The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1876-05-20
From NE UdUeHp0Ft UeNlOcFdI, IyIN'
Coroner Knox.

OOrOueE AhOA.
The investigation by Rock Island Lodge,
No. Is, I. o. o. f., into the conduct of G. |
b. Knox, a member OF that Lodge, on the |
charges preferred against him by Fort |
Madison Lodge, No. 1877, /. y. y. f., in |
connection with the treatment of the body |
of j. B. Herdman, killed by q railroad
accident in Rock Island, ended by the
Lodge first mentioned generating said G. |
B. Knox from the charges preferred. In
this connection we are requested to pub
lish the following statement, submitted by
Hon. J. w. Green, aud also the state
ments Of other gentlemen of this city aud
Rock Island, which will be found appended
below
STATEMENT OF ]. w. GREEN,
To the Editor OF the Democrat:
wish to submit a statement OF the
facts in regard to the action of Coroner
Knox in relation to the body of Brother
j. b. Herdman. | went to Rock Island
Immediately after heard of the death of
Mr.. HerdGan, Coroner Knox was not
there, and not knowing that Mr.. Knox
was an undertaken, / sent for MIR. Boies
Upon Knox's arrival | asked DR.. Gregg
TO introduce me, and then asked Knox if |
could have the body after the inquest.
He fatty refused, as stated by DIR. Gregg
in his statement When Mr.. Boies came
he asked Knox it he could attend to the
body. and he refused him, as appears by
MIR. Boies's statement. then went to
the telegraph office and telegraphed to
Mr. Herdman's friends for an order for
the body. Upon returning, after an ex.
animation of the effects, there was found
an Odd Fellows card. | waited until the
examination was over, and again asked
~ ha.va kA boil, 10 pn.I
not until had an order from his friends;
that Bro Herdman toas an odd Fslloo,
and he claimed the same riqht to take
charge of has body that zoe had as X. p.
| told him il there was any legal response.
bility could furnish him bond to hold him
harmless, and gave him the names of
friends to telegraph to, which he never
did sent several friends to intercede,
and they say he refused them. | then
went to Mr.. Drake and told him the cir
cumstances, and we went to MIR. Knox
residence about 1 o'clock. He was then
taking the body into the barn. Mr.. Drake
several times demanded the body and he
replied that he would not say whether he
refused or not, but we could not have the
body until he examined the law, but
never, in my hearing, stating that he
would return aud give an answer in any
specified time. / then came over the
river about half-past o'clock, and
sent committee OF Odd Fellows, and
what took place then is embodied in the
statement of Mcssrs Cameron Il Davis
/ Immediately, upon. permission being
given, sent Mr.. Boies over, as he says, d
little after three o'clock. | did moi
consume more than an hour aud hal
in crossing the river and visiting these
gentlemen. As to the place and manner
of treatment, the statement Of Messrs
Cameron, Davis, Bills and Boes is given
1t was in what the committee call Z
barn, in u rough box, not a case.
The reason that Mr.. Green gave no di
rections concerning the body, was tina
Mr.. Knox claimed the right to care for
as an Odd Fellow, and that he had an un
dertaker present from little past uut
the examination was over and Mr., Kno
refused both Mr.. Boies and myself tn
privilege.
AS to the distinction made between
barn and stable, this | leave to the III
prejudiced to decide. As to the conduc
of Mr.. Knox Us an Odd Fellow, that is
question for the order to determine. Blu
when he shifts the responsibility upon mC
and intimates any neglect on my part, tn
charge is baseless and untrue; aud h
visited him the next day. | requisite
the body three times and was denied tn
opportunity of caring for it. and as 500
as permission was given | had compe
tent physician and undertaken to care 70
and embalm the body; and it was shippe
to his friends.
The conduct of Mr.. Knox all throug
the transaction was, as DR.. Gregg fiji
terms il, ungentlemanly, and the conduC
of himself and sons the next morning al
ter tie arrival of the committee frol
Fort Madison, was such that | am nc
surprised ut the character of the repor
they made to their respective Lodges. A
to Mr.. Knox's assertion that he said h
would return from his house and in fe,
minutes give an answer-that, Mr.. Drak
and myself did not hear. Why did h
wish to examine the law? Did he not ez
anime the law in the case Of Mr.. McEr
erny, when ST. Patrick's Benevolent 81
ciety claimed his body, and they proteste
against similar treatment. There is noti
ing in the statute compelling friends {
the deceased to select Mr.. Knox as under
takcr, although it is apparent t,at his DC
sition as coroner is mere side-show [
the occupation of undertaken
Reflections have been cast upon a Gel
Christ was born in stable. That inn
keeper should have selected a committee
proven that although the building was
barn and all under the same roof, an
although used for stabling purposes, We
the D.dnger ,ods a separate apartnaent, 4
iUhich similar transactions had toLe
place, q, Il. ID, report of committe,
Therefore IL was not stable do nc
wish to cast any reflection upon the inr
keeper by insinuating that any of his do
scendents were undertakes by profcssio
or coroners by selection,
j. w. GREEN.
The following are the statements
some OF the gentlemen referred to above
Rock ISLAND ARSENAL |
L., M ca May II 1876.
DEAR SIR:-ln reply to your induir
whether Mr.. Knox said that he won
give me (you) the body of Mr.. Herdma
after the coroners Jury had finished Il
inquest, l would say that Mr.. Knox mad
no such statement. On the contrary
made an unqualified refusal, saying: IN
SIR will not permit you to do any sue
thing, am coroner and undertaken.
will take charge of the body" These wei
his exact words, and expressed. in what
conceived to be most abrupt and n
gcntlemanly manner,