The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-13
ROW AT ENGLANDS BURIAL
nm HoUsEKExPER WOULDN'T LET
> HLs WIFI SEE THE BODK.

usshand amt wirs HAD Boon Separated Tventy
Ycars-Ensiand's son Tried In vain to Gct
the Redy. ana Carsod It ~ II was Lowered
Into the ~Grnve-Ensiand worth eco, 900.
For many years William England Of Maspeth
was ono OF tho best-known pcrsonagos on Long
island. Almost all OF his ~sixty.siN years he lived
In tho big white house at Maiden lane and Grand
street, q house which Is famous in the n%eighbor-
hood for its fine garden and its covering OF
vines. He was born there, and on Tuesday last
ho died there after a short illness. Now his
widow, from whom he had boon separated for
twcnty years. and hts housekocpcr, who has
shared the big white house with him for sevei,-
teen years. nre fighting over tho disposition of
his body. and already there havo boon one or two
scenes which have shocked tho ncighborhood.
In his youth England was a good deal OF q
sport. He WINS interested In dogs and horses
and.made n great deal of money in breeding and
training. He married n Maspcth girl about 40
years ago, and the couple had four children.
three sons and a daughter. After twenty years
of married life Mr.. and Mrs. England quarrelled
and separated. Mrs. England moved to South
Brooklyn, taking the children with her. while
England remained In the Maspeth house. Three
years after the separation, tho housekeeper ap-
peared on tho scene. She was a tall, handsome
woman and was known as Mrs. Speers. She
was much younger than England, but the two
yere constantly together and seemed to DO
great friends. Ten years ago England retired
from business, and up to tho time of his death
lived very quietly In tho Maspeth house. Mrs.
Spccrs remaining rs his housekecper. Mrs. Eng
land and her children kept away from the house,
although they wero frequently in tho n%eighbor-
hood, having q great many relatives in and
around Maspeth on whom they made periodical
calls. Tho feeling between husband and wife
was very bitter, and all of the children sided
with their mother.
On Saturday q week ago, England, who had
had heart disease for some time, had q bad turn
and was Obliged to take to his bed. He grew
steadily worse, and on Tuesday afternoon he
died. 1t became known oil around within an
hour that old Mr.. England was dead, and Mrs.
England's relatives sent her word at once.
england was known to be wealthy; and his fam
eldest son. who is about 10 Years OF age. went to
the white house at once and demanded his
'@ ais was sC your I fashe ePs' WISH d1et that l should at;
tend to his funeral arrangements, she said,
England insisted that his mother was the only
one who had any right to the remains and a
durate. however. and England went away, VOW
ing that he would 20, to law about tho matter.
named ttunninsham Who lives in the neishbor:
hood. and asked him to go and get the body and
"ean.t do it, said Cunningham. MRS.
speers has already engaged me-"
When Cunningham told Mrs. Speers about
England's visit she began to fear that an at
iS e Called in Constable David 'Htoldsworth and
Engaged him to guard the remains. Holdsworth
Wednesday he posted Deputy sheriff William
s sSGs P 9hss night HRS arise sG &C H%Re 5lSdRSTe9t 1Sf H Gas eH and
present.. There was no trouble however, and
tho services were undisturbed. None OF tho
family was at the services, but fearing that they
might make trouble at the grave when the In
tcrmcnt took place Mrs. Spccrs engaged Holds
worth to accompany the cortege.
Ga Friday morning. when the funeral process
sion reached. the grave, In the Cypress Hills
GeInss asEhtc MT wer En there in two wsi 81 seF S sGas, E Sns
land went into a fury when sho observed Mrs.
How dare you wear mourning for my hus.
band . she cxclaimed. Let mo at you and Ill
You wretch." shrieked Miss England. You
miserable wretch; how dare you wear mourning
Mrs. s sSsnr said nothing, and tho constable
kept between the Women. When tho under
- takor placed the coffin in u pine box and pre-
Stepped aqsp y forward and demanded that t the coffin
be opened SO that his mother might look on her
refused to allow the coffin to be opened. where:
upon the Englands went for her and said un'
pleasant things. Then England said that IL the
undertaken didn't open the coffin he would. He
stepped forward to carry out his threat, but the
the. frst. person under arrest who interfered
with the burial. Mrs: England and her daughter
rayed around 1or q time ana threatened 10 &c
all kinds OF things to Mrs. Spcers, but the burial
went on. Just before the body was lowered into
the grave England shook his fist at 1t and cursed
for several minutes. He then took his mother
and sister away and Mrs. Speers went home
with the constable.
England says now that he will apply to the
court sfor permission to disinter the body and
then allow his mother to bury 1t.
The dead mans fortune is estimated at about
$780, 900. His will has not been filed yet, and
Mrs. Speers, when seen yesterday by a sun re
porter. said she didn't know anything about 1t
She said that her name was not Mrs. Speers. al
though that is the name she has been known by
in Maspeth for years.