Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-07

| retina. AS was to be expected, this was
already in a putrid state, and when in
| spected with the glass developed absolutely
| nothing.
| DIR. Grny's Disclaimer.
| DR.. Gray was very much disturbed today
| over the fact that his name had been used
| In connection with the experiment, as he
| feared that some people might think that
he had entered into the matter willingly
and hopeful Of results. In conversation
with a Star reporter this morning he said:
Il told DR.. Hammett yesterday that the
| whole theory was an unadultarated fake
| Before doing anything with the camera l
| looked up the Literature ON the subject
| and found that there Is not a single au-
| thenticated case on record of a photograph
of the retina showing anything that would
be of the slightest use in distinguishing or
| discovering anything There is one case
a photograph was taken of the eye Of a
| murdered person which gave a satisfactory
portrait of the man who had struck the
| fatal blow. 1t was almost the only clue or
| piece Of evidence against the man, but
when he was confronted with the photo
| graph of himself, taken Under such crcum-
stances. he broke down and made a com
plete confession Of guilt. 1 say there is
| one case on record, but 1t is not authentic,
anu the character of the man who made
the record is sufficient proof that the thing
never occurred as he said 1t did,
| "A classmate of mine was very much
| interested In this subject, and has made
many interesting experiments with the Wis
| ual purple. 1t is an admitted fact that
| there may be color effects on the retina of
| the eye which may be distinguishable for
brief period after death. Some of his
e experiments h, were successful to certain
| extent, while others proved absolutely
| nothing. Small animals like the rabbit or
the guinea pig can be exposed to the strong
| llSht OF window, for example, and if kill
ed then and the eyes examined immediate-
| ly something may be found. but 1t is alb
| surd to say that the results have ever been
such as would warrant an experiment on
| the eyes Of murdered person. In the case
| Of this poor girl the eyes were not removed
for more than forty-eisht hours after death.
| In point CT fact, the retina undergoes a
| very material change within two or three
hours of death, and for this reason it is
| extremely difficult to get even satisfactory
| ilm for microscopic slide. l have tried
| again and again within a very short time
| set in. and we are compelled to get sec
| lions when eyes are removed from living
beings: Then. of course, the eye is not
normal When the eyes Of this girl were
brought to ME last evening the corners
| We're already clouded and Opaque, and the
| retina was in no condition to make an ex-
| ANNA ton.
Il would like very much to have my
connection with this case made clear for
| it is rather embarrassing for me to have
inte.ligent people think that 1 took part
| IN Sucn a performance with the belief that
l was doing anything in a scientific man
ner'
Morbid CurlOsity.
| The body of Elsie Kreglo lay this morn
| ing in an undertakers establishment on
| 1lth street. 1t was inclosed in pretty
white casket. on the top of which was a
! silver plate. with the words AT Rest"
| The body was gowned in white, with a
ruching about the neck and a big spray of
| lilies of the valley, which completely hid
| the cruel gaShes that caused her death.
AS soon as it was no!sed about that the
Lcdy had been prepared for burial. and was
| in the back room Of the undertaker's es-
Enlistment. there was an exhibition OF
| morbid curiosity that was all but disgust
| ing. crowd. which at times numbered
| several hundred, gathered in front of the
| Shop and eagerly sought admission. Nine
out of ten were women, young and old, on
| their way to or from the big stores in the
| neighborhood They clamored eagerly for
| admission, and every once in a while the
| doors were opened to allow the crowd in to
| view the remains. man stood at the
| Goor and told them to pass in to the right,
! so that all might have a chance to view the
| body. With curiosity written every line
| Of their faces the spectators hung long
as they could over the body OF the unfor-
| tEnate girl and commented audibly on her
| appearance. Her eyeids were closed over
| the empty sockets. and gave the face a
| eaunt and hollow look, very unlike that
| which the girl wore in life. Her wealth of
golden hair was tastefully arranged.
| As if to make the presence of outsiders
| all the more unseemly the mother and sis
| tiers sat heavily yelled near the coffin. All
We're crying audibly, and it seemed too bad
| that they could not have been left alone
| with their dead.
This afternoon the body was removed to
| Forestvllle, where the kreglo family for
| merly resided, and there given Christian
| burial.
To Aid the Family.
| Washington people are always quick to
show their sympathy in times of need and
| the sad blow which has overtaken the
|
of the public their bitter distress. The old
| farmer has never found 1t an easy thing to
provide for his family. although they have
lived decently and comfortably. The hor-
! rble death of his daughter has been such
| shock to him that he will never be the
man he used to be. He is still in the hos
| pital. and, while it is now certain that he
| will recover, he will be helpless wreck for
| months to come, and the five poor, helpless
! women, who are dependent upon him. will
! find 1t difficult matter to secure the neces-
| saries of life.
The charitable people of Mt Pleasant have
| already taken the case in hand, and they
| promptly and cheerfully started to work
| yesterday to raise the necessary funds to
| pay the expenses of Elsies burial
| The conductors and gripmen on the 18th
street line showed themselves true and gen
| erous-hearted men by contributing the sum
| OF SIT toward defraying the expenses of the
| funeral
a cobbler who lives in Mt. Pleasant left
| his bench yesterday and stood in the street
| all day. From passcrs-by he obtained $31 in
| small contributions. besides giving literally
| of his own hard-carncd savings
| The people of Mt. Pleasant have deter
| mined to make an organized effort to relieve
| the needs of the kreglo family. The fol-
| lowing statement has been received by The
| Star:
| Elsie kreglo, the unfortunate young
| lady who was so cruelty murdered, will to-
| day receive respectable Christian burial
| through the Kindness and generosity of the
| good people of Mt Pleasant who promptly
| and cheerfully came to the poor family's
| rescue, and furnished the necessary funds
| All arrangements have been made and be-
| fore this reaches the public eye she will
| have been quietly laid to rest Nothing more
| can be done for poor Elsie, who sacrificed
| life rather than honor, but very much more
| can be done for the poor, Woodworking sur
| vlyinS members of the family. We can. and
| should, scatter a few roses across their
| pathway to alleviate, as far as human
| agency can, their terrible Attic ton The
| father Is now in the hospital, suffering from
| the terrible shock. and even if he should
| survive will be a helpless wreck for months
to come. and five poor, poverty-stricken,
! helpless women are struggling alone for
| the necessar1es of life. VIII not every gen
! ercus soul in Washington send their mite 10
| kew. NJ. Ross FiShbjlrn or N Youpo M