The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-06-05
Capt. Courtney
Cheerful A Few Days
Before Tragic End

Continued from Page One)
found. outside of an ElK's charm
which the man is believed to have
been wearing at the time of his death.
Murder Theory Dispelled
With the finding of Bernard Preuss,
a sailor, who is believed to- have been
the last man to see Captain Courtney
alive by Deputy Sheriff Edgar Preuss
yesterday, and his subsequent tale that
he had left Captain Courtney in front
of the Saugatuck post office. a dis
lance of about 100 feet from the spot
at which he met hiI death all doubt
as to the possible theory that he
might have been murdered is now be-
Heved to be dispelled.
: A continuation of the coroners
hearing which was held IN Westport
on Saturday will be held in Bridge
port on next Saturday in Coroner
Phelan's court room when Preuss will
be questioned as to his knowledge of
the affair and the testimony of other
witnesses will be taken. In the
meantime United States Government
agents are still investigating the case
as are the State Police.
Capt. Joseph P. Courtney was bur
led to day with all the honors due an
aviator who served his country in
France.
The firing squad blazed forth the
tribute of his comrades-in-arms and
the mournful notes of taps echoed
over the tomb-studded cemetery, sig
mailing that another hero has answered
his last roll call.
Khaki-clad soldiers who faced the
German shrapne1 stood at attention
as the f1uttering flag dipped with the
lowering of the casket.
And in these final tributes there
was borne in the Borrowing anguish
of a mothers heart a new Memo rial
Day significance; Mrs Courtney's
simple story of this new meaning was
related yesterday by those who sought
to comfort her grief.
Less than a week ago Joe Court
ney, happy in the hustle and hustle of
his work, put his arms around his
mother and mildly protested his ac-
Invites would forbid him from sharing
with her the annual pilgrimage to the
grave of father and husband in St.
j ohn's cemetery.
81 tell you, mother, wait until June
s" he said, 'and Wen make the trip
then" Together they planned the de-
tails, the mothers face alight with
joy, inspired by the sacred task of
keeping alive memories of the past
by placing with her frail hands pre-
cious flowers on the grave of her
husband.
Next day Joe went back to his
work. There was much to be done,
and he did it with song on his lips,
with a thought of the. happy mother
would look forward to his coming.
Today is June 5. Mother and son
journeyed to the cemetery.
Tribute paid the son but there will
be only tears for the mother
Capt. Courtney was buried beside
the body of his fatheG and when next
Memorial Day comes there will be an
other grave for the placing of flow
ers to keep alive a precious memory.
Mrs. Courtney and her daughter.
Mrs. Arthur T. Hodsdon of Bloom
field, N. J., arrived in Worcester yes
terday, acc ompanted by Timothy Court
nf Courtney and
Mr.. Hodsdon. The poignant grief of
the bereaved family was plainly man
ife3t. Throughout the day they kept
a lonely vigil near the body "a vigil
broken only by friends of Capt
Courtney and members of the Wor-
cester lodge OF E1ks who sought to
console them and persuade them to
accept the hospitality of their homes
Mrs. Courtney's grief at the death of
her SON was pitiful, and efforts to
comfort her were unavailing.
The funeral was at $50 this morn.
ing from the undertaking parlors of
Callahan Bros, S6 TrumbuI street,
with high mass of requiem at St.
ohm church at 10 O'Clock. Co. B of
the 1o4th Infantry. NJ. N. G., was
escort for the body and provided bu-
gIers. drummers and firing squad.
Mrs Hodsdon, speaking for the
family yesterday, expressed her sur
prise at the statements made at the
inquest in Westport, Saturday, init
mating that Capt. Courtney had been
in an Intoxicated condition on the
night he was killed. She also de-
clared the family was not satisfied.
despite the police Investigation, that
be came to his death by accident.
I'VE know and his friends in Wor- |
cester know that Joe was not |
drinking man." she said. No one
could have steadier habits than he. /
lie made friends easily and was pop |
liar. but he did not drink. He spent /
every Sunday and holiday at our
home in Bloomfield and had to travel
so far that he often missed the last
ar to the suburb in which we lived
ina had to take a taxicab to our
house But he always came. and we
ooked forward to his coming.
He had been working very hard
or several weeks. He had a hard
district. which took in Stamford.
Nestport and other towns. He was I
INVESTIGATING an estate in Westport
Ind often worked overtime. He had
lothing to do with the prohibition