Arizona republican., 1911-12-28
WH|TECHAPEL
 FOUNDER DEAD
Passing of Dr. H. B. Will Hams of Chicago Recalls Existence of Club That Once Created Much Com ment.

Hams, a Chicago physician. in his home city on December 4 and the Sub- sequent disposition of his body as re- counted in the Chicago papers. were incidents of special interest to Dr II If. Wilson of this city who numbered hlm among his close personal friends and in whose family he was a ire Quent and aa honored guest To oth-
 CTS than pr. Wilson the events pos seSS d special interest in recalling the
 history of the Whitechapel club, a
 Chicago organization founded by pr
 Williams. It survived but four years
 disorganizing in 1893, but during it's short life it was an institution that
 became widely known.
 The Whitechapelitcs were regarded as among the most hoSpitable people on earth and coupled the pleasures of club life and good fellowship with wicrd and unusual practices that were designed to banish superstition. satir-
 ize fate and make those within their influence view the things of life from a purely practical standpoint. So pro Eounccd were these characteristics that the club soon became the object of attack in many quarters by those who failed to agree with its ideas. or who while admitting their practical truth felt that such pronounced eXem- plification of strange doctrines, offer ing affront to accepted sentiments of the day and age, had a tendency to scar delicate sensibilitics.
 One of the club doctrines was that of cremation. then a comparatively un- common method of dispOsing of the dead though now matter of daily occurrence. The club held that it was sanitary, practical and while seeming to lack i'm reverence for the dead it was preferable to a knowledge of Cer- tain things that ensuc in the case of burial and perhaps after all is a less rcvolting thing Again death itself was belittlcd and emphasizing their lack for fear or respect for that un- desirable fact of nature the club dinVd around table shaped like a coffin and did all manner of similar things. Though aSSailcd by rcligionists as pTacticinE studied sacrilcge the charge was denied. the club maintain
 cd that it's views We're the rule of rca
 son. Entrance to the club rooms was from a side alley and over the doorway was huge art transom decorated with the name of the club and with huge skull and crossbones. ..
 The origin of the cremation doe urine of the club was with man named Maurice Allen Collins who driftcd into Chicago advertising him self as "a man of no account" He had been hurt in railroad accident. recovered damages and was spending the money when he arrived in Chicago and was entertained by the club. When his money was gone he willed lis body tO Dr. Williams for either dissection or cremation and killed himself The doctor elected crcma- tion and the members of the club took it tp a lonely place on the bank of Lake Michigan. built funeral pyre and burned it one night. As the pyrc was consumed Dr Williams pledged his club brethren to dispose of his body by cremation in the event they should be present when the time came for any disposition of il. That VOW was fulfilled on December 6 when with barred but mufflCd head. Opic Reed. a former Whitechapclitc. in the presence of several other Amer jeans equally as well known. all for mer members of the club. pronounced the words: Farewell, Dr. Will liams Winter has come and another leaf has fallen from the tree. Old friend, goodbye" The body was then placed in the crcmatory vault. in the presence of the members of his fam fly and the few who had assembled.
 There had previously been a funeral service in the Williams apartments attended by al great many people, at which addresses were made by scV- craI of the doctors intimate friends and former members of the club The rooms were filled with numerous mo- mcntocs of the club and its day such as photographs. original sketches. notices and the original transOm re- fcrrcd to bearing the skull and cross bones. which had been retained by the doctor as a club souvenir. all these being imbcdded in flowers as though combining the doctors ideas with all the practices of accepted custom