Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1922-09-11

Insurance of BrOther-in-LaW anu
Uncle KILLED in Action'-EnrOute
TO Farm in Indiana.
(Bv Isaac Gregg0
Washington. Sept. 11.-Eight Rus
sian rfugeeS, a mother ana seven
children ranging in ages. from TWO
TO ten, who have practically all thelr
lives suffered the pangs OF munger
and the fevers Of pestilences IN ter
ror-ridden Russia, are 70 arrive ~
New York next week or their way,
To what is to them a vast fortune ana
what is better. a fertile farm and the
Kindly protection of Former Cover
nor James p. Goodrich of Indiana.
The story of these refugees, tnelr
trials and privations, and torthcom-
ING acquisition Of a $4,000 legacy
from the United States government
* one involving about every element
of the drama. Contained IN 1t Is the
intense patriotism Of an lmm-
Grant boy for his new-fOund coun-
trv, mis- enlistment in the war, ms
death, the tutile attempt OF y. >
Government. officials to pay ms IN
surance to his mother the beneficiary
the death of the mother, father ana
five brothers and sister from starVa-
ton; the tragic widowhool OF the wite
of the BOYS brother, and OF the Ill
innate rescue of herself and seven
children by Il big-hearted American
relief worker.
Alex Folz was the boys name.
Seeking ms fortune in America he
rainp TO the United States In 1913 TO
work on a farm. His wages were not
high but he saved money and every
now and then sent part OF ms pay
back to his mother and father to help
support his younger brothers and SIS
teTS.
When the war broke in 1917, Folz
enlisted at once, thereby obtaining
naturalization. He named his mother
i'm the interior of Russia as beneflcl-
AIRY Of his life insurance policy. Then
came the training camps, the trip
overseas. more training, combat and
finally the words KILLED in action
were written after his name.
The United States Veterans Blu
reau tried to communicate with the
BOYS mother but the reign of terror
that followed the Russian revolt
made sit. impossible gs0@et an answer
from. her, although there is evidence
that in time she or her family got a
MESSAGE from The L. s. which they
could not understand except that 1T
meant they were the inheritorS of a
large sum Of money.
NThc mother and father could not
get out of Russia and they died OF
starvation, lust when and where is
not known An the brothers and Sis
tets of Alex died too. One brother,
Hemick, left a widow and seven chill
dren. .'..
Somehow these survived the ter
riblc Ordeals of fatherlesS family
in.the midst of a region where scores,
even hundreds, lay down Snd died
beside thensr IN the course OF, time
came to the territory i'm which they
| lyedsthe American Relief 0rganiZa-
tDn with its supplies of food and Red
OroSs accessories Mrs. Demick Folz
and her SdhildreA were among the
Most Suppliant of all for the meagre
rationS handed out by the American
Relief workers to aid those most in
need of food.
Aormer Governor James p. Good
rkh of Indiana, a successful business
man who had gone through politics
and who sought an outlet for his
great vitality and activity, had in
the meantime become one of Herbert
Hoover'S chief aids i'm the Russian
Relief organization and his duties
took him into the very centre. Of the
places where a bowl of soup meant
The saving Of child fro mStarvatiOn
and an article Of cast-otf clothing
meant prevention of death by freeZ-
ing
lin some way it was brought to
Governor GOodrIchS attention that
Mrs. Folz possessed document from
the United States which, If anthem
tic meant a fortune for her family. He
Investigated and found she had the
notification from the United States
Veterans Bureau, addressed 20 her
mother, telling of the $4,000 inSur-
aucc due her from the United States.
Governor Goodrich assured her that
ne would see TO it that she got the
money
How much is it," she asscd. not
knowing the value of money.
Goodrich tried to tell her. To do SO,
he reduced the amount 20 rubleS.
Forty billion rUbles."
Mrs. Folz wanted TO believe in the
6Jndlv-fIced American bercfactor
who was directing the work of feed
ing the children of the community.
but She smiled sadly saying there was
no such sum, and felt that perhaps
she was being hoaNed.
Returning TO America. Goodrich
set every possible agency in motion
TO get the money for the woman and
her family, I'm the meantime keeping
m touch with her through the Ameri-
can Relief organization
The Veterans Bureau was sorry.
but rules were rules and the money
could not be paid over. In the first
place, II was the children who were
the blood relatives Of Alex Folz and
not herself ana they were therefore
entitled 70 the money. The money
could not be paid % them in Russia
without guardian. And many other