Age 41. 8 Richard Avenue, Cambridge, MA. Born 1/16/1901, Montpelier, VT. Died of burns (death certificate). Casket salesman, Fellows & Son, Inc. (undertakers supplies), Cambridge. Was known as "Jim." Had reportedly attended the big afternoon B.C. Eagles / Holy Cross Crusaders college football game with eight other men (not confirmed). Went from another Boston restaurant to the Grove about 20 minutes before the fire. "His body was crushed and trampled" (Cambridge Chronicle, 12/03/1942). Corpse was reported stripped of a $3,800 diamond ring, $1,000 in cash, a pocket watch, wrist timepiece, and a watch-embedded money clip carried in his wallet. The only possessions discovered on his remains were a combination comb-and-nail-file, cigar lighter, and three $5 notes. The Boston Post, 12/12/1942: "Last night detectives were checking a large roll of bills, wrapped in an elastic band, found in the Back Bay apartment of a waitress...on the chance that it might be the missing bankroll of one of the fire victims..." (refers to the home of fire victim Miss Vera Ann Cedrone, age 34). "...A friend of the dead woman, is said...to have gone to her apartment...and found...the roll of bills, which he turned over to relatives" (The Boston Post, 12/12/1942). "Police revealed...that they had recovered a watch and a large sum of money that belonged to James W. Slattery...They were found at the home of a friend [of Miss Cedrone] in the Back Bay" (The Boston Herald, 12/12/1942). However: "Last night, detectives stated that the automobile of the victim of the alleged looting was found parked behind the apartment house where the...watch and roll of money were found" (The Boston Post, 12/12/1942). The pricy diamond ring was never recovered (The Boston Herald, 12/05/1942: "His ring apparently had been torn from his finger, for the skin had been pulled away"). Pre-blaze connection (if any) between Mr. Slattery and Miss Cedrone is unknown. Wife former Margaret G. Deprez, age 43 (Born 1/12/1899. Died 7/08/2000, age 101. Last residence Hull, MA. Never remarried), not present. Survived by children James, Jr., age 20, John, age 16, Mary, age 15, Patricia, age 13, and William, age 9. One of two fire victims survived by five minor offspring (also Michael J. Fitzgerald, age 51; another casualty, John W. Griffin, age 34, was survived by four minor children plus one unborn). Parents Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. and Mary C. (Carroll) Slattery. Burial at Cambridge Cemetery, Cambridge. Middle name William.

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