The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-11-25
Writes Concerning
Death of Former
Libby Pastor

At a recent meeting of the La
dies Aid of the Presbyterian
church. Mrs. Alice Farris read a
paper giving notes of interest con-
corning the tragic death of form
ger pastor of the church, the Rev
Albert Hart
1t will be remembered that the
Rev Mr. Hart, while taking post
graduate work at Columbia Uni
versity, was called into the army
as first lieutenant. from the of
ficers' reserve corps, was later
transferred to chaplaincy, and
some months later was killed in~an
airplane- accident in Australia. v
Mrs. Farris read a clipping from
/ the Seattle P-I which said, Amer
lean soldiers killed on scattered Pa
cific island fronts were buried to-
day in the largest mass ceremony
of its kind in Australia since the
war began. The flag-draped collins
were taken to a cemetery near a
North Australian town in keeping
with the Army policy of having a
few large well-kept places for SOL
dier dead instead of many small
ones. Three American chaplains
participated in the ceremony, at
tended by large group of Ameri-
cans and Australians. The Rev. M.
Hart was one of those buried at
that time.
The paper that Mrs. Farris read
to the Aid follows.
After reading the above in the
Seattle Post Intelligencer. we tried
to ascertain a little more about the
Harts-if Mrs. Hart was with her
parents or away from the state. So
we wrote to Mrs. Harris mother,
Mrs. F. A. Brim, of Sheridan. Mont.
and received the following letter:
Dear Mrs .Farris:
It was a great pleasure to hear
from you and to let you know
little more. amout the Harris.
Dorothy is in Buffalo, Wyo.. TAX
ing care of the baby of Albert's
sister. He was born Memorial Day
In 1912. His mother Aberts only
sister, died in July. Dorothy was
on her way to take court re-
porters position in Butte when the
telegram came. She went to Buff
falo Immediately.
After being there about three
weeks, she was informed that AL
bert had been killed July Is. She
hadn't heard from him for some
time When their wedding ami
versary passed and still no word,
she was terribly worried, of course.
Her father and | left inside of an
hour after we heard the news. She
and the baby came home with us
for a couple of weeks. Then they
returned to Buffalo where she helps
with the boys, ages six and nine.
Their father is a rancher and
she looks after the children in town
during the school days; baby all
the time.
She gave up her position in New
York to join Albert at Camp Clair
borne, La. When she arrived there.
he met her at the train with the
news that they were ordered out.
Would have missed each other, en- /
tirely, only that he had had leave
Of absence to GO to Kansas and /
perform the wedding ceremony of !,
his brother. His group ordered
out during that time They had i
a few hours before he went with I
another group
Had she stayed on in New York,
they would have had some time to-
gether. AS fate willed it, his "un-
known destination" for little
while was in New Jersey. He was
IN New York several times and 4
Philadelphia once to appear before 1
a committee on chaplains. Expected 4
every hour to get sailing orders, of
course
He had hoped to be in Louisiana
several months. Didn't suppose
there was chance of staying close
to New York.
They had had profitable time
there. Albert enjoyed his work in
Columbia SO very much.
The mother of his colonel wrote
Dorothy. She sent snapshot that
ler son had sent with the original
etter he had written to her some
lime before the DEATH The colonel 1
wrote. Our chaplain (Albert Hart)
S not member of your church,
out we don't care what league he |