CREMATION OF A WOMAN'S BODY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 78, 1 April 1895, Page 2

CREMATION OF A WOMAN'S BODY.

A REPULSIVE SPECTACLE.

At a dresfy and almost uninhabited spot ; on the, shores of Half-Moon Bay, not far • ■ distant from'Sandringham, Victoria, on the 19th prox.'. the ceremony of cremating the remains of an elderly lady took place. The deceased, !whoee name waa Mrs Elizabeth Inger Henniker, had attained the ripe age of 83 yearsi Latterly she adopted the teachings of spiritualism. She waa quite '. ; rational up to her last moments, and ex-, pressed an earnests desire that her body after death should undergo cremation. The affair was' intended to be pmately conducted, buti,,.daring.tho..whole of the afternoon and up to a late hour in'the night many , visitors visited the locality. The, body, Enclosed'in an elaborate coffin, richly trimmed jn, white pliiab, was brought down to Sandringham in a plain hearse followeav by a mourning coach.; A halt was made in the ti-tree scrub on the cliffs, and the coffin carried down to the beach, where already a " large quantity of wood -was in readiness.' . . A stack was made about 18 inches high, - and the. coffin laid on top. ~-.Thevhymni - ." There is a Land. That is Brighter Than Day "was then ?ung,bythe relatives, and the wood stacked round the coffin, the total quantity used being three tons. Kerosene and other inflammable oil;were Bprinkled at the southern end of the pile, and-the deceased's son applied a lighted • match at a signalifrom the undertaker, and the impromptu choir,-, retiring to a comfortable distance, chanted the hymn "Shall: We Gather at the River." .Immediately the flames shot through the stack of wood, ■ and- before the hymn was concluded the whole pile was a mass of fire. The heat was intense, and as a strong wind was blow- ' ing off the Bay at the time the onlookers had to retreat) some distance off;; but they watched the progress of the flames with ,; unflagging interest. After.the fire had burned.for a couple of hours the gruesome . spectacle of the skull ,of deceased, was1 observable in the heap of ashes. A. few more pieces of firewood were carelessly - thrown On the fire, and had the effect of - disturbing the] charred remains of the head, which then fell to piece?, revealing aitnosbv. v ghastly spectacle as portion of the brain/ appeared. More wood was then applied,', and the charred remains thus hidden from view. About.an kour after the pjato which had been attached to the coffin wa» visible' and the inscription easily distinguishable; In addition to tho name and age\of deceased and the date of death, the platio bore aleo the words—^ The spirit eh^ll retiirn" to God, who gave it." - ." i