New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-02-05
POT1ERs FIELD GRAvE-DIGGING.

THE PIT WHEREIN OVER SIX HUNDRED AXE "O'
Mr.. FRENCH's BUmu-Aa CORPSE shEs'OhD
FROM DIssECTISG ROOM. !,
The investigation relative to the sysCe" "
burial Of the poor in the Potters fieu ny "'o
sioners Of Charities and Correction was Des"n 49,,
before a committee OF the Board OF Aiuer'non ,
ing Of Aldermen Gilon, Koch, and Cooper Aiuein'an
80 ,a ,ha, tho investigation had been ordered,
,n, 90 the seath and manner OF burial OF Na'hanie
E,o,cb an "a IN 81 70 the Commission an opportunity
apswer the complaint as well as IN JUSTICE " '"0
and strangers who visit this city' Oon'ui'e'0 80,
beer replied that the Board was prepsreu W s"o us
go, -, ~ t,rencb,s case. TRIBUNE readers are already
familiar with the story of the West indian pah'er
met hi. death in this city, well as with the report OF
Ironc. DUMMY of Harris Island, who stated
tho, the body had been buried In the eity
cemetery Aug I, 1879 at the bottom OF PIT IN winch
e bodies arc buried" and that most OF the Dodes oou
NOT be removed Alderman Gilon said the ComhiSSoh
era had traced history of the case and had brought
II 70 the very point which the inquiry was based ana
that was the system of burying bodies In PIT whence
they could not subsequently, be obtained. Commissioner
ambeer said Il was impossible to bury bodies singy'
as over 1910 persons were buried overy year. Aue man
GIon thought that not SUFFICIENT reason why O'o
or 700 bodies should be buried together In PIT IL mat
tered little what might DO the position in lie OF any
man who might die the hospital In tho majority OF
cases he would have friend who would Ike TO see
him decently buried He thought that some system OF
burial should be adopted and the place marked so that
bodies might, necessary be reclaimed by inc enos'
Commissioner Lalmbeer-That Is done. There is marx
enough We can give you this body If you want H.
Aldermen Koch thought that the bodies should be put
into substantial collins properly marked 70 that they
might be subsequently removed II required ana hoe
buried I'm trench. Commissioner Lalnbeer said II did
NOT how the trench the bodies could be taken
ont safely The trench eight feet deep the coibhs
placed side by side numerical order, ranging on the
bottom line from 800 to $500, IN two long ro"s' tcn
another tier put them and 50 on uuu tue oouloS
reach to within proper distance OF tho surface "hen
the Dit is closed with earth Il the most comfort
able plan OF burial aud he would not object to III he
died on the island as no would Ike to have company
There would not be one case like that Of Mr. French out
Of 400
The following paper at this time brought 10 tue
attention of the Committee:
Ca Saturday. Aug. 2, Patrick Radican, ace ~ year,,
disappeared from his home, No go SecDhu ave; ne
was found drowned at the foot OF i.ist fHttenlu-s
about f9ar or i've DAY StsI"6Iu Ma, drtyce and
rff word with person charge " sad body were
address l Kent gong 10 the Norgue every day Tor
four weeks aud found ont IN inc emu lnL su ,ouJ
had been inferred Harrs Island about the gu or
SIN Of August. At theitime Mr. Whto Vhe deld
keeper told body iould ne looked over tnc
books and found that the clOihlg my Dn'Ddho "oIo
| was inst the same "a when lac disappeared. About
| september l went Hart' Island with friends, and
asked permission OF MIR Duhphy 10 nave the uouy "
! moved having noto from Commissioner l"lmh,er 10
that ct ! also had note from Mr. Kellogg pom OF
which Mr. Dunphy kept lie rnld th4t couId NOT hdIo
the body uud any C1roums Hc would get luto
! nv hneband's body. hAgY RADIcAN.
Patrick McTeigue Of No. 900 ThirIaye tod the cir
cumstanccs Of The application FOR Ar ldieans bodyand
the refusal despite tho Commissioner order President
Lqimbcer asked any notice Of to binding Of the nody
had been sent by NJ WBte who had been requested 10
inform his wife end received negative r,py re then
said Mr.. DInpny's word appears TO be law at liart
Island, ~ spike o. No '0mnis9Ouers anu WIN r.
! 20 Mr. White h. wond not now ne In ohi,e had hs
resolution PASSED tine Board COmmis stern aeked
why MI McTeguo had not reported these fa'is before
t. the 3D. AMI received t3e reply that ne TOOK lof
! granted thlt Mr. Dnupay'- WORT WIS supreme. -...
| Patrick Hadden, underta,r, 81 70 5Uj E.-t ihrty-
| seventies ST. then stated that Edward GOTdn diea on
~ ~ n, V1mSsfay N0y H. his daughter visited
Bellevue Hospital, aud told That his body WIS IN
| the Morgue. Ihr daughter Applied to MI " nie inc
desdhoase kcGpr sad vas o!d tn1t me p'{ h'i D,e9
{" pay Tor lis recovery. fhe witness went 10 inc
| SAID there such BODY as mat or ll""Id 'oWan
| Health and found That e,risl parinit had
| been Obtalucd on NoN. II. lIe hlth'H' tu.h
went 10 Harris Island my before getting on me
boat was met by White, who nsktd his business When
informed Waite told am The body could not b. oDtalhcl
Island searched The records and sound mat no bJiies
bceu buried there iOr s.NcI4i dd,s O. me VT
ness's return, Wiie duht'cu tlal ne ~ Et.h DO IVY
He said The witness TO console tue daughter ana no
would call on her tlht night lhe witness toll the
daughter the tncts ami eho sara ine Dolly mus 90 on
tanned. Tao wines HdiF ibhi me O1i, Win thfrG
others, in Tie y iitdl iuiit' M "thil -ilh - 'il
Fourth-iyc. lie uXcd tine INITIATED r"mHihS re best ho
could amt the gin recognized her father Tie body was
then buried
Alderman Gl0u asked who Nnito was. ani was in
formed that thn krr peg Ui ihc deud-1u~n Com
missioner stern asked Wuy the case hal NOT Dacn re-
ported aud he witness re! mt lo kept quiet Tor
the gIs sake, she having "a that 40 her idther5 body
was te 10 overct, rh8 Wa eatsh 81.
TIC testimony Of The Hospital Surgeons, DIS, lHhrer
ant hc Donald, tIen taken as 60 e es OF tls co'n
OF Nj French. Ilry dill not T,cotgt the ti-H the
daily average of patients very large. GROIN the
records Mr. French died hom ucrinm trrr.n-, Lnls
PauIiz the orderly az CIariy Hospital te.td q That
Mr. French was nscu,i"le when nr1uc there, lnd he
noticed some slight Wiras oil violence h0 not enough
10 tie considered seriOuS Sometimes Dir. French was
sensible, but spoke Incidentally. lie spoke OF cousin
wEo koIs dry goods store o fli,i- Vs ald said he
was Eugiish. ami from some wdtcrug-Iac". TIE vii
ness Supposed ne suffering from deurlGn trcnehs
| IA. sa0srq l.uty died from exhaustion.
The Committee then )utnad without liking The time
OF the meeting the Commissioners Informing hem
that they should have every facility for searcllU tue
| record or visiting tie Institutions.