The morning call., 1893-02-13
ONE TOUCH OF SENTIMENT.
The Efforts of the Poor to Save Their
Dead From Potter's Field Burial.


When person dies in any of the hOsp-
tails belonging to the city it is the duty Of
the officers 10 notify such of his friends as
they know OF and to walt at least twenty
four hours before making any disposition
of the body. If the friends do not CALL one
of the various medical institutions may get
it, or it may be inferred In the potter's field.
Naturally the hospital officials are anxious
to have the body disposed OF az SON as pos
sible, but sometimes tbis desire is frustrated.
On a recent afternoon couple called at
the reception-room Of Bellevue Hospital
and inquired about a man who had GIed
there on the previous night Both were
young, and resemblance in features sug-
gested that they were brother and sister.
He was a cripple, one leg being shorter
than the other, and looked sickly. lie was
very poorly dressed, as was also the sister.
She was older than lie and her face was
scanned with lines that told OF prlvation.
She did the talking Tor both.
"He was our father" she said In a tired
voice, referring to the dead man, land we
want to know how we can get the body
The orderly suppressed sigh as he re-
Piled
''Pll give you the death certificate" lie
said, IF you are sure you will take the body
away"
Yes, we will take It," said the woman.
Her brother opened his mouth as If to say
something. Tut she nudged him so hard
" it'll her elbow that it brought the tears to
his eyes and made him shut his teeth very
suddenly. The orderly looked very duoi-
Gus, but he secured the certificate and gave
Ii TO the woman.
You must take the body away by to-
morrow" he said firmly. but kindly.
II will" she said, and walked ont. fol-
lowed by her brother, who looked mys-
titled.
why did you insist upon her removing
the body at once" asked the reporter, who
had overheard the conversation.
Because we have a good deal OF trouble
with cases Of this kind" replied the orderly.
II don't believe these people will remove
the body. Not that they don't want TO, but
they are too poor TO bury it, In all lkeli-
hood they Will 90 around among their neigh
hors, and perhaps to the Alderman and
Assemblyman Of their district. and try TO
raise enough money to pay the funeral ex-
penses. Perhaps they will succeed. but tie
chances are they won't. You see. their
neighbors are likely 10 be no richer than
they are, and while they might be willing
enough 10 help them, it's probable they
won't be able to- As for the politicians,
they have good many calls On their charity,
you know.
st frequently happens that the relatives
OF poor people who die here come and g /
the certificates, promising TO remove the
bodies and then never come back. They are
unable TO raise the funeral expenses and
are afraid 10 come back. The worst part Of
il is that they keep the certificates. which
requires us to make out duplicates and go
through lot Of red tape 10 explain why
duplicates were necessary. Some of these
cases are very sad. The relatives know
when they get the certificates that it will be
practically impossible for them TO use
them, but they hope for some stroke Of luck
to enable them to raise the money.
| have frequently been surprised at the
feeling shown by people against allowing
the city to bury their relatives. Men and
women who are usually ind fferent to senti-
ment and whose lives are most wretched
and hardened, will 90 to any lengths TO keep
the bodies of friends and relatives from
the pOtter's field and the medical colleges.
They have special horror of the latter.
Some of the relatives don't deserve so
much sympathy. They are young tOughs,
and get the certificates to display TO their
friends. II is mere vanity with them.
They usually know, too. that they cause US
trouble, and they rather enjoy that"