Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Papparitz, Richard October 24, 1906
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Suzy Ward Fleming wardflemin@aol.com April 7, 2015, 5:40 pm

Norfolk Landmark, Sat., Oct. 27, 1906, pg. 3

 
Richard Papparitz’s Remains Interred
The Impressive Funeral Services were Attended By Many New Made Friends Of The 
Sorrowing Boy
 
The body of 16 year old Richard Papparitz, of New York City, who died of 
tuberculosis in St. Vincent’s Hospital last Wednesday morning, was consigned to 
the embrace of mother earth in Cedar Grove Cemetery at 1 o’clock yesterday 
afternoon. 
The impressive burial services was read by Rev. J.R. McConica, of the Union 
Mission, through whose instrumentality the stranger lad was given a Christian 
burial. In a very pathetic and touching address, Mr. McConica spoke of the 
loving character of the dead boy, bringing tears to the eyes of many of those 
who had gathered to look upon the face of the dead and strew flowers upon his 
grave.
Many of the ladies who attended the service carried flowers as a token of their 
sympathy for the poor boy whose untimely end contained so much that was pitiful.
Yesterday, shortly before the funeral service, Mr. McConica was sought by a 
charitably inclined woman of this city, who asked permission to erect a 
tombstone in honor of the dead boy, and to take the care of the grave upon 
herself. This permission was given, and before leaving the woman who does not 
care to have her name published, handed Mr. McConica a crisp bill as a help 
towards defraying the funeral expenses, which amounted to $50.
Young Papparitz’s case is a particularly sad one. Last Friday afternoon he 
attempted to board an Old Dominion steamer to return to his home in New York, 
but his physical condition was such that the officer of the steamer refused to 
receive him, and as a result he was sent to a private hospital in a carriage, 
and when the nature of his illness became known he, of course could not be 
received as a patient there. Mr. R. Henry Jones, of the Board of Control, was 
notified and had the sick boy removed to St. Vincent’s, and Mr. Jones 
instructed the hospital authorities to give the boy every possible care and 
attention. After remaining at the hospital almost a week the boy died and Mr. 
Jones immediately had his father notified. A telegram was found in the dead 
boy’s pocket from his father, addressed to R.R. Smyth, which directed that the 
boy be immediately sent home at his expense. Mr. Papparitz asked the cost of 
sending his son’s remains home, and was given the information desired he 
requested Mr. Jones to bury the boy here.
Mr. Jones brought the matter to the attention of the Board of Control 
yesterday, and the amount the Board is usually allowed for burying a pauper was 
appropriated toward his funeral expenses and turned over to the Rev. Mr. 
McConica, who had charge of the interment, the Board expressing regret that it 
was unable to make a larger appropriation.
Since young Papparitz arrived here he has made many friends having lived for a 
while at the Union Mission, before he secured employment as a milk wagon 
driver. The boy was exceedingly gentle and was very ambitious, being regarded 
by Mr. McConica and Mr. Jones as a strictly moral youth, deserving of all that 
was done him.


The Virginian-Pilot, Thurs., Oct. 25, 1906, pg. 1

Left Home After Quarrel, Youth Dies Here
Young Richard Papparitz Came to Norfolk To Make Money But Consumption Claimed 
Him-Boys Pathetic Story
The death at St. Vincent’s hospital yesterday of Richard Papparitz, a 16 year 
old youth of New York, reveals a pathetic story of a boy rebuked under his 
parental roof, leaving to struggle with the world, stricken by the “white 
plague,” lingering in its grasp and finally passing away far from home and a 
mother’s last loving caress.
Young Papparitz came to Norfolk about four months ago. He fell under the kind 
care of Union Mission Superintendent McConica, and picked up odd jobs about the 
city to make both ends meet. He said at first he intended not to return home 
until he had accumulated some money but after consumption claimed him, he 
longed to return to his home in New York.
Superintendent McConica tells the sad story of the boy as follows: “Young 
Papparitz came to Norfolk about four months ago. He said he had trouble with 
his father at home and left to make a living. He was a proud little fellow, 
ambitious and bright. He seemed to want to make a lot of money before he walked 
into his father’s home again. He would pick up work around the city and make 
money. Finally he sickened, and I had him examined, which showed he had 
tuberculosis. We treated him with medicine and gave him a diet. At times he was 
very sick. I have known him, so ambitious was the lad, to work all day on a 
roof with tinners when he could hardly hold up his head. We urged him to go 
home, and I wrote several letters to his father, to which I received no 
answers. After a while the boy got work on a dairy near Norfolk, and the next I 
heard of him he was dead at St. Vincent’s hospital. We all loved him at the 
mission, so bright and ambitious was the lad.”
After the boy’s illness became so severe a ticket was purchased to carry him 
back home. He was refused transportation on the boat, because it was feared he 
would die before it arrived at New York. The boy was then taken to St. 
Vincent’s, where he died. 
That young Papparitz longed to return home, after he became sick, is indicated 
by a letter, which for unknown reasons, was sent to Mr. McConica by the dead 
letter office. This letter was written by a friend of the dead by to Charles 
Papparitz, his brother. It never reached its destination and was sent to Mr. 
McConica.
This letter is as follows:
Aug. 30, 1906
Dear Friend Charles:
It is quite some time since I have seen and heard from you. It was my place to 
write you first, but as I had nothing to write I had no need of writing. But 
what I write to you now is important, it being that I received a letter from 
Richard, stating that he was in Virginia, I having answered him to ask if I 
could let you know about him. I received a letter tonight, and in it he said he 
would come back to New York, when he received word from you. He asks whether 
his father has any bad feelings against him as he wishes to come home again. 
This letter he sent me was the first one he wrote since he left home. He said 
he was making good wages, and had good clothing. Enclosed find his picture. 
Charlie tell your father to forgive him and let him come home as I think the 
experience will make him a better boy. Love to all from all, I remain, Your 
Friend, Fred 
Richard Papparitz, 106 Church St. Norfolk, Va.
The letter was addressed to Charles Papparitz, 231 East 52nd St., New York, 
which Mr. McConica says the dead youth gave as his home. The address of the 
dead boy was evidently in the letter by his friend Fred, in order to let his 
parents know where he could be located. 
A telegram was received by R.R. Smythe, of Norfolk, a few days ago asking that 
the youth be sent to 113 East Eightieth Street, New York. I t was then an 
effort was made to send the youth home to receive his father’s forgiveness 
before he died. The body of the boy still lied at St. Vincent’s while the 
health authorities are endeavoring to get in touch with Mr. Smythe with a view 
of making arrangements for the proper burial of this lad.

Additional Comments:
Cedar Grove

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