Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-10-21

The work of idenaifSing the Dead .
sorrowiItg Task.

lt was greNsoml task upon which
Generas Secretary benjamin =. Berry
man II the local olng Mems Christian
association Was engaged for several
hours tonight lie had been requested
by Coroner Gillette h. examine the score
or more 81 charrcd remains With tie
view of bringing 10 lght something that
might lead to the Identification 81 each.
Upon sheet ~ canvas stretched upon
the floor al the FAR end of the basement
m kander 4 Farleys furniture and IN.
destaking establishment. the bsackened
bodies and truuks. some minus legs, and
somc arms and head. were laid an
dOuisle row. 4 chintL curtain that shut
of the rest II the basement aEd cou-
pie OF oil lamps that sent glare oyer
the extemporlzcd miorgue seemed 10 IN
vest the surroundings with additional
horrors IS one sbeet after another
vas drawn away and that which was
beneath exposed 80 view. more than one
grey headed veteran who had seen death
ia It's worst form on the battlefield was
forced 20 turn away There we're but
two ~ the twenty tive bodies that were
possible of Identification even by the in
timate friends 81 the victims. There were
men charred from head to foot. but wlth
the lineamcnts of the features preserved
to sufficient degree 10 admit of their
being recognized. Tears came into the
eyes IL the bystanders. and one father
in his sympathy. He'd from the place
With a groan as the form u his child
ilitied by and was lifted and placed
On the table. The collision had
evidently found him doubled up on the
q laff Ia Il
we're drawn up and death had MADE
them 50 rigid that even the nndertahers :
assistants. accustomed az they were to
the task. could not straighten them out
The entire top % the head had been
burned away. leaving the brain exposed,
little remaining % the outline of the
face. the little hanis clinched tight in
death. were chatred 10 tue bone. the
feet were as black as The boots that bu.
yesterday had protected them. ana the
little toes had fed the flames. But when
the clothing about the trunk and the
knee pants had been ripped of the flesh
beneath. soft aud white as that al a
newly born babe was revealed in hideOus
contrast to tho rest Of the body. Only
the fragments oi clothing that were
saved and the fringe 81 red hair about
the base % the skull will serve 10 render
the Identification ~ the child possible.
Of another victim. apparently well
built man. there was nothing but tho
trunk burnt through and through and
from which the entrails pro,ruded
One body lacked Lex, another an
arm. eyes had gone from sockets. ears
aud nose had been hcKcd of by the
flames. Two of the bodies might have
been but charred stumps ~ trees fOr ali
tire evidences that remained that they
were human beings but few hours ago.
Telegrams were received tonight from
c. g. Van Dusen of Fort PLAIN. y. Y.
asking that the bodies OF the two we
Tins OF that name be cared for pending
further adviccs. Another dispatch from
t. ID. Shelden - Woonsocket. t. l.. re-
Quested that the remains of ". ".
Henry be held until tomorrow. Still
later I. X Magoon ~ Providence sent a
dispatch saving. What Is the condition
Of remains of X. j. Mago0n: please care
for them. VIII wire again The body
az MIR. Van Duzen was placed IN the
vault II the undertaking establishment
bat q lew feet away from tho unrecog-
nizablc body a has wife Those victims
that are not recognized 10y Monday viii
be placed in the vault II the Oakbill
cemetery. where they will remain until
liked identity has fiuiod.
One ol tho bodies al the temporary
morgue b. believed to be- that 81 ". III.
Crowley of Port Huron Michigan. who
Was sitting in the second coach with has
brother iic has yistted tho hospital
and secured tie city. but without re.
suit The missing man wore n gold
watch. with heavy knight IemplaT
charm.
one u the victims had a red mus.
tache. and IL supposed g. be the father
- the little child whose hair is a ths
same color There rs absolutely no clue
10 their identity.