Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 March 1871 — A Heart-rending Scene. [ARTICLE]

A Heart-rending Scene.

The New York IFwld says: The most heart rending scene of the late disaster at New Hamburg, New York—the dead Fowler family—has beeu removed for the people of another locality to mourn over their sad fate. Up to the time of their removal all the five bodies were laid out at the under - taker’s rooms. They were all encased in rosewood caskets, and the lids were kept open during a part of the day, so that the public mourners could walk in and view the solemn picture. Here was an entire family who had all perished at one fell stroke, leaving not a single one to come after when grief had brought despair and despair had changed to death. The father and mother lay by side, beautifully enshrouded, buttheir-disfigured faeesj wrapped in white linen and shut out from view. Near by were two smaller caskets, one -Containing Lhe son, and the other the eld, est daughter. The first was a fur haired boy, agcik about twelve years. He was not mutilated in the least, and the expression on his face was remarkable. It did not resemble that of a corpse, or of a person asleep. He appeared as if he had closed his eyes, simply feigning sleep, and sd Hfclike was the whole expression that the beholder was almost constrained to believe that the eyes would presently open and the natural lips part in a playful smile. Hissister, a girl two years younger than the boy, was discolored on the whole right side of the head and face. The. rest, of her body had been protected from the lire, all except the thumb and forefinger of the right hand. The arms were folded across her breast, and the playful hands were white as snow', save tlie two fingers that were burned to a black crisp. On one finger of the left hand she wore a tiny gold ring, which she carried to her grave. On the other side of the parents was the baby laid out in a small casket, and enshrouded in snowy white. The entire family were, removed together snd conveyed to the presence of the bereaved friends.