The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-01
IDENTIFICATION OF THE BODIES At The
MORCUE.

Elpowing his way with difficulty through the
| dense crowd copyrighted OF First avenue and
Twenty. sixth street yesterday afternoon, HERALD
reporter made sufficient progress to reach the head
or outside or the mass OF anxious searchers look.
ing for their beloved ones among those reposing on
| the marble slabs, with the sprays OF cold water
falling upon their pallld burned, disfgured features
| in the MOrgue.
Under the direction OF the police OF the Twenty.
| first precinct, commanded by Captain Burns, the
| large crowd formed IN single file AMI marched
| alongside OF tho wall surrounding the hospital
grounds and one by one filed into the damp, tempo.
rary resting place of the dead On their faces hope
and fear plainly marked. struggled for the mastery.
"Hope, eiernaly sprInging up" buoyed up their
AN6UIsH.sTRICKEN HEARTS
and filled them with the sweet consoling thought
that nayhap those they sought escaped while others
mad been doomed On the countenance OF others
the fear OF finding their darings was legoly written.
Then again, to their shame be 1t recorded nOught
but idle morbid curiosity had attracted others this
scene OF horror.
Into the Morgue went the crowd OF Old and young,
gray-hcaded men and aged women, men in the
prime OF life and girls scarce past their teens. As
friend would be recognized among the bodies loud
waiiings would break forth; muttered exclamations
of grief and terms OF endearment would fell from
the lips OF father, who exerted all his powers Of
manhood to hide his grief; a broken-hearted wife or
mother would give loud vent to her grief and call In
agonized terms for one word In response from her
darling one now cold and stiff in tho embrace OF
death.
As soon as the bodies were recognized they were
rem owed TO the dead house and yard ana enclosed
in the
RUDE FINE CoFFINs
! now stained with the blood which had dropped
from the gaping wounds Of more than one previous
tenant. In this yard the scene was narrowing IN the
extreme. Friends and relatives who had not yet
| seen the remains, recognized already by some
member OF the family sought eagerly among the
collins piled mp there the remains OF some rea-
| tive or friend.
when their tremuIous hands, removing the cover,
disclosed to view the familiar features Of the one
they had last seen the full possession of health
and vigor the sobs OF hardy and the shrieks OF
women filed the air and caused strong men whose
natures mad become hardened by SUGGESTIONS OF sad
sights TO turn their heads away and wipe OF the
unaccustomed moisture from their cheeks.
Some OF the bodies calm and placid look
ing, seemingly sleeping. save for the death foam
unwIped from their lips. while others were lear
fully Scared and burned, some almost past rccog.
milton.
years, and her brother George aged fifteen years
were picked out from among the others their
uncle and several other relatives hung Iendcrly
over their bodies, particularly that OF the baby,
Winch was sadly burned, and
IN LOVING ACCENTS
called upon them, Louisa, inein Cot u,
Louisa ~ and then the utteiance became chokcd
with tears and AZ their frames shook with anguish
the silent, deep-seaed grief strongly marked
upon their honest German faces, win not soon be
! forgotten by those present.
Patiently the warden, Mr.. Brennan. answered all
| the ANXIOUS questions propounded 10 him; Kindly
his brother, Mr.. Louis I. Brennan who had vOui-
TERED % aid him. sought out the bodies and tried
10 soothc the grief OF the stricken ones upon whom
/ the nand OF God had seemingly been laid so hard.
| Next came an old IrshwomaD, accompanied by
| policeman anu one Two others, looking
| for family OF fOur-a father and wife and
two little ones-severa coffin Ids beng
| raised. AT length they found the objects Of their
| search, or rather, two OF tbem-Mrp Smith and
Pen cannot depict or convey an idea Of the uncer.
tanty 80 plainly TO be seen upon their
! as, under the direction OF some kind hearted EN-
| poye, they huriedly sought the hospital wards
trusting that they might there find the other two
In one OF the wards, tossing upon the bed
| swathed In cooling bandages, they found the little
| infant or nine months but The father Bernard
| smith, could not 1e found. Then their uncertainty
gave way TO dread despair, and with "hearts bowed
down by weight OF woer they left 10 seek tidings OF
1 him elsewhere.
| Tire Coroner (Kecnap) held an inquest in the
| morning, and, after the jury had viewed the dead
| bodies, number Of burial permits were granted
ana all The afternoon and evening up to
/ were stopping at The gate and bearing or
| the dead to give them Christian burial. For want
| Of witnesses, and after sitting for q number OF
| hours, the Coroner adjourned the inquest which
| will probably he resumed this wornpg.
| The heavy dcath-Ike smell prcya. ling around
THE DEADBOUsE
! and yard. where so many bodies were, was almost
OverpGwerng. and To many, VINO h1d looked ire
! quenty upon death before, 1t became almost more
J. iban bey could bear particularly when was added