Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-07
DRIVERS HOLD UP FUNERAL
M0URNERS WAIT WHILE RIVAL
UNIONS WRANGLE.
Police Make Them Proceed by Threat
ening Arrest-Then They Go Over
Different Routes.

NEW YORK, September 7-Coach driv-
ers belonging to three separate unions
which have been hostile toward one an
other for long time, held up the funeral
of Michael Feeley, a we'll known resident
of Williamsburg, for more than an hour
yesterday after services in the Roman
Catholic Church of ST. Vincent de Paul in
North 9th street. near briggs avenue Will
lamsburg 1t was not until Police Captain
Francis Dreamer of the Bedford avenue
station had threatened to arrest the men
under section 315 of the penal code, which
makes it a misdemeanor to delay a funeral,
that the coachmen partly patched up their
dlrerences and mounted their vehicles.
"hen they did move they would not drive
over the same route with their rivals.
Mr.. Feeley was a member of the firm of
Ferrall d Feeley, meat and fish dealers, at
Bedford avenue and North 9TH street and
highly esteemed In st. Vincent de PauEs
parish, where he had lived up till the time
OF his death on Tuesday The church was
crowded with mourners at the requiem
mass yesterday morning and many were
unable to enter
Clash of the Unions.
The hearse in front of the church
and more than fifty coaches were scattered
around. The hearse and eleven coaches
We're provided for the Feeley family and
relatives through Undertaken George Ham
ilton by K. e. Wheeler, a liveryman at
Berry and South Sth streets His drivers
all belong to the United Transfers Asso-
citation of Brooklyn. The other coaches
were in charge of drivers belonging to the
International Brotherhood of Transfers
and the Liberty Dawn Association.
Between the United Transfers Associa-
ton and the International Brotherhood of
Transfers there has been bitter rivalry
hnx
tempted to drive the other out of existence
When members of the three societies met
In front of the church yesterday it was evil
dent to bystanders that there was going to
be trouble. The men ScOWled at one an
other and made insulting remarks.
The climax came at the close of the serv-
Ices. AS the palbeacers were carrying the
coffin from the church and members Of the
family We're following the drivers of the
United Transfers Association refused to
drive in the funeral with their rivals. Then
the International men began to kick and
declared that they would not drive behind
the United Teamste"S. The Liberty Dawn
men butted in next and refused to drive
with men from the Other two societies. Tn
ydertaker Hamilton appealed in vain to the
men. Meanwhile the coffin had been placed
in the hearse and the family was waiting
for a driver to start ahead so that they
could enter the first coach. The mourners
had filed out from the church and crowded
the sidewalk
Police Settle Trouble.
After vainly trying to settle the trouble
the undertaken sent for the liveryman.
Wheeler. When he appeared the drivers
were still obstinate. He tried to reason with
Them but they turned their heads. Even
when he tod them they were liable to ar
rest for holding up a funeral some of the
drivers shrugged their shoulders and de-
cared they wouldn't change their attitude.
Wheeler FASTENED to the Bedford avenue
police station and complained 20 Capt.
Dreamer He cited section 80 Of the penal
code and told the poll, that the coach driv-
ers were liable to arrest. Capt. Dreamer
with a copy of the law and ten policemen
hurried to the scene of the trouble. The
streets were damned and the police were
obliged to use force to get to the front
Capt. Dreamer called all The drivers
around him and then read the law govern
ing the holding up of funeral He threat
ened to arrest the whole bunch unless they
moved on properly. The three rival socie-
ties held brief conference and they agreed
to start the funeral Under one condition
that the drivers from the different unions
be permitted to take different routes to Cal
vary cemetery. Wheeler's coaches and
hearse went one way the International
men another and the Liberty Dawn drivers
4 third.
The funeral had been held up just an
hour.