The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-01-17
BABE RUTH
COLLAPSES At
WIFE'S BIER
Carried From Room After
Viewing Body; Burial in
$4,000 Casket.
STAR WEEPS AT GRAVE
Second Autopsy Reveals
Death in Fire Result
of Accident.

Bu United Press
BOSTON, Jan. 17.-While crowds
of curious stood outside, with twen-
ty-eight policemen maintaining or
der, simple funeral services were
held today for Mrs. Babe Ruth, who
died tragically in q fire in Water
town last Friday.
The funeral had been authorized
after a second autopsy showed there
was no foul play, but that death in
the home of DR.. Edward H. Kinder,
dentist, Vas due to incineration and
suffocation.
A light snow was falling when
Ruth, who had collapsed earlier in
the morning when he first glimpSed
the body of his wife, returned to the
Woodford home in South Boston for
the funeral about twenty minutes
before the services we're scheduled
to commence.
Short Ceremony Held
The Rev. Father Richard A.
Burke, pastor of st. Augustine's
church-the South Boston church
which Mrs. Ruth attended in girl
-officiated at the services. The
ceremony required just thirteen
minutes.
Dorothy Ruth, the 9-year-old
child, who until the tragedy was
believed to be the daughter of the
Ruths, did not attend the funeral.
The ball player announced he
would take her back to New York
with him this afternoon.
Ruth Was at Grave
The procession arrived at 1915
a. m. Employees carried the casket
from the hearse to the grave at the
cemetery,
William H. Thomas, undertaken,
read the simple Catholic commit
ment service. Ruth. towering above
the other mourners.s stood with
bowed head. his hat In his hand.
Tears streamed down hi cheeks
and soon he was sobbing openly.
Before the funeral Ruth had Wis
tied the home of Mrs. Ruth's rela-
tives and collapsed on viewing the
body of his estranged wife,
Lies in $4,000 Casket
Ruth. a strangely solemn figure in
black. was admitted by Thomas
Woodford, a brother of the dead
woman.
The parlor where Mrs. Ruth's
body lay in a $4,000 casket pro-
vided by Babe was to the left OF the
hallway into which Ruth had
stepped.
Appearing dazed, the ball player
turned to the right.
Here Babe" said Mrs. Joanna
Mccarthy, Mrs. Ruth's sister, direct
ing him to the parlor. Ruth seemed
to recognize her and nodded.
Ruth stepped into the small par
Ior. fragrant with flowers. On a
fiower-sm bier, before a
window. lay the body of his wife.
Slowly the Babe" approached
the bier. knelt and grasped the rail
in front of the massive bronze cas-
ket. He made the sign of the cross
and there was silence.
At length he rose slightly and
fixed his eyes on the face IN the
casket, pale in death.
Means at Bier
For fully five minutes he con-
tinued to stare at the dead woman.
Suddenly he seemed to be seized
by complete realization. His great
frame shook convulsiFely as he
sobbed.
"Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh Helen" he
moaned.
Perspiration showed on his broad
forehead as he continued his mourn
full vigil.
From a pocket of his coat he took
2 string of rosary beads and he fum-
bled these with his fingers as he
knelt at the bier.
Finally he seemed obseSsed with
a desire TO flee from the room. He
tried to rise. but slipped Seck into
a kneeling posture. again he at
tempted to regain his feet but fell
back moaning helpleSsly.
Superintendent Crowley and his
son. Arthur. a close friend Of Ruth's,
stepped forward and grasped the
ball players arms.
Come Babe" said Arthur.
Somebody handed Ruth hand
kerchief and he wiped tears from
his eyes.
Too Weak to Walk
Even when he had been assisted
to his feet. the Babe" ordinarily
a man of giants strength, was too
weak to walk He was virtualIy
carried from the parlor by his
friends.
In the hallway, Ruth's counsel,
Attorney John P Feeney, said:
Babe - everything's been ar
ranged for the funeral this morn
ing. You won't have to wait. We
are going 10 take you away NV"
Police opened an avenue through
the closely-packed crowd outside the
house and Ruth was assisted to the
automobile and driven away.
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