Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-12-26
QUEER BURIAL PLACES.
Jeremy Bentham's Skeleton Dressed
as in Life In Museum.

From the London Mall
Dead mems wishes seem to be carried out
more faithfully in England than in the
United States. AS examples of this, there
are some freak tombs in and about Lon
don which have become regular visiting
places of American tourists who are in
search of the curious.
The celebrated Jeremy Bentham, the
great philanthropist and exponent of the
doctrine of utilitarianism, dying in 1S52,
left directions that his body should be dis
sected and that the skeleton should be put
together, and after being clothed in his old
vestments should be seated in sort Of
glass house on wheels
The first part of the program was per-
formed by his faithful disciple, DR.. South
wood Smith, who. in endeavorng to pre-
serve the head, deprived the face of all eX-
preston. Seeing this would not do for ex-
bibition purposes, DR.. Smith had model
made in wax by distinguished French
artist. who succeeded in producing a most
admirable likeness.
The skeleton was then stuffed out to fit
Bentham's own clothes. and the wax like
ness fitted to the trunk. This figure was
placed seated on the chair in which he usu-
ally sat with one hand holding the walking
stick which was his constant companion in
life, called by him dixie dog ''Dapple.'
The whole was inclosed in a mahogany
case with a glass front, covered by folding
doors, and presented to University College,
Cover street where it can be seen in the
south gallery of the college museum.
Next in point Of interest comes the
strange tomb of Anthony Ettericke, who
was an eminent lawyer, and once recorder
of Poole Having some cause Of offense
against the people of Wimborne, in which
town he lived, he declared that he was to
be buried in a consecrated spot, but not
above nor below the ground, not in the
church or out of 1t.
To make certain that this would be done,
he got permission to build a coffin into the
wall of Wimborne Minister, so that it is
half in the church and half out Of it, half
above the ground and half below it. To do
this special arch had to be made, and for
the repair of this arch and the coffin An
thony Ettericke gave the church a sum of
money u
TO bury him the wall of the church level
body deposited I'M the coffin as described. 1t
is of slate and engraved with many coats
of-arms There are two dates upon it-1691
and 17O3-one over theI other, SO as to rem
der both almost anreadable; He was fully
convinced that he should die in 1871, and
had his coffin made and that date placed
upon it. But he did not die till 1903, and
SO the second date was cut over the first.
Another weil-knowns case OF eccentric
burial is that of Rev. I>angton Freeman of
Whilton Northamptonshire. This gentle
J man, by his will, dated September 1G, 1873,
left the following singular directions for his
interment: Five days after death his body
vas to be wrapped in a strong. double
winding-sheet and to be conveyed to sum-
mer house in his garden, where it was to
be laid in the bed he had slept in during
life. This being carried out the doors and
windows of the fragile mausoleum were to
be locked up and bolted, and the building
planted around with evergreen plants and
fenced off with oak pales, painted dark
blue color.
His wishes were fulfilled to the letter, and
only twenty years ago, when the property,
owing 10 litigation, was without a rightful
owner. and consequently much neglected, 1t
was said that the remains in the derelict
summer house were plainly visible.
The body is still there but large stone
slab has been placed over the remains in
the bedstead, as some time ago several
vandals forced their way In and disturbed