The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1920-02-21
WOULD PROF|TEER
ON SOLDIER DEAD
Brooklyn Undertakes Asked
Poor Mother $+5 to Transport
Body Short Distance.

NEW YORK, Feb. 2I.--A ssd-faced
little old lady stepped down the Esns
plank OF the Fabre liner Britannia
soon after that vessel locked, at the
foot OF Thirty-first street. Brooklyn.
yesterday and following the orders OF
pier guards walked over TO the roped
area where passengers whose names
began with I'D" were declaring their
possessions TO the customs inspectors.
She took her place In line and pres
emily IL came her turn. TO be ques-
toned.
TO the customs inspector she hand
ed a formidable looking document,
which proved to be special permit
issued by the Navy Department to
Mrs. Anne Devera, of Chicago. for the
removal OF the body OF Seaman James
Devera OF the navy from Marseises,
France, 10 a Chicago cemetery. The
permit showed the young man was
Mrs. Devera's son. that ne had been
mortally wounded in action at sea,
treated In a base hospital ashore and
buried with honors In the cemetery
In the French city.
So the inspector didn't trouble Mrs.
Devera with many questions. He gave
the contents OF the tiny trunk brief
survey and closed the lid. Then he
took the lone traveller by the arm and
led her to the desk. where she had
10 sign the customs blanks.
Telephone 10 Undertaker.
She fixed her name to all of them,
signing for the body and the trunk.
Then. turning to the inspector, she
asked his assistance in obtaining
transportation for II" coffin. He took
her to a telephone !, 9TH. and they Sc
fccted the name OF - Brooklyn under
taker at random. g called the num-
Der.
you know my soldier sons body
is inside the coffin" she said while
waiting. "His Is the first American
body to be brought back from France.
1t took a lot OF time to get the per-
mits fixed up, because there never
had been a precedent for what ] felt
l had to do. But down in Washing
ton and In Chicago. where ! went to
see the recruiting officer, everybody
was So nice to me IL made il easier.
The hardest part was saving up
money enough to buy ticket to New
York and then to France. That took
a long time. Jim and my other two
sons wcr6 in the service a long time.
and we didn't have much money when
the war ended"
just tHtH inc ufluerlakcT WnOse
number had been called after being
selected at random from those in the
telephone directory answered the call.
Mrs. Devera told him what she want
ed him TO do.
II want the coffin taken from hera
over TO the Pennsylvania station in
New York in time for the = o'clock
train to Chicago tomorrow" she said.
1T must go on the train with me-"
There was short pause. Then
came the answer: That will cost
you $40"
Unable to Pay Charge.
II could not pay that much" said
the sailors mother. The undertaken
then banged the receiver back on it's
hook.
A dozen additional calls brought the
realization that Brooklyn undertakers
If those called were to be consid-
cred fair examples--wouldn't trans
port the body OF dead American
sailor from the foot OF Thirty-first
and Thirty-third street. Manhattan.
for less than SO. In fact. that SCENE
to be the universal price
After an hour OF telephoning, Mrs
Devera was in tears
Finally the guard suggested calling
on the knights of Columbus. A call
to the office of Michael S. Hogan, SUI
pervisor of the New York district.
brought quick response. A motor
truck was sent to the Fabre line pier
in Brooklyn. The chauffeur carried
an American flag. Down on the pier
with the guard to help him, the flag
was placed on the coffin and then The
latter. watched carefully by the old
lady lest it be dropped or Jared, was
lifted into the truck. 1t was taken
to the station. There was no charge
Later Mrs. Devera was taken to the
Hotel AcAlpin as guest of the
knights of Columbus. She will leave
for Chicago today.