Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1873-03-06
Ahi,orrent Hnlflnaanity.

.r,,,, the Pl,tsburg Dispatch, February "a
case almost unparalleled for hear;!ess bru-
- and professional improbi'y--lf the facts
49,: 49,. rIr made kuowu can be relied upon--was
.'-r.i '' at the office Of the Mayor yesterday
r,rgug Two women neatly but plainly dress
/ q ,prrred Municipal Hall, aud We're shown ln-
;, n. Mayors presence. The younger OF the
~, yhp was scan,lly clothed IN the hablll-
,'s,t, Of mourning, was crying bitterly, and it
%[D;,d upou her companion to explain the
',.,, Of tic visit Oo being interrogated,
:'+t,I story substantially as follows On
i H., ,,rcrt but short distance back of the
1 G"-, House. widow named Waters occupied
~. .. ,oom in the house Of Mrs Porter. Mrs.
T,,rr. who was about fifty years of age, has
/ sr .,mc wears supported herself by sewing,
.'nsb afflicted with incurable disease which
iTrr! her by slow degrees to her grave. for
-. l,,i mouth she was unable to work, and
,Ss ,,,,le she had been able to save in expecta-
"r r her needs was eAt!rely exhausted.
The desire fr a decent burial was upper
ra., in her mind, and in speaking of this to
I.r ,hr>ican. he made her the proposition that
h. shnuId be allowed to dis>ect her body,
r-ouisiur that he would detray the expenses OF
nr funeral She consented to the arrange
ment, saving that fit would tend to lessen
The pain Of anybody else afflicted with the same
mnlpe, >he would chccriully give herself 10
Ihr .cuIpeI. On Friday she died. Her cous q
and oulv relative herself 50 poor as to be OBJ
i,yd to occupy one room in the building with
husband and child called upon Mr.. Fortune,
secretary of the Poor Board. and asked him
Ill., bury the body. The gentleman refused to
gl, 50. bu, gave her $40 TO assist in the kindly
eorc., To this the cousin was able to add Sc,
Rxarh by great stint. she had saved, and with
k,he sum cCffin was procured, IN which the
ErenalDs we're placed.
There We're still no means to permit the
EiqucraI, aud consequently the body remained
3 il the room. while the cousin made further
EeforS to obtain the necessary sum. On Satur-
Hin night however, the physician who had
Ea,,nlrd Mrs Waters came to the house with
Eesht or ten other doctors, all young, and send
Einc every one from the room but one mau, took
B E-he body from the coffin aud proceeded to dis
/ ksec, it. They completed the operation in about
awo hours. and were going away when the cou-
|ssin stopped the one who had attended the de-
ceased, and telling him of the trouble, asked
sShow she was to be buried. The doctor said,
ssSsS ! will See that the Poor Board attends to
sssssshat, and went away with the others, leaving
Ssshe body ttartuly maugled and the marks of
.ssfFhat bad been going on upon the floor. Sup
sslo>ng he would at least keep his last promise,
~ ssthe friends waited all the morning, but no one
sFame, and as the pieces of the body were be-
28scon'lng much dccomposed they were compel
|ssed again u visit the office Of the Secretary of
Ethe Poor Beard but as the woman says, were
fSssa'u refused. As a last resort the Mayor was
&sc'.ei upon.
a As thus stage of the story was reached the
8Eouan in mourning, who appeared to be the
&@Hln could not keep quiet. ln the most
&meep, tones she begged that her relative
! &n!:ht be buried properly.
The Mayor listened with evident emotion,
ri al oncc took means to help the people 10
:tv!r trouble. He gave them note to MIR.
FnlGc and told them to call on him once
rase, adding that if ne did not attend to the
natter at oncc to come back and he would
:G;ol>h them the pecessary money from his
Tlyae purse. As they did not return it is
EVIDENT that the case was finally attended to by
lie pvor authorities