New-York tribune., 1885-01-30
NO FAVORS AT THE MORGUE.
MR.. sLEvINs ALLEGED INSIDE TRACK.
THE Kx-ALDERMAN DENIES THAT HE HAS ANY ADJ
VANTAGE OVER HIS RIvALs.


VANTAGE OVER HIS RIVALS.
An anonymous communication was received
by city official few days complaining that Under
taker j. j. sleyin had secured the inside track at the
Morgue and dead-house that lie able to get hold
OF the bodies OF people who died In the public INSTITUTIONS
before their friends informed OF their DEATH pre-
pare the bodies for burial and then IL the friends wishen
to the work performed by other undertaken
charge the services extortonate that the
friends we're almost forced to permit Mr. sevin to con-
pete the burial. One instance was cited where the
charge for preparing body and keeping II on Ice was
$40 The letter signed SUFFERER IDe name oi
the person against whom the extoronate charges "ero
alleged to have been made was not given Ihe iufther
charge made that the predecessor OF Death Messen
ger Maloney had been removed ty the influence Of Mr.
slevin, who Is Tammany Hall politician and an eh-
Alderman and that MaoDey used his position 10 secure
business for slevinby putting the undertakers cards In
all the envelopes containing notices OF death, whlch IL u
his duty to deliver to the friends of dead persons.
When the matter referred to the Commissioners OF
Charities they scepiical TO the truth OF the
charges but were willing to do all in their power to get
al the facts.
Idon't see" said Commissioner Brennan how such
state OF things could exist under the regulations o the
department 1t is absolutely impossible for any under
taker to take body from the Morrue unless he has
permit from tie Bureau OF Vital Statistics, ana no unuer
taker is permitted to put body on ice unless ne
has the EXPRESS consent OF the friends OF tIe deah
person. When a per on dies In any OF our
institutions a notice Of the death Is sent 10 beii"
vue Hospital at the first opportunity ana tue pouieS
are aferward sent the Morgue or the dead-houSe'
The notices Of death sent by the death messenger 10
the friends of the deceased and he expressly forbidden
by order OF the Board give any information OF the
death to any undertaken. As to the charge th"t
Maoneys predecessor discharged In order 10 aAe
room for him. il Is ridiculous.
The Commissioner tapped bell and told clerk To
bring papers in regard to the dismissal OF the o
death messenger The papers showed that he had been
disn ssed two years ago on u complaint by "aruen
ORourke OF Bellevue Hospital In whose department nc
is for neglect of duty In failing to deliver notices oi
death on time.
There were some complaints" continued Mr. Bren-
man, against Maloney for putting slevins cards III WIN
death notices. and time ago he was up before the
Board for examination on that question: Inc boa'u
then passed resolution that the cards OF no unheriaAeI
were to put with the dcat-noiices. ana ba' the
messenger should have connection with any under
taker. In December Maloney was charged by "AIdeh
ORourke with teIng careless In his delivery Dut oh
January the warden to the Board stating that
Maoney vas performing the duties satisfactorily ana
asking to have the complaints filed. II may he possible
that Mr. slevin way OF getting tie first news Oh
deaths in Institutions but don't think 1t Il through
Maloney will send for Warden oRonrke and Morgue
Keeper White"
Mr. o'Rourke. when questioned by Commissioners
sevn or any other undertaken to get body from the
Morgue without the proper permits The boiics, when
brought down 10 the dead house., lie said are kept unh
the death messenger has delivered the notices to tie
freuGs Of the deceased and the friends hare reason
able time I'm which 10 cla n them The unclaimed bodies
are taken the Poers Field and buried or else
are gwen TO the medical colleges"
is II permissible for Nh undertaken TO put the body of
aiead person the MOrue and make charges for
the seryicel" asked a IEGRuNt reporter. -
Not without the express iconsent Of the friends OF the
deceased"
DO you Kermit an undertaken to hold body until
any charges that he may make are paidr asked Mr.
Hess. -.
does 1t at his own risk We deliver tue body To the "rron
having the permit from the bureau OF vital statistics or
taker TO take charge Of the body he or Is respected
without reference 10 anything else. Son" "i tie
employees OF the dead house are permitted Ia make any
ohafges Tor any thlng thty DO To poly lhe ani,r
keeper dismissed for making charge FOR putting
body Ice, and he was forced To refund the money"
What did you by the statement In your letter of
last December making charges against Maoney. that
habit Of giving death notices To undertker- Ia server
nothing of the matter OF NY own knowledge:
1t simply n suspicion Of Mr. whites"
because Maoney explained the two cases when he |
had apparently BEEN remls' TO my .t,iartion ana "as
doing his work IN a satisfactory manner
Was any examination made IN regard 10 the charge
OF Mr. White that Maloney had given death notices to
No. That was simply suspicion Of Mr. Whites. and
there sSs a. @ mo nrIG, s.pean 10 nsGs DO '"0"
In reply 20 other questions Nr. oRourlc ssI II l.
III.
patient. In The insitutions before the friends. The
lar death notices generally come down on the morn
bosi bodies the afternoon rule
lie might have at the Institutions no send hn
word n 4, possible for ui aker Ia get the permit
from the of Vital Statistics, provided he has the
pruper paper- without the consent of the reatNc- lie
could get papers by eosOn with some Oi our en-
ploye-. don't believe that such coliusiuu exists,
however Maoney did at one Hmc put some ui SlcNins
cards IA with the death notices. but there II" order
against then As the Commissioners Issued AZ
prohibiting II, Maloney promised never To 10 IL
again There have been no complaints Since
WHAT ME. sLEyIN SAYS.
John ]. sleyin in his undcrakers shop IN
sprng-st When told OF the contents Of the letter lie
and said: oh, IL II effort the part
OF some of my business rivals Ia injuro The whole
thing IA tissue Of falsehoods from beginning Ia end
We have been 10 business for upwards NJ forty years
resorting Ia any We de- good deal
Morgue business aud we do IL jLst the same We do
any other. The friends Of the deceased como to an
ask attend 10 the burial aud We do II We have LO
ivcans Of getting Information quicker than anybOty
else, nor have any inside track whaeYrr did not
use ans influence Ia have Maloney's predecessor re-
moved, nor had anything Ia do with MalOneys appoint
menL 1 never AT any time had any arrangement Nith
Mal0ney II he put my cards IN with tho death nOticer.
n was simply friendly act. and had no knowledge Of
it. | took body from the Motgue without the
request the friends relatives O the deceased. and
with per authority. have asked no favOrs from
the people The MOrIe, nor have received any. The
story OF my charging 40 for putting body ice and
keeping IT, is simply lie out Oi the whole cloth have
never refused up body when the friends wished
other undertaken 10 take charge. have had
any frpul La al luut IA Dp1V at ul