The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1868-08-06
AMONG THE DEAD.
SCENES AT TIE MORGUE-HUNTING FOR
MESSING FRIENDS.


MISSING FRIENDS.
In large blue stone building on the
East River at the foot of Twenty Sixth
street, is the Bellevue Hospital The
locality is surrounded with tenement
houses and MACHINE shops. Were it not
for the fine river views and the tall trees
of the hospital grounds, the visitors first
impression of that part of the city would
be far from agreeable. Passing from the
street tlr, ugh an crched gateway, we find
ourselves pleasantly surprised. The hos
pital stands back from the river, on
commanding elevation, and from It's long
piazzes we have fine view of Brooklyn,
Williamsburg and the river. In front of
the hospital are It's well-kept grounds,
stretching down to the waters edge 1t
Is In this pleasant place where people learn
to suffer, ard here it is where thousands
have gone in search of missing friends
Attached TO the hospital is the Morgue.
In it are seven slabs Of marble supported
by iron columns resting upon marble
floor. On these slabs of stone the unknow
bodies are placed for recognition. Usu>
used, but daring the heated term, which
commenced on the 18th inst, the place
has been crowded. Adjoining the AIorgue
is the dead house, and attached to it is the
dead-house shed. Those who laugh at
warm weather, should pay visit to its
victims at the Morgue. On Wednesday
23 bodies we're sent out for burial, and
yesterday s were taken away before 8
o'clock. Besides these, 7 bodies were
lying in the Morgue and p in the dead
house. 1t must be remembered that this
number is but a small portion of those
who have died from sun-stroke in the city.
The room in which the bodies lie is sepa-
rated from the main apartment by glass
partition, so that the visitors may view
the dead without interfering with the at
tendants. The Molgue was crowded Fri
day with men, women and children.
Many would gaze for hours, as if only to
crafty morbid curiosity, Mr.. OBrien
of the dead house says that he has slept
but little during the past week, for, night
and day, the place has been besieged with
those anxious to get bodies admitted, or
removed. The rush has been SO great
that even the warden was forced TO leave
the hospital and help the Morgue attend
arts. The bodies while lying on the
slabs, are frequently drenched with car
bonic acid, and constant spray OF crotop
water is kept running upon their breasts.
The scene at The dead>house Saturday
was enough to make the gayest sad. Men
with large arms came and went with
MI II IL,
tween the Dead House and the shed, red
c films were piled up like oosdwocd
Here were little cofins for children in
the corner was a blue coffin, while in the
shed and Dead~House, were square boxes,
cracked coffins and stretchers were lying
in all positions. Every two or three
minutes some one wanted to see the
keeper who had charge of the dead
Among others was a spare woman about
50 years of age. She was in search of
her husband Mr.. O'Brien, after listen
ing TO her description, went to a coffin
and wreDched off the lid What the
night before was that of human being
was now mass of corruption. ooh, my
God - exclaimed the woman, "my hus-
band oh, MY" At this iuncture
another woman inquired for her SON. She
could not find bis body in the Morgue-
was he dead or in the hospital? An at
tendant swore he knew nothing about the
living, he could not keep track of the
dead, $50 through the wards" said he,
land may be you can find him."
More people came; some wept, others
swore. The woman first spoken of wrune
her hands and paced up and down the
court in despair. AT last she went up to
the coffin, and in pleading voice she
said:
''Heavens above me what shall | do
God Of mercy, want him buried in Cal
vary" (she was Catholic, and could not
bear the thought of having her husband
buried in unconsecrated ground "What
is going TO become of me? Last night,
poor John, poor John, you was at work (;
bye! My husband since last night here
you are. My God, to think that you
have come to this Here she took hold
of the green and putrid hand of her hus~
band, shook it, and broke into q new
paroxysm of grief
"Oh," said she, "you used to be called
the handsomest man in New York All
now-oh speak to me, only one word.
John, one word ! Ny darling, my dar>
ling john"
In the hospital are number of patients
suffering from sun-stroke, and of the 65
cases received since the 18th Of July,
only nine have been lost.
WORTH knowing. The following is
going the rounds of the papers:
One of the most annoying and painful
little troubles is a felon. A genuine remedy
Il worth circnlntinn II iS snid thnt a