Evening star., 1941-07-15
Health Officer Called.


his police aide, John Boccina. Sud-
denly Mr.. Hazen slumped into a
chair and his head fell forward.
Policeman Boccina summoned DR..
George c. Rutland. District health
officer. from his Office, and later
Mr.. Hazen's personal physician, DR..
Stuart o. Foster, arrived. But there
was nothing they could do. Death
had occurred instantly, apparently
from a heart attack.
Funeral services for the Commits
sioner will be held at pm. FRIDAY
at Hamline M. E. Church, Sixteenth
and Allison streets NV. The body,
which was removed to Hysong' S
establishment, Thirteenth and NJ
streets NV. will be taken to Man
assas. Va, for burial in the plot
where Mrs. Hazen is buried.
Early this morning Mr.. Hazen
had received newspaper reporters
who cover the District Building.
He chatted and joked with them for
some time. During the interview
he received a telephone call. and
the reporters noticed that he ended
it rather abruptly and seemed some
what agitated but soon was laugh
ing with them again.
Had Been Ill Last Year.
Mr.. Hazen was i'll for some time
last year, and spent several weeks
in Doctors Hospital He also went
to Florida for three weeks to re-
cuperate-his first real vacation III
many years and his first long trip
from Washington since he became
Commissioner in 1888.
Since his return TO duty he had
seemed in better health, though he
had been forced to curtail some o;
his activities. During the investiga =
ton of the Metropolitan Police by a
House subcommittee, which closed
last week. he attended most. of the
sessions, and, he had carried on his
public duties vigorously in recent
months.
Commissioner Hazen was formally
pronounced dead by Health Office
Rutland and DR.. Foster shortly
before noon.
District Officials Shocked.
Word of his death spread quickly
through the District Building and
shocked his many friends in the
municipal government. Groups of
them gathered around the closed
door of MS reception room.
Numerous personal friends were
admitted to the ante-room, inciud-
ing Police Supt. Ernest w. Brown,
Fred A. Smith, president of The
Board of Trade; H. c. Whitehurst,
District highway director, and
Arthur H. Pilkerton, District auditor.
Mr.. Donaldson. one of the three
persons who were last to see the
veteran Commissioner alive. said
Mr.. Hazen wanted information and
dialed on the new inter-office COM
munication system which was in.
stalled only yesterday. The Conn
missioner seemed to have trouble
working the new gadget, Mr.. Don.
aldson said, and buzzed for Police
man Boccina, who put through the
call to the zoning Commission staff. :.
Had Discussed Illness.
Reaching to take the telephone
from Officer Boccina's hand, Mr..
Hazen collapsed. 81
Mr.. Donaldson recalled that he
had known the Commissioner since
he was boy.
He was telling me-" said Mr..
Donaldson. 'how fine he felt now,
and how badly he had felt on his
vacation trip to Florida"
Commissioner John Russell Young
was at the Capitol attending an
executive meeting of the House
subcommittee investigating the DO,
lice when telephone call informed
him OF Mr.. Hazen's death. Cons
missioner Young told the subcom-
mlttee, and Chairman Schultz at
once adjourned the session out Of
respect to Mr.. Hazens memory:
The subcommittee will not resume