New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-21
IDENTIFYING THE DEAD CHILDREN.

The bodies of eleven girls carried to the
Seventeenth Precinct Police Station. at Frst-aye.
and FIfth-st. Some were taken there on
shutters by policemen and others were re-
moved in ambulaucss and dead wagons
from Bellevue Hospital. They were placed
on the floor in a row IN the back room of the station
in which the olicemen usually assemble for roll
call Their limbs were Strengthened out and their
torn clothing was arranged by the Oilic rs. The
lights III The were turned Oh full 50 That the
features Of each uptnrned face could he seen
plainly. 1t was a pitful sight which the
parents of the dead children permitted
TO witness. A great throng OF excited men, women
and children soon collected in front Of the station
Parents who had missed their little ones clanOrcd
eagerly for ADM ttance, and it necessary to
form lire of police i'll front Of the station to keep
order
Commissioner Brennan, IF the Department Of
Charities and Correction. who had paid a
visit to the school building soon appeared at the
station with Coroner Levy and Deputy Coroner
Donlin II was decided to remove the bodies soon
as they could be identified. Mr.. Brennan directed
that one OF the ambuanccs should remain duty
at the station TO be used in conveying away the
bodies Then the parents who searching
for missing children permitted to
enter the room where the bodies were. A piece of
paper bearing a number was placed the breast Of
each body TO hasten the work of identification, and
as soon as body was identified Coroner Levy gave
permit for its removal. Mir. Bren-
nan took charge of the permits and
superintended the removal of the bodies, while
he also spoke consOlingly TO the parents. Most Of
the bodies were recognized by mothers aud the
anguish of the women touching in The extreme
Some of them fell on their children and kissed
and embraced them, moaning and crying Now
and then q woman who entered the room turned
away with signs of relief after she had failed 10
discover the faces for which she was searching A
few children who had escaped injury but had be-
come bewidered in the throng in front OF the school
were led to the station, where they caught up
and embraced by delighted parents.
The first body identified at the station was that
of Minnie lister, of No go East FouTth-st. A few
minutes later Mrs. Barbara Happ OF NO 81 3 East
Nnth-st fell in commissions as she recognized the
body OF her little daughter Mary. Michael NaTr, a
plasterer of No 234 East Thrd-st went 10 the sta
tion accompanied BY his daughter who was teacher
In the school. Their gaze was ryeied by The body
of golden haired child whose beauty had attracted
the attention OF less interested spectators The
child was Josephine Mari. Taking tie body III his
arms the pasteTer cried like "A child. One Of the
last bodies to be identified that OF
Lena Bindnagel, Of No. 3l3 Rivington-st.
Her father, John Bindnagel, took her
body on hs KIN ees, and sat holding IL until his
wife arrived. He was so completely unnamed by
his grief that he wished to carry the body TO his
home unassisted but Commissioner Brennan at
length persuaded him to permit to be taken ia an
ambulance. 1t was late III the evening before the
crowd could DO dispersed from in front of the
station.
After viewing the bodies of the dead children IN
the police station, Coroner Levy, accompanied by
Deputy Coroner DoDlin ami Commissioner
Brennan, went TO tue sehooi-house and