New-York tribune., 1902-06-12
UNDERTAkERS ROB POOR.
COMMISSIONER FoLhS AFTER SYNDI-
CATE OF ENTORTIONERS.
Ghotograph by Pach Rros.) }

Since assuming office Homer Folks. Commits
sioneT of Charities has been quietly investi-
eating the actions of a syndicate of undertakers
who have been charging extortionate prices for
buri4ls from poor families, obtaining burial GER
tificates under false pretences and charging the
city for the burial of Civil War veterans when
they had already received payment for doing
so from relatives o friends of the dead. Yes
terday four undertakers were arraiGned the
charge of trying to collect two fees for bury
ing Civil War veterans. and Commissioner
Folks who preferred the complaints. said that
they were members of this syndicate. Commits
sioner Folks will 10 it that the operations
of this syndicate. especially regards the over
charging of families in straitened circumstances
and their obtaining bodies at the morgue, are
stopped and will continue his investigation with
that object in view.
At his home No. ~ East Eighty -ninth-st.
last night Commissioner Folks said;
The charges against these four undertakers are
the result OF an investigation which We began soon
there is a small group of undertakers in this city
who making eNtortionate charges obtaining
burial certificates under false pretenceS ala IN
general making things difficult for poor families.
To T , 6hS ssf m6st 1he S b" called syndicate In way
IT was of a coincidence thah a crusade th&t
denly and within such short time of each other
II Is easier collect evidence against uhdertakers
ega9s tnan eF That the deceased leaves no prop
eTtv or friends whence funeral expenses may be
Collected can be put side by side with the under,
Effort made 10 continue the investigation in the
matter of deceased veterans Ta5 has SlmhS t Ply
more general trouble-the defrauding of poor
dfber undertakers from attempting charge rea
tives and the city simnntaneGnSg % i1r or IN sf me f
So that poo families can select their own under
Jtxy Of me
The charge of trying to collect two fees for
hrrv,np p Civil War veteran is made against
Iosenh 7 Murphy. an undertaken of No. 2329
F,rstave He was in Yorkville court yesterday
On q charge of larceny, preferred by Commits
sioner Folks and Magistrate Cornell held him
IN 81 900 bail for examination tomorrow
In tho affidavit made by Commissioner Folks
a ,s alleged that on April 80. 1902. Murphy tried
70 collect $50 from the city by presenting
voucher that John y. Mulvihill. who died on
,,arcb o5 and had been buried in Holy Cross
Cemetery on March -. was destitute. Mulvihin
uae = veteran of the War of the Rebellion. and
1,,ed at No l. 19j Lexington-ave. There is a law
nv which all honoraby discharged soldiers. sail
ors and marines dying without friends, may be
buried at the city's expense, and bills for this
hind of work are presented every once in a
while.
not destitute DuA o"Ieu tit HNe story
aartnent house he lived in, and was worth
S55 otl He produced Mrs. Mulvihill. the widow
s witness and she declared that she had paid
Murrhy for his services. Mr.. Folks had AS
sistant District Attorney Krotel With him TO
he1n prosecute the case. r. d. Levy, for
Wurphv put in general denial.
Tbrae more undertakers. charged with the
came offence. were arragned this afternoon
All were held-as in the case of Joseph j.
Murphy-in $1,000 for examination Tomorrow,
Tbe arrested undertakers were F. E Campbell
head of the Campbell Burial Company Of No
Oil west Twenty-third-st., living at Nyack
v. Joseph H Hoffman. of No 81 Second
ave living at No. 40S Miler-ave. East New
York and Charles w. Passe. of No. 641 East
ONE hundred "a nd sixty -second-st.