In Reading, Pennsylvania, an enigmatic mummified man known to the public as "Stoneman Willie" finally received both a proper burial and the revelation of his true identity after 128 years of mystery. The man, whose leathered skin had become a local legend and subject of ghost stories, was unveiled as James Murphy of New York during a solemn funeral in Reading.
Draped in a period tuxedo, Stoneman Willie's generations-long existence as a city enigma came to an end as he was introduced to the world as James Murphy. A group of funeral home employees and well-wishers paid their respects, bidding farewell with the words, "Rest in peace, James," as they revealed his tombstone, which displayed his true name in small letters beneath the familiar "Stoneman Willie."
The burial procession included a motorcycle hearse, marking his final journey.
James Murphy, of Irish descent and an alcoholic, found himself in Reading at a firefighters' convention when he passed away in the local jailhouse due to kidney failure on November 19, 1895. Kyle Blankenbiller, director of the Theo C Auman Inc. Funeral Home, where Murphy's remains had been held for over a century, revealed that the true identity of "Stoneman Willie" had been known to the original Theo Auman, the funeral home's director in 1895. However, it was only recently, with the decision to provide a proper burial, that research was undertaken to definitively confirm his identity as James Murphy.
Once an unidentified man accused of theft, Murphy inadvertently became mummified by a mortician experimenting with new embalming techniques while he was in jail.
Local officials' efforts to locate Murphy's relatives proved fruitless, leading to the enduring mystery. It was local historians who, through meticulous research using prison records, funeral home records, and other documents, finally uncovered the truth about his identity.
The funeral home had been granted permission by the state to retain the body for monitoring purposes as part of the experimental embalming process instead of conducting a burial.
Murphy earned his moniker "Stoneman" due to his skin's hardened and leathery texture.
During the service, Pastor Robert Whitmire reminded those in attendance that to those who may have known him, "Stoneman Willie...at one time may have been a beloved friend and family member."
