of al
kinds was suspended. Men and wome
thronged upon the sidewalks-packe
them. One could really have walked q
the heads of the people and nobod