The Corpse
Hazel's body was taken to Adams Vermillion Furniture which also sold caskets and functioned as a funeral parlor. No one showed up to claim her, but the body wasn't decomposing, either — supposedly an effect of the poison. With an endless supply of curious visitors the proprietor started charging 10¢ a gander to see the notorious outlaw. The corpse was later loaned out to various exhibitors, including Adams' brother in Tuscaloosa, and Captain Harvey Lee Boswell, before it came into the possession of O. C. Brooks in 1907. He featured the well-preserved remains in his traveling show for 40 years. When he died, Brooks left Hazel to his nephew, on the condition that any money raised from displaying her be donated to charity.
As the story goes, Brooks' nephew used Hazel to raise money to build churches in Tennessee before bringing her back to Bessemer, where she became an infamous attraction at the newly-formed Hall of History. After a long run, and an appearance in a National Geographic Channel documentary, Hazel's owners decided to finally lay her ashes to rest.
Read more about this topic: Hazel Farris
Famous quotes containing the word corpse:
“Last night I fled until I came
To streets where leaking casements dripped
Stale lamplight from the corpse of flame;
A nervous window bled.”
—Allen Tate (1899–1979)
“Now Lady Maisry is gone home,
Made him a winding sheet,
And at the back of merry Lincoln
The dead corpse did her meet.
And all the bells of merry Lincoln,
Without men’s hands were rung,”
—Unknown. Hugh of Lincoln (l. 61–66)