Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-08
BODIES OF FAIRs RECEIVED
Are Carried from ship by DoCIhands
and Placed Aboard Chit
caEO Special.

NEW YORK, Sept I'm a specially con-
sFucted mortuary chapel on the upper
deck Of the steamer st. Louis which
reached dock today, were the bodies OF
Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Fair, victims Of
an automobile accident in France. The
chapel was draped heavily in black, caught
up in broad bands of white ribbon and
rare floral offerings we're banked around
the bier in great profusion. The caskets
were consigned by Henry de Bourniel to
Hermann Oelrichs. They we're removed to
the Grand Central depot and placed on the
palace car Ben wyzis, which was attached
to the Chicago Special, which left at 6
o'clock. II was not known to the passen-
gers Of the ship that the bodies were on
board until noon on Friday, when the ship
was a little more than twenty-four hours
from Sandy Hook. In some way the news
spread through the salon dining room
while the passengers were at luncheon and
created intense excitement. From that
time until the ship reached its dock great
interest prevailed among the passengers
and many applications were made to Cap
tain Passow for permission to view the
mortuary chamber. but all were refused
Even after the ship docked and the bodies
were removed the officials refused to allow
came to claim the bodies to enter the
chapel.
1t was after o'clock this morning when
two plain black hearses, with closely
drawn curtains drove oE the dock, fol-
lowed by an ordinary public carriage. In
the carriage we're Mrs. Herman oelrichs
and Mrs. William Vanderbilt, jr., sisters Of
Mr.. Fair. They were met at the pier by
agents of the New York Central railroad
and Colonel Jay. who attended to the de-
tails OF having the bodies removed to the
lower floor of the pier. where they were
placed in the second cabin waiting room
1t was asserted by the quartermaster who
stood guard at the gang plank that will
liam X. Vanderbilt, jr., was also on the
pier and was on the ship at the time the
bodies were taken of, but IL so he did not
join the others In the waiting room, nor
did he go to them from the pier when the
bodies were taken away.
An undertaken from Trinity chapel took
charge and in the presence Of the two sis
ters the plain pine boxes were moved. In
side these boxes was a wrapping of heavy
lead hermetically sealed. This was opened
and the caskets removed. Each body
rested in a plain casket OF maple, un-
polished and unadorned with trimmings of
any kind save four broad bands of silver
which we're bound about each she'll and
riveted in place.
The caskets were bor2e in the hands Of
dock laborers, called from the gang which
was already at work breaking out cargo
from the ship to the waiting hearses. Six
to each casket. dressed In blue jumpers and
overalls, the picture OF these sturdy work
men acting as pallbearers was only an
other striking commentary on the utter
lack of display which marked the entire
reception of the bodies
Neither Mrs. Vanderbilt nor Mrs, oel-
richs would give any INFORMATION as to the
final disposition that wouIg be nude Of TIE
bodies. The hearses, however, left the pier
about l o'clock, followed by the single car
riage containing Mrs. Vanderbilt and Mrs
Oelrichs They we're driven direct to the
Grand Central depot, where the caskets were
placed in the palace car Ben Wyzis. Later
they were removed from the car and taken
to an undertaking establishment, but shortly
before the departure of the special they
were returned to the car Ben Wyzis. The
caskets were placed side by side in the rear
section of the car. On that containing the
body Of Mrs. Fair was a large cross Of white
roses, on the other an ivy wreath.