The times., 1899-08-09
At REST With HER MAKER
The Funeral Of The Murdered Girl,
Lizzie Weisenberger.
The Church Edffce Crowded with
SSmpathizirE People - Impressive
Sermon by the Rev. Mr.. Doermann
The Iutermcnt mt Prospect Hill
Cemetery - Many Floral Tributes.

II was as though a field daisy had been
cruelty plucked from the smiling sun
shine and cast into the sympathetic shade
where kindly hands had smothered out
the tiny petals and laid the little flower
TO rest. 1t was the last scene in a horri-
ger had been cruelty murdered but a dark
curtain shrouded the blood, the violence,
the terrible things, and only flowers and
tears and gentle peace remained 1t was
a funeral, but only the deep sobbing OF
heart rent figures in the black of mourn
ing served to remind of the ghastly bru-
tality which had made need for the lit
tie white casket and the clinging, COM
passionate rose wreaths.
No said pomp or requiem marred the
peaceful sleep of the tired little soul.
Through the open windows of the church
came the hushed twittering sparrows and
anon the sad old elm trees Wbrated With
solemn sighs of sympathy. The long drawn
sobbing of the crushed family, the wist
fui tears OF friends, the soft compassion of
a good man who strove to comfort, the i'm
pressive silence OF onlookers-this was all
but it was everything. The field daisy
was the more sincerely mouTned because OF
the absence of color and artifice.
Because of the interest and universal
sympathy for the child victim Of Snelfs
brutal passion, a great throng had gath
cred at the little frame German Lutheran
Church in Eighth Street, between f and
G Streets northeast. long before the hour
appointed for the funeral services yester-
day afternoon. Every seat in the edifce
was occupied and people filled the aisleS
and the porch and overaowed on to the
curbstone. There was little of mawkish
morbiCity in the assembly. The gay raj
ment OF special occasion was softened by
solemn faces and hushed voices, and a
kindly light of true compassion dwelt
everywhere. So when the little white
hearse arrived with the grim following of
funeral carriages only the tread Of feet
disturbed the silence and the signing of
the trees and the muffled sobbing of
mourners formed an impressive funeral
march.
The small, white casket, covered with
kindly tributes was placed close to the
platform and directly beneath the pulpit,
while the bereaved family occupied pew
cloze 10 the remains OF the mourned daugh-
ter and sister. For a space there was
suspense of silence which was painful in
that the heartrending sobbing seemed to
throb and echo from rafter TO raftsr- One
by one the members of the little family
gave way TO their uncomfortable grief, and
the unintelligibls SORROW found response III
many hearts. The crushed mother only
groaned, and her bowed head was support
ed by a pitiful bandaged arm. No song
of sorrow nor chorus OF comfort disturbed
the sacred grief, and there were few tear
less eyes when the officiating pastor, Rev.
]. E. A. Doermann, offered up prayer
for the afflicted family.
The pastor then read a brief passage
from the Bible taking as his text Isaiah
xlv:15: Thou art a God that hidest thy
self" With much emotion he stated that
he did not desire to dwell upon the sad
duty before him, and could not be expected
20 say much.
ct is impossible for me to dwell upon
the events which have brought us together
at this time," said he. There has never
occurred a more pitifuI and more sad oc-
casion than this. The sin, the crime, the
foul deed which has placed the remains of
this little girl in this casket is so awful,
so brutal, that language cannot express the
full horror of it. The crime has brought
sorrow to this family, TO this congrega-
ton, TO this city, and to all thinking hui
man beings. When / think of the little
girl as / knew her, as I have seen her but
short time ago; when I think of having
known her in the beauty of life and
StlG41Et1 anu III llS uCNOllOH Ol ISilklCu,
am un-ble to express myself. / cannot
speak and l do not want TO say but little
IF I had come here 10 arouse the indig-
nation of every man and woman here my
task would be easy. The city has been
filed with horror and frenzy, and fathers
and mothers are stirred up. But | am not
judge, rot prosecutor, but servant of
Christ. In his name l speak, if he can
speak comfort But ] am told that this
sorrow is too great for comfort. TOO bitter
for hope In such a case as this infidels
would find material. Why did Cod allow
this little girl TO pass away? Why did he
not prevent this brutal, cruel murder?
There is an answer in my text, Thou art
q God that hidest thyself.'
This is a warning from God against sin
and the abuse of his gifts. The criminal
was made TO do this deed through liquor
Il but illustrates the power of sin over the
human soul 1t is a warning TO every
father and mother in the world. This little
girl has been given as q warning to thou
sands, and her fate is lesson which may
drive thousands from sin and liquor. But
we can hope. 1 know that Christ took
her unto himself early and she sleeps in
heaven. The sorrowing family has the
sympathy of the entire community.
Il DO not plead for lsniency for the vile
criminal who has wrought this deed l
hope the officers OF the law will do their
duty, but as a minister of Christ, as a
Christian / say and hope TO say it with my
whole heart / forgive him in the name of
Christ And ! pray that this may be the
| last crime OF its kind 10 occur in this city"
The congregation then recited the Lord 8
l Prayer and at the close last opportunity
! was given TO view the features of the little
/ girl The picture was one of peace, per-
/ feet peace. The cruel gashes in the throat
and face and hands were hidden beneath
soft folds of pure white. The hands were
cIasped, and the fair little head rested upon
/ a pillow Of flowers. 1t was as though she
1 had fallen asleep and had never known
the fearsome brutality of her last awaken
ing when the sweet face had been mutilated
/ by the hands OF her slayer. For nearly
J an hour crowds lined past the little caskei
/ while the dumb agony of the father and
| the groans of the mother. s.s.@-s and
| brother, sent many sad hearts from the
| little chapel
The casket was then sealed for all time
and returned TO the hearse and the solemn
! cortege slowly moved to Prospect Hill
/ Cemetery. Here the last evidences of the
1 crime wreaked upon the child victim by
/ Benjamin II. Smell were covered by kind
/ ly earth, and the heart broken little group
returned 10 the place they termed home
/ where the horror of the past few days
] HltSl4A CAUSE SiicA dlIeSn anu WHeTe tIere
can be but little or no comfort.
/ The pailbearers were Charles A. rike
/ William Bell, t. o. Callahan, and Robert
1 !. Carr. the latter being the superintendent
! OF the Sunday school which Lizzie Weisen-
berger formerly attended. Many beau
] tifuI floral tributes were sent TO the fam
lily by friends, among them being two
! wreaths from the fellowworkmen of Mr.
| Weisenberger al the Benning Abbatoir, 9
wreath from the Rosedale Mission, and a