Evening star., 1925-09-08
SAYS UTMOST CARE
WAS GIVEN BODIES
Shenandoah Crash Prober
Answers Criticism of
Victims Parent.
By the Associated Press.

~ bhc hssocidteu FFesS.
CALDWELL. Ohio. September s.
Comdr. Jacob H. Klein. chief of the
board of investigation into the causes
OF the wrecking of the Shenandoah
and in charge of all work here subse-
quent to the disaster. declared today
that the utmost care had been given
the bodies of the II dead members of
the crew.
His statement was made in reply to
the criticism of Howard w. Spratley,
Venice, ILL.,, father of William III.
Spratley, machinist mate on the Shen-
andoah, who was killed.
Embafming Impossible.
IAN of the bodies were mutilated. :"
said the commander. Our careful
consideration told us that no relatives
would want to see how mangled they
were. 1t was impossible to embalm
some of the bodies. We had moved
them into a barn for protection from
the elements. but it was hot and we
knew we must get the bodies away as
soon as possible. The Navy required
that its dead be buried in the Navy
uniform with an American flag around
the casket. There was no way for US
to procure uniforms. 1t would have
been days before they could have ar
rived. We did not want to bury them
in their shredded dungarees Overall
uniforms) so we purchased good,
clean, white sheets and carefully
wrapped the bodies in them. The
caslfets were beautiful, I thought
They were dark blue with silver trim
mings. I would ask for nothing bet
ter for myself. The Noble County
American Legion furnished flags for
the caskets.
Because we thought relatives of
the men should not see the bodies
we put notices on the caskets advising
that they be not opened. Expressly
for the purpose of making everything
clear we sent word to every relative
to whom a body was consigned that
they were to pay no express charges.
I cannot understand how it can now
be said that bodies were sent collect.
1t is not true"
Families ReaSsured
Comdr. Klein has in his possession
a carbon copy of the letter sent to
CPidliCyp liOlHCI VI lHc
dead machinist mate, telling her un-
der no circumstances to pay express
charges on the body.
Comdr. Klein called attention to the
letter sent by Emma r. Lyon, ex-
ecutive secretary of the American Red
Cross OF Guernsey County, to the
mother or wife of each dead man, ,yin
which she told of her visit to the
Belle Valley morgue, where she said
she viewed every body and satisfied
herself that all was being done that
could be done. -
Arrangements Lauded,
LOWELL, Mass, September s.
Inquiry following complaints about
the condition in which the body of
one of the members of the crew killed
In the crash of the Shenandoah was
Received elsewhere disclosed nothing
but satisfaction there with the way
in which the body OF Machinist's Mate
bartholomew B. O'Sullivan had been
prepared and shipped to this city.
Undertaken O'Connell, who con-
Quoted the funeral of O'Sullivan at
the Sacred Heart Church here this
morning, said that the body came to
Lowell in a black broadcloth casket
1t was well embalmed and was in good
condition. considering the circum
stances of death and the distance OF
travel from Ohio. The ticket on the
casket bore a G. o. d. order, but with
appended instructions to charge the
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