The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-21
DIED AT THE ALTAR
MOTHER BEAsLEY FOUND DEAD IN
HER PRIVATE CHAPEL
ROBBED IN FRANCISCAN HABIT
AND WITH HANDS STRETCHED To-
WARD STATUE OF THE
BLESSED VIRGIN.

A Notable Figure ana EOundress OF
ST. Frances Home for COIored Or
phans-BOrn of Indian-French
Parents in New Orleans She spent
Her NOvftiate in London, Gave All
Her Property to Charity and La
bored Constantly Among the Poor.
Made Arrangements for Her
Burial and Had Selected Her Pail
Bearers-Dead Hours when
Found.
With hands clasped and stretched
nppealingly toward the statue of the
Blessed Virgin, her hand resting on
the kneeling bench, and attired in the
habit Of the Order of st. Frances,
Mother Beasley was found cold in
death in her private chapel yesterday
morning near the Sacred Heart
Church. Death had seemingly come
quietly while the aged woman was en-
gagged in her devotions.
All preparations had been made for
the grim messenger. In the room
were found her shroud and burial
garments, neatly folded, and her will
laid across them. All arrangements
for her obsequies had been made, even
to the selection of the pallbearers.
The funeral will be conducted to-day
in accordance with her wishes.
Mother Beasley was we'll known in
Savannah and her almost unequalled
charities had made her the idol of
the poor, especially among the ne
Of had haan
given for the purpose of founding and
supporting the st. Frances Home for
Colored Orphans and what little she
could earn by sewing was given in
relieving the suffering of the worthy
poor of the city. She was 20 years of
age. Her extreme hight and her COM
manding figure marked her among
those with whom she labored.
OF Indian-French Extraction.
Matilda Beasley, as she was rightly
named. was of Indian-French extrac-
ton, having been born in New Or
leans more than seventy years ago. 1t
was from her Indian father that she
inherited the stature which made her
a striking figure wherever she appear
ed. While a young girl she came to
Savannah and shortly after married.
Her husband had acquired some
property and she held considerable in
her own name. twenty-five years ago.
her husband died. leaving all his
earnings to his wife. She, remember
ing a kindness that had been done her
when an orphan child by some negroes,
resolved to follow the commands of
her Master and gave her entire prop
erty to the poor, STIMULATING only that
an orphan home for negro children be
established. This was carried out and
St. Frances Home stands as a monu-
ment TO her charity Her property
comprised lands at Isle of Hope, on
Skidaway Island and some in the city
limits.
Shortly after her husbands death,
Mother Beasley, as she was affection
ately called by those to whom she had
so often and so tenderly ministered,
resolved to take upon herself the vows
of the church. choosing the Order of
St. Frances. She was sent to England
and spent her novitiate in London.
After remaining there a year she re-
turned to Savannah and resumed her
labors among the poor.
For a time she lived among the peo-
pie with whom she was working, but
two years ago, being entirely without
means, she was given home, the lit
tie cottage on the property of the Sa-
cred Heart Church, and by the clergy
and people of the diocese she was
constantly cared for Not content with
what she had already done for charity,
Mother Beasley began taking in sew
ing and the small earnings thus ac-
quired were turned over for the same
purpose that she had donated her prop
erty.
Missed from Early Service.
She lived alone in the little cottage,
preferring to remain by herself instead
of with the sisters. Many times she
would not be seen for days and little
Was thought when she did not put in
an appearance Friday or Saturday.
Yesterday morning, however, the ia
miliar figure was absent from the early
mass, a thing which had never before
occurred.
A visit was at once made to the hum
BILE cottage and the sight there was one
which involuntarily brought the tears
to the eyes. In her private chapel, be-
fore her altar, lay the aged woman.
Her head rested lightly on the kneel-
ing bench while the withered hands,
clasped in attitude of prayer, were
stretched appealingly toward the fig
ure bending above her, the mandates of
Whose Son she had so faithfully fol-
lowed. On the worn old face was a
smile of perfect content, seeming to
indicate that death had come to her
peacefully while kneeling at her de-
Votions.
She was clad in the brown habit of
the Order of st. Frances, and the white
cord lay like a white ray of peace
across the PROSTATE body. At one side
the shroud and burial garments lay,
neatly folded, and across them lay her
will, though she had naught but a few
priced trinkets to leave to her closest
friends.
Word was at once carried to the
church that the loved and respected
Mother Beasley was dead and willing
hands tenderly lifted her body from be-
fore the altar and carried it to the bed,
about which, later in the day, gathered
rich and poor, white and black, in ST.
lence paying tribute to a Christian life.
Funeral This Morning.
Coroner Keller was notified and i'm
mediately went to the cottage. After
an examination he announced that
death had resulted, fully eight hours
previous, from acute indigestion. Per-
mission was given at once for burial.
The funeral, with requiem mass, will
be held from the Sacred Heart Church
this morning al $3.50 o'clock.
The pallbearers have not yet been
named, though, In accordance with the
wish Of the deceased, as expressed in
her Will. they will be chosen from the
Mutual Aid Society of St. Benedict's
Church.
The name Mother" had become so