Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-03
DEPLORABLE!
Quarrel Continues Over the
Remains of a Loved One.
Gen. BaIlington Booth Not Allowed to
Privately View Sisters Remains.
Nothing Very christian.like in the
Whole Proceeding.

New York. Nov. 1.-The following
correspondence was given out, today.
at the headquarters of the Volunteers
of America:
Sunday night.
Commander Ballington Booth, New
York:
My Dear COMMANDMENTS it was i'm
possible for us to make arrangements
just before the Carnegie hall meeting,
this afternoon, for you to privately see
the remains of our sister (the consult.
beg to say shall be glad to make the
best arrangements l possibly can for
you in this respect, tomorrow, and if
you will send a message to me stating
what time you could be at n. II. @.
l will see that the public are stopped
and shut out this time.
To secure surer privacy foryou sug-
gest you. drive to 1877 West 13Oth street
and enter the Memorial hall at the rear.
If this should be as you wish 1 will see
suitable arrangements are made for
your reception there.
Yours sincerely,
ED NJ. HIGGINS.
New York, Nov. 9
Col. Ed M. Higgins, Salvation Head
quarters, New York City:
Dear Sir.
Your letter to Gen. Ballington Booth
has been received in which you say that
if he wishes to privately view the body
Of his sister at Fourteenth street to-
day, (MOnday), you will exclude the
public from the lymg-in-state, as his
doing so was impossible" at the Car
negie hail. After the inconsiderate and
Indifferent way in which Gen. Balling-
ton Booth was treated, yesterday, at
the Carnegie Music hall, it would not
be wise for him to subject himself to
further misunderstanding. During the
three-quarters of an hour he waited
there it would have been quite possible
for to have acceeded to his. as also Mr..
and Mrs. Herbert Booths request for
a family gathering. He was at the hall
under the understanding that you had
been fully consulted as also Command
err Booth Tucker and Miss Eva Booth
His request was one perfectly natural
to any hrother-simply to pray with the
members of the family for n brief time
around the coffin.
He would never have gone near the
Carnegie Music hall had he not team as
sured over the wire by your represen-
tatives that his requests would have
been respected. If this We're not so,
why was the condition made that DIR.
Josiah Strong should not be there?
Gen. Ballington Booth was told in the
hearing of Mrs. Booth that his arrange
,ments were conceded to. all but that
one point. and he Immediately waived
that wish in Difference to the rAone
Miss Eva Booth and Commander Booth
Tucker.
In your letter of this morning, you
overlooked the express purpose or Gen.
Darlington Booths and Mr.. Herbert
Booths visits to the Carnegie Music
hall. 1t was for a family gathering
around the body and not merely to view
the remains.
We regret this deplorable exhibition
of Salvation Army spirit and we can
not advise Gen. Ballington Booth to be
exposed to the public repetition of dis
respect that would be shown him We're
he. today. to visit the Salvation Army's
own headquarters.
Yours truly,
JAMES W. MERRILL.
Colonel and National Secretary for the
Volunteers of America.