The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-12-31
CRIME OR BLUNDER?

SEEKING TO FIX THE RESPONSIBILITY For TIE
BELLEVUE HOSPITAL DIssEcIIoS-cHARLES
rHoMsENs TERRIBLY MANGLED REMAINS.
HERALD reporter called Andrew Riedall.
newsdealer the corner of Broadway and Nine
teenth street. yesterday to further investigate the
outrage connected with the dissection OF Charles
Thomsen's body at Bellevue Hospital. Mr. Riedel is
brother of the wife OF the deceased. He sad he
accompanied the undertaken to the Potter's Field
the 10th inst in his search for the body.
The Warden the Island obiging aud
opened his books unhesitatingy. According to
his records the body had only arrived ON
the previous day. Rieden and the undertaken
there must be mistake about it. AZ
they had just from the hospital. whore they
were told that the body had been brought up week
before. The Warden said the hospital people were
wrong. The body had been the Island only
twenty-four hours.
..whcn we heard this" said Mr. RiedelI 1--WE knew
that there was foul play somewhere and that we mad
been deceived. 1t seemed like put up job all
around Even on the boat every one OF the hands
talked and winked Inysteriously about the man
Thomson. The engineer wouldn't tell what he
knew. but he limited and looked ut the others sig
nifcantiy."
Mr.. Riedeli was asked who told him at the hos
pita that the body had been sent to the Island
1.-THE mans name was Caferty.~ he said. "He is
employed in the dead house and he assured us that
Thomson had died on the 9th and mad been buried.
ON the 18th Of December when his body really hat
not been sent to the potrers Field until the 18TH
Riedol said he wanted take the body back that;
day saturday. but the captain OF the boat would mott
wait for him to get It. The Warden, however,.
or Monday. SO Riedell and the undertaken came
back TO wait for the body. but 1t did not come ac-
cordtng to promise Then they went to the hos
take the boat to tho Island again. but the captain
would not take thcm. He said passengers were only
received on two days week. and Monday was not
OF them. They returned home and on Wednes-
day the remains arrived The hospital people told
tho undertaken that the coffin must not be opened.
kakn h,.. l,.n md
found the body horribly mutilated. the tesh gone
aud the jaw missing entirely
TALK WITH THE UNDERTAKEN.
John Donough. the undertaken who went to the
Island for the body. and who examined it when it
place. No. 81 Second avenue. He said that the 70.
mains were sickening siaht to behold Nearly all
the body had been dissected. He had seen several
subjects after they had LETT the surgeons
scalpe and knew how dissected body looked:
horrible tor undertaken to look at. Tho
flesh Of the chest and and the brains gone.
aud oil the remains that were left We're black from
the action of chemicals. The undertaken said the
Board of Health were all right in its record. and SO
evidently something wrong in the way affairs were
managed at Bellevue Hospital
Mr.. Charles Riedell. another brother of the de-
ceased's wife. said that he saw the remains when
they opened by the undertaken. who lives in
was gone and only the large bones remained. The !,
ribs and skull were missing and the body was IN Q
horrible condition They could not recognize it but
taker remarked that he had been in business for !.
fifteen years and had never seen 80 sickening q
spectacle.
THE MANAGEMENT OF THE HOSPITAL DE-
NoUNcED BY FORMER EMPLoYE-BEU-
TALLY, uNcLEANLINEss AND NEGLECT or
DUTY CHARGED.
NEW YonK. Dec. 80. 1879.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
On perusing the HERALD this morning. as I am
wont to do, column and half the unauthorized
dissection of dead body at Bellevue Hospital at-s
tracted my attention. Having been for some time
an employee at that institution. and being thor
oughly conversant with tho Department Of Public
Charities aud Corrections. would like to give tho
mismruagement OF the so-called hospital. say
'-so-called." because the word hospital is only
theoretical; practically 1t is u school for medical
students and q mint for the lecturing ana clinic.
holding physicians. whom the former fee The well,
fare 500 patients their and restoration to
health. il matter Of secondary consideration. Ono
of the orderlies who is paid for attending the,
sick ia an habitual drunkard, and when in
the ward idles his time away with "bossing''
and ordering about the patients. The prescribed
medicines issued without care rs ITO quantity.
The liquors, il given ut all. are watered, or is
more frequent. embezzled by the orderly" 1t il
only three weeks since that model functionary eteE
arousing the patients before O'Clock the
ing, compelled very sick man to got up and make
the door. Half an hour afterward he in the
dead house. have, while occupying bed
III that ward, been awakened at midnight by
the orderlys drunken behavior and boisterous talk
ing to patients. All night long people came tramp
ing in heavy boots through the ward without the
slightest regard for the and sleep OF its
pants During the hour clinic several cases from
ward to the clinic hall and often heiE
condition prospects of recovery and the time OF life
still allotted them discussed most indelicatey
! WITHIN hearing OF the 'snbject" in plain English
when Latin phrases and words might better serve
| the purpose.
| The '.dssecting' article in your today's issue
| pital which is a ward divided into cells. There
OF delirum trenens and insanity are, regard
| less OF number often hrdded together and during
the night order avoid the necessity OF care and
| watchtuness the part OF attendants the parties
strapped and tied to the iron bedsteads in the
| most ungentle manner. Let a reporter visit this
| part OF the hospital before the publication of this
| letter and he will more than verify my statement.
Now for the lodging house. This is square
room holding about twelve beds. aud is theoretically
apart sick dodgers who not yet detailed TO
wards who intended to be sent to the Charity
Hospital the next dayhat Is the day following tho
examination 1he beds this room occupied
&c. and the untransferred patients have to lie on
the benches or the door fifteen cents
tho respect tso hos
pital Ia also theoretical The beds
clean to the eye OF the visitor; but closer exam
inaton--for instance, lifting the third sheet OF
the bed and examining the bedding-one will fire.
| quently find verrnin. How can all this be with such
| o corps of supervising officials? l will explain.
Every single appointment. down to the orderly
nurse, is made regardless of competence fitness.
but solely political influence The highest officials
| are the warden aud the clerk. To assist tho
latter Commissioner Cox detailed the writer,
to Bellevue Hospital o clerks assistant.
On arriving at tho hospital made the acquaint-
ance the "clerk" SALARY $1,000 per annun)
and OF the account books. My predecessor.
paid clerk. who had formerly performed the clerks
work. had left some time ago. and. as matter Of
course. the books in Now, it il rule
throughout the Department OF Public Charities aud
Correction that the account books shall be- kept
the clerks handwriting: likewise the fort
nightly general requisition sheet
Upon affidavit will declare. for the Information
Of the public and the Mayor of the City OF New York.
that the 'stereotyped" lines every city pay roll
sheet insructng the respective authorize guar
antce the faithful performance of the work by
the owners of tho names said payros, anu their
having actually earned the money set forth opposite
their names and rank farce In tho strctest sense
OF the word. CHARLES WILHELM,
late Clerk ut Bellevue Hospital.