The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-18
PLUNDERED THE
DEAD At THE
PUBLIC MORGUE
Scandals About the
Coroner.
EVIDENCE is ACCOMMODATING
ELECTRIC COMPANY employees
TELL WHAT THEY KNOW.
State That a Watch Was Stolen From
Body of L. C. Starr While Re
mains Were in Coroner's
Charge.
EVIDENCE is ACCUMULATING
ELECTRIC COMPANY employees
TELL WHAT THEY KNOW.

Storm clouds and scandals are gather
ing with unusual rapidly around Coroner
Hill and his office. The notorious lack or
respect shown by the Coroner TO the I'M
fortunate dead who fall into his clutches
is the least OF the offenses that are
charged against him. Stories rejecting
on his management OF the public charnel
house are accommodating daily, and each
succeeding tale adds force TO the impress
sion of the community that the conduct
OF the Morgue was never before SO dis
graceful and disgusting. 1t would appear
that a human yulture had fattened and
thrived by plundering the bodies OF the
unfortunates whose remains found a rest
ing place on the Morgue slabs.
Employees Of the General Electric Com
pany are the latest 10 contribute their
testimony against the Coroner, and they
boldly and bravely stand ready 10 sub
stantiate all that they charge. In bust
ness OF the kind In which these men are
engaged there is more than the average
number OF accidental deaths, and as Il
consequence they have mad many oppor-
tunlties OF observing the methods en-
plOyed by Coroner mn. Their greatest
Indignation arises from the mysterious
manner III which the bodies OF number
OF their fellow Workmen VINO met violent
deaths have been plundered while they
were in charge or the Coroner. Watches,
Jewelry, money anG even clothing have
been taken from the dead, according to
the statements OF the electrical company 5
employees.
one case in particular in which the
workmen are extremely bitter is that of
l.. =. Starr, who was electrOcuted by a
live wire last March. Shortly before he
met with the accident that resulted in
him the time OF day. He produced an ele-
CANT gold watch and chain, which at
tracted attention at the time on account
OF its beauty, and was commented upon
by those who saw ii. While his body was
| lying IN the store of Clun Brothers await
ing the arrival Of the Morgue wagon five
OF his fellow workmen noticed the watch
again and remarked about IL. They state
with posiuveness that il was on the body
when the Coroner took possession of the
remains. That is the last any Of the dead
mans friends or relatives have seen of It.
The day following the accident they
went 10 the Morgue TO arrange for the
funeral and take possession of the man 8
property. The watch was gone. and not
trinket of value remained on the body
They made inquiries and were referred
TO burly deputy, who cut their CONVEX
sation short by the statement that there
was no watch on the remains at that
time. and wanted to know what the
friends Of Starr proposed TO do about II.
Many other cases of a similar nature
have been reported and all are equally
revolving. 1t is predicted that II Coroner
Hlll Keeps up his record until the end OF
MS term ne Will go out of Office the most
dlsgraced and most disgraceful man that
ever fattened at the public expense on
the san Francisco MOrgue.
a committee of the Grand Jury, consist
ing OF John Z. Wolf and Pierre Drydeni
visited the Morgue yesterday TO investi-
gate the Coroners office. The jurors ex-
amined the books Of the institution and
found them TO be kept as they have been
by former Coroners.
Juror Drydeni said that he had not been
ordered 10 make an investigation. He
said he was chairman of the committee
that looked after the Morgue, and as p
number of complaints had been made h
wanted know ~ fFaf,-
as they existed. He expects the Grand
Jury to make a demand on him for a re-
port on the matter. The jurors left the
Morgue without seeing Coroner Hill or
DR.. Zabala. The complaints of the under
takers will be taken up by the Grand
Jury in body.