A petty thief died of kidney disease in a Pennsylvania, US jail around 128 years ago. Residents of the little city of Reading will give his mummified bones a respectful send-off and burial more than a century later. Locals refer to the unnamed man as Stoneman Willie, and he has long been a scary part of the city’s lore. For many years, the mummy has remained on display, attracting the attention of tourists, locals, and adults and children.
According to Reuters, the petty criminal died in a local jail on November 19, 1895. An undertaker experimenting with new embalming procedures accidentally mummified his body. His cremated remains have been displayed at Auman’s Funeral Home since his death in November 1985. The thief’s genuine identity is unclear because he gave authorities a false name at the time of his arrest. Now, more than a century later, his full identity may finally be revealed.
More than 100 years after Stoneman Willie’s death, may have finally uncovered its true identity
The authorities were unable to find a next of kin because the thief’s genuine identity was unknown to them. The funeral home used an experimental embalming technique on him as they looked for his relatives. When the search failed, the funeral parlor petitioned the state to hold the thief’s body rather than bury it. According to reports, the funeral parlor did this in order to observe the experimental embalming process.
More than 100 years after Stoneman Willie’s death, the funeral home may have finally uncovered Stoneman Willie’s true identity using modern technology and a thorough search of historic documents.