Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-02-03
"Tell II Not In Gafh.'


q The following is udensed frum long arti.
10 Tuesdays New York Herald on the msu
DER in which unprincipIed undertake's 10 that
city lrea. the bodies of iDnoceut b,bes entrus!
I'd to them for iuterment:
THE story would be Incredible but for lie
being officially authenticated that 10 this city
there is class of men calling themselves 10
dertakers who make business of obtaining
certain sums of money from imooverished and
bereaved parents to bury their infant sffspriog,
and then. DO relative attending the funeIa, do
posit the nude body OF the babe 10 an old cast
off b in the yard of the Commissioners of
C0srltles atd Correction for transfer 10 The
dead wagon to the Morgus. What becom g Of
the tiny remsips after tnat is q matter for spec
ulation. Weeks after the fragments remaining
oo the dssectiDg table may be G ,thCred togesh
er aud thrown IntO q common receptacle which
has been replenisbed from halt d,z:n .uo-
j cts. ibis heterogeneous mass of buuan q ssh
ls next transferred to the city cemetery Oh
Hart's Island, where it is deposited in capa-
cous hole dug for the c,asion. 10 the mean.
lime the undertaken pockets bis fee and goes
90 bis Way r )ioiug that be has performed
shrtwd stroke of business.
"a case in point occurred recsutly. A Cor
ouer was called to view the b;dy OF babe that
had died suddeulY al the residence of its par
ents The rem a'os restsd 10 peat ri 8 wood
casket, and the corpse uest!td 10 veritable
bed Of satin and laoes. Hsviug discharged the
duties demanded of tin the Curouer granted
death certificate ard took bis departure. Tho
following day ofioal business took HIM to che
Morgue 10 liking over tho lis, be happened
10 observe q record IF the case of the little vic
Tim ln soms sstonishmeDt be remarked that
ths entry must b! clerical error as he had
seen With bis oWo eyes the body 10 Rad
ioess to be removed to Calvary G matery for
iuterment. The man 10 arge of TIE Morsue,
however, Was positive that there was no mis-
take, aud exl ltined that the ,dy OF the babe
had been taken 10 the desd wagon from the
Department ot the Comm :sioners of Ch 4rities
and Correction the previous evening aud de.
posted 10 the Morgue preparatory to i:s trans.
fer 10 Pjtter'S Fl,ld. Wishiog to be conviaced
OF the truth OF this statement by ocular proof
the Coroner proceeded 10 the dead house.
There, denosl!eu 10 mtcMoui b5x. ressed The
rtmsio, Ut the iutsut ne mad seen The day bs
ture surrounded by DECORATIONS of the uuder
takers art snd resting 10 a co ;ly rose1o
ccfiu. The uodertsker had failed to perform
bio obligations TO The pareu|s Jt the babe, apd,
going 10 the expense 1T opecilg gave, for
which he was paid in sd,snce, he bad
transferred the corpse 20 the rrds tx il was
found 10, and stripped IL of j gauzy Fl iery.
"Cssea We're cited where an Undertaken
would Tx cnsrRe of the dead body of babe,
perhaps out few day s or few hours cd, and
10 the night time, while transferring it to his
place OF business, ep route TO the cemetery 10
the morring would if: it out of lis temporsrv
receptacle and dump it iuto the nearest ash
barrel. That IL how We read aud hear 30
ofeo OF bodies Of babes in various stages of de
composition being found 10 these refuse recep
tsoles.
Other undertskers, again, do a thriving
business ty selling the bodies of babes to medi
cal students or DOCTORS for dissection. The %.
rents. too DOOR 10 60 to the additional expense
OF paying tor oarrisge hire, trust to the uhder.
taker to carry out his contract and while he
potks his cxorbitant fee ho gets rid of bis
Charge 10 manner little dreamed of By the
Cor 6dioR parents.
"jertsin undertskers have another deceptive
device When they receive notification of the
de.th of babe, and the case is such thst its
transfer to their establishment for temporary
storage ls necessary, should an opportunity
arise they will stuff the diminutive form inside
the lining OF csskst Intended for an adult and
0ury oosn tcRetntr. An updert.kers cellar was
found stocked with the putrid remsins Of babes
1t appears that plumbers went into the cellar to
repair the gas or water pipes. The s.ench at.
tracted their attention. Upon exsmir alton they
discovered the decomposed bodies of two little
waits covered over with some esrtn. Theuud T.
tsker was summoned to explain the finding of
the bodies. He excused hmselffrom all respon-
sibility by representing thst he had given the
remains 10 an employee driver to convey TO a
cemetsr5; that in place of doing 80 the driver
got drunk and fearing he would be disch arge1
if he confessed to the sddiLloYsl off.nce of ne
glectng his duty he surreptitious!y put the
bodies away in the cellar. Upon this plea he
was exonerated" "
The best IMPORTED Brown STOUT, LONDON