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“Finis” could be written today to the fantastic, the almost unbelievable tale of John Edward Everhart, 56, alias Jeff Davis, bogus king of the hoboes, who died here in the Westmoreland County Jail Sunday morning.
Old Jeff, who had masqueraded as king of the hoboes for years until unmasked by the real Jeff shortly before being committed to jail here, is really a native of Carpentertown, where he was born August 22,1898, and he has four sisters and other relatives living in Chicago. It was thought he was without living relatives.
After his death here Sunday morning as a result of a heart attack, Warden William R. Hohn searched his effects and found six scrap books containing newspaper clippings, photos, autographs and other data proving that Everhart had for years lived off the countryside and his alleged kingship of the Royal Order of Hoboes.
Ever since the death of the bogus king Warden Hohn has been sending telegrams and making long distance phone calls in an attempt to find his next of kin, without results.
Monday's Daily Tribune told of the phony king's death, but at that time he was known only as Jeff Davis. Yesterday, it was revealed in the Tribune, his name was believed to be John E. Eberhardt. This information was gleaned from a total of five telegrams and phone calls made by Warden Hohn.
After seeing a picture of Everhart in the Monday Tribune and then his name in the Tuesday edition his relatives came forward late last night and identified the body at the Coshey-Buchanan Funeral Home here.
Last night Warden Hohn also received a call from the real King of the Hoboes, Jeff Davis, who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The real king, like all royalty kind and just, asked jail ...
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... authorities to send a spray of flowers to the pauper king at his expense. He told the Warden he had heard of the death of the pretender on a TV program.
His relatives here say they have not heard of him in years, and even when his mother died some years ago they could not reach him for the funeral.
Funeral arrangements for Everhart will be announced later.
In addition to his son, Frank, who is flying here for the funeral, the “king” is survived by the following sisters: Mrs. Clara Heller, 264 East Main St., Mt. Pleasant; Mrs. C. H. Marth, 408 Everson St., Scottsdale; Mrs. Dom Cesario, Mt. Pleasant, RD 2 and Mrs. Martha Hill, Mt. Pleasant, RD 3.
Warden Hohn said he had called some of the relatives of the “king” here prior to his identification after finding their names in the scrapbooks, but of course they knew nothing of his guise as Jeff Davis, king of the hoboes.
John Edward Eberhart, 56 years old, formerly of Carpentertown, died here Sunday, but his identity was not announced until Tuesday night. He was born August 22, 1898. During World War I he served with Company D, of Connellsville. He is survived by one son, Frank, of Chicago, Ill., and the following sisters: Mrs. Clara Heller, of Mt. Pleasant; Mrs. C. H. Marth, of Scottsdale; Mrs. Dom Cesario, of Mt. Pleasant RD 2, and Mrs. Martha Hill, of Mt. Pleasant, RD 3. Blessing services will be conducted at the Coshey-Buchanan Funeral Home, West Pittsburg street, at 10 o'clock this morning by Father Gearing of the Blessed Sacrament Cathedral. Internment will be in the Greensburg Catholic cemetery.
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sdjones@sdjones.net
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Bill and Kristin Morris
“The History and Romance of Hobo Nickels Exhibit”
