Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-10
RITES ARE PLANNED
FOR MATUS COUPLE
Virginia Coroner Holds
Drowned Mans Body Until
Fees Are Guaranteed.

After being held for nine hours as
guarantee for the payment OF a coro-
neY's fee. the body of Eric +, Matus
az Greater Capitol Hciyhts. Md, who.
with his wife. was drowned Sunday at
. Dshlcren. va. was brought to Wash
incton early this morning Ter burial
Friends of MauS, who went 10
Colonial Beach, Va, yesterday to bElnS
t,a body home. were denied permission
n move ine baov until the fee had been
raid They Spen, all yesterday after
nenn ana last night attempting TO oo-
tain a hermit 10 move the body, PER
mission finally was given them al II
o'clock laSt night 10 bring the boay 10
this city. on condition that tn@ zee,
amounting 10 Sl050 was 10 b. charged
against Nf3tUS' estate.
Wransling for Nine Hours.
.1yn obtained possession of the body
only arto~ WE had threatened to leave
Il FOR the county 10 bury declared
Thomas 4. Lane 100 * street north
ooSt business agent FOR the local BRICK
LAYERS union. Of which Matus was
rnen,bor. We spent nine hours Wran-
Cling with the coroner ana the under
faker befcre We could get any SatH-
faction end were not able 70 get me
BODY 10 Washington untl after o CLOCK
this morning. ..
THE body of Mrs Maths was recovered
Wednesday morning and was pFoNgAt -
washington and placed IN Nattt az
Prospect HIN Cemetery awaiting recoF-
erv Of the body of her husband.
NatuS' body was recovered "Wednesday
night and was removed 10 Colonial
Beach. where an inquest WAS ordered o3
2 I. benson. country coroner. certd- !
icate Of death By drowning was lssueo
and the body was turned over TO r. D
Fitvhugh. an undertaken whose place
ri business is 10 miles from Colonial I
Beach. where it was prepared Tor burial !
Mr.. Lane was notified that the BODY /
naG been recovered and went TO Colonial !
Beach in company with 1lmothy Ran
lon. washington undertaken, and An /
drew MovtenSen Gas Fl street northeast i
friend Of the Matuses, Who was WIN /
them when they were drowned.
Payment of Fee Demanded.
Arriving at Colonial Beach at 2 o'clock I
Yesterday afternoon. they were directed /.
hack 10 miles over the same road TO /
Fitzhugh's establishment There they l
were told they could not move the booy
untn the fee had been paid. 4
we returned to Colonial Beach, MF /
lane explained today. but were unable |
70 find the coroner, An undertakeT /
there. to whom We appealed ior adVlce'
told us TO call the register OF vital stats /
tics for Colonial Beach ana gel re-
lease for the body.
We went 20 the register and he told /.
rs that he already had issued release /
IN the undertaken Fitzhugh. and that /
ne could get the body at any time.
we returned once more to Fltz- /
h,,ca's placa and again were denied /
permission to take the body Fitzhugh /
said he had been ordered by the coroner ]
70 hold the body until the fee was pala !
ard SID We would have 10 SO back 10 /
CoIou.H Beach During all this time /
] had zen unable 70 get any explana-
ton Of tha reason for the fee.
Bodv Finally Released.
ave finally got in touch with the
coroner. who told Us the fee vas pro-
vided by Law and would have 10 be
maid BY That time We were thoroughly
disclsted with the whole business and
told the coroner I had no authority
70 nav any fee of the kind and that II
he insisted on holding rs up for the tee
ne wouldn't take the body at all. he
then told It's to take II and he would
send q bill TO the administrator OF /
TaflIs' estate"
The BODY OF Matus was placed with |
that Of his wife in the vault at Prospect
Hi Cemetery. Funeral services will be !.
held for the couple at the cemetery
chanel at 3 o'clock this afternoon. The j
services win be conducted by Rev. Rich /
ard Schmidt. pastor Of Zion Lutheran i
Church. Sixth and G streets
The 3-vear-old daughter Of the /
couple. Gloria. vino IS being cared for /
b. Mrs John Schaeaer, 1923 Irving /
street northeast. has not been told her j
parents are dead and VIII not be taken |
70 the funeral She Is too small to
understand the tragedy which has made
her sn orphan. Mrs. Schaeffer believes
Efforts 70 locate relatives Of Matus so
fsT hare been unsuccessful