Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-10-22
OBJECTION FOR THE DEAD.
LIE .srfs 20 Break Up Wholesale Body
NnRlehipg I'm this District.

bneteh1nG In TINS DlStrtct.
Tire fact that human bodies are required
by the medical colleges In the study OF anat-
cny is pretty well known. and the necessity
for II generally conceded. The public does
not concern Itself as 10 the manner OF pro-
curing cadavers, nor Of the extent Of de-
maId for them, except when an accidental
exposure Is made which is offensive ~ COM
mon decency. The shock created In this
community some time since by the publica-
tion in these columns of the
DESIGNATION OF GRAVES
in our cemeteries by Christian, the body
hatcher, and subsequently by Percy and
Maud Brown, is fresh in the minds of the
public. The disclosures made by the memo
TaDdum book found in the pocket of Chris
tan and the Developments which followed
on bis trial. showed TO what great extent a
thrifty traffic had been carried on by these
ehOuls. not only with our medical men, but
that the commerce had been extended into
tsnt Institutions having been furnished
from the cemeteries of this District. That
the bones of our dead neighbors and friends
had been thus snatched up and hawked
about by railroad, express and otherwise,
produced feeling of horror and Indignation,
and not until the conviction and incarcera-
business, was there a sense of relief and Sc
curity felt. POtter's field, where the paupers
are buried, had for a long time beer
AFREE GROUND FOR Observation-Disclosures
employ Of the medical fraternity i'm this city.
When Commissioner Lubey tOS k charge of
the Washington almshouse, the first thing
that attracted his attention was thedisgrace-
full condition of this burial place. There hal
been no order as to the location OF graves.
nor any record kept of them. The grounds
were not enclosed, and from their rem )te To-
ca ton afforded easy opportunity for depre
dalton; and ~ is believed that not one body
in ten deposited there escaped tn dissecting
knife 1t is related by former intenhants
that wteBevera body was buried which they
had reason 10 think might be required to be
dlsinterred by surviving relatives for re-
moval elsewhere, orders were always given to
dig very deep grave, and in filling TO place
in heavy stones, which could not easily be
removed.
THE NEW CEMETERY FOR THE POOR.
As heretofore stated in THE STAR, a very
creditable cemetery for the poor has been
laid out by Col Lubey, containing about two
squares of ground, enclosed by a substantial
wooden fence, walks laid out and gravelled,
shrubbery planted, the graves numbered, and
a record kept of the dead, SO that relatives or
friends of deceased paupers (who not I'M
of their fate, and If desired remove their re-
mains. Strict orders have also been given
the night watchmen TO keep sharp lookout
for grave robbers.
AFTER THE BODY sNArCHERs.
This has been done in the interest OF COM
mon humanity, and to guard against any
repetition OF former practices the following
was sent TO Joseph F. HOdgsOn, the intend
ant of the asylum, on the sd OF September
last:
"Ss: To avoid in future any dissertation of
TIE graves III the cemetery attached To the
Washington Asylum, please take all neces-
sary measures that your judgment may sng-
gest. 1t would be well to arrange so that the
party or PARTIES who commit these outrages
on the graves could be caught In the act so
that we could have evidence enough 10 prose-
cute them in the court. AT your convenience
i would ike 10 see you about this matter i'm
TIMOTHY LUBEY."
This produced sensation among some of
the tpartes and institutions using these ca
dayers. and pressure has been brought to
bear upon the commissioner Of the asylum to
relax from the stand he has taken in this
matter; but. being firmly convinced that he
Is light, and that The people will sustain
MN, he declines To afford any facilities for q
practice which has been SO VIGOROUSLY of.
fensive TO common decency and humanity
IN this District In this he Is fully
SUSTAINED BY THE DISTRICT COMMISSION
ERS,
as will be seen by the following;
oEElCE or THE COMMISSIONERS OF THE
WASHINGTON ASYLUM, D. c.
WASHINGTON, October 10, 1875.
JnSeph r Hodgan n, esq, I,aternlIsa W. Asylum:
Sir: The honorable Commits toners of the
District of Columbia direct that positive
of graves in the cemetery attached to the
Washington Asylum. You will therefore
detail one of the Overseers for night watch,
with orders TO patrol outside the M ain and
hospital buildings. and the roads leading To-
and rom the cemetery and to arrest all tres
passers. To further aid in the matter a re-
quest VIII be made TO have orders given the
watchmen at the lew jail TO prevent parties
entering by the outside road and otherwise to
assist If called upon.
Very respectfully, TIMOTHY LUBrY.
LAST WORD OF WARNING.
There is good authority for the statement
That IL requires from ten to twelve carcasses
per week to supply the demand for expOrfa-
ton and for local use, and inasmuch as the
grave robbers have been thwarted in their
efforts TO keep up the supply from POtters
nelo, IL is not improbable that the public
cemeteries and those owned by church or
and private corporations will
now be The field Of operations, and keepers
ana trustees of them will do well to be on
the alert