Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-05-01
PROBE into death
OF DEL. GUARDSMAN
lconLInnod from FIrst Pagel

Continued from First Page
ties OF the State. These facts have
been learned by an investigation made
in Philadelphia by Captain Ellison
and John Demaree. a brother This
investigation followed the receipt OF
letter received by Adiutant General
Wickersham several days ago. The in
formation received at the cOroner's
Office in Philadelphia and the hcsp,
tai where the guardsman died differ
ed in many important details.
Il Is understood that relatives OF
the deceased soldier are not satisfied
that death was due TO natural causes
and think he may have been drugged
and robbed. When he left Whining
ton some time on April or early in
the morning Of April 10, he had about
S55 in his possession. The pass re-
ferred to was given TO Demaree by
the first sergeant Of his company to
pass him to and from the local ar
mory, and II was written on the back
Of part OF a check of a local bank
Captain Ellison and the brother, in
looking up information the latter part
OF last week I'm Philadelphia. learned
that the guardsman entered the lodg'
ing house on Arch street early In the
morning OF April 10 and applied for a
room. saying he was very tired. About
noon that day he was found in his
room unconscious and was practically
in dying condition when he reach
ed the hospital.
The hospital report indicated that
il was thought there the case was
suspicious one. The authorities OF
the institution claim that the name Of
d. II. Stcelman. was found in one OF
the shoes the man wore when taken
there.
AT the office OF the Philadelphia
coroner those in charge claim moth
ing was found TO identify the body.
Although the Office could give no in
formation as to the uniform or shoes
that Demaree wore, Il was stated at
the hospital that they were on the
body when removed from there. No
trace whatever could be found Of any
money that the soldier is supposed to
Rave had with him. After further
questioning at the cOroner's Office,
one OF the officials produced the pass
with Demaree's name on 4 The OIL
cial stated that in an effort to trace
the piece OF check on which the name
was written he communicated with
the Treasury Department at Wash
| ington, giving the code number on
the back OF the check, and received
reply giving him the name OF the
Wilmington bank that issued IT, The
/ official claimed he could get no infor-
nation when he wrote to the bank.
! The small piece OF check did not
have the name OF the bank on il, il
only being the end OF the check The
coroner's Office official also said he
wrote TO the commandant at Fort Du-
Pont about the matter but failed to
identity the body in that way.
The body was identified by the
brother after il had been eXhumed in
the county burying ground OF Philadel-
phia. The body had been inferred in
rude shroud. While the body gives
evidence Of a post norton eXamina-
ton it is possible that another exami.
nation will be made by an army sur
geon before the funeral which takes
place at 2 O'Clock tomorrow afternoon
The body was brought to Wilmington
on Sunday and 1t is now at the chapel
at Riverview cemetery and will be
inferred with military honors.
The local authorities cannot under
stand why. when the coroner's Office
in Philadelphia had the name of DEM
aree on the pass, they were not notified
although il is claimed the body was
kept at the morgue until April q
awaiting identification They are also
anxious to find the uniform and shoes
OF the soldier. II is reported that when
Demaree was taken to the Roosevelt
Hospital his body was very much
swollen.
The deceased guardsman lived with
his family at Sycamore and Scott
streets He had served about eight
years in the National Guard and a.
I different times had been a member o.
! Companies F. d and c. He was for
merly a sergeant in one Of the com
psnieS.