The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1919-04-24
HAMMOND
MOTHER FINDS
SONS GRAVE

~ ~n ~ ~s - -
Worn with worry and Illness ana the
fatigue OF her long journey but exult-
ant over the fact that against great
odds shs has succeeded in securing fit
ting burial for her sailor son. Mrs. Clara
Russell is back in Hammond. AS a re-
suit Of her efforts. John Cecil Brownrigg
now lies in a grave in the National
Cemetery or the Presidio. at San Fran
cisco. buried with a hero's honors. In
stead Of the unmarked grave in a pot
ters' field to which the body had first
been consigned
John Cecil BrownrIgg, q member OF
the United States Shipping Board. died
at the Marine hospital. in San Francisco.
November Is. following an illness with
pneumonia When stricken he was third
mate Of the Admiral Dewey in the mer-
chant marine and had but another
weeks apprenticeship TO serve before en-
tering upon higher command. Previous
to his enlistment with the merchant
marine he Tad received an honorable
discharge for four years service in the
United States navy In Mexican waters.
and another honorable discharge for a
year with the New York Coast Guards.
These papers were in his clothes at the
hospital. but for some reason they were
overlooked and the body was turned over
to an undertaken for burial in a paupers
grave in the city cemetery. Five days
after his death the mother was notified.
Shocked. she wrote for particulars and
gave Instructions for shipping the body
70 Hammond at her expense. Evasive
replies were received. She was assured
that the body had received ntting burial
by the marine service. but that this cost
OF bringing the body home would be pros
hibitive.
with a mothers intuition that all was
not right she started west as soon as sne
had sufficiently recovered from an attack
Of influenza. When. she reached the
higher attitudes Of the West she became.
i'll. Blood flowed from her nose and
ears and she was removed from the
train. Physicians declared she would
never be able 70 reach the coast and
urged her 10 turn back. but undismayed
she insisted and went on.
Reaching San Francisco. Mrs. Russell.
through the Salvation Army. was able to
AAllQ tue nus pltdt dlA0 NAlC Ill
dertaker who made the burial. 1t had
been her intention TO erect a simple
marker over the grave. but she was in
formed that no markers were permitted
In the cemetery. Then It dawned upon
her. Her boy was lying in a pauper's
grave. The undertaken blandly assured
her, she says. that a nice casket was
furnished. except that 1t had no handles.
owing TO a shortage at that time. Other
features were explained but the mother
was not satisfied. She must find some
way to have the body removed. After
much delay she finally got the ear of
high naval officials at the port and then
things moved rapidly. The body was
exhumed, placed in a fine casket and
draped with the American fiag. was taken
to the beautiful National cemetery. There
with the firing squad OF sailors. and the
bugler 10 sound taps" the funeral Of
John Brownrigg was held. five months
after he had died. And the United States
government paid the bill
Curious as TO how much CT Che under
takers story to believe. Mrs Russell
visited the papuer's cemetery. Me coffin
was still lying by the open grave. II
was simply a box made OF unplaned
boards with gaping cracks. Inside was
a soiled sheet in which the body had been
wrapped. 1t was stained with lye which
an attendant Informed her was poured
over the bodies in order to hasten deoom-
position. SO that the lots could be resoId.
This. she says explains the refusal to
allow any markers over the graves. San
Francisco authorities heard of her story
and an investigation was started She
says that it was learned that the under
1 taker was receiving $50 from the city
for each burial. By consigning a body
TO pauper's grave In rough box. the
burial could be made for about SIS. Col
fusion with hospital attendants is al
tendants is alleged IN securing bodies
for interment. She says it is common
talk that there are boys buried in the
plat whose parents are worth half a mill
lion and who are entirely ignorant of the
fact. supposing that they lie in the Ma
tional cemetery