OUTOREW HIS COFFIN.

Alexandra Herald and Central Otago Gazette, Issue 422, 19 May 1904, Page 8

OUTOREW HIS COFFIN.

Maa-sJae tveatarea ef tae s*aaevaa ef • ilea WTso Had Made HJa Owa s>erial Casket.

At Benton graveyard, near Port Washington, where no interment has been made for 20 years, a funeral was held on a recent Sunday that for strange and peculiar features had no parallel in that vicinity, says the Columbus (O.) Press. It was the funeral of Philip Haas, an eccentric German resident of Buokhorn, and: in compliance with his request his body was kept five days before burial. The coffin In which he was buried was one he had made five years ago. It was constructed of planks and covered with black velvet. He made it when he was small of girth, and they had to squeeae him in, as he remarked lately they would have to do. The oofSln was placed in a rough box he made. In going to the graveyard the rough box was placed in a spring wagon and the coffin in it and two men sat on it, ae per his wish. On the lid of the box was a card SOxz* inches, on which was the inscription he had printed, as follows:

"I am a stranger h*r». Heaven li my horn*." Ho told his friends if thay did not carry out hi* wishes regarding the funeral he would come back, and, being, superstitious, they did so. The ceremonies at the grave were marked for their simplicity. Each Sunday he attended church he put in the collection basket as many cents as he was years old. He was industrious and frugal and owned several farms.