Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-31
DECIDES
TO DELAY BURIAL
PostponeS Arrangements. for
Interment of Grandmother
Two or Three Months.

Decision to postpone. indefinitely
burial of the ashes Of his grandmother,
Mrs. George E. Pickett. widow Of the
celebrated Confederate leader, was
reached today by Lieut.. George E.
Pickett, Sd, Ofhcers Reserve Corps,
United States Army.
Lieut. Pickett departed from Washing
ton for his home in Charlotte, N. c.,
firm in his determination to return here
within two or three months and make
final arrangements for the burial of
his grandparents side by side. A night
which had its inception with the death
of Mrs. Pickett 10 days ago, eliminated
in War Department order authorizing
transfer OF Gen. Piekett's body from a
Richmond cemetery 70 Arlington Ma
tional Cemetery.
The controversy arose when the
Ladies' Hollywood Memorial Association
refused a request calling for the burial
Of the widow at the side of Gen.
Pickett in the Richmond cemetery.
There was an immediate fiare-up Of
bitter criticism of the organizations
action on the part Of Virginia patriotic
societies. The widespread attacks re-
suited in withdrawal Of the ban by the
memorial association.
Appealed to Army Officials.
Meanwhile, however, Lieut.. Pickett
took the matter into his own hands, APP
pealing to War Department oflcials for
permission to bury his grandparents in
Arlington. The authority was forth
coming, whereupon Lieut.. Pickett
scorned the somewhat reluctant offer Of
the memorial association to withdraw
its objections.
Richmond dispatches today told OF
plan of Mrs. Sidney Johnson Dudley,
president of the Junior Hollywood Me-
mortal Association, to present resclu-
ton at the next meeting Of that Or
ganization supporting the proposed re-
moval CT Gen. Pickett from the Virginia
grave She contended the transfer
would be justifiable.
An element of uncertainty was in
jected into the situation, however,
when an inspection Of graves In the
vicinity Of the monument on Gettys.
burg Hill, in the soldiers section Of
Hollywood Cemetery, nnemoriali1ing
Gen. Pickett and his men for their IA
mouS Gettysburg charge, revealed Col.
Lewis B. williams was the only ofIicer
above the rank of lieutenant over
whose grave q monument or marker
had been erected. This led to spec
ulation over whether Pickett's body
could be located.
Memorial Four Feet High.
The Williams epitaph recited that
he fell at Gettysburg July 3, 1863. He
was an uncle of Lewis G. Williams,
prominent Richmond lawyer and a
cousin Of the late John SHELTON Will
Jams, comptroller of the currency dur
ing the Wilson administrations. The
Williams memorial, four feet high,
stands 40 feet east Of the towering
Pickett monument.
The Pickett monument stands IS
feet high. It Is surrounded by six
pillars above the base. Between the
pillars rest tablets lauding the units
which comprised Pickett's division. The
tablets listed important engagements
in which Pickett figured during both
the Mexican and Civil Wars, with
verses extolling his exploits. The date
of his birth was given as January %,
1925, and his death as July 80, 1875.
Although no actual record has been
found. tradition fixes the burial of
Pickett as directly beneath the monu-
ment erected in 1888. Newspaper files
failed to throw any light on the mys-
terry.
The ashes of Mrs. Pickett will re-
main in Joseph GawlerS undertaking
establishment ct 1854 Pennsylvania
avenue, until the controversy u set
tied.