The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-09-25

| tity. The body was removed to the
| morgue and the customary advertise
ment inserted in a local paper Nothing
was heard from his friends, and after
waiting the limit allowed by law. the
/ body was turned over to the District for
burial
few hours after the wagon had
driven away brother OF the dead man,
who had traced him to tho hospital, ar
rived for the body. A telephone message
was rushed TO the asylum and relayed TO
the nearest point to the burying ground
The convict labOrers were lowering the
casket into the grave when a messenger
came running up and delivered the oro-
der to hold I'D the burial. One of the
leading undertakers OF the city soon ar
rived and conveyed the coffin TO his es-
tablishment. where Il was changed for
a handsome casket and the dead man
shipped to his home.
Man Of Some Wealth.
It was learned that he had been 4 man
Of considerable wealth and social stand
ing IN his own city. and was travelling
for pleasure at the time ne was taken
I'll and removed 10 the Washington hos
pital from the train. II was never
Understood how II happened that no
money or means OF Identification were
found about his clothing, and but for
on unforeseen delay at the asylum he
would have been placed IN a pauper's
grave.
Another incident OF potter's field was
less fortunate. a body OF a drowned
man was recovered in the Eastern
Branch. Every effort to Identify it was
without result, and the burial was duly
made. Several days after a white-halred
man Of distinguished appearance came to
the asylum, and made inquiries regard
ing recent burials. He was shown ar
ticles OF clothing kept 70 identif., TIE
unknown buried dead. and quickly recog-
nized a shoe Of the drowned man as hay-
ing been worn by his son. who was
missing. The body was exhumed, and /
proved &c be the missing son.
The young man had been a graduate /
Of one Of the leading colleges Of the /
and had Travelled extensively in 1
foreign countries. He spoke Chinese and |
other languages with the greatest /
huency. and had been at the commence
mont Of what promised to prove a most 7.
career.
His father was a Clergyman. pastor ]
OF one Of the largest churches IN a |
Northern city, and the family was very
prominent. II was never learned whether
the young man committed suicide was |
accidently drowned, or met with foul
play. When they raised the body TO !
the level Of the grave, the white-haired |
old man wrung his hands IN agony, ex-
with streaming eyes: "Merciful
God. can that be my SOM"
Buries Two a Day.
The District buries. on an average. two
year was 7l9 The latest addition 10
potter's field, next 10 the female work
house. was opened in April. There are
nearly 200 graves there at the present
writing. The greatest number Of burials
during a single month was during the
onzzard III Washington, when eighty i
lVe lntermcnts were made through the
asylum. The greatest number OF fu-
nerals from any one undertaking es-
adjustment for the same time was
eighty-two
The office of the permit clerk Of the
Health Department, where the permits
for burials are issued, share in the ex-
oeriences Of the driver Of the dead
wagon. Fortunately for them. there are
many amusing incidents TO break the
routine.
Some Peculiar Requests.
Among the peculiar requests they
nave mad was one from a negro woman
VINO came to complain that a certain
shloonkeeper would not sell her drink.
ana she wished the permit clerk TO take
up the matter and investigate II, mas
much that she was being Disseminated
gainst. d
On another occasion an old soldier