The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-29
TURNED INTO
A MUMMY
What Must Be Done With
Kelly'S Remains.
WILL QUEER BUT LEGAL.
How the Recluse Hoped to Prolong
Life by Dieting.
WILLING TO PASS AGES in A CASE


Edward p. Kelly, who wanted his body
made into a mummy, must not be set
aside as an absurd, childish production.
1T is legal in form, and, while eccentric
in the extreme, must be probated and
its provisions carried out" SO declared
Surrogate George S. West, who an
nourced yesterday that he would grant
no letters of administration to Kelly's
relatives unless the court wipes out this
strange will. This means trouble. The
estate is probably worth $4,000, and
relatives have gone ahead as though
no will existed, even burying the body
in face of express provision for num-
mifying 1t. Kellys personal property
was not disposed of by will, except his
body, which, by law, is personal prop
erty. The body is now in Harleigh
cemetery, and prominent lawyers have
speculated all day as TO what procedure
would exhume 1t and put 1t in posses
sion OF DR.. Andrews in face of the rela-
tives' fight. 1t is knot the court Will
be called on to unite, and the relatives
are expected to attempt TO prove Kelly
insane on the subject of perpetual life,
hoping thus 20 destroy the will. That
is still in possession of the Fidelity,
Insurance Trust and Safe Deposit Com
pany OF Philadelphia, and they will not
make IL public beyond the mummy pro-
visions.
Kelly sent for DIR. Jennings last Sat-
urday, but was so weak from his sci
entjfic diet that the physician could do
nothing to save his life.
Miss Mary Kelly, his sister, and two
adopted daughters, Mrs. Westcott and
Mrs. Douglass of Philadelphia, took
charge of the body. and Ii was buried,
despite the provision of the will, which,
in part, said:
Although 73 years old, five feet five,
/ weigh only 80 pounds naked. Two
competent doctors after examination,
said could live b long time. My lon
gevity is attributable to having drank
only water from about my 18th year,
when j gave up tea and coffee TO cure
toothache; to never having used to-
bacco: to living quiet. careful life,
going into society or public amusements
rarely, and keeping store and chamber
well ventilated.
Il never was strong. consequently
never enjoyed life. For the last five or
six years i have fed myself by the diet
etic rules of eminent English physi-
clans, having committed to memory
their analyses of foods, of quantities
and proportions of nitrogen, starch and
fat necessary for best nutrition, at first
eating food twice daily containing one
and one-half ounces nitrogen, seven and
one-half ounces starch, three-quarters
ounce fat. / now eat food twice daily
containing one and one-sixth ounces
nitrogen, five and one-half ounces
starch, one-half ounce fat. Older we
get the less food we require.
my present days ration Is equiva-
lent to one-half Huxley's days rations
for an able-bodied man in active en-
ployment, viz, three-quarter pound
meat, two pounds bread. / drink one
or two hours before each meal one-half
pint warm filtered water That Is all
the water drink, except lin warm
weather.
Il bathe once a week and soak my
feet four times in warm water, give
myself night and morning good rub
bing with crash towel and hands.
Exercise twice daily, three-quarters
hour, with light dumbbells. or take
equivalent exercise and walk about
four miles daily.
Health and longevity depend upon
diet, environment, exercise, clothing
and personal habits. / lie upon my
back eight hours daily. of which one
half to one hour just before dinner.
pass much time out of doors.
II bequeath my body to the Pennsyl-
vania University, to be preserved, with
record of my mode of life that caused
the longevity"
This will was dated May 90 1896 and
was duly witnessed by two persons. To
Ii was attached a codicil, dated jan
uary II. 1897. in which Kelly said:
'In consequence OF having had this
year two attacks of grip, have re-
duced my days rations approximately
to but less than one and one-half
ounces of nitrogen, six and one-half
ounces starch, one-half ounce fat, three
ounces rare meat, twelve ounces white
bread, is one OF my days rations.
IL appoint DIR. II. Hollingsworth An
drews executor OF this Will, and au-
thorize him to draw from the Fidelity
Insurance, Trust and Safe Deposit
Company 500 to cover expenses.
II desire my body TO be mummfied,
not reduced to a skeleton.
81 am now "a years old. and in conse-
quence of improved digestion have in
creased my daily allowance of food to
1.6 ounces nitrogen, eight ounces starch,
three quarters ounce fat"
When this queer will was laid before
Kelly's relatives they were nonplussed,
but not more so than was DIR. Andrews.
chief surgeon of the Philadelphia police
department.. He very frankly said that
he did not know what to do. The sister
did not want her brother turned into a
mummy. and II was the opinion of
about all concerned that the University
of Pennsylvania would not care for the
specimen IL IL was mummified. So the
body was buried