Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-10
UNDERTAKES WAR.
Twenty-O One of the PitIsburgers who Side
With MIR. FInnnery Return to
Johnstown-Statements
n,
From Both Sides.


Twenty.one undertakers from Pittsburg and
surrounding towns reported for duty to James
]. Flannery yesterday morning, and were by
him sent to Johnstown. They were instructed
to establish morgue at Kernville and report
for further orders after that had been done to
Dictator Scott.
OF the entire 81 there was not man who
sided with w. H. Devore, and without eXcep-
tion they denied every charge made by the
Grant street funeral director.
"Even if there had been such drunkenness as
Mr.. Devore alleged" " said one of them, II can't
imagine how he could have discovered il. He
wasn't with Us one-third of the time, and while
we were working in the morgues he was calmly
sleeping on a feather bed up in fine residence
on Prospect Hill. True, he embalmed corpse
or two while we were embalming hundreds, but
his labors were not arduous in the least How
he got around DR.. Lee, of the State Board OF
Health can easily be imagined. He probably
introduced himself to the Doctor as the Chair
man of the Pittsburg undertakers and as such
he was shown all possible honor for the work
done by our people entitled them to no little
credit, and DR.. Lee doubtless knew it."
Undertaken Devore's Side.
At Mr.. Devore's establishment, where the
writer called to get that gentleman's side of
the unpleasant controversy now on, it was
learned that Mr.. Devore had not been home
since last Sunday and that 1t was not known
when he would return. Frank Calhoun, who
was in charge of the place, said that so far as
of all the troubles. Mr.. Devore, he said, was
selected as Chairman of the Undertakers Com
mittee on the road up to Johnstown, Mr.. Flan-
nery's brother making the motion which elected
him. After that, however" said Mr.. Calhoun,
"a lot of those shirt tail undertakers, mean
by that the men who really never learned the
business. and who don't know whether to in
sert embalming fluid in an artery or not, be-
came envious of his position and made kick.
That's all there is in or of it"
do you mean to say that there were under
takers at Johnstown who didn't understand
how to dress corpse?"
Certainly do. Why, the only body that
was shipped here at all, reports to the contrary
notwithstanding, was embalmed in the most
faulty manner imaginable, and we had no
little trouble in getting it in proper shaPe for
shipment to Ohio as per instructions received
by us from friends of the deceased"
Mr.. Flannery was called upon late in the
evening. He was exceedingly averse to talk
ing, and said that anything Mr.. Devore might
have said was probably said in the heat of
passion, and hence in a measure excusable.
He denied, however, that the work of the
undertakers had been anything but first class,
and in addition praised all who had volunteered
their services.
All Worked Manfully.
Everybody worked manfully," said Mr..
Flannery. land everybody will continue to
work manfully until the end has been reached"
"1t is said Mr. Devore was elected Chairman
of the Undertakers' Committee on the road up
to Johnstown?' suggested the writer.
$50 he was" came the reply, "but it was as
temporary Chairman, for that day only. had
that, and the only reason that 1 did not 60 up
was desire on my part to stay here and secure
carriages gratis for the transportation of the
sufferers to and from the depots."