It was a red letter day in Reading, Pennsylvania on October 7th when Stoneman Willie was finally laid to rest. He gave a false name when he was arrested for pickpocketing in 1895, and died from kidney failure while languishing in the local jail.
Accidentally mummified by an undertaker who was experimenting with new embalming techniques, he has been prominently displayed in an open coffin in the town, dressed in a suit and bow tie with a red sash across his chest. His hair and teeth remain intact and his skin has taken on a leathery appearance.
Only recently has his true identity been discovered and he will be buried with his real name inscribed on the tombstone, local officials having overruled the request of Auman’s Funeral Home that the mummy remain undisturbed so that the effects of the embalming technique can be studies.
Prior to his internment, Stoneman Willie had one last hurrah, paraded on a motorcycle as part of the town’s 275th anniversary celebrations. After that, he deserves a bit of peace.
windowthroughtime 