The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1876-08-17
THE GALLERY OF DEATH.
PhotoGrsphing Unknown Bodies AT the
New York Morgue.

pital, for the purpose oftaking picture
Of the buildings and, more importan
to science, Of the more noteworthy case
OF surgery that were accomplished
there. He has a large book filed will
these photographs, and they are no
altogether pleasing things to look upor
to the neophyte. "Man is fearful,
and wonderfully made" it is true, bu'
this book shows also how sadly he ma,
DO distorted, cut to pieces, general,
knocked about and still live. Wher
Mr.. Mason first went to Bellevue he,
ike thousands of others, became deep.
" interested in the gruesome charnal.
house known as the Morgue. At this
time 1t was customary, afterthe corpses
had laid on the slab for n certain length
OF time, to bury the bodies and retain
the clothes for the purpose of
iuentihcation. IL was appar-
ent to him that this method might
be improved upon, for it is notorious
that in many of the cases of those found
dead, the clothes have been changed,
either by the parties themselves, some
OF whom wish to conceal their identity
when committing suicide, or,falling into
bad hands, their garments have been
changed by assassins. Mr.. Mason be.
lieved that by photographing such of
the dead as were not disfigured beyond
all recognition, there would be Il tangi.
ole'means of identifying the unfortu-
mates after they had been laid away as
ioo for worms. lie presented this
project to the then Warden Brennan.
and in the fall of 1868 the first picture
for the gallery of death was made. For
two years Mr.. Mason continued taking
these photographs without
ton, but since then he
has been paid s. for each
picture, one.half the price usually
charged by photographers for taking
portraits of the dead. He charges
nothing, however, for photographinp
the cases of surgery in the hospital,
ana SO II most useful portion of the
city's work is, for n wonder, cheaply
done.
In the first two years of the expert.
ment eight pictures were taken, and.
since then, the average has been from
forty to sixty each year, the largest
having been made last month,
sixteen were taken, owing to the
heat and the number of SUM-
strokes. Sometimes the number has
lallen rs low as one in the course of n
month. 1t may not be generally known
nat the photographing of the unknown
cad was first done in this city, and
hat since 1868 the custom has been
adopted in Paris, London and Boston.
The gallery of photographs to be seen
n the Morgue is full of morbid and
painful interest. All kinds of faces are
o be seen, from the beetle. proved ruff.
OF the scums TO the fair girl who
las strayed from home to moral ruin
u watery grave. Here and there
nay be seen one in which the hand is
placed across the throat. There is II
errible significance in this. 1t seems
nat the poor wretch, whoever he be, ,
as had his throat cut, or, mayhap, has ,
himself jagged the fatal wound in the .
lad delirium of despair. ,
One picture here is peculiarly strik- &,
ne. 1t is that of a man with marked f.,
face full of fierce intelli-
encc, and having a close resemblance
the great author, Alexander Dumas. .
here is no appearance of death in the =.
llent face, and through it there beam :.
ne characteristics of n man of strong :
assions and indomitable will. 1t is n =
ice that a weird painter like Dore =
revel in. Mr.. Mason has many y
'teresting anecdotes to relate concern. +
g his gallery. 1t appears by his sta -
sites that t%wo-thirds of the persons y
no have been photographed have been 8,
entitled, and in some instances the =
suit has been the recovery of large ~
inns of money. g
RECOGNIZED AFTER THREE YEARS. !,
On the 9Th of August, 1874, a gen. h.
'man came to the wharf at the foot of :,
Wenfy-sixth Street for the purpose of :.
sitting Blackwell's Island. To his h
agrin he was just in time to see the 40
at leaving the pier. To while away IN
g time he strolled into the Morcue, ~
d was examining the photograph gal n,
y, when he was almost struck dumb o
tn astonishment to see the portrait of T.
intimate friend, who had been mss +,
: ever since the early part of Octo. ~,
T. 1871. The missing man had been nj
wealthy and influential citizen of r.
County, in this State, and, 90
ce he had left his home, all trace of 20
n had been lost. Inquiry had been vi
on foot, as the settlement of large ~,
ates was involved in the establish y,
mt of the fact of his death, but with. ~
avail. The photograph at the n,
'rgue established the fact of death. ~;
e estates were settled up, and the NJ.
rs have to thank the Blackwell's -,
1t and Mr.. Mason's camera for their b."
tune. "
THE BORROWED HANDKERCHIEF. "
inc OF the strangest stories in the 10,
Dtographer's repertoire is the follow IL,
=: Some years ago the body of a fine Wv
king, well-dressed man was found ~.
lting in the dock, humping against on'
piles, and covered with the ooze ,.;'
| slime of the dark river. There was VS.
money in his pocket, no marks upon r.
clothes, nothing a a handkerchief -,
IN which a name had been worked. I.'
Tile the photograph was being taken, ~,
druggist of the hospital, standing ~,
happened to look at the handker. ~
Of, and recognized the name upon it H'
that of a well-known Philadelphia ~,
ggist. The telegraph was at once s,t
aght into requisition, and a message sso
sent asking whether the druopistin 'io'