The New York herald., 1876-12-08
AT THE conoSEg's oYrIcR.

AT THE CoRoNEBs OFFICE.
All through the afternoon long line OF people
stretched from the Office OF the Court
House porch Relatives Of the dead came in scores TO
seek permission to remove them. and many
came In quest of some clew by which they might nx
the identity OF their missing friends and urged upon
the Coroner impossible Investigations aud asked, as
always is In such cases. privileges difficult to
cord. II was q painful sight 10 old who had
lost their children clnging TO tho officials desk and
urging that hero must bc some token found by which
tho dead could DO recognized Women, too werc
there who wavcrcd when making application for the
removal OF body, and seemed Ioath TO admit
that tho blacksned they LEFT in the dead house
all that LEFT OF lost and even as they
received tho permits to struggle against conviction,
II they could not upon themselves tho realization
OF the dreadful truth But perhaps there incl
dent gricvous to contemplate, one which was
often repeated. that Of two parties claiming
body a missing son or brother Several times ap-
plication mado for some corpse which piece
OF raiment little trinxet seemed familiar, only TO
ind that permit had been lcd giving the removal OF
those very remains to else. or
/ action wns taken by the Coroner Immediately when
such a case occurred and conference OF both claim
ants arranged.
WHICH IDENTIFY.
Other people camo to the Coroner 10 ask for q sight
they might facilitate Identification This 1t seems had
rst bcen forbidden. Whatever jewclry valuablcs
were taken from the dead bodies shut up in
veopes and numbered. The applicant had first to dis
cover somc mark upon tho corpse or some picco OF
apparel which recognized before being shown the
envelope which held the articles numbered the body
was or course this system deprived some people OF
any chance whatever Of identifying their friends, and
ono old man who had sought vainly his boy, pro-
himself before tho Coroner yesterday and with
tears In his eyes bo shown articles found
upon the dead.
81 would willingly oblige you, SIR" said Coroner
Simms ..what Of articles do you seer how
are they numberedS" As this seemed 10 puzzle the
agea applicant the Coroner asked, 'sWhat is the
number Of tho body you believe to be your Tell
mo that and you shall the articles corre-
spending to It,"
.sWhat is the number Of the body" tho old man re-
peated; show can toll? Ny God, sir, do You think
that can the features OF my boy the black
cinders that ie upon tho dead house 1oori have
looked them all, but what ia there left them
lot mo know which Is he?'
This rather staggered tho Coroner and no turned to
explain the bersavsd father whom he treated with
kindness, what had neccsstatod this system
"You may deem It strange" said he-"indeed It.
seems horrible 10 believe but It Is true all the
sams-that II q valuable trinket exposed 10 the
public sight rs belonging to somc dead body, In
hour that CHASTITY corpse would have dozen claim
ants Some Of tho incidents OF yesterday have led
TO be as stringent possible in rules bo-
lieve human abasement deeper than IL ever seemed
before"
| THE ARRANGEMENT.
Police Commissioner Pyburn, who was present. then
consulted with the Coroner, who, himself, was ready
to admit the difficulties by which he had been
strained BY circumstances 10 impede the Identification
OF the Dead and It resolved to nx the articles
found upon the dead on canvass Sheet appropriately
numbered. This was TO be shown people searching
for friends on application, aud was TO be ntrusted
police captain who Is 10 DO held responsible Tor
tho proper allotment OF the articles to their owners.
All through tho afternoon the Coroner Lusy ssuing
permits 0f removal and his work did not TIL far
into the evening.
| THH conoSER's INQUEST
Early yesterday morning tho Coroner's Office
besieged by crowd OF applicants Tor admission the
| Moreue and the old market. Weak women with pale
faces and eyes with weeping, struggled with
ious and excited men for a placs near the door. and
the opportunities OF these people were painful 10
listen their futile efforts Immediate
hearing was grievous 70 witnoss largo police force
was stationed in the hallway Of tho Court House, but
ceed In maintaining order. Coroner Nolan took in
hand the distribution of passes to these applicants
while Coroner Smms cmpanellod the jury his othce.
These reached the Court House little after
nine O'Clock. Well known citizens OF Brooklyn
each OF them The sad nature Of tho service they were
| called upon TO perform seemed duly appreciated.
After somo moments spent In conversation about tho
dreadful calamity and conference TO determine their
Immediate course OF procedure informal roll
called, all tie panel were found TO be present
| JURYMEy
/ II consists Of the following gentlemen
/ Ripley Ropes. j. Drake.
Samuel Mclean, y. j. Studwel,
i William Richardson, n. b. Homer.
Franklin Woodruff Joseph y. Willis,
/ ID. NJ Chauncey, Rotort w. Anderson,
| Enoch George, John 1. Martin.
AT about ten O'Clock the Coroner passed out OF tho
Court House, and, followed by tho jury walking two
and two, proceeded through Willoughby the
/ Morgue. The crowd, which then had gathered
the ncghborhood OF tho ruins caught sight OF the pro-
out behind the Coroner's party and attended them
| the very door Of tho Morgue. Here awhile was
almost impossible to gain an entrance. dense mass
OF men, women and children surrounded the building,
and those who nearest It cung 10 tho ratings
aud cransd their noeks 20 eaten glance through inc
paces on the outskirts Of the throng
who had come in quest OF some lost one
stood weeping vainly endeavoring plead their
way through that nexorable multitude, which morbid
| curiosity seemed to have deprived OF With
difficulty the police made an opening for the jurors,
and rs tho Coroner passed. through dozens OF poor
people wcdged in tho crowd cried 10 him, beseechng
admtanco the presence OF their dead. AT last the
party were inside tho raiIings tho cato was closed
on tho clamoring crowd without
NORGUK
Then from room room tho Coroner led the jurors,
stopping before each calcncd and distorted OF
flesh and bone, so as 10 admit Of any notes being
taken, and whom the survey OF the entire series OF
apartments had been made the jurors repaired
TO the old market, whero a sight moro dread
iul than that they had just witnessed awaited
them. Hero stood mournsrs singly and IN groups
with streaming eyes fastened upon the or
derS that nuu once worn IOrmS anu features
them and these people could not DO away
10 allow the law observe It's cold iormnlities
pcdcd There they Stood parents, children and
fricnus, while the circuit Of the dreary place was
made by the jury, who were by no means Insensble
To the grief they Witnessed and not few seemed at
times aceply affected. Near the entrance OF tho Old
market the jury formed circle about tho Coroner.
who informed them that tho remains OF Murdoch and
Burroughs, tho two actors lying In the station
house, WHITTIER no invited them well 10 survey
the ruins theatre Thither they next took their
way after inspecting the chlrrcd mass OF tmbcrs,
tho dead being prosecuted. they passed into an
inner apartment IN tho improvised station house
beside The theatre. Here the remains Of Claude Bur-
roughs lay tho only distinguishing mark about him
being the shoulder-knots which hung from the
tune OF the valet Picard, AMI beside him all that
had been collected OF poor Murdoch's ashes In
another the jury then met ior del ibcrati0n.
CONFERENCE rHE coRoSER's JURY.
t.Now, gentlemen said Coroner Simms, when no
entered the lttlc room t rests with you, after hav