Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-02-10

STRANGE FUNERAL Rlrss ovrs
HENRY MEYERS REMAINS.

.s wss iasinsrated to II. ,a..ss =, /.
nana-His Ashss We're Cast Int -.
Ar fron the statue Of Liberty In Me-
fers Hsrbor-Ai - He Directed.
A little white cloud Hoated ont s,c,,
me head Of the Statue Of Liberty A. Z
o'clock IN the afternoon, and in Il al.
appeared in the four winds OF heaven
!ns remains Of Henry Never. hotel
keeper, Of Staten Island.
10 be buried in this singular. hall
cynical fashion in midair, AZ Il were
was exactly as the dead man had often
directed while he lived. As he had
wished, his body was cremated. ii,
handful Of ashes was preserved in boz
until the next Sunday should come.
and then, with the popping Of cham.
payne bottles and expressions Of rood
VIZ, but no grief, was cast from the ton
Of Liberty whenever It would 20. 10
me clear sunshine Of the beautiful dsv.
looking no bigger and Of no moro in.
portance than a puff Of cigar smoke.
the cloud hung for moment under tn
leo 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 joyial though an odd soul and !
hotel keeper for thirty years at Port
Richmond, Mr.. Meyer was well known
to every Staten Islander and a good
many other people, too. From the name
OF his hotel ne got to be called "Puck-
Meyer, so that his real first name was
generally forgotten. He was a skeptic
socialist, q strenuous advocate of era.
nation, a pretty good liver and man
OF great popularity in spite of a thousand
peculiarities which will be Staten Island
folk lore for generations
No one saw PUCK" die. He WA
found dead in his bed in the hotel on the
morning of Feb. IA. His wife was the
hrst 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.
Generated. A committee from the Staten
Island Schuetzen corps, of which Meyers
had been member, accompanied the
remains in three carriages, with a brass
band
The body was dressed in the blue uni
form Of the Schuetzen corps, and after II
had been consumed the brass buttons
and other pieces Of metal which the FIRE
had not destroyed were preserved az
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 a
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.
BE 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 good man, beloved by
all never 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 Waterman Horn, and
as they began the ascent he called out:
"What have You got therer Puck
Meyer
CONSERVATION was depicted on every
face until Horn shouted again: sits
all right. Go ahead. You can come
up" Up they went accordingly, but in
one Of the sharp turns Capt. Fink who
Is portly man, got hopelessly stuck
he handed his bag of ashes to Mr.. Boehe
and went back to the pedestal. It had
been intended to throw the ashes from
the torch, but that was impossible. They
had forgotten the necessary formaity 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
lied the members cried, Here goes the
ashes of Puck Meyer. Happy days!'
"Happy days to old Puck Meyer"
,aid Mr.. Rinschler.
"He was good fellow" remarked
Lieut.. Wegerle.
you're right he was" said the others
according to the prearranged
formula.
"Do you believe in the resurrection"
asked one of the committee of a brother
member as they boarded the 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 Sc 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.
he 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 a
.ane. The Staten Island children al
most worshiped him.
MAYER nroyided in his will that his |