Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1890-10-02
THE PARIS MoRGUE.
eRuEsoME SIGHTS IN A FAM
ous FRENCH INSTITUTION.
Rod;es Frozen Stiff for Future ioen'
tification-A Lugubr1ous
Graph Album-A CHASTITY Hese

o~anh AIbum-A CHASTITY Eevel
II 10 difficult for the average tourist IN
par;s m decide which of two famous
s;gbts he will first enioy-the Louvre VI
the Morgue. 1t is perhaps the latter 1na'
has the better patronage from foreigners.
Evervtbing in Paris under the present
government Is systematized, and the po-
s;t;,.I machinery. even to the smallest
wheels Is so well oiled and runs 50
smoothly that there is little room 1or
fancy, particularly when hard lacls are
encountered at every turn. Inc MoSuo
is on the island of the city, that snlali,
picturesque bit of land, the nucleus OF
old Paris. and which parts in TWAIN the
turoid waters of the river SEINE.
The island is the site Of all the prlncl-
nal nnhlie buildings-thee criminal courts
The Prefecture OF Police and the other
edi6ces consecrated to the adminlstra-
tion of Justice. The Morgue itself Is
rather a hard place to find, and when
found so insignificant that the VISITOR
feels at once a distinct pang OF dlsap,,
pointment. 1t is a low, one-storleu
structure. half hidden in the shadow Oh
the great basilica of Notre Dame. In
front is a small park, bright and cneery'
where quaint peasant women In large,
stiff friiled caps. sell nosegays on fete
davs Behind it is the Seine, from
whose foul waters so much Of its CHASTITY
crop is plucked.
The building is fashioned after the
model of a Grecian tomb with two nine
tenth century wings. The main hall IN
side is a square room, around which, I'M
der glass cases, something ike the
windows of shops, are exposed the
corpses, the flotsam and jetsam OF Paris,
which come in with the tide. The bodies
are dressed in their ordinary attire, and
being frozen present the appearance OF
models in wax. The inner room behind
the showcase is used for dissecting, and
also for the identification Of. the dead.
A large leaden table on a pivot Is Its
principal feature, on which is stretched
the cadaver. The ceiling is lighted by a
roof Of ground glass and every facility is
given for the recognition of the dead by
their friends. 1t is here that the muir
derer is often brought face 20 face with
his victim, and this small room
has been the scene Of many
a drama. A third room behind this is
arranged like ward in a hospital. On
each side Of a broad pathway huge cop
per cylinders are placed at regular inter-
walls, like beds of patients In a hospital.
These cylinders are each provided with
freezing apparatus into which after few
days' exposition the unidentified dead
are placed and Immediately frozen to the
consistency of stone and stored away,
awaiting the great day Of Identification.
Whenever body is found-either IN
the Seine, the streets or at private
house when the cause of death IS sus
picious-the case is Immediately reported
to the authorities and the dead-carl
brought to the scene On arrival at the
morgue the body stripped of its cloth
ing and placed in a species of trough
lined with zinc A double hose IS I'M
mediately brought into action and th'
subject is thoroughly cleansed with clear
cold water. IL is then examined and IT
especial features noted, which, togethe
with the time and place of finding ant
other details, are registered. The corps
is dressed again in its original clothes
placed in one of the receptacles an'
frozen.
Besides the regular registry, in which
the names, marks, clothing and othe
means of identification are written,
photograph is taken Of each subject
and these lugubrious albums are open t
the public twice a week. Every perso
who dies in a public place is brought t
/ the morgue. A corps of physicians ar
+ there to dissect and perform autopsies
and every means is taken TO identify tn
dead or to trace out the cause of sudde
death.
The present system is a wonderful i'm
provement on that of other days. MI
Mace gives a graphic ard horrible descriT
ton Of the morgue during the first half Q
the century The guardians of the dea
were appointed by a low class of politi
clans, the office, although without salary
being self-supporting. The dead them
selves were facetiously called 'the board
ers." Everything appertaining to tn
subjects was sold. There was a DO
called THE Casket of the Maccabees.
In this were placed the teeth and the hal
of the dead, which were sold to dentist
and hair-dressers. The garments wei
sold to old-clothes men, and the pc
quisites of the guardian of the dead, {
''Morguer, were extremely profitable.
This is only half the story. One {
the Morgueurs, who had amassed quite
fortune from his ghoulish work, ga,
somewhere in the thirties an entertain
ment in the grand hall of the Morgu
His guests were the most depraved an
most distinguished members of the erin
inal classes in Paris. The drink whic
formed the chief refreshment on the o.
casion was brandy, known in French
''eau dc VIE and baptized for the occ
sion as "eau de morris. from water
life to water of death. The music w
furnished by instruments something lii
flutes made from the bones of the dea'
and the drum accompaniment was beat,
on skulls with parts of arms and leg
For light novel effect was introduces
Twenty corpses which had entered
sufficient stage of decay were range
along the walls and the eyeless socke
and mouths were lighted, the gas fro
the corrupting bodies burning with
I { forrn apd brilliant liuht