The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-06-22
no M0URNERS THERE.
Strange Scene at the Funeral
of Vina Kelly.
A QUARREL IN THE FAMILY,
The Burial l. Postponed and the Cor
oner Makes an Investigation
Which Disproves Charges.

The unusual spectacle OF a cAurch dnsi
with people. casket before the altar cover
81 with flowers, the minister and choir
ready 10 proceed with the ceremony. bat
no Enourners IN attendance. occurred al
Ire Market street Presbyterian church
yesterday afternoon.
ms was the outcome Of a peculiar
combination OF circumstances following
the death OF Ntna Kelly. the I4-yaar-s,,a
girl spoken Of 81 the Post Int elliceneer
Tor rhe past TWO days. Last night the
t>angfe was Strengthened out. ard II some
shing unexpected does not happen the fl1-
neral VIII take place at $50 O'Clock this
morning from the rooms OF the Seattle
Undertaking Company.
coroner ASkam intended TO hold an IN
quest over the remains yesterday rnornfnF-
but post norton examination revealed
the fact that death was due 40 pneumonia
lie then decided that there was no need
Of an inquest and signed the death certi-
ficate.
The funeral services had been arranged
70 take place at tha Market street pges-
hyterian church at 1 o'clock in the after
noon. but were changed to take place at
1:S1 instead About 12 o'clock n. g Kelly.
the father OF the girl. was at the under
taking rooms and had talk with Mr.
koepiti the undertaken. about the funeral.
He said he was not feeling well and posi-
bly, might not be AZ the services. In the
meantime the church had been prettily
decorated ny the friends of the dead girl
and also many beautiful flowers were
sent 70 the undertaking rooms 10 be
placed on the casket.
At the appointed time the hearse with
the remains IN the casket arrived at the
church and was placed before the altar.
People kept coming until there were abort
forty or fifty present. Rev. Samuel J.
Kennedy. the pastor, arrived and took his
place I'm the pulpit. Soon 1t was discov-
cred that not member of the mourning
family was present and no one was able
TO account for their absence. Minister and
congregation waited and waited. hut no
one appeared. The undertaken could not
offer any explanation. hat felt certain
that the time for the funeral was under
stood by all. Finally. after waiting until
nearly 2:3n O'Clock Mr.. Kennedy offered
prayer the choir sang a selection. and
owing to the peculiar condition of affairs
IT was decided hest 20 take the remains
back 10 the undertaker's and have a flu
neral some other day.
Word was sent TO Coroner Askam that
the relatives had not appeared at the fu-
neral services and that there seemed to he
some talk about the cause Of death. This
caused the coroner TO remark that IL was
disgraceful to have a family trouble
cause so much publicity over the death
of an innocent young girl. Suddenly the
coroner grabbed his hat and remarked that
he would settle the question once and for
all time regarding the death. Then ne
went 70 the undertaking rooms where the
body had heen returned and removed the
lungs, stomach. uterus and heart With
the exception of the lungs. which were
badly congested, every organ OF the body
was in an absolutely perfect condition and
utterly refutes the impression given by
the father to Coroner Askam Thursday
afternoon that his child was enciente.
Some time after the body was taken
back TO the undertaker's. one OF the ladies
who had been at the church met David
Kelly. a brother OF the girl. on the street.
and he said that there had been mistake
about the time for the funeral, as he un-
derstood IL was to take place this after
noon. but his father wanted the time
changed to this morning at the Seattle
Undertaking rooms.
Coroner Askam told Mr. koephi last
night that he would hold himself respon-
sfb1e for the record of the cause or death
and hoped the poor girl would be Inferred
this morning without any further trouble.
Rev. S. J. Kennedy finally consented to
make another effort to conduct the ser
vices.