The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-03-24
HOBOKED GHOULS.
Coroner Hoffman and
Morgue Keeper ParsloW
at Loggerileads Over
Two Bodies.
JOSEPH BUDINGT0N'S DEATH
Takes an Overdose Of Morphine in q
Boarding House-A Drivers
Fatal Fall.

ed that he had taken poison. The man
died shortly after the physician arrived.
Upon investigation it was learned that
Burlington had taken an overdose of
morphine. Whether he took the deadly
drug with suicidal intent or not is not
known. He used morphine frequently,
and was warned that an overdose would
result fatally.
The police were notified and when
Morgue Keeper William N. Parslow sent
a wagon, in charge of two assistants, to
bring the body to the morgue, they found
George Hoffman,, son of Coroner Chas.
Hoffman,, at the boarding house. Young
Hoffman, styled himself as Deputy Cor
oner and refused to allow Parslow's as
sistants to take the body away. He
said that one Of the friends of the dead
man had notified his father to take
charge of the body.
Roundsman Hammond said young Hoff-
mann had no authority to interfere with
Parslow.s men, as the law directed the
norgue keeper to remove all unknown
or unclaimed bodies to the morgue. A
clash of authority ensued between the po-
lice supporting Parslow's men and young
HOFFMAN.
1 Ctuiiu IL De uilG Only OuiCidl VIZ HdS
any authority to remove the body said
young Hoffman, and I'll take it away"
.sIf you do, replied Roundsman Ham
mond. "rH arrest you. We have Civ
en- Mr.. Parslow Instructions to remove
the body to the morgue, as required by
law, and if you interfere with his men
I'll have to arrest YOU"
Hoffman replied by saying that he had
- = - H. 1@.lx-
by one of the dead mans friends, and
thai he did not intend to remove the
body from the house.
The roundsman asked what authority
had anybody except the dead mans rel
atives. to order him to remove the body.
The man had died suddenly and the
morgue keeper was directed to take
charge by the police.
"Well, if Parslow's men take the body
away said HOFFMAN,, you'll nave to
arrest me, because / Won't let them.
It was finally decided that Roundsman
Hammond should go to Police H%eadquar-
tiers and apply to Captain Hayes for in
structions. In the meantime, Parslow's
men placed q casket in the hallway,
awaiting the roundsman's return. A
man, whose namo is unknown, tried to
throw the casket into the street. He
picked the casket up by one end and
wanted to toss it into the street, when
Parslow's men grabbed him. The man,
who, it is thought, wanted to prevent
Parslow's men from taking the body
away, was threatened with arrest it he
interfered again.
When Roundsnan Hammond returned
~ ronortal tIoF Canfofn TJoxyaS orox wa him
instructions to allow Parslow's men to
take the body to the morgue. Hoffman,
entered a protest but allowed Parslow's
men to remove the body.
Burlington has a wife and two children
who live with a Mrs. O'Brien at No. $40
| Liberty street. Union Hill. He has been
separated from his family about two
years, since which time he has boarded
with Mrs, Hitler. 1t is not known what
| caused Burlington and his wife to sep
arate, but 1t is supposed that 1t was ow-
ing to B~udington's habits. Mrs. Buding-
ton was notified last night of her nus
bands death, and it is thought she will
/ visit the morgue today and claim the
body.
About two hours after Budington's body
was taken to the morgue, the police were
| notified that a man had been killed at
the D., l.. and w. r. r.. milk depot on
| Ferry street. Captain Hayes decided in
i view of the clash between the %eoroners
and morgue keepers men for possession
of Budington's body, that it would be en-
tirely proper to notify Coroner Hoff-
Manu..
1t appears that William Porter, colored.
a driver employed by C. A. Wicks, whole
sale milk dealer, of Seventh avenue and
| First street, Brooklyn, while backing a
heavy truck up against the milk platform,
fell off the seat of the truck. He landed
in the street on his head and broke his
neck. He was dead when picked up.
Coroner HOFFMAN, removed the body to
| his undertaking establishment on Jackson
| street. Considerable surprise was mani
| tested when he refused to notify Morgue
Keeper Parslow to remove the body to the
morgue. as required by law. Section /
of the supplement to an act relative to
morgues and morgue keepers. published
| on page 2.1O0 of the statute, reads as fol-
lows
That it shall be unlawful for any
county of this State. in which there is
a county physician or physicians regu-
larly appointed by the Board of Chosen
Freeholders of such county, and
morgue keeper or keepers heretofore
regularly appointed by the Judges of
the Court of Common Pleas of such
county. according to the provisions of
the act to which this is a supplement.
to take charge and keep any dead
body or bodies that shall not. at the
time of death or finding. be known or
claimed, but it shall be the duty of
such coroner or coroners to deliver
such body or bodies to the keeper of
the public morgue of the district in
which such death shall hay occurred
ar nody been found, who shall receive
and place the same in such morgue.
Another section of the act provides that
II shall be the duty Of the chief of police
or any police officer on duty in any city
in which said morgue exists, to notify
| the coroner. who shall at once notify the
keeper Of the nearest morgue Of the find
inc Of all unknown or unclaimed dead in
| said city.
Another section of the act provides that
the morgue keeper shall take possession
Of the clothes and property of all dead
neople removed to the morgue. The act
| also provides that the coroner Shall be
fined SIS for his failure to notify the
morgue keeper.
Coroner HOFFMAN, said last night that
lie did not recognize Morgue Keeper
Parslow's authority to take possession of
ali unclaimed or unknown bodies. He
eontended that the Coroner has always