The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-07-27
POOR KEISER'S BODY.
A Harrisburg Coroner Has Strange
Notions About Decency.

Mr. Edward Patterson, who was sent
by Alpine Lodge Of Odd Fellows to bring
home the mangfd body of John Keiser,
of No. 1O2 Congress street, who was run
over and killed by an express train at
Harrisburg on Sunday last, hasn't very
exalted opinion of the authorities of that
city
He says there is no public morgue there,
and when an unknown man is killed q
jury is hastily summoned, pronounces q
haSty verdict and the body is thrown into
a wooden box and carted off to Potter's
Field, where it is hastily dumped into a
square hole. And even when there are
means of Identification it seems to make
but little difference.
"Keiser," said he, twas killed while at
tempting to cross the tracks at what is
known as the Dock street crossing. The
Coroner's certificate. shows that. The en-
gineer's testimony was to the effect that
he was Mortified on looking in front of
his engine to see two men attempting to
dart across the track Immediately in
front. The Coroner lives near the depot.
He is around all the time. l understand
that inquests are held immedi-
ately in such cases in order to allow the
train hand witnesses to get away on the
same train which causes the accident.
"Poor Keiser's body, together with
that of the other man who was killed at
the same time, was picked up and carried
into coal shed, where it lay few hours.
in two coffin-shaped boxes, were carried
off to the almshouse farm and dumped
into the same hole.
Now, there were several papers found
on kelser's body, giving his full name and
address. 1t seemed almost as though he
Il
emergency. In memorandum book was
written, this book belongs to John
Keiser, No. l02 Congress street, Jersey
City, And yet it was not till next day
that the Mayor of Jersey City received no.
tice of Keiser's death-a day after he was
bur ed.
"In one of his pockets was also found a
copy of the constitution and bylaws of
Alpine Lodge, with 'Kessler's Hall, Cen
tral avenue, Jersey City Heights printed
on the back as the location of the lodge.
This fell into the hands of Odd Fellows,
and Secretary Wilhelm, of the State Capt.
tai Lodge, of Harrisburg, Immediately
telegraphed the accident to Alpine Lodge.
| was in Harrisburg looking for the body
when the authorities of that city wired
Mayor Cleveland notification of keiser's
DEATH
"When I was told there were no
morgues in Harrisburg, / hunted up the
Coroner and asked him if the body had
been buried. He replied:-I guess not.
have given no burial permit
But all the same" continued Mr.. Pat
terson, "he gave me permit to have the
bodies disinterred, in the event of burial
having already taken place. And when L
reached the almshouse farm found men
digging the bodies up. They had been
telegraphed instructions from the Coroner
had just left. had no trouble in identi-
flying the body. l knew the clothes he
had on, and even recognized the face. A
portion of his head | found in the foot of
the other mans coffin. The coffins were
simply boxes, into which the bodies had
been thrown. l brought the body home,
and it was buried with due honors in
Weehawken Cemetery on Wednesday,