The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-01-31

those fellows. and DR.. Nicholson will have
Jop OF 1t. There are tricks in all trades
you know, and il takes a man doubv
tricky to cheat the living and the dead.
believe that bodies are being shipped
out OF the state. There is a better market
ELSEWHERE. In St. Louis a body-snatcher
can't make a respectable living al his
trade. Two dollars is the higbest nr1ce
pald Tor subjects by the medical COLLEGES
The supply of 'stiffs' in ST. Louis is great
er than the demand, and the market is
very dull- The hard times have had
tendency to reduce the ordinary market
prices and body-snatching is growing IN
profitable
Medical colleges in outside states nav
better prices for 'stiffs' and the tempta-
llon 10 get around the law is very strong
l have seen the day when a good stiff
brought as much as So in a foreign mar
ket, while SO was the top local price
1t Is probable that the janitors of hos
pltals know more about the traffic in bod
les than they will tell. But nobody will
talk and there is not much use in trying.
don't know exactly what is going or.
as nave retired from work and only
hear things occasionally. 1 never NEEDLE
with the business any more and do not
wish to discuss it."
Mrs. Doepke was present and broke in
with; L don't think bodies ought 10 be
given to those students. The dead should
be left In their graves. It is horrible"
Mrs. Doepke was about TO make fur
Their comments on the horrors of body
snatching, but was silenced by d look
from her husband, who apparently disap-
proved of her criticisms of his quondam
pursuits as heartily as the estima5le Jer-
~ Cruncher, who according TO Mr.. Dick
ems. was a "resurrectionist' of marked
ability, did of Mrs. Cruncher's habit OF
prayer
Mr.. Doepke continued: The body
snatchers nowadays are just as slick as
they used to be and little slicker, per-
haps, because the laws are more exactins
and the officials are watched closer by the
press. They would rather get caught oy
the police on the quiet than be exposed ny
the press with a flare
When he mentioned exposure by inc
press Mr.. Doepke seemed TO recall an IN
cident in his own life. He stopped TAN
ing and refused TO say another word III
reference to Or. Nicholson, his crusade
against illegal traffic in human bodies ana
the secrets of the profession of which ne
was past grand master.
The painful recollection which caussi
Mr.. Doepke TO end the interview abruptly
might have been OF the time he was az
rested on the charge of robbing grave
in Pickett's cemetery.
He had the contract for burying 'ae
city's dead. He held the post for seven
years before a driver on one of his Wa
ons was caught conveying away ron
Picketts cemetery the body of prom
nent citizens who was buried the day ~
fore. Doepke was finally acquitted on
technicalities.
While burying the citys dead Doepne
made money rapidly and purchased u"
acres Of st. Peters cemetery. The ~
portunities afforded him TO dispose or
corpses were excellent, but he now %.
clares that he never shipped them ouS
side Of the state and occupied himself VIZ"
the local trade, which he had right ~
do under the law.
1t is related by Charles Doepke OF -W
Cass avenue that wnen Henry Doephe'
brother of Ernst. died, six years ago ~.
retired body dealer feared that some o.'
had dug up the corpse aud disposed ol "
He grew nervous and could not rest hlsi"
or day, owing to the belief that his prov"
er's body had been stolen and disposeu a.
to students. Finally he obtained a perm.
and opened his brothers grave. lie WI
not satisfied with a look at MS lel'
brothers face through the glass. ou'
moved the entire lid TO see that the o"
part Of the body was still there. VIZ
Doepkes mother died he exhibited siInl-,
uneasiness lest the body should have 0e-'
stolen By ghouls.