Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-03-29
DOUBLE FUNERAL
HELD YESTERDAY
AFTER BODIES ARE BURIED slpE
BY SIDE CORONER HEARS FROM
WOMAN WHO IS COMING FOR
THE BODY.

Il OH uClu, NLdICu Aos--t t6pcC11IJS S---~xA9
embarrassing situation arose twenty.
four hours after the bodies Of Harry
D. Mcdonald and his murdered bride
were lowered into the grave when Cor.
oner Gaumer received q telegram from
Mrs. Fl. D. Ward Of Cincinnati, Ohio,
who claims to have been McDonald'a
wife, in which she says she is coming
Wednesday to take charge of the
body. j. E. McDaniels, father OF Mrs.
Mcdonald, who was given charge OF
the body and had charge of the burial.
Is out Of the city and it is not known
what steps he will take to contest the
claims Of the Ohio woman.
Coroner J. s. Gaumer this morning
received letter from Mrs. Ward in
which she stated that she believed
Mcdonald was the same man who mar
ried her under the name OF Harry
Ward and who deserted her fifteen
months ago. She described her hus.
band, mentioning the crossed sworda
tattooed on his arm and the big scar
on his forehead. Her description tai
lied exactly with that Of the man now
lying In Fairfield grave. A few hours
later Mrs. Ward wired Coroner Gaum.
er that she was starting for Fairfield
and would arrive Wednesday.
The Woman's Letter.
The letter received from 4urs. Ward
said in part:
II have learned through the Cincin.
natl papers of the death Of II. d. Nc
Donald, whose right name is reported
to be Harry Ward, the name OF my
husband. MY husband left Cincinnati
fifteen months ago and the last ]
heard from him was March Is from
Chicago. am without funds and
therefore incapable OF making the trip
to Fairfield to identify the body. You
can appreciate the state am in, With
out funds and the sole support OF our
child.
II will give you this description Of
my husband: He was feet inches
tall and weighed $50 pounds. He had
dark hair and was dark complexioned.
He had two false upper teeth. scar
on his nose, two crossed swords tat
tooed on one arm, and long scar on
the forehead. Will you kindly send
me description OF the body you .-vs
there and also keep the body until
can satisfy myself.
It was but short time later that the
woman would arrive Wednesday to
identify the body.
Description Fits Case.
The description given by Mrs Ward
fits Mcdonald to the mtnutest detail.
according to Coroner Gaumer, with the
exception Of the reference to the two
false teeth. Garmer had two gold
teeth, but inasmuch as she had not
seen him for more than a year 1t is
possible that he had had his teeth at
tended to.
Coroner Gaumer Is awaiting the re-
turn OF Mr.. Mcdaniel, who is out Of
the city, in order to see what steps
shall be taken as to removing the body
from the grave when Mrs. Ward ar.
rives.
Funeral Held Yesterday.
Side by side in Evergreen cemetery
the bodies Of Harry Douglas Mcdonald
and his young wife were buried Sum
day afternoon. The funeral was priv
ate and was conducted by Rev. G. l.
Tenant of the Methodist church. AT
Evergreen cemetery a large crowd was
present, drawn through curiosity. The
only. ceremony here was short
prayer. Six Of the dead girls former
chums bore her body, while friends
OF the family were McDonalds pail
bearers.
Mcdonald, Soldier Of Fortune.
Chicago, March 28.-While friends
Of Harry Douglas Mcdonald, who muir
dered his bride Of four weeks and then
committed suicide at Fairfield, Ia, last
week, admit that he Is branded with
the name of bigamist, deserter, muir.
derer and suicide, they will await com
plete confirmation Of all reports be.
fore removing the laurel Of the hero
from his brow.
According to friends who knew Nc.
Donald well, his had been a life Of ad.
venture, that Of the typical solder OF
fortune, who had faced death In four
wars, taking part In some Of the
worlds most famous battles. In the
course of his military career, he serv.
ed five years in India as a member OF
the Gordon Highlanders. After com.
ing to America he secured commits.
sion as captain in the United States
army