The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-05-10
NAILED TO THE CROSS.
The HOdsn CruGif1ion Of a Tacoma
Nan In Upper Burmah.
RESCUED FROM 4 RRlGHrFuL DEATH.
The serrased scars ON Hands and
Feet u Constant Reminder OF his
Horrible Experience Among the
savage sinEphos.

cited, and who had survived the ordeal
and lived for years afterwards, left Tacoma
recently for interment at Salt Lake City,
The remains were those OF DR.. William
Bredemeyer. who years ago was crucified
by an unciviized tribe in Burmah, India.
The burial at Salt Lake was by the side
OF his first wife, Annie May Slavery.
Mearyone-Evans. His second wife, born
Miss Penelope Mcyicar, accompanied the
body, which was escorted to the train by
members OF sixteen fraternities, includ-
ing 120 women, who were members oil
Rebecca lodges, and the Pocahontas Of
the Order OF Red Men and the Pythian
Sisters.
DR.. Bredemeyer was great fraternity
man. He'was member Of nearly every
secret order in existence, and had he
lived week longer he would have per-
fected the organization in Tacoma Of the
Heptosophs. But paralysis carried him
of, and with his right hand peacefully
over his breast as he lay in his coffin,
the jagged scar left by those who crucified
him could plainly be seen. Hundreds
saw the scar, and thought it dreadful
sight.
The right hand scar was not as long az
the left hand one by an inch. Both
were between the bones OF the thumb
and forefuger, in the thiekest part OF the
palm. The left hand scar was two and
half inches long, and on both sides Of the
hands the scars stood out like miniature
mountain ranges, compared with the size
of the hands. The serrated top ridges Of
the ugly marks were white and pro-
nouncei like snow capped peaks.
When Bredemeyer was crucifed there
was no antiseptic surgery to kill the put
relying microbes in the air while wounds
were being treated, and thus avoid irrita-
ton and unsightly scars. For twenty.
four hours after he was crucified he
received no treatment Of any kind. When
his wounds were dressed be was uncon-
scious. and for several days it was thought
he would die.
Bredemeyer was quiet, uncommuni-
cative Prussian. Members of his family
and his close friends knew OF his crucifix.
ion, but Tacoma people we're in absolute
ignorance Of the facts until Bredemeyer's
record OF his own life was found among
his papers after his death.
He was graduate OF the University Of
Bonn, and had previously qualified as
member OF the Prussian Pioneer Engineer
corps. That was in 1862. The next year
he entered the Dutch-India service as
mining engineer and expert, and adj.
vanced step BY step in his chosen pro-
fession until in 1868, when the king Of
Upper Burmah made him chief engineer
Of the famous ruby mines in the northern
part OF that country.
Bredemeyer had headquarters at Medea,
in the ruby mine district, where big sap
phires are also found. The mines are
jealously guarded, and all the precious
stones bslong to the king. From the
ruby and the sapphire harvest the king
realizes from $780, 900 to s75 900 year.
North Of Medea in the lofty mountains
there were some ruby mines which the
king had not bad prospeeted by such an
eminent expert as Bredemeyer. In fact,
no white man had ever ventured into the
mountains Of the north, where dwell the
half-civllized singphos, who, while recog-
MIXING the authority of the king, were
unruly and barbaric.
Bredemeyer's advent was the signal for
great excitement among the Singphos.
They had never seen a white man, and
notwithstanding Bredemeyer proclaimed
his mission under authority OF the king,
the Singphos were not satisfied. Their
cupidity got the better OF their loyalty !;
they thought more OF their rubies and
sapphires than they did Of the kings
mandates They decided to cruelty the
white man il he did not fee from the
country.
A handful Of soldiers were with Brede-
meyer. In all the country, which then
had 3,500,0 900 inhabitants, the king had
but 10000 soldiers The Singphos were
not afraid Of them. Bredemeyer refused
to leave the country until he had carried
out the orders OF the king. The Singphos
declared war. The soldiers went into
ambush, only to treacherously surrender
the mining expert when the natives
swooped down upon them.
While the soldiers were scurrying about
for reinforcements, the natives nailed
Bredemeyer to cross made OF two pieces
Of the native oil wood. Crude pieces Of
iron with sharp edges and slightly sharp
at the end were brought, and. using stones
for sledges, the natives drove the irons
through Bredemeyer's hands and feet.
The barbarians were beside themselves
with fiendish fury. In their haste they
horribly mutiliated the engineers toes
and fingers. Before the brutal work OF
mailing Bredemeyer to the cross was fin
ished he became partially unconscious.
The shock was almost fatal. The last
thing he remembered was the swarming
Singphos, with their fiat faces, broad
skulls, straight black hair and deep brown
skips. erinning like demons. uttering wild
shouts end dancing and gesticulating at
the foct d the cross. Some of them were
entirely naked, having stripped off their
appsrel in the historical excitement Of
the capture and crucifxion Of the hated
victim.
As a rule the natives wear linen
wrapped about their hips. These clothes
are called ingies, and as Bredemeyer
lapsed into inconsistencies he remem-
bered the ingies q the masters Of the bar