The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-01
CITY is STUNNED
BY THE TRAGEDY
CONTINUED FROM FIRST PAGE.

'au sEONSSslOH EhieEAs
Into this room there came a sad process
sion of men and women. To the big
policeman they would give some details
Of a person missing, and then, with
glance around, as II TO rebuke the merely
curious the policeman would open one of
those grim cupboard doors
They lay with their heads 10 the door.
and every form OF mutilation that can
stamp Gods image out Of human kind
was present But dreadful as the sights
We're, the anxiety OF love kept many a
gentle woman from shrinking from her
duty, and they would crane forward to
get a closer view.
Sometimes dn electric light would re-
veal with greater clearness the body that
lay within, but when even this was in
sufficient it was found that the corpses
lay on sliding shelves. and these, with
their grisly burden, would be pulled out
into the light Of day.
At o'clock there went into the morgue
a white-haired woman. supported by
younger women. Her age and trembling
anxiety were such that the crowd Of curl
Gus moved with greater alacrity 20 let her
pass. The policeman at the door gave
her his arm and led her back 10 that
chamber OF horrors. She was searching
for daughter. so she said. and the grim
cupbOards held none who would answer
her description.
There are more Of 'em upstairs,
ma am said the policeman. He meant
to be all kindly. but his cold announce
ment OF the fact sounded cruel
Laid ont on the Floor.
Upstairs there were no shelves. Only
a concrete floor. and here they lay, old
men and young women, little children.
crushed out Of shape-ghastly faces with
staring eyes that struck terror to the
beholders. In the far corner lay young
girl, her face covered with a sheet, and
this the morgue attendant lifted so that
the aged visitor might see her face. But
she, pausing at the threshold Of the door
took in in one fearful glance all the
horror Of that room. the poor dead
things, and the grewsome pile, fragments
OF what had once been human bodies
She staggered backward with a cry:
Let me out" she said. 1t is tn,
house OF DEATH.
Others there were whose repugnance Z
! the scene showed in every lineament OF
their faces but they went through the!i
task. one poor woman had to gaze on
body after body, each more terrible e
I look on than the last, and at the end she
found him-the one for whom she
I searched-and without a cry or moan sh'
sank seuseless 20 the floor.
Strong hands lifted her out into tn,
/ air. and here We're doctors in attendance
/ for many women tainted. and strong mer
grew sick az heart until smelling salts
and other restOratives were brought into
: use.
Finds ChiIdJ Father Dead, Too.
I There was a little girl there on the con.
crete floor. a hudded shape. and 10 thi,
/ BODY came a middle-aged woman, drew
back the sheet and looked al the child.
Annie" she said 20 her companion
this Is Georges child-his little girl"
And GeorgeT' her companion asked
/ Where is her
He died this morning. the woman re
piled, and covered the little victim VI
/ again.
Many there were who were so awed b.
/ the surroundings Of the Charnel hous'
( that they would or could 60 no further
and though the big policeman urged then
20 satisfy themselves. using the stool
argument of forlorn hope:
Maybe your husband is not here
| Nissus. you'd better look and make sure
( Youn feel better afterwards" the.
/ shrank away and could not be induced {
/ enter
Others Less Sensitive.
+ Others there were who seemed TO min,
not at all the dreadful sights There wa
one hard-featured woman Of a we'll known
type who pushed her way through tn
press To the SIDE Of the policeman ant
spoke about a relative Of hers.
Hes got a beard, and is about forty
five years of age"
Did he have on brown suit. do yor
know" the policeman asked her.
Yes. that's him." she replied.
He has already been identified as -.
Yes. that's the one I'm looking for"
The policeman told her kindly that a
the body had been identified. that wa
all that was necessary; urged upon he
the dreadful character Of the injuries tn
dead had received, and tried to save he
from the horror OF H.
Il know" she said. in an unsympatheti
voice but / want to see him, anyway
And she did, and gaZed upon the black
ened face calmly. looked around indiffer
entity. and walked out reluctantly, as
she fain would have satisfied her morbi
curiosity further.
Strength Fails Her.
There was another young woman VIII
was brought in almost fainting on tn
arm Of her father. She was 70 identif
la loved one. but her strength failed hel
and into the grim room where so man
hopes had been blasted. her father wen
instead. He came out wiping his eyes.
rs It him, father" she asked family
He nodded.
, is he much-hurt?"
"Much-will you come in and see him
A far away look came into her eye
that were filled with tears. No" sh
said. 4 must not see him" She wa
looking afar off and it seemed as If sh
was conjuring UP in her mind a pictur
OF the dead man as she had seen hin
last She shook her head and wake
J away. and who shall say she was nc
wise to refuse to let her mind be stampe
through life with the horror Of what sh
must have seen in there, mangled beyon
recognition.
1IOFgue Master Pressed.
In the front Office down stairs tn
morgue master was kept busy maxim
out the certificates of death. withol
. which the bodies could not be move,
, About him clamored the undertaken
whose hands were full of work, and WI
/ I'm flIrn were beset by eager rp,rtiyt