New-York tribune., 1919-08-18
ROarns Streets of
Brooklyn Weighted
Bv His Own Coffin
His Because He Bought 1t,
and Further Because He
Couldn't Sell 1t; Story Of
Speculation Gone Wrong

Between midnight and cock crow yes
terday a man roamed the streets Of
Brooklyn staggering beneath the
weight of "double extra" quartered
oak coffin, handles and plate warranted
to be of sterling silver and the glass
of heavy plate. The man was George
White, Of 65 Sackman Street. Brook
lyn. The coffin was his; he had bought
it for S135 from friend who had
postponed his death indefinitely.
Mr.. White, enthusiastic AS to the
merits of his bargain, started out to
sell it at profit to some undertaken.
The tale of his travels and advent
ures is inscribed upon station house
blotters from Dan to Beersheba, as they
tory of the world, it is believed Ever
travelled further afoot or caused more
commoton doing it than did that ''dou-
BILE extra" quartered oak bargain of Mr..
Whites. Had it's career not come to
an untimely end at noon yesterday, it
would have rivalled the coffin of Ma
homet.
The trouble was Mr. White is not
a professional pallbearer. Brooklyn
undertakers were not in a receptive
mood, and his task begay, to pail on
him after a few blocks. Then he put
the coffin down and sought the nearest
saloon that showed hospitable lights.
The Kind Hearted Saloonist
Apparently few Brooklyn saloon
keepers had the heart to close their
doors against man a-wearied of bear
ing his own coffin, for Mr.. White S
stops, as recorded by the police. were
frequent. Every time he stopped some
~ l. Il
covered the coffin. Everybody who
discovered it came to the immediate
conclusion that murderer had COM
pleted his horrid task, even to buying
a coffin, and was WaitingN only for the
moon to set to bury his victim.
From midnight until after dawn tele-
phone bells tinkled in police stations
and vexed police lieutenants assured
well-intentioned citizens that it was
not a murder they had discovered, but
merely Mr. White carrying his coffin.
The first time it happened, soon after
midnight at Broadway and Eastern
neyed to the Ralph Avenue police sta
tion with the Mortified patrolman who
discovered them and was convinced d
that this was a mystery for the de-
tectives
Mr. White explained the situation in
q digntied manner and thereafter he
was not molested in his travels by the
police, who figured that not more than
one man would be carrying a coffin
around Brooklyn on any given night.
The Big Scene, Act 3
The climax came yesterday afternoon
when George Edwards. whose father
has warehouse at ~ Howard Avenue.
opposite the Bushwick Theatre. called
the Ralph Avenue police station.
>"There's been a murder" said Mr..
Edwards. breathlessly. "and the victim.
coffin and all, is in the lot beside the
warehouse here"
See anything of man in soft hat
and raincoat, name O. White" demand
ed Detective Peter Thornton.
There's quite a crowd around" said
Mr.. Edwards, che may be in tin the
crowd, mean
We'll, for Pete's sake burn the darn
thing before he gets hold of it again.
whether he's in it or not!" shouted
Thornton, then went over himself to
make sure his instructions were carried
out.
Slightly battered and dented bv it's
experiences and without it's sterling
silver handles the double extra was
the centre of an awestruck throne. A
blaze was kndled, the coffin was placed
IN the flames and the police stood by
until the last vestige of it had gone up
in smoke.