Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-06-15
A Man Who
Bui|fHiSH0USe
LjkeA Tomb


go to that gruesome place the bottom of the
Bill Howard dehed this tradition at the bottom
of the but for 81 years has lived Davy Jones
Locker of his making defyng the death that doctors
predicted away back in 1920
Broken in health from much seafaring William
Howard told he had only six months TO live when he
retired the United States Navy 1920 after 80
years Of service But he refused to be down-heated He
had plenty money told the doctors. We'll,
have heluva good time while II Lasts"
AS retired officer Bill entitled to return passage
from the Philippines where he had served his last Of
Manila anyhow So he built small house stills
the the city a Filipino detician
servants bought flock Of prize chickens and
celebrate the last months left to him.
The thought of dying amused him So he christened his
place Davy Jones Locker surrounded himself with all
the weird objects men associate with the name He got
great kick ordering his coffin and. after
appropriate ceremony he gave prominent place
porch Then he stocked a huge icebox with
liquor and offered 70 drink and all under the
table.
The six months came TO an end but Bill Howard
still very much alive. He waited few weeks and still
nothing happened Inacon began bore him, he got
job chief shipping clerk at the Cavite Navy Yard
Shortly afterward he met Luerssen. the undertaken
Luerssen had and lived not far away To Bill
who expected to die any day seemed most appropriate
that he should hide work every day with his under
taker The two struck up friendship and for Is years
Luerssen picked up Bill every morning
again night They agreed be buried together Bills
Davy Jones Locker and each bet the other he would
die first
In front OF house planted apchors salvaged
Spanish ships sunk In Manila Bay by Admiral Dewey
1898. Against them he placed tombstone for himself
and for Luerssen
Luerssen chose his own epitaph Here will lie the body
of Luerssen, the undertaken snug bug in rug
buried there about five years with all the
pomp and ceremony Bill could muster.
Evidently Bill had premonition that he would
friend epitaph Here
will lie the body of William Howard damn site snugger
than that other bugger."
In keeping with his salty background and the name he
had chosen for his burial ground Bill insisted upon strict
naval discipline Mary his detician commissioned
Executive Officer" his two Filipino servants became uni
deck hands, and attractions Of regulations
punished navy style. Among the skulls filched from old
tombs in the hills, Bill placed hfepreservers from ships
that had served in the Old Navy ships steering
wheels and other relics Of wrecked craft.
original months have stretched into 81
years and Bill with his "Davy Jones
tradition for curious tourists something god
natives and the subject many tall yarn for his old
shipmates in the Navy.
The porch Bits decorated with fish,
life preservers ships relics On each of the pillar
supports affixed grinning human skull with pair Of
crossed beneath Many visitor remembers those
grim objects with shudder shining of empty
eyesocket night weird green and red lights that
make the skulls douby unpleasant.
Two skulls perched atop eight foot black post
the center Of the yard Illuminated after shutdown by
white light a nearby tree they look If they
suspended in by devil himself Supersttous
natives whisper queer tales about powerful spirits that do
the bidding of the white Medicine when most
sleep. Thieves give the place wide berth which
is only natural
Visitors are welcome all hours Each is first led up
the porch steps by Mary Bills coffin. Upon s
coffin shaped ships log This bears the inscription Davy
Jones Visitors Book Mary points silently to sign
above the coffin, Here lies the bones of Davy Jones
Please register"
Bill appears somewhere and shoves into his callers
hand pen fashioned from the bone of long dead
humans forearm. He then soemnly blows whistle,
his guest signs in blood-red ink the wel-fed
pages the log while ships bell tolls mournfuly This
ceremony completed visitor is given whatever he
to eat and permission to wander about the place
IS he wishes.
Bill is an old man now. but he sti drink the best
of them under table In his will he stpulates that his
remains placed his coffin and buried beneath the old
anchor across the walk from Luerssen.