The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-24
A CURIOUS CROWD
Viewed Scene of BrightwOod Tragedy
Funeral to Occur This Morning.

Before 7 O'Clock yesterday morning peo-
pie began to visit the Pfeifer home on Pop
lar street Brightwood, where the double
murder and suicide was discovered last
Tuesday, and there were hundreds of
friends, citizens, strangers and people who
came out of curiosity to see the house and
the victims if possible during the day. Hun
dreds of strangers came to the suburb yes
terday and visited the scene of the tragedy,
and visitors were still coming to view the
dead at 10 o'clock last night. No one was
allowed to see the bodies until after
o'clock last evening. at which time the un-
dertaker had placed the bodies in caskets.
After the bodies had been arranged so that
the public could view them there was
steady inflow of people to gaze upon the
faces of the victims and the murderer.
Mrs. Pfeifer's remains rest in a snow
white casket. and her body is dressed in
robes of the same color. The little baby,
also dressed in white, rests against her
breast as though clasped there by the right
arm of the mother. Its little hands rest
upon it's breast and the sweet. peaceful
look upon its innocent face wrung many
tears from the visitors. In the mothers
left hand is clasped rosary. according to
the custom of those Of her faith. To the
right of the head of her casket stood a
Ajar."
3y the side of this white casket stands
one of somber black, and it contains the re-
mains of the father, husband and perpetra-
tor of the crime; his body is also enveleped
in black shroud, and his right hand is
closed over a Catholic prayer book. From
the expression of each of these STILL white
faces one could never tell the horrors that
attended their death, and many of the WIS.,
itors stood long and gazed intently upon
them, as though fascinated by these peace
full looks of rest.
The funeral will take place this morning
at O'Clock. and the services will be held
at the ST. Francis Church. in the suburb
who IS the parish priest. will preach the
funeral sermon, as the Sacred Heart fra
ternity has the congregation of this church
in charge To the uninitiated this will APP
remains of Mr.. Pfeifer will not be taken
into the church at all, neither will there be
a service preached over his remains AS he
committed suicide the laws of the church
forbid the entrance of his remains into that
sanctuary, but. though he is forbidden the
church, he will be buried in the Catholic
Cemetery. south of the city by the side of
his wife and baby While the casket con-
tanning his remains awaits outside of the
church those of his wife and child will be
livered a funeral sermon. Though it seems
strange that he should be denied this last
service. While he is allowed to be buried by
the same funeral train and in the same
grave beside his wife and baby, it is the ir-
revocab1e law of the Roman Catholic
Church.
The excitement and buzz of gossip caused
by this tragedy had not lessened yesterday
but seemed If anything to be greater than
on Tuesday. Mrs. Pfeifer mother of
Charles Pfeifer is still very weak, and is at
the home of citizen living across the
street from where the tragedy occurred.