St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-12-20

purposes, said BODY having Oeen IN the
above mentioned barn several weeks, ii
was cut in two, and placed in whisky
barrel containing preserving fluids.
headed up, and, OH q cleat running
crussways of the head, was carved the
words "A Traitor in large letters, ana
the body of John Sullivan was taken in
the whisky barrel, described above, by,
night into the woods near Lake .Io-l
hanna and buried, and afterwards, for the
purpose of l0osening the flesh from the
bones and retaining the skeleton for fur
Their use, the body was eXhumed by
George Il. Lynch and companion
whose name is unknown to this jury.
A number of the slaves of the barrel
were broken in and the trunk of the
body taken out and placed on top OF the
barrel and covered with earth. by
some means unknown to this jury The
earth was afterwards removed so that !
portion OF the body. to-wit: the hand OF
John Sullivan, was exposed to public
gaze.
PHOTOGRAPH AND DISSECTION DE-
NoUNCED.
We further find that DIR. III. L. Hoyt,
peronally knew most, if not all the per-
sons present in the barn at the dissec-
ton above mentioned and receiyedF
copies of the photograph above referred
to, as did also DIR. j. II. Murphy.
That the original photograph, taken
rs aforesaid. was indecent and that all
the said DIR. III. F. Hoyt's acts and
doings were in violation of the law.
That DIR. J. II. Murphy had no right.
power or authority under the laws OF
this state to take permit or allow the
body of said John Sullivan to be taken
to said barn to be used for the purpose
0T Il ic hn
That the delivery of said John Sulli--
vans body bv William Dampier to the
barn aforesaid, without proper au-
thurity, was violation Of the law of
the state.
That the dissection of the body of
said John Sullivan by DIR. III. +. hoyt,
Mark Hoyt, Bert Austin, George b.
Lynch and others unknown to this jury
was in violation of the laws of the state.
That the st. Paul 81 Duluth railroad
company, i'm the opinion of this jury,
were derelict i'm performing the duty an
employer owes to an employee in not
seeing that an honest. faithful and
friendless employe had decent burial.
especially in view of the fact that the
said John Sullivan had. at the time of
his death and has to-day, over $40 to his
credit on the books of the said railroad
company.
We further report and find, under the
enlarged scope given to the investiga-
ton. that under the laws of 1872, proyid-
ing ways and means by which bodies
of unknown persons may be diSSected
(the law that DR.. }. I'll. Murphy stated
to the jury he supposed was still in ef-
feet, and under which he had authority
to dispose of this body in the manner IN
which he did he had no right, power or
authority to take the action he did iii
the premises.
EXISTING LAWS CONDEMNED.
We find that under the law laid down
in chapter 40 of the acts of the legislature
of this state for the year 1887, he had f,o
power or authority to pursue the course
he did. The sections of the penal code
drawn to our attention bearing upon the
question in controversy are as follows:
Section go. The person who removes
the dead body of a human being, or any
part thereof. from grave or vault, or
from any place where the same has
been buried, or from the place where
the same has been deposited while
awaiting burial, without authority of
law, with intent to sell the same, or for
the purpose of dissection, or for the
purpose of procuring a reward for the
return of same, or from malice or want
onneSs, is punishable by imprisonment
in the state prison for not more than
five years, or by fine net exceeding
one thousand dollars, or BOTH" Also.
Section sos of the same code: "a per-
son who willfully or wrongfully COM
mits an act which openly outrages pub
lie decenev is guilty." etc.
This jury finds under the law of the
state of Minnesota that the bodies of all
persons unidentified or unclaimed by
friends or relatives within thirty-Six
hours after death may be turned over to
the medical colleges of the state for dis
section. In the opinion of this jury,
this law is disgrace to the state of
Minnesota and inhJman in its effect, in
this. that it does not afford sufficient
time for proper search for the friends
aud relatives of the deceased, as in
many cases on record in this county it
has taken many days to even get clue
as to the identity Of a body. This law
should be repealed at the earliest posi-
bic date and a law should be enacted
governing the disposition Of unclaimed
bodies, that shall be in keeping with
our civilization. and that shall not mar
the tender bond of sympathy that binds
together all humanity.
In testimony whereof, the said cOr0-
ner and the jury of this inquest have
hereunto set their hands, the day and
year aforesaid.
ARCHELAUs PUGH, ANDREW P. CRooNoUIsT.
c. F. MAILER. JOHN C. HoRRIGAN,
NICHOLAS HARDY, EMIL NJ. KUBY,
j. A. QUINN, Coroner.