New-York tribune., 1901-08-17
TIPS OF HOSPITAL DEATHS
A LETTER CARRIER ACCUSED OF LEAv.
ING BELLEVUE DEATH LISTS
IN SALOON FOR UNDER
TAKERS RUNNERS. n

Further information OF the system OF "tiuufnv
or undertakers OF deaths occurring at Bellevue
which obtains. did obtain until few days ago
has to light II has been an established Gus
tom for undertakers to employ men. both amonr
the attaches Of the hospital and outsiders to give
them early information Of deaths. that thsv
might approach the relatives Of the dead persons
and get the order for burial. Competition has
grown extremely keen. and some OF the under
takers are accused OF resortins 20 scaadalous
methods. to say the least.
One undertaken. whose headquarters are IN Sec
ondave is accused OF enlisting the services OF the
letter carrier who collects the mail at Bellevue
Hospital II is the custom OF the hospital au-
thorities to send notice Of the deaths OF inmates
they occur to relatives In envelopes
marked on the outside. Death Notice" II IL as
serted that lists Of the addresses on such
velopes were made by the letter carrier and left
at a nearby saloon. At this saloon the undertaken
in question is alleged to have kept number OF
runners in waiting. each OF whom was assigned
10 a certain district IN the city. The list when
ceived was scanned by these runners and each
man Immediately went to any address in his dts
trict that he saw the list and tried to get an
order for the funeral
1t vas through one u these men thar the fact
that the system existed leaked out The runner
declared that his employer had not given him
as much mouey as he thought he was entitled TO
The man went to another undertaken rival n
trade OF his employer. and exposed the system 70
him. This undertaken immeClaJely wrote 70 Dr..
Stewart the superintendent OF Bellevue Hospital.
acquainting him with the facts. DR.. Stewart 4,
is said Immediately communicated with the postal
authorities and an investigation BY them is
IN progress.
When DIR. Stewart was seen yesterday, and the
facts above related laid before him, he seemed
somewhat surprised that they had leaked out.
When the undertaker's name was mentioned he
exclaimed: That's the mal I'm after When
told about the postal investigation he said; Have
they caught him YETI" and then. Il conscious
that he had been caught in a half admission OF the
truth. he would not say another word
Another feature OF the practice IS contained N
an incident alleged to have happened last Satur-
day night. A man. recognized as an assistant TO
the gate OF the morguc and said the gatekeeper:
Here 1 have the body of child and haven't
a9{ o the end o 6s 0 deE and % throw It
The gatekeeper said TO the man: = gu mad better
go away with that child. or youH get yourself mo
bvstander suggested DON'T throw It into the
river. Why don't you take chance and leave II
II Is said that the child had died when only a
few hours old. and that the parents, thinking II
had received decent burial. would probably pay
IS to SO 10 the undertaken.
The records of the morgue show that TWO chill
dren were found between satuTaSy ana yesJsrqay lay
tween First and Second aves.. and Eighteenth-st
One undertaken, IT is said. has a particularly
grewsome method OF obtaining business He en-
ploys number Of boys known in the neighoorh hood
in search OF missing relatives or friends The Boy
on Seaina such a PERSON Offers 10 show where The
bodies are 10 be seen If body is identified then
ticular employer and endeavors to get the person
to go to this undertaken.
Auditor Jardines. az the General Postofhce. said
yesterday that the superintendent OF Station T had
written 70 him about the case. and had turned the
making an Investigation From one Of the inspectors
concerned in the case was known and that he would
probably be arrested early this morning