The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-24
PROF. OSBORNE IN COURT.
ACCUSED OF DTsINTERRING BESSIE
IAN LUEs BODY ILLEGILLT.

Mother OF the Child Repeats Her Assertion
That She Gave No Permission for tho
Deed-Ths Yalo Man Contradicts Her
Case Goes over for Another Hearing.
New HAVEN. Dec. 23-Dr Oliver T. Osborne.
professor OF matcria medica and therapeutics
in the tale medical school, was on trial in the
police court to-day on the charge Of unlawfully
disinterring the body OF Bessie NJ. Van Lue.
aged 10 years. from q local cemetery. The
body was removed from the cemetery on Dec.
10 within an hour after the mother and the
other embers OF the family had lott the bury
ing ground and takon to the autopsy rooms OF
Undertaken Robert n. Burwell. whore an
autopsy was TO have been performed
According to the story OF the Van Lue family.
Mrs. Van Lue became suspicious that tho medi-
cal men were after her daughters body. and
two OF her sons watched behind the tombstones
in the cemetery to see II any attempt would be
made to take away the remains. They soon
saw Undertaken Burwells covered wagon enter
the cemetery aud stop at tho grave. Tho body
was lifted into tho wagon and taken to tho
undertaker's rooms The watchers followed
the wagon and then notified the police, which
resulted In the arrest OF Prof. Osborne.
The prosecution to-day amended its original
and general complaint by charging that Prof
Osborne had maliciously and feloniousy re-
moved the body without the consent Of the
parents or any OF her one OF the dead girls re-
latives for the purposo Of performing surgical
and anatomical experiments and demonstra-
tons DR.. Osborne pleaded not guilty and was
defended by Lawyer Jacob p Goodhart. The
prosecution was conducted by Assistant City
Attorney Howard c. Webb. Several members
OF the Yale medical school faculty were in
court during tho hearing.
Mrs Van l.ue the mother OF tho dead girl.
was the first witness. The substance OF tho
testimony was that while Prof. Osborne had
asked her for permission TO perform an au-
topsy, she never consented to have II done. and
that tho removal OF her daughters body was
in direct opposition to her expressed wish.
She told OF the several conversations abe had
with Prof. Osborne. when he tried 10 convince
her that an autopsy would be Of benefit TO
medical science. and added that on one OF
these occasions he offered her 500 II she
would consent to the autopsy. Dr. Osborne.
| sho said, told her that he could get tho
| body buried ~ q reasonable figure ty Under
taker burwei, She said the nhEsic.an made a
| the body away without any one knowing any
| thing about II.
| cuiad mock funeral. mn empty comm 10 bc
| taken from the house and the regular service
20 Se neg eoneGrhihE whien n, deE T"HId re 's s
| taken to the grave.
III SSGihygr,: Of counsel Tor , the defense s':
/ eros 81 Examination. His line OF inquiry was to
! tea her memory aud n.so her ycracity. At last
| che became very much excited. and cried out;
III not answer yes or no, but ju.t as /
waLt TO I'm not dummy, and I'm not fool.
Judge S.udley advised Mr. Goodhart to nut
! his questions in palmer FORM so that shc might
! ret better understanding. She emphatcal.y
| denied having any conv"rsatIon with any other
| physician about permitting Prof. Osborne TO
The father q The girl and her two bF2thers,
| that they had never heard their mother give
| perm isson to have the body disinterred. nor
did they give any consent for an autorsy.
| Prof Osborne was on tho witness stand for
| less than hall an hour before the court ad-
attending the Van Lue family since July. 1884
| and al the money he had recsive i In that time
for he medical Visits was q. In attendance
| instructor in the Yale Medical school ami one
| or two other physicians. the latter looking al
the case only occasionally. Dr. PecS Is 9
| Iruf Osborne said h. had a conversation with
| Mrs. Van Lue and spoke about an autopsy bui
SIC would no, consent TO II Later she agreed
Yai" Medical school and had Invited u number
e 9s n 70 s0 not Ut SSys
autopsy fearing that her family would make
rroi Osborne then. according to his .tcstI
| a cas-" which In s.m" respects had hafiI"d tbs
ply, ians. that i would be in the interest o
II might b. helpful 10 the Van Lus family 4
| any member Of IL wnS taken III with llseas,
simi!2r 70 that Of which the girl died. Thsr
| Arrangements for holding the autopsy whel
Prof o.6o7nc denied that he had offered tn
mother 500 To permit the AUTOPSY. Bc'or
| Prot Osborne had iln!shei his testimony RI
| court adjourned TIL Tuesday night at o'clock