The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-07-05
MRS. BRIDGET FINNERTY REFUSES
TO ALLOW THE BURIAL OF
HER DAUGHTER.
DIED EARLY FRIDAY MORNING.
THE COUNTY STEPS IN TO LOOK
AFTER THE INTERNIENT FOR
HER,
BUT SHE DECLINES TO PERMIT 1T
Until Some Provision Has Been
Made for Her to Attend the
Funeral.

In a dilapidated two-room cottage,
little more than a hut, in the rear of
243 East Fifth street, yesterday after
noon, an old gray-haired woman sat
weeping beside a rough pine box. The
box contained the remains Of her only
child, Mrs. Katherine O'Connor, who
died early Friday morning. Mrs.
Bridget Finnerty, a widow, seventy
three years old, the mother. wept soft
ly to herself, crowding closely to the
pine coffin and addressing endearing
terms to the motionless figure, covered
with a soiled sheet
There is no such thing as Chris
tianity in this world" she sobbed, and
turning down the sheet gazed longing
ly at her dead daughter The mother
was unmindful of the sickening odor
pervading the room. The corpse had
been exposed to the excessive heat of
nearly three days, and decomposition
had set in. There was no ice about the
still form in the box, no grave clothes
shrouded the lifeless body. Poverty
spoke from every appointment of the
house and invaded the rough coffin.
Notwithstanding the horrible condition
Of the body and the complaints of
neighbors, Mrs. Finnerty refused to
have the body buried because she
claimed her daughter could not be
given Christian burial.
Il will put my child on a svheeIbar-
row and cart her through the streets
to the cemetery myself" vehemently
declared the aged mother, before she
shall be taken away in that heartless
manner"
Mrs Finnerty referred to the burial
of her daughter by the county. Mrs.
OConnor had been i'll nearly a year
with consumption and died early Fri
day morning. The mother and daugh-
ter and the latter's thirteen-year-o
son had lived in the cottage amidst
poverty for several years. Mrs. Fin
nerty had no funds, and the county
was called upon to bury the daughter.
Mccarthy & DOnnelly received an Or
der for the body and went to the house
Saturday afternoon to take it to the
cemetery. When the body had been
placed in the coffin Mrs. Finnertv re-
fused to allow it to be taken from the
house. She desired the company of
her dead another day, and further in
by which she could accompany the re-
mains to the cemetery. After some ar
gument the undertaken left the house
without the body and it remained by
an open window during the night.
With no attention paid to the preser-
walton OF the corpse, decomposition
soon set in, and yesterday the house
was so offensive that no one save Mrs.
Finnerty could go near the corpse.
The neighbors complained to the DO
lice department, and DR.. Stone was no.
titled of the condition of affairs, but
up to last night the body had not been
taken away.
Mrs. Finnerty declares the body of
her daughter shall not leave the house
unless she can accompany it to the
grave. She says she asked the under
taker to procure her a carriage for
this purpose, and that the request was
refused. Mrs. E. e. Waldron. who
lives next door to Mrs. Finnerty, says
she tried to get assistance without sue
cess. The health department will
probably take some action in the mat
ter today.