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shraby

(21,946 posts)
Thu Jul 5, 2018, 03:59 PM Jul 2018

Another unknown burial

I'm posting these in case someone has a brick wall. Section L in the cemetery was potters field

JAMES BURNETT

POTTERS FIELD TO GET REMAINS OF ANOTHER UNKNOWN
Life is strange, James Burnett, home-the wide world, died at the Holy
Family hospital last night and tomorrow, unless he is identified so that
relatives can be reached, will be buried in the county's Potters Field, ever
afterward to be just a number, another unknown among the many who have been
buried at the expense of the county. Somewhere a mother may be waiting for a
boy's return and she will never know.
Burnett was found in a barn on the Boehm farm a few nights ago in a precarious
condition. He was.. (distorted line)..to the jail where his case was diagnosed
as double pneumonia and he was removed to the hospital where he died at 7:30
last night. Nothing of value was found on his person, he bears no marks of
identification and the only information the authorities were able to secure
was that his name was "James Burnett" and that he was born "somewhere in
Pennsylvania." It is said he had been a railroad man but for which line he
worked is not known. Burnett appeared to be about forty two years of age.
Manitowoc Herald News, April 15, 1927 p.2
**********
SAVED FROM CHARITY FUNERAL
A man was found in a barn west of the city last week very ill. At the hospital
the only information that could be gleaned from him was that his name could be
James Burnett. It was decided to inter the body in the potter's field at public
expense. The publicity of this soon brought the information that he had been
employed at the plant of the Shipbuilding corporation. The records there showed
relatives at Detroit and local fellow Scotchmen took charge of the body and saw
to it that he had a respectable funeral Saturday. No reply was received to
messages to the relatives at Detroit.
Manitowoc Pilot, Thurs., Apr. 21, 1927
**********
GIVE STRANGER FINE FUNERAL
A man was found dying in a barn near the city last April. He was identified as
James Burnett, a man who had been employed at the blacksmith shop at the ship
yards. Everyone assumed the identification was authentic. A collection was taken
up. This part of the take may appear incredible but it is solemnly asserted that
enough money was collected from fellow Scots at the yards to five the remains a
"decent burial".
Later a letter was written to Burnett's sister at Detroit breaking the sad news.
She replied that she had heard from her brother from Toledo some considerable
time later than his reported death at Manitowoc. This called for looking into and
sure enough, they found Burnett at the Toledo ship yards, working away totally
unaware of the fact of his demise and swell funeral here in Wisconsin. There is
no way those canny Scotchmen can get the "siller" they wasted on an unknown tramp,
but it is naturally assumed that there was some cogitation on the matter.
Manitowoc Pilot, Thurs., Aug. 18, 1927
**********
[cause: pneumonia/The burial permit has James Burrett, died 4/14/1927 in Manitowoc
of pneumonia, buried 4/16/1927, Leonard Pfeffer - undertaker, L-3-9-stake #11.]

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