Los Angeles herald., 1908-12-11
FINDS COUSINS
BODY IN A VAT;
IS CHARGED SIS
MEDICAL SCHOOL REFUSES TO
GIVE UP CORPSE
TURNED OVER TO COLLEGE BY
COUNTY HOSPITAL
Oakland Man Comes to Los Angeles
to Visit His Relative and Cam
not Even Recover
Remains

Coming to Los Angeles from his
home in Oakland to visit his cousin,
August Allen, only to find that the
man was dead and his body lying in
a vat at the Pacific College of Osteopa-
thy, where the physicians refused to
turn over the remains unless S15 was
paid, is the story told by Oscar Ander-
son, a Southern Pacific fireman.
Anderson came to Los Angeles two
weeks ago. He knew his cousin had
been sick at the county hospital, ana
called at that institution. There he
was told that the man had died sep
TENDER u, and that two days later the
body mad been turned over to the col
lege. Anderson said he called at the
college and was told the body was still
in the pickle vat. Those in charge,
he said, informed him SIS must be
paid before the remains would be CIV
en- to him. This necessitated return
trip to Oakland. While on the train he
met Robert Mehle, employed as a de
tective by the district attorneys office
III Los Angeles, and the latter sug-
gested that the matter be laid before
the district attorney.
Anderson returned to Los Angeles
Friday. Since then he has repeatedly
tried to get possession of his cousin $
remains, but without success. DR.. {.
A Whiting of the Pacific College of
Osteopathy, he said, told him he could
have the body if he could prove its
identity. Anderson then laid the mat
ter before Deputy District Attorney q.
Ray Horton, who prepared an aft1daVlt
showing a line of kinship, which An
derson signed.
Paper Declared Useless
when l took the paper to the col
Iege," said Anderson, DIR. Whiting told
me it was no good, and that would
have to pay the expense incurred for
embalming and keeping the body. 1
had paid $65 already in preparing a
funeral for my cousin, and did not feel
able to give the money demanded
on one occasion, Anderson said, he
was accompanied by a policeman when
he made a demand for the body, but
the presence of the officer had no
effect.
Anderson's last request, he said. was
greeted with a laugh by number OF
students at the college. You can have
It when you pay me S15; the BODY is
worth $40" Dr. Whiting is alleged to
have told him.
After his futile efforts yesterday An
derson returned to the district attor-
ney's office and told his troubles to
district Attorney FrederiCks. The lat
ter called DR. Whiting on the telephone,
The physician told the district attorney
the college had expended SIS for en-
balming and caring for the remains
and believed the demand for reim-
bursement was just. The district at
torney suggested to Anderson that ne
comply with the demands of the col
lege. but the latter stoutly refused.
II have spent $65 already in making
preparations for the funeral" he said
land have been advised that need not
paw the money to the college"
Letter Was Misdirected
The whole trouble was caused, it is
claimed, through a mistake at the
county hospital. Prior to Aliens dealt
the hospital received word from MI
brother-in-law Charles SilVerson, ~
Market street, San Francisco, to motif,
hin, in case his relatives condition be
came serious. When Allen died the no
tification was written, but addressed
to Los Angeles instead of san Fran
cisco. A.,
county hospital committee, spoke ener
getieally on the matter. Anderson i
Entitled to the body. / know how
ehould feel If q relative of mine die'
and nv request for his remains wa
refused. If the matter comes betor'
fhe supervisors it will certainly D'
strafghtened out in quick time"
June 10, 1907, DR.. G. A. whitney, act
inc for the Pacific College Of Osteopa
thy. gave a bond of $1,000 to the boart
NJ sllpervisors as a guaranty tina
hodies turned over to the college TO
dfsseeting purposes would be used onll
vyithin the state, and in no case Woul'