The Washington herald., 1911-08-23
CHECK FOR $1O0
LEFT AT PANAMA
BY MRS. DENNIS
Loss Of Pythians' Fund Left
Widow Destitute on Ship.
MILITARY FUNERAL TO-DAY

Dressed in q simple costume Of widow
hood, Mrs. Minnie Dennis, surrounded by
her six little children, recounted hast night
the story of her trip from the Canal Zone
to Washington. where she arrived penni-
less last Friday night Friends were
found who Were willing to give aid. s. H.
Bassett. grand chancellor Of the knights
OF Pythias of the District OF Columbia,
and G. w. Baumann, member OF the
organization, visited the Confederate
Veterans Home last night to investigate
the case, because 1t was said Lieut.. L. r.
Dennis. the husband. whose body the
widow had accompanied from the Zone.
was a member Of the organization.
Little by little, as Mrs. Dennis related
her story, the real facts came to light.
The only mystery yet remaining rs why
the knights of Pythias of Washington
had not been informed that Mrs. Dennis.
her six little children, and the body OF
her husband were to arrive in this city
last Friday. The only possible solution,
according to Mr.. Bassett, Is that the tele-
gram Of explanation miscarried.
Escorted by Pythinn Friends.
This opinion was strengthened when
Mrs. Dennis, who is very frail from
long seige OF illness in hospital In the
Canal Sone, told in a wea kvoice how
the members Of the Knights Of Pythias
had marched to the dock with the body
of her husband, and how she was es-
corted to the steamer by several Of the
officers Of the local lodge.
The fact that she arrived In Washing
ton penniless is a feature Of the case
which mystifies the local lodge
Mrs. Dennis stated last night that she
saw a check for 500 made out in her
name. 1t was a check from the Knights
Of Pythias. the money due her at the
death Of her husband
Mrs. Dennis says the purser Of the ship
refused to be the custodian of the funds.
A few seconds later the ashore" gong
sounded and with q brief statement that
the check would follow on the next boat
the men hastened from the ship.
Assured by the members OF the Or
ganization that she would be met in
Washington by a delegation, who would
see to her wants, Mrs. Dennis felt con-
fident that she would be cared for and
SO thought little Of the episode until her
arrival here.
Bassett who Is chairman of the execu-
tive committee of the relief bureau, said
last night that Mrs. Dennis would re-
ceiVe every attention from the organiza-
ton.
Mrs. Dennis will receive a substantial
sum from the organization, sufficient at
least to enable her to live while seeking
employment. She is still too weak to
undertake any hard work. but she de-
clared last night that she would not
remain idle a moment after she was suf-
ficiently recovered to work.
Il want TO work for my little children"
she said, and 1 trust that will be able
to find employment"
Funeral services for Lieut. Dennis will
be held to-day in the chapel at Arling-
ton by the chaplain ARRANGEMENTS were
completed yesterday by the Army and
Navy Union, Spanish War Veterans, and
the Knights of Pythias. A detachment
of soldiers from Fort Myer has been
ordered by the War Department to par
ticipate and to fire the volley over the
grave.