The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-09-08
BODIES OF THE FAIRS ARRIVE.
On the St. Louis They Were Kept in
 Specially Constructed Mortuary.

on the SC. LOUIS They were Kept III a
 Specially Constructed Mortuary.
 New York, Sept 7.-In a specially constructed mortuary chapel on the up- per deck of the steamship St. Louis, which reached her dock to-day, were the bodies of MT and Mrs. Charles L. Fair, victims of an automobile accident in France The chapel was draped heavily in black, caught up with broad bands of white ribbon, and rare floral offerings were banked around the bier in great profusion. The caskets were consigned to Hermann Oelrichs. They were removed to the Grand Central de- pot and placed in the palace car Ben Wyzis, which was attached to the Chi cago special that left at o'clock this afternoon.
 It WAS not known to the passengers of the ship that the bodies were on board until noon on Friday, when the ship was only a little more than twen- ty-four hours from Sandy Hook. In some way the news was spread through the saloon dinning room while the pas sengers were at luncheon on that day, and created intense excitement. From that time until the ship reached her dock great interest prevailed among the passengers, and many applications were made to Captain PassOW for permission to view the mortuary chapel, but all were refused.
 Even after the ship was docked and the caskets were removed from the pier the American line officials refused to all low any one except the immediate rel atives who came to claim the bodies to enter the chapel It was after o'clock this morning when two plain black hearses. with closely drawn curtains. drove on the dock, followed by an ordi- nary public carriage From the car riage stepped Mrs Hermann Oelrichs and Mrs William K. Vanderbilt jr., sisters of MT. Fair They were met at the pier by agents of the New York Central railroad and by Colonel John Jay, who attended to the details of haV-
 ing the bodies removed from the ship to the lower floor of the pier, when they were placed in the second-cabin waiting room. It was asserted by the quarter master who stood guard at the gang plank that William K. Vanderbilt. jr.. We otSO Oll tiG Dlti anu "co OIA NlIC ship at the time that the bodies were taken off. but if so he did not join the other members of the family in the waiting room, nor did he go with them from the pier when the bodies were taken away.
 An undertaken from Trinity chapel took charge, and in the presence of the two sisters the plain pine boxes which formed an outer covering for the cas- kets in shipment were opened. Inside | this was a wrapping of heavy lead, her medically sealed. This was opened and the caskets were 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 were bound around each shell and riveted in place.
 The caskets were borne in the hands of dock laborers, called from the gang who were 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 workers asting as pall- | bearers was only another striking com mentary on the utter lack of display which marked the entire reception of | the bodies.
 Neither Mrs. Vanderbilt nor Mrs. OeI-
 richs would give any information as to the final disposition that would be made
 of the bodies. The hearses, however,
 left the pier about 10 o'clock. followed
 by the single carriage containing Mrs. | Vanderbilt and Mrs. Oelrichs. They
 were 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 Chi
 cago special they were returned to the
 car Ben Wyzis, The caskets were plac-
 ed side by side in the rear section of
 the car. On that containing the body of
 Mrs Fair was large cross of white
 roses, on the other an ivy wreath.