The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-05
A GRAVEYARD STORY.
Arthur Schmeig Sells the Fam
lily Burial Lot.
THE REMOVAL PERMIT DENIED
strange Case Comes to Lixht Through
the Appearance Of . sexton 1t
the Health Once.

Through the application Of the sexton of
Masonic cemetery yesterday afternoon for
permit from Health Officer Palmer to
remove the bodies Of the father and moth
ef o1 Arthur Schreig from the family LOT
10 small plot OF ground q strange story
came 20 light.
II Is the story OF q young man who has
rad wealth. but who is now poor and in
needy cfrcumstznces-
Arthur Schmeig is well known In this
CITY and II Is reasonable to say that he
inherited a fortune Of $1,000, but he hasn't
got II nov.
His mother died In 1916 and was buried
IN eiock Is of Masonic cemetery. a piece
OF ground e0x24 feet. Later when his
father died he was buried In the same
block large fortune. consisting OK
lands IN this city. West Seattle, near Ev-
erett and In Ballard. was left the young
man His uncle. County Commissioner
Fred Gasch. the brother of hts mother,
handled the estate Il was settled about
eighteen months ago and the young man
received valuable property.
Scnme1g was In San Francisco at the
Cooper Medical college for time. study
Ing to be physician. He returned to this
city. however. and while he was called
Doc" by many 1t Is doubtful is he has
ever given his vocation strict attention.
This has considerable to do with what oc-
CURED yesterday.
The sexton OF Masonic cemetery called
on Health Officer Palmer and asked for q
removal permit. AT the same time County
Commissioner Gasch appeared and object
ed TO the issuance. Then 1t came out that
the remains Of Mrs. Schmeig were those
OF his sister; that Arthur Schmeig had
sold the lot In which the remains OF his
father and mother were buried to A. &.
Freeborn.
Before acting In the matter Or. Palmer
hooked up the law and found that In order
Doe by many 1t Is doubtful II he has
death certificate must be presented The
remains Of Mrs. Schmeig being buried In
1875. there Ia nothing In the health office
records to put this point right, so he re-
fused to issue the removal papers.
The sexton reported the matter to Mr..
Freeborn, and his brother j. A. Freeborn.
went TO the health Office and explained
matters, but the removal was not granted.
Pos,-Intelligencer reporter called on
Mr.. Freeborn last evening and had a
talk with j. A. Freedom. de said In sub
stance: II was not q case OF boy sell
ing his parents graves In the sense some
people might look upon II, but rather the
case of a young man disposing OF a large
lot. removing the bodies and tombstones
to a smaller one and thus giving himself
money with which TO purchase the neces-
stiles OF life He said that up TO four
months ago Schmeig had been living at
Mrs ". Kelleys on South Eleventh
street and since then had roomed in the
Denny hotel building. A. {. Freeborn
had helped young Schmeig along. and
finally the young man decided TO sell the
family burial lot. Mr.. Freeborn tried TO
dissuade him from such a course, but in
vain Schmeig persist.ng because ne
needed money 90 purchase clothes. ETC.
Finally the lot was transferred TO "A. Z.
Freeborn by deed. Arrangements were
made for a small lot to which the bodies
were TO be removed. together with the
sou,bs tones. and then Mr.. Freedom was
10 sell the family lot. The difference be-
tween the cost OF the small lot and the
price obtained for the large one were then
10 be used for Schmeig's living necessi-
ties.
He said that rhs was the way Schmeis
came TO write the order asking for re-
neoyal permit, which had been refused
County Cunmhss ioner Gasch. when seen
las, night. said he did not care 10 talk
much about the matter. as 1t was a very
painful subject, involving the remains
of his sister. He had been given a
chance to buy the lot by Mr.. Freedom
but did not like the way the anair was
handled. He said that ne had consulted
his attorney after having received word
of the intention of removing the remains
and then made his objections to the
health officer. He also agreed That
Schmeig had come into fortune esti-
mates as being worth $4,000, but what
he had done with A. he could not say.
He also said that his nephew had been
completely out OF his hearing ana sight