Encyclopedia Titanica

KIN OF MORGAN MAY HALT SHIP

The Washington Times

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Satterlee Plans to Leave Rome Tomorrow with Body of Famous Financier
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SEEKS A SPECIAL TRAIN
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Plans Said to Be Under Way for Holding the Steamer Olympic for Party
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by HENRY WOOD
Rome Correspondent of the United Press
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ROME, April 1---The body of J. Pierpont Morgan will be taken to New York by
steamer tomorrow from Cherbourg, if Herbert L. Satterlee can make such
arrangements. It was announced this afternoon at the Grand Hotel, where
Morgan's body lies in state, that Satterlee was trying to arrange for a
special train from Rome to Cherbourg, and that if it could be obtained
immediately the steamer Olympic would be held up to wait the body.

Should it be decided to remove Morgan's body so soon, brief funeral services
by the American and English Episcopal rectors will be held at the Grand
Hotel this evening.

In Three Caskets

Incased in three caskets, the body of the financier today was viewed by many
friends, distinguished Americans and diplomats. It is held by a dark walnut
casket, upholstered in white brocaded velvet. This casket is within a casket
of solid lead, and this in turn is held by another walnut box, highly
polished and with silver handles and trimming.

Further messages of sympathy that came today to the hotel were from King
Victor Emanuel, Pope Pius, President Poincare of France, Kaiser Wilhelm, and
others.

Ambassador O'Brien, in accordance with instructions from Secretary of State
Bryan, offered the American embassy for funeral services, but the Satterlees
thought this would be impracticable, owing to their haste in leaving for
America.

Died of Starvation

With every necessity and luxury that money could buy at his command, Morgan
actually died of starvation. This fact, startling in contemplation, was
stated today by his physicians, who said that all the artifice of modern
medical science could not get nourishment into his systetm [sic] because of
the failure of functional nerves to do their work.

While the body, watched over only by six paid employes, lay in his
$500-a-day suite that had been twice occupied by kings, and his relatives
were all gathered in an adjoining room where Mrs. Satterlee, his daughter,
required a physician's care, the usual feverish gayety went on uninterrupted
throughout the Grand Hotel.

Revelry Continues

The noise of dancing, the raucus calls of chauffeurs and carriage starters
at the entrance, the blare of orchestras and the shouts of gamblers---all
the discordant sounds of revelry that the physicians said were in part
responsible for the sudden collapse of Morgan, went on as usual up to the
gray hours of the morning just as if the body of a powerful monarch of
finance did not lie almost unattended on the second floor. And it might have
been that some of the revelers did not know it.

When the undertakers finished their task today, permission was given by Mrs.
Satterlee for Albin Polaceks, a Philadelphia art student, to make a
death-mask of the financier. Polaceks is studying in the American Academy
here, founded with Morgan's money, and his study was financed by Morgan.

Throughout the night the second floor of the hotel, taken up entirely by the
Morgan suite, was almost deserted. Neither the Satterlees nor any of the
other relatives or immediate friends were in the death chamber. Scores of
friends offered their services as watchers, but their offers were declined
as were those of other distinguished compatriots and diplomatic
representatives.

Faithful Servant on Guard

Pace, the faithful Italian courier, who had served Morgan on his annual
visits to Rome, for many years, was on guard at the door of the suite, and
everything was attended to by the six paid men who watched the corpse.

The Morgan party here occupied the palatial royal suite always taken by
Morgan in the Grand Hotel. It consists of two salons with eight sleeping
apartments, on the second floor of the hotel. It has a private outside
entrance, on the southeast corner of the building, and once was occupied by
the late King George of Greece. King Gustaf of Sweeden, [sic] also had the
suite at one time.

Morgan occupied the corner room and two of its windows looked out on a park
with green trees, while two on the east gave a view of the imposing towers
of St. Peter's. This was the favorite outlook of Morgan in the days before
his last illness sent him to bed.

Body Is Embalmed

With the consent of Signor Trucci, th [sic] director of the Protestant
Cemetery, the body of Morgan was embalmed at 8 o'clock today. The death mask
then was made. The Italian government interposes almost endless red tape in
the removal of bodies from this country, but in the case of Morgan it was
expected that usual delays would be obviated through the influence
of Ambassador O'Brien.
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LONDON, April 1---When word came today from Rome that Herbert L.Satterlee
was attempting to have the White Star liner Olympic held up at Cherbourg to
carry J. Pierpont Morgan's body to New York the officials of the liner said
that it was hardly likely that the boat would be held.

Related Biographies

John Pierpont Morgan

Related Places

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Related Ships

Olympic

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Encyclopedia Titanica (2013) KIN OF MORGAN MAY HALT SHIP (The Washington Times, Tuesday 1st April 1913, ref: #19411, published 2 April 2013, generated 3rd October 2024 05:20:32 PM); URL : https://www.encyclopedia-titanica.org/kin-of-morgan-may-halt-ship-19411.html