Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-01-30
OF UNKNOWN DROWNED.
ROMANCE AND CRIME BURIED
IN A CEMETERY.
staten Islands Burial Ground Hides
Many Secret Deaths of Three
Cities-FIoating to One
Part of the Shore.

mond county farm, a mile west OF New
Dorp on Staten island.
1t is the pauper graveyard OF the is.
land. wherein rest the bodies OF many
of those unfortunates who during
the last quarter of century have
found death in the rivers that ebb and
flow past the wharyes of New York,
Brooklyn and Jersey City, or who
have been cast into waters after death
has come upon them in some other vi
olent form
the constant harvest OF the rivers
dead that finds its way into the
morgues of the three cities represents
b. no means the total Of the rivers
death-roll, says the n. Y. Advertiser,
for the rush Of the ebbing tides car
rics many of the dead down into the
bay where the currents sweep to the
westward and almost invariably cast
the gruesome objects upon the Staten
Island shore at the points where the
little towns south OF 81. George are
strung along the shore all the way to
Fort Wadsworth and around TO South
| Beach.
Indeed, so steady and certain is the
swirl and playing OF these seabound
eddies that there are little bays here
and there, into which they cast their
drift, which bear such unpleasant
local names AS Dead Mans Hole, =
"The Floater's Haven" and Dead
/ Mans Dock. +" because it is so common
a thing to lind body floating there
! abouts when the waters have been
I hurrying down TO the millrace OF the
4 Narrows or have whirled through that
/ famous passage into the lower bay.
! The graveyard Of the county poor
4 house is situated $50 yards south Of
the residence OF Superintendent OF the
4 County Poor Bodine and is about an
acre in extent The acre Is the only
wooded land upon the farm Of almost
hundred times that size and il will
be left unclearcd Of it, timber. as the
tall young oaks and chestnuts that
form its growth make pleasant grove
and a more attractive burial ground
than ii the ground was cleared There
has thus IA. but little been done to-
wards keeping the graves in order and
they are in many cases overruu with
the same tangle Of underbrush, weeds
and grass that marx any OF the uncul-
tivated or uncleared woodlands OF this
section.
And the great majority Of these
numbered graves have no other record
Of their occupants for all the books
which held the records Of The bodies
that arc buried in the graveyard until
June 1890 have been lost and con
sequently there Is absolutely no means
OF knowing il certain number marks
the last resting place OF worthy
paupcr, q murdered tramp. one of the
sadly numerous unknown dronwed'
or any other class az unfortunate who
has found his or her grave in this sac
little acre OF woodland.
But it is known that very many o
tile numbered graves are those Of pooi
creatures who have during the many
years since the place has been SO used
came down to the island on the bosom
Of the rivers food and have no loving
relatives or friends TO recognize them
or carried no marks by which suci
Borrowing ones might know Of their
fate.
The unknown drowned arc not buried
in any particular part OF the plot bu
may be found scattered IRREGULAR,
along the lines, in some places two OF
three buried side by side and at 9th
ers only one grave to score being
| that Of victim OF the waters An,
} il is pitiful crew, in which they ar
10 DC found, with suicides and mur
dercd men and women with the vic
! Tins 81 hunger and cold and fire keee
ing them company, aud with III
pauper POOR rs the rank and file Of Iii
departed company.
Men form the great majority Of tn
!, unknown drowned for the body OF
drowned woman or girl is much NOR
likely to be identified than that of
man, but the poorhouse burial plot ha
not a few female victims in the list q
its drowned and sad proportion {
them were young when they sought tn
river
When the outgoing tide casts one {
/, the unfortunates upon the shore In
! body is taken to one Of the undertaken
: establishments that are run by tn
three coronors of Richmond count
I and publicity is given TO the fact b
!, newspaper paragraphs, of greater q
= lesser leugth, according to the feature
Of the case. A well-dressed mar
plainly the victim of violence, natural
III gets more space than some poe
tramp or sailor who has probably faile
9 overheard from dock or vessel Will
t. overcome with liquor.
: After few days an inquest is helC
q and IL no trace Of the identity car /
/ found II is sent TO the poorhouse in
u plain, well-made pine coffin. and thel
y kept above ground rs long as possibl
/ in the little red frame box of built
II ing which is used as the dead-house
q the Institution. Then, if none folio
y it thithor and identity it, ii is given
q decent burial and the burial service
q The Protestant Episcopal church is rer
" the grave.