The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-02-09
WANTED BURIAL.
in A PINE BOX
Will of Reverend Father
Gardthaus Reveals Some
Strange Requests
NO FUNERAL SERMON
Priest Asks that There Be No
Pomp at Funeral and Only
Simple Cross on Grave.

To be buried in a pine coffin without
ornaments with a funeral as simple
and in expensive as possible was the
wish of the Reverend Father August
Gardthaus, one time pastor of the st.
Johns church in Paris, who died at the
St. GATHERINGS hospital on January the
9th, as revealed in his last will and
testament filed in the circuit court to-
day. The document is one of the
strangest ever recorded in the county,
describing in detail the wishes of the
priest regarding his own funeral and
the care of his grave.
The will was made on January the
10Th, week before the death of the
aged priest, who was eighty-three
years old but it is declared that prior
to this time he had often to his
friends voiced the sentiment expressed
| in his will.
No One to Undress Him.
One Of the eccentric wishes of the
aged priest was that he should be
buried in the clothes in which he
died. After directing that all of his
just debts be paid, his first request
was as follows:
'It is my desire that after my death,
no one undress me and that my body
shall remain clothed in the same gar
ments in which / died; over these
clothes my cassock shall be placed"
This request could not be complied
with by the friends of the deceased.
| 1t was made while the old priest was
able to sit in his chair and he had ex-
pected to die there. Later his condi-
ton became so critical that he was
taken to a hospital ward and there
dressed in the simple sick dress pre-
scribed by the hospital. 1t is said that
the request was kept in spirit, however,
for it had been made to prevent the
buying of new clothing for burial
garments and the old clothing of the
priest was used as his shroud.
Wanted Simple Funeral.
"My funeral shall be as simple and
inexpensive as possible" continued the
directions in the will. 81 do not wish
funeral sermon. desire to be plac-
ed in a pine coffin, without ornaments,
and that on my grave be placed sim
pie iron cross with this inscription:
Reverend August Gardthaus, born
August %, 1888; died (insert date).' On
the reverse side of the cross inscribe:
Dear Christian, pray for him."
These provisions were kept as near
ly to the letter as possible. The priest
was buried in a plain pine coffin, with
only a crucifix upon it; at his funeral
there were scores of priests who came
to pay tribute to his memory but de-
spite this, not one preached funeral
sermon, the solemn requiem high mass
alone being sung. His friends are
planning to place over his grave the
simple iron cross marker which he
had desired.
Left Estate to Priest.
In disposing of a small estate, said
to approximate $1100, the aged priest
for reasons which he did not disclose,
cut off all of his relatives from shar-
| ing in the estate.
81 hereby declare" this provision of
the will said, ''that have in mind all
of my beloved family relations and any
and all of my heirs and all of my
heirs at law and it is my wish that not
any of them shall share in my estate.
| All the rest, residue and remainder
| of my estate, l give and bequeath
to the Reverend William Gensler, of
Kenosha."
1t is limited by friends of the dead
priest that his only relatives were liv-
ing in Germany and that in recent
years he had been unable to find any
trace of them. 1t is also rumored that
the deceased had in conversations with
Father Gensler made some stipula-
lions as to what use was to be made
Eof the money but none of these are
made public.
The Reverend Father Gensler, who
is assistant pastor of the st. George
church, and who in the reclining years
of the aged priest had been his closest
friend, is also named as executor of
the estate.
Drug contained in the mescal
1