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Senan Molony
Member
Username: senan_molony
Post Number: 215
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 6:20 pm: | 
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As an addition to the Witherbee material in the Research Article 'Lest We Forget,' thought people might like to sample this documentation from the Mixed Claims Lusitania Cases.
Quite a cheeky claim involved here -
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Michael Poirier
Member
Username: mike_poirier
Post Number: 150
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 6:37 pm: |
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Hello Senan
If you check out the article on Shelley's site-
www.revdma2.com/Rita.html
The court case you scanned was used extensively.
Mike
" God will get you for that Walter! "
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Senan Molony
Member
Username: senan_molony
Post Number: 217
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 9:44 pm: |
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Hi Mike,
I have the whole lot. US Govt Document 53281 of 1925. Runs to over 620 pages, with some great reading. |
Jim Kalafus
Member
Username: jak
Post Number: 2048
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 10:48 pm: |
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Some great reading, true, but about a third of the file consists of letters of receipt, or actual receipts, and ran up the photocopy bill extensively 
I think of all the "Cheeky" cases in the US Mixed Claims Commission files, the Samoilescue attempt was by far the most over the top. |
Michael Poirier
Member
Username: mike_poirier
Post Number: 151
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 10:55 pm: |
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Hi Senan
It all makes for good reading. Though some cases are merely lawyers letters, which is a shame.
I was glad to be able to send those pages to Lawrence Jolivet, before he passed away. Probably one of our bigger regrets is that the file did not have her birth certificate or an account of her Lusitania experiences. One of the things we'd like to investigate, as you read in the claims, is Trixie Witherbee's brief stage career. Perhaps it was summer stock, or maybe she sang in some sort of cabaret. Who knows? Hopefully someone will uncover the answer.
Thanks again for sharing the claim with the board. As I said, It makes great reading.
Mike
" God will get you for that Walter! "
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Jim Kalafus
Member
Username: jak
Post Number: 2050
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 11:04 pm: |
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BTW- The 'exhibits' referred to in the files but not present were returned to Beatrice and, at some point between the late 1920s and 1977 thrown out. According to her son, Beatrice was not a 'hoarder' and would periodically clean house. What has survived are the photos in our article and a painting done by her mother, from which we determined the correct spelling of May Brown's maiden name. |
Jim Kalafus
Member
Username: jak
Post Number: 2051
Registered: 12-2000
| | Posted on Monday, May 16, 2005 - 11:12 pm: |
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And here is a great profile of Beatrice's son, concentrating on his political career
www.teambc.ca/docs/Tribute.doc
Truly a nice gentleman. |
Senan Molony
Member
Username: senan_molony
Post Number: 220
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2005 - 1:28 pm: |
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I wasn't talking about the file, per se. The US Government printed all the cases in a compendium in 1925. (No receipts or acknowledgment bumpf).
They include the Sussex and various oil tanker cases.
My favourite try-on was the Irish guy, Ewart, who claimed to be carrying $7,500+ in CASH on the Lusitania because he had experienced a bank failure in Brooklyn in 1907 and wouldn't trust them again...
He didn't even supply the name of the bank. Unsurprisingly the case was slung out. |
Michael Poirier
Member
Username: mike_poirier
Post Number: 152
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2005 - 2:05 pm: |
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Yes, those cases are filled with wonderful things. Probably some of the more amusing are the ones where survivors or victim's relatives tried to reduce the claims of the lawyers.
" God will get you for that Walter! "
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Senan Molony
Member
Username: senan_molony
Post Number: 221
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2005 - 2:25 pm: |
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I really wish there was an "Encyclopedia Lusitania"...
I sent lots of stuff to the other site, and it just never gets uploaded.
At least here you can do it yourself.
Pity, isn't it? Would be nice if it were a little corner of this site. |
Senan Molony
Member
Username: senan_molony
Post Number: 224
Registered: 1-2004
| | Posted on Tuesday, May 17, 2005 - 10:10 pm: |
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Michael Poirier
Member
Username: mike_poirier
Post Number: 153
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, May 18, 2005 - 12:01 am: |
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Well, perhaps if we ask Phil, maybe he'll whip us up one? What say you Phil?
" God will get you for that Walter! "
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