The morning call., 1893-11-03
SAVED IN TIME.
The Surgeons Knife Is
Stayed.
MARTIN HOULLAHAN'S DEATH
He Is Rescued Before Being
Cut Up.
THE MAYORS PROMPT ACTION
Gross Violation of Law by Officials,
and Extortion of Money for
the Remains.

A man named Matthew Ashe walked
into the Health Office yesterday and pro-
duceG a receipt for SO which he had re-
ceived from The Cooper Medical College
for the dead body of Martin Houllahan.
He inquired if it was customary for the
medical colleges to charge that amount of
money for the bodies which they had OBJ
tanned free from public institutions.
The officers at the Health Department
told him that there was no law authOriZ-
ing the collection of any such amount, and
sent him to Mayor Ellert, who is president
of the Board of Health.
The result of Matthew Ashes story was
the production of a great scandal. the sus-
pension OF an officer at the City and County
Hospital and an investigation by the Board
OF Health, which will be held on Saturday
morning at IL O'clock.
The case was one of man having died
at public institution. the body being hur-
ried to medical institution, and no notice
of his death being given as required by
law until after the body had been prepared
for an anatomical examination.
Martin HOullahaD, a barkeeper, aged 43
years, was taken TO the City and County
Hospital several weeks ago. He was a
native of Ireland, and had resided at 549
Mission street
On October % Martin Houllahan died at
the hospital. Dy. A. Abrams signed the
death certificate as a case of bronchitis.
The 25tn of October fell on a Thursday.
On Friday the body OF the dead man was
hurried to the Cooper Medical College for
anOmatical examination, although the law
requires that such action shall not be taken
until proper notice OF death has been given
In the newspapers.
On Saturday Matthew Ashe. friend of
the dead man, learning of HOullaban's
death, went TO the Cooper Medical College
to get the body. but before be could obtain
it he was compelled TO pay So AShe de-
manded a receipt for the money, which
was given. and took the body away, hav-
ing it buried in Holy Cross Cemetery.
Mayor Elert has now this receipt given
at the Cooper Medical College. which was
signed by B. f. Hick0x, who has charge of
the apartment relating to the care of
bodies for dissection. The receipt will be
used on the investigation on Saturday,
Outside of the unlawful ana outrageous
demand of private institution for money
for body which it secured free of charge
(supposedly) from a public Institution,
presided over by an appointee of the
Board of Health, the greatest scandal con-
nected with the case is the outrageous
the surgeons knife without complying
with the law.
The law gives the hospital authorities the
power of giving body for anatomical ex-
animation after proper notice published in
the daily papers. The case of Houllahan
shows how matters are being conducted at
the City ana County Hospital under the
management of DR.. Titus.
The rule of the Board of Health founded
on the code is that the superintendent of
the City and County Hospital shall give
public notice of the deaths that occur in
the hospital as soon as possible. This
rule is obligatory, for its object is to give
notice 70 friends and relatives to give a
decent burial TO the deceased before the
body is taken to some medical hospital to
be cut up by some surgeons knife in lee
turing to medical students.
In Houlahan'S case the law was violated.
for his death occurred on Thursday, Oc-
tOber %, and on Friday, October 27, the
remains were sent TO the Cooper Medical
College to be cut up On Saturday, after
the body had been picked for dissection,
Superintendent Titus of the City and
County Hospital had a notice of his death
placed in the papers.
On the same day Ashe, the friend of the
dead man, went TO the Cooper College to
get the body to give it decent burial, and
money was demanded for giving il up.
When Mayor Ebert heard all of the cir
cumstances OF the case be was very indig-
nant that public Office sh Ould be so pros
tltuted. and a once sent for Superintendent
Titus Of the City and County Hospital.
When the Mayor laid the facts of the
case before DR.. Titus, and explained the
violation OF the law, the rules of the Board
of Health. and the outrage of hurrying the
remains of a patient of the hospital to a
medical college for the surgeons knife
before even his friends or relatives were
notified, even through the public press,
.DT. Titus admitted all the facts of the case.
Although superintendent of the hospital
and daily In charge, be said that the whole
fault lay with the clerk of the hospital,
whose name is Goggins.
is that so ?" said Mayor Ellert. "Then
Mr. GogginS is suspended from his Office
for gross violation of duty"
The Mayor then made an order for the
suspension of Clerk Goggins.
The inside facts OF the case will all come
out at the investigation to be held by the
Board OF Health at the order of the
Mayor on Saturday at II o'clock.
Dr l.. Z. Lane, president of Cooper
Medical College. was seen last night bv q
CALL reporter, and said that he knew very
little about the Houllahan case, except what
had been reported TO him at The college,
"a number of instances similar to this
have occurred" said he, "in which friends
or relatives OF deceased individual have
claimed the body after it came into pos
session OF the college. In all such cases il
is customary to charge the persons who
claim the BODY fee of about SO, but
which l think Is sometimes less. This is
to cover the expenses which the college
has previously incurred in securing the
body. The undertaken, or whoever brings
the body to the college, is paid this amount
upon the delivery of the remains, and it is
- to reimburse the college authorities that
the charge IS made. L suppose the janitor
made the charge in this instance as has
haen cnstnmaru haratnfnra In oil a+ha.a %