Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-21
Remains of Bogus Lord Beres.
ford Reduced to Ashes.
MYSTERY IN CASE REMAINS
No Clue to Woman Who Brought
Body Here From Asheville.
MAY HAVE BEEN FORMER WIFE
Remains Said to Be in Good State
of Preservation After
Eight Years. "a,

All that was mortal Of Sidney Las
ce!les. the bogus Lord Beresford. who Is,
said to have been bigamist many
times over that efforts were made by
showmen to obtain his body after he
died. was reduced to ashes at the under
taking establishment and crematory Of
William j. Lee, 3D. Pennsylvania avenue.
today. The embalmed body of Lascelles.
which was received here yesterday from
AsheNille. n. G., where il had remained {.
at an undertaker's for the last eight
years, was placed in the crematory early
this morning. according to employees at
Lees establishment
Who the woman was who had the body
brought here from Asheville and Gre
mated still remains deep mystery. Where
the ashes of the dead man will be placed
is also a mystery. All inquiries at the
undertaIer's were met with the state
ment that Mr. Lee did not know who had
given him the commission to cremate the
body and that he did not know what dis
position was to be made of 1t.
1t was learned. however, that the mys-
terious they in question. referring to
the persons who had given the orders for
the cremation had visited the UNDER
takers early this morning. given instruc-
tions and left. 1t seems to be reason
able conjecture that they were the
woman who came here from North Caro-
lima, referred to in the dispatches from
that place as Mrs. j. T. Summerfeld.
sister-i in-law of the first Mrs. Aascelles.
and DR.. Mcpherson Crichton. to whom
the body was consigned by the UNDER
takers who shipped ii from Asheville.
Coroner Issues Permit.
A permit was obtained last evening
from Coroner Nevitt to cremate the body
here. DIR. hewitt said today that the ap-
plication for the permit was made by
Mr.. Lee. the undertaken, that the death
certificate that accompanied the appli-
cation was correct in form and that he
issued the permit forthwith. That was
all he knew of the matter, he said.
The mysterious Mrs. Summerfield, or
Watson, or whatever her name may be.
has managed so far to conceal her iden-
tity. 1t has been suggested that the Mrs..
Watson who called up Lees early yes
| terday morning and wished body cre-
| mated right away was the woman in
charge of the body OF Lascelles. II has
been suggested, too. that this woman
was herself one of the wives of the much
| married Lascelles, and that she is seek
ing to keep her identity secret because
of the notoriety that would be given
her if it became known she was caring
for the body of her former husband.
Body Well Preserved.
The body of Lascelles was wonderfully
| we'll preserved. After eight years it still
retained a recognizable appearance before
it was cremated today. though the skin
was somewhat wrinkled and discolored.;
Many persons visited the undertaking
establishment last night and this morn
ing and asked permission to see the
body. All were told that the body was
not to be exhibited: that strict orders
had been given to keep the casket closed.
And" they were told the order will
be obeyed''
One young man who called there this
morning said he was anxious to see the
body because of statements he had heard
maie by residents of North Carolina. He
had known Of Lord Beresford some years
ago when the latter was SO prosperous
in Georgia.
He was looked upon is being some
body" the young man stated. and pull
ed the wool over the eyes of the people
there. He was a smart man, all right.
remember when he went to F1tx-
gerald town in which many wealthy
persons lived" the caller continued, and
travelled in the best society. He married
the daughter of the mayor and was look
ed upon social leader.
Thought Him Genuine Lord.
The people thought he was genuine
lord at that time but later they thought
he had been only a butler or had had
charge of a stable for lord
The young man said he had been told
that at the time of the death of the man
of many aliases the undertakers at Ashe-
willie were all anxious to embalm the
body The fluid used in the body, he was
told was a new preparation, and the
body kept SO we'll that the expense or
embalming and furnishing necessities was
paid by money collected from curious per-
sons who were willing to give up
quarter.
He was also told, he added. that the
arms and legs of the embalmed body new
er became rigid. but ii was possible 10
put them in any position. 1t was also
possible. he was told. to place the
corpse in a standing position.
1T seemed singular that such things
could be done so long after DEATH the
caller concluded, "and thought l would
lust like to ascertain If there was any
truth in the statement"
Reported Lascelles Trial.
Rev Alexander W. BeaIer Of Murfrees-'
boro. Tenn who is visiting Washington,
knew Lascelles when the bogus lord wAs
In Georgia many years ago. Mr.. Bealer
was then a newspaper man, and was as
signed by an Atlanta paper to report the
trial of Lascelles. Mr.. Bealer describes
the man as having been strikingly hand
some. with much personal magnetism
The trial resulted in the defendants
.o,y;otion apd long sentence to the