The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-15
His Official Acts Reviewed by
a Civic Federation Com
mittee.
DEEDS OF BEAsTLY DEPUTIES.
DIR. C., C.. O'Donnell Tells What He
Knows of the Management OF
the Morgue.


Board of Health that would choose DR..
Marc Levingston as Health Officer and Mr..
Ashes demand for specific proof against
his client and friend brought forth yester-
day the following specifications of miscon:.
duct in office from the special committee OF
the federation which has the matter IN
charge:
Hon. J. II. Budd, Gosernor-DEAR SIR: The
committee of the Civic Federation who pre-
sented to you respectful protest against tne
appointment OF DR.. Marc Livingston 10 the
position OF Health Officer OF this Clty. peg eaVe
10 submit the following facts in support OF
the protest:
was the appointment OF Spreeht and SIMMONS
two notorious Buckley lambs, as his Chief depu-
ties His next act was to remove the Morgue
from Sacramento street, near police headquar-
ters to Mission street, adjoining 10 ana connect
ing with w. J. Mallady's undertaking estapnsn-
MaIlady has been proved to have given note
for $3.50 to "Long john Wilkins to Withdraw
the name of DR.. Davis from the nomination
for Coroner in favor of DR.. McAllister IN
former campaign, who was to give the Morgue
business to Mallady.
After these acts Livingston went to Sacra-
rnento and remained for two months trying to
lobby through the Legislature blu giving him
$50 for every autopsy, during all which time
deputies Sprecht and simmons slgneo ceruI-
Gates of death and usurped the Coroners
functions although without having the sngnt-
est legal right in the matter. DR.. Meares, the
Health officer, and the Board OF Health hnally
put an end to these unlawful practices, as can
be shown by the records of the proceedings OF
the Board OF Health and the accounts IN the
newspapers OF that time.
We find it stated in all the papers contem-
poraneous to that date that Patrick Dunnigan,
who committed suicide March A, 1888, was
buried without an inquest, and about the
same time boy, who cut his throat, was
buried without inquest; in the latter case Coro-
ner Levingston's certificate stated that the boy
died of hemorrhage OF the lungs. The Board
of Health compelled the coroner, against ms
protest, to eXhume the Dody ana nolo an III
In May, 1888, Chief Deputy spreeht went to
r. d. knight. the superintendent OF the Union.
street Gable Railway Company, ana now cnlef
engineer of the United States Mint in this city,
and offered for the sum OF $500 TO pack Coro-
ner's jury.
had been killed by the Union-street eable-cars,
and Levingston's deputy agreed IN the pres
ence OF officers whom Knight had seereted In
his Office, TO fix jury VINO would prlng III
verdict of generation.
We refer for evidence of the last transaction
to Mr.. Knight, TO Chief OF Police Crowley and
to the Chronicle OF May II, 1888.
About May II, 1888, Lottie Hunslnger took
poison in the bachelor apartments OF million
aire in this city. Her body was unlawfully
taken from the Morgue TO private undertak-
ing establishment and every effort made on
the CoroneT's part TO smother the scandal and
assist the millionaire. The girls mother and
friends have assured one Of our members that
much money was used by the millionaire, and
this was openly charged at the time and IT be-
came matter OF common notoriety.
A man was accidentally killed and his body,
after being handled by the Coroner, was given
to Undertaken Mallady and by the latter buried.
The mans widow charged that Mallady was
robbing her in his charges for burial, and on
her statement meeting OF the San Francisco
Undertakers' Association was called. Malady
appeared before that body and openly and pub
hcly stated that he could notre turn the money
to the widow as he had been obliged 10 pay 1t
to Coroner Livingston.
The court records in the case of Millionaire
Mclaughlin, who committed suicide, show that
Mallady charged $1,000 for embalming the
BODY Objection was made TO this and NAL
lady appeared in Judge Murphy's court and
testified that he was only permitted 10 retain
5000; the remainder was given to Coroner Lev
ingston. II. B. McAvoy, respectable under
taker of this city, whose place of business is on
Fifth, near Market, is authority for the state
ment.
AS for the statements of vile and indecent
treatment of the bodies of unfortunates itwas
of common notoriety and was so treated by the
press, newspaper men declaring that the de-
tails of the Morgue orgies were too hideous Tor
publication.
otto tum SUDDEN, q practising attorney of
this City, was present when Levfngston's depu-
ties kicked dead bodies about the Morgue.
Chronicle reporter says that a body was bru-
tally stripped in the presence OF gang OF
Buckley roughs, one OF them remarking: "lf
the knew what would happen to
him he would not have killed himself" and
Mailady responded, ayes, he's in purgatory
now"
The Morgue was In such filthy condition
during Levingston's administration that DR..
Bloch refused to make an autopsy until the
Morgue was cleaned.
Finally: The committee desires to call your
attention to the fact that DR.. Levingston's
reputation is and was q matter OF common
notoriety. General bad reputation cannot be
established by specific acts, even in court of
justice. That DR.. Levingston's general reputa-
ton is and was bad nobody can deny. His ad-
ministratio1 was stencil in the nostrils OF the
whole community. He attained the bad emf
nence of notoriety as corrupt politician and
as an inefficient and careless public officer.
The specific acts that We have recited could
not of themselves have given DR.. Levingston
his unenviable reputation. Others beyond the
reach of this committee are also the foundation
upon which his character for badness rests.
The absolute belief of San Francisco in DR..
Leyingston's general untitness for public ONCE
is the most severe charge that can be brought
against him, and should be an insuperable
obstacle to his appointment by you.
Christopher A. Buckley has been charged
Grand Jury has ever been able to bring him to
trial. Nevertheless this committee holds that
that fact would be no good reason for appoint
ing him Harbor Commissioner.
So the fact that DR.. Livingston has not been
convicted of crimes laid at his door is not
reason why they should appoint him to Office.
The wishes of San Francisco and her citizens
should be considered in this matter, as the
Board of Health and its officers constitute
part of the government under which they live
and which so nearly affects their interests 1t
would be an outrage upon them to appoint
either Buckley or Levingston to Office. Each
belongs to the same class, and therefore it was
that the Civic Federation protested against the
appointment of LeYingston and declared that
such an act would be public calamity.
l. J. TRUMAN,
GEORGE I. GADEN,
d. r. Ollie,
d. GILBERT DEXTER.
Governor Budd and Mr.. Ashe will each
receive copy of the letter, and it is ex-
pected that The Governors decision con-
corning the question whether or not his
appointees shall be those who will proba-
bly, tender DIR. Levingston the position of
Health Officer viii be made public within
very few days.
DR.. C. G. O'Donnell expresses himself as
highly indignant to think that DR.. Leving-
ston should aspire to the position of Health
Officer. He also objects to having that
gentleman compared to himself. DR.. O DON
nell said:
"Ievingston talks about turning over
SCI, COO of money found on the bodies of
subjects. He doesn't say, though, that that
sum consisted almost entirely of certified
checks for large sums found on the bodies
of Mclaughlin and Blythe. Why, his
former deputy will tell how even the cloth
ing of the unknown dead was sold to deal
4 Il.