The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-03-21

Alice Lowell against The Bayley COM
pany, Guild see that good deal of lite
was shown. He went to some degree into
the relations between Mr.. Davis and
himself.
Mr. Davis strongly denied that he ever
had any trou BILE with Mr.. or Mrs. Lowell.
He also made some explanations of his
own private affairs.
Mrs. Davis said the noise overhead con-
tinued for over half an hour before the
alarm of fire. 1t was stormy night and
they did not leave the store.
Mr.. Lowell asked for time to bring peo-
pie down from his house.
Mr.. Littlefield of the Argus, said that
about five minutes to two, that morning
he was going up Middle street near the
box from which the alarm was rang. At
that time there was mo light, noise, or
anything in common. He did not smell
smoke.
City Solicitor Chapman said that the
only duty before the board was to make
the investi CATION. He saw nothing what
ever suspicious about the case from any
what had been said was in line with his
own investigation. If the hole in the
ceiling was plugged with paper. then it
naturally fell down on the bed below.
Alderman Thompson said that no OBJ
lection being made he would close the
hearing. =.
Alderman Kehoe moved to adjourn the
hearing to enable Mr.. Davis and Mr.
Lowell to put in other evidence, but the
motion was lost, and the Investigation
was over. ss.-.-.
!. 7. G. Bonner was appointed special
policeman.
The following petitions to erect new
wooden buildings were referred to the
committee on new wooden buildings
Margaret sCushman, 3S Hammond, street;
Murphy Bros, II Smith street; Charles
Ashton. 947 Congress street; Rufus
Lampson, 1888 Congress street: j. f. Per-
kins, "a Dow street.
Alderman llsley moved to reconsider
the vote by which the body of Lizzie Bal
ley was given to the Maine Medical school.
The school has not fled bond as re-
quir ed by law, but has demanded that
the body be given to an express company.
He made the point that the necessary two
days notice had not been given.
Mr.. Chapman read the law governing
such cases, and Alderman Ilsley objected
that the preliminaries had not been COM
piled with, and Mr.. Chapman said that
Mr.. Baker notified the Mayor. but the
person in charge of the body seems to
have notified DIR. Gerrish, who demanded
the bod y on behalf of the school.
DR.. Frederic Henry Gerrish spoke of
the law, and the amendment Of 1878. The
very grand work of the medical profess
sion is the study of anatomy, and bodies
are required by the school. The law s
plain, and all that the school asks is that
its provisions be- carried out, and it has
been def1ed in many cases by municipal
authorities, and instead Of having sur
plus of bodies, the school has suffered be-
cause of a lack of subjects. He could not
recall in his fifteen years Of experience Q
with the school many instances of munic-
ipal notifications of the death of friend
less pauper. Such notification has been
several times sent from Belfast, but the
school is too often compelled to depend
| upon some friend for information. DR..
oCllIpA oftl0 UltU CA JUG OGCGtSIUu Uu6 W.
erseers of the poor positively denied that
anunol aimed body was in their possession,
but he applied to the mayor, found that
his information was correct and obtained
the body for the school. He said that
the school never disputes the right of
any claimant TO the possession of a body.
Even in cases where it is shown that
the dead man had no friends able to bury
the body, the school has waived all
claims 1t is only in cases where there
are no friends to be shocked by such a
disposition of the body, that the school
asserts its rights under the law, and even
when body does pass into the ousto dy
of the school it must be embalmed, and
kept for thirty days unmarked by the
knife of the demonstrauor, and up to the
last moment of the last day it can be
claimed, and if claimed will be given
up. But the body must pass into the
custody of5the school at once, or the OBJ
ject of the law will be defeated. He noti-
fed Mayor Baxter that the school would
claim the body in this case.
Alderman Ilsley said that this board
must not be asked to defy the law, or to
violate it's plain provisions
DR.. Gerrish disclaipled the idea orwish
of asking for anything but the carryin g
out OF the provisions of the law.
Alderman leighton thought it was tn e
duty of the board to act promptly.
Alderman Pagan asked for the reading
of the law.
Alderman Kehoe thought that public
sentiment might not be entirely favorable
to the making of such DISPOSITION of
the bodies of paupers
The motion to reconsider was put and
carried. Alderman Thompson and Leigh
ton alone voting to stand by the original
action of the board.
On motion of Alderman Kehoa. the
letter of Dr. Gerrish on behalf of the
school was laid Oh the table, and the
board adjourned
A second demand will be made for the
body, the bond provided for in such cases
will be fled, and the case will then go
before the board for final decision.
WESVRRAOK