Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-10-01
A DISGRACEFuL AEFAIR.
Ceunty UHderfaker Jack walsh
Continues 20 Display his peeuli.
arittea as 10 the Dead.

1.11AI U4UtLAHaGE aACA walsh
Continues 20 display his Peeuli.
aritien az 20 the Dead.
On Wednesday afternoon a Scotch
man, James Cummins, died from natural
causes at the county Jail. In accord
snce with the provisions Of the statute
an inquest was held upon the body by
the coroner, who Investigated the cause
OF death and took possession of the ef-
fects Of the deceased. From papers
found on the body it was discovered that
Cummins had been a member Of the
Caledonia Scotch Club, Of Chicago, an
organization similar to ST. Andrew So
ciety, of our city. Coroner Spelman
authorized County Undertaken Walsh, of
pauper bnryiug fame, to take charge of
the body until he could communicate
with the officers or members Of St An.
drews Society. President Tomlinson
and Messrs. Forbes and Campbell. of st.
Andrews, thanked the coroner for his
kindness and declared that St. Andrews
Society would take charge Of the re-
mains and bury them in Elmwood
Cemetery, whereupon Coroner Spelman
gave the gentlemen the following order.
To John Walsh, County Undertaken:
You will deliver 10 Mr. / r Comn.
bell the body Of James Cummins. de.
ceased, as the st. Andrews Society. OF
Memphis, purposes to inter the remains
at Elmwood. Any charge you may have
against the deceased | will see paid.
JOHN SPELMAN, j. p.
and acting Coroner OF Shelby county.
County Undertaken Walsh had the
body removed from the Jail to his stable
on Jefferson street, near Third, and re-
fused to give up the body of the de-
ceased to his friends, but be wrote the
following disGracefuI and heartless note
to Coroner Spelman:
SoUIRE-Please tell the friends o. The
deceased that there is ten dollars on
said body for my trouble. WALSH.
Walsh refused to surrender the dead
body until the illegal charge was paid
we say illegal, because it he had gone
on and buried the body in Potter field
be could only collect from the county a
charge Of a little over FIVE dollars. He
declared that he would keep the body
until the money was paid, bat Coroner
Spelman went down to the stable and
after delivering himself Of a few remarks
not to be misunderstood by even a heart
less county undertaken took possession Of
the remains and turned them over to the
representatives Of St. Andrew Society.
II will be remembered that some time
since Walsh was indicted, tried and cor
victed of burying county paupers in a
disgraceful manner, with the ends OF the
collins sticking out of the ground, and
that he was sentenced to pay a heavy
fine. and undergo Imprisonment in the
county Jail, but his political friends
went to work and had the sentence sus.
pended until a petition could be gotten
up for the edihcation Of Governor Brown,
who issued a pardon.
Walsh WAS removed as County Under
taker, but last year his political friends
got TO work and had him reelected by the
County Court. A more disgracelul
affair we have not had to chronicle for
some time. When a man sits like a
ghoul over a dead body and refuses TO
give it up for interment until an exorbi-
tant fee is paid, he deserves the severest
consure at the hands of the press and
the public.
The remains Of the deceased we're
taken charge of by St. Andrews Society
and were decently inferred at Elmwood
Yesterday afternoon.