New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-14

THAT OF AN OLD MAN SAID TO HAVE
BEEN SUBSTITUTED FOR THAT
OF A YOUTH.
THE B1UNDER ONLY DISCOVERED BY THE
FAMILY WHEN THE UNDERTAKEN WAS
PROCEEDING WITH THE EMBALMINa-

| DISAPPEARS
The Adams family, Of No. 2.126 Eighth ave-.
and the Bellevue Hospital and Blackwes ISL
and officials. were engaged in a controversy last
| evening, which can be settled only by a rigid
| investigation. The trouble arose out Of the
| fact that a member of the Adams family died
| on BlackwelPs Island recently and that the
wrong body was sent to the family. The mis-
take was only discovered while an undertaken
was engaged in embamng the body.
The details OF the misha2 and the wrangle
which ensued these: Arthur Adams thirty
nine years old. UP to four years ago lived with
his married sister, Mrs Jacob Muller, at No.
2,126 Eighth-ave. At that time Adams sent
to Blackwell's Island suffering from paralysis
His mother and his brother, John Quincy
Adams, paid several visits to the Isard to see
the patient They went there on July 4. and
found him apparently all right then Several
days afterward. however. Mrs. Muller received
a telegram from Blackwells Island stating that
her son was dead. When she went to the ISL
and, she says. she met DIR. A. b. Bonner, who
confirmed the news of her sons DEATH and also
informed her that autopsy would have to
be made Mrs. Muller was opposed to such a
proceeding and insisted that the dead body OF
her son should be given her without an au-
topsy being performed. DR.. Bonner replied that
II there was no autopsy held he must decline
TO give a death certificate. The mother wanted
the death certificate. as there was an insurance
policy on the dead mans life for something
like $3.50 DR.. Bonner. she says. then said that
II the certificate was given. II would cost so.
This sum she promised to send. and John Quincy
Adams paid an instalment of 81 upon the
amount
Yesterday although there was no certificate
of death, a body, marked as that Of Arthur
Adams was sent to the Bellevue Morgue. AS
soon as the family learned Of this. they en-
ployed Stephen Merritt, an undertaken, OF No.
21O Eighth-ave. to prepare the body for burial.
The undertaken got the body marked Arthur
Adams" and brought 1t to his establishment.
His assistants were In the act OF embalming 1t.
when John Quincy Adams called at the under
takers shop. He found the body to be that OF
a man more than sixty years old, with gray hair
and full gray beard At the sight Of the face
Adams nearly tainted.
When he recovered from the shock he had
ceived ne ordered that the body be returned to
the Morgue at once. This was done and Adams
then went to Bellevue Hospital and told Superin-
tendent Murphy in plain terms what he thought
NJ the blunder The Superintendent took Adams
70 the Morgue and showed him seven or eight
bodies which had come from the island. Not one
NJ them however. was that OF his brother Ar
thur. Superintendent Murphy insisted that the
bodv given to the undertaken reached the
Morgue properly labelled. and that. If there was
anv blunder made. the authorities Black
wells Island were responsible. This did not
soothe the feelings Of John Quincy Adams. He
than denounced both Bellevue and Blackwells
leland authorities, and threatened to follow the
matter to the end and see that some one was
Finally. superintend mt Perry. Of Blackwell's
Island. was communicated with. He insisted
that Arthur Adams's body was sent to the
Morsue. This necesstated a second visit to that
institution. where the bodies were again looked
81 bv John Quincy Adams, but he stoutly
maintained that his brothers body was not
there. Another spirited controversy. more bit
Tor than the preceding one, was brought to
close by Superintendent Murphy promising to
have a rigid investigation made.
Mr. Adams left Bellevue yesterday, vowing
vengeance on whoever made the blunder which
resulted in the loss Of his brothers body and
nisced him In what he considers disgracefui
Might