The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-07
ANNUAL MEETING
Of the New Haven Cremation Society
Held Last Night.

| tilll pISlllCSS lld1lSdCltu VAS lllc cltC-
ton of officers for the ensuing year.
Those chosen were: President, E. b.
Kenyon; vice president, Bernard Wess-
becker; secretary, r. l.. Story; treasur
er, William #. Radon; trustees, A. C.
Harrison, e. r. Whiting, #. A. Her
| nance, Fl. Bussman, Louis Gutzeit.
| These men form the council of the So
ciety, which meets every three months.
President Kenyon read his annual re-
| port as follows:
| New Haven, Conn, Jan. 6, 1892
To the Members of the New Haven
Cremation Society and Friends
Your president feels that he can but
poorly express to you the thoughts that
he would wish in regard to the subject
of the cremation of the human remains
after the death of the body. But he
eblieves that every living human being
should have the right to say what
should be done with his own body af-
ter death. And as they are the direct
ly interested ones their last wishes
should be respected and carried out to
the letter. Believing this, in October,
1894, a few who We're very much inter-
ested, met in Union street, this city,
to talk the matter over. friend and
myself were on our way to the place
of meeting. We concluded in our own
minds that there was very little likeli-
hood of a society being formed. But we
found ten others waiting our coming.
After few moments more came in, so
that when the meeting began there
were fourteen present, six Americans
ni,r
friends were sanguine of success, and
charter list was started with twenty
signatures The society of to-day was
formed in this way. A good healthy
child, il has been growing slowly, but
surely, ever since the day of its organ
ization. And to-day it is in good
healthy condition We must give our
German members the credit, for the
largest membership and they certainly
deserve it, for they have done the most
work for the cause and are continually
working. But all the members have
worked. and worked we'll, and the best
of all it that we all work together Tor
the interest of the organization. The
charter list was left open for nearly
wear. closing with a membership of
thirty five. Any person OF any natlon-
ality. and of good health, under the age
of fifty years, can join the society upon
payment Of 81 imitation fee ana 81 an
nual dues Over the age of f1fty years,
and under the age of ten, the initiation
fee is to be decided by the counch.
consisting OF nire members elected AT
the annual meeting. The Initiation fee
and the dues collected form FUND,
from which the expenses of the crema-
ton of the body are paid. one mem
Der appointed by the president, goes
with the remains which are to be Gre
mated. The sum of $50 is set
apart for this purpose, and ar
ter expenses are paid, of
balance is left it is to be paid over to
the family. No assessment is to be laid
upon the members of the society as long
as there is cash enough in the treasury
TO cover the expense of cremation.
In the absence Of funds in our treasury
q nro rata assessment will be laid to
cover the expense Your society has
never been compelled to do this, and
certainly / hope it may never nave TO
be done I think that when you hear
the report of the treasurer you will be
pleased and will have no cause to re-
gret the financial condition of the So
ciety.
AS I have said before, we have
gradually grown, but / regret to
say that we have some few
who have dropped out on account of
not paying their annual dues The
council has been as lenient with them
as the bylaws will allow. Many of
them the secretary has seen personally
In the first year ending October 4, 1895
there was one withdrawal. Brother
Fem one of our members was shot
and died from the wound received. This
brother had Joined our society for the
purpose of being cremated If his wife
should die before him. If he died first
her wishes were to be respected and
therefore the society incurred no ex-
pense. I think we have several mem
bers of this kind who expressly wish
cremation if they are the last to 60 In
the year 1896 three were dropped from
our roll on account of non-payment Of
dues. And for the same reason three
in 1897. l regret much to say four We're
dropped for the same cause last year.
But we Cdn COllSl uuloCIN 60
for the year 1898, for we have gained |
nine members, and il there had been |
one more council meeting | think we
would have a few more, as / under |
stand several Were intending to join |
with us. We have at this time seventy |
two members in good standing. And |
you must, l think, agree with me that |
we have no cause to be discouraged to |
work on for that which we are satisfied |
in our mind is right. We are at this, |
the fourth annual meeting, called upon
to elect three members for three years |
for the council Three members at this |
time retire as follows: Brothers West !,
becker, Hermance and Guid2eit. |
| can heartily recommend the said |
brothers for I know they have the in
terest of the society at heart. The re-
lations Of the council in its work to- |