Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-16
Behind the Denial, However, Is
DR.. SundWaIl's Positive
Assertion of Fact.
CONTROVERSY HAS ARISEN
Peculiar Conflict of Statements Re-
gnrding Disposition of Old Mans
Body May be Investigated.

In answer to Chief of Police Bar
lows denial to the effect that the hui
man skull and bones which decorate
his office are not those OF Edward
Murtie. DR.. John Sundwall, professor
OF anatomy in the medical department
of the University of Utah. stated this
morning that his records show to the
contrary
Prof SundwalI said that Murtie's
body had been turned over to the
medical department, and that 1t had
been kept for two months. in accor-
dance with the requirements OF the
statute governing such cases. In which
corpses are held that length. of time.
In order TO give relatives or friends of
the deceased an opportunity to put in
claim.
Prof Sundwall further stated that
last September, Chief of Police Samuel
Barlow, accompanied by Detective
Harry Curran had visited the labora-
tory; that Chief Barlow. in the pres
cnce of DR.. H. p. Kirtley, assistant
county physician, and a member OF the
faculty, had looked at Murtie's body
as 1t lay on the dissecting table; that
the process of dissection had Just
been started, and the features were
easily recognizable by any person who
had known the man, that Chlcf Bar
low recognized the cadaver as that
OF Edward Murtie: and that there was
some conversation between Chief OF
Police Barlow, Detective Harry Cur
rain and DR.. Kirtley on the matter.
The chief of police stated that he had
never heard whether Murtie had been
buried. or not, and that he had won
dered where Murtie's body was.
BARLOW HAS THE BONES.
Chief OF Police Barlow was then |
informed that Murtie's bones would |
be turned over to him. after dissection. !
When the medical students had finish |
ed their work on the arm bones and
skull few days ago, they were turned
over to Chief Barlow at his Office.
and are there now. says DR.. Sundwall.
In contradiction of the statements of
members of the faculty and numerous
students in the medical department Of
the University of Utah to the effect
that they have been dissecting Murtie's
body, and that the skull and arm bones
had been turned over to Chief Barlow
at his own request, is the claim that
George Deusch of the E G. O'Donnell
company took charge of
Nurtie's body after his death on April
2 OF this year at Holy Cross hospital,
that Deusch buried the body In Calvary
on April II. and that Ed Muir
ties body still reposes in the grave. un-
less, IL is said. "some ghoul disinterred
the body in which case the person who
has the bones Is amenable to the law
and his arrest should follow"
Father Ryan of st, Mary's cathedral
said this morning that at the time of
Murtie's death, Mr.. Deusch teIephoned
10 him from the O'Donnell undertaking
parlors, stating that he had the the
body and asking what disposition
should be made of 1t. Father Ryan said
that he had told Mr.. Deusch that he
would give Murtie a grave. and that as
lar as he knew. Murtie had been buried
n some spot in the unsmproved section
,f Calvary cemetery, though no record
,ouId be produced to show 1t.
NOW QUESTION OF FACT.
In view of the fact that Chief Of Po-
ice Barlow asked for Murties bones,
listed the university and looked at
Nurtie's cadaVer. recognized the corpse
Is that OF Murtie. talked to DR. Kirt-
ey. detective Curran and Prof. Sund-
wall about the old man. and received
he skull and bones a few days ago and
out them up III his office, an interesting
controversy has developed. and the
matter has been reduced to a question
,f fact all around
F.. G. O'Donnel has sworn TO an afn-
lavit to the effect that he himself
turied Murtie. at his own expense.
1t is possible that before the contro-
sersy is finished. an official inyestiga-
ion will be made and Murtie's friends
will demand that the authorities dig
lown INTO the grave in which O'Donnell
,lairns Murtie was buried, and eXhume
he body. for the purpose of ascertain
NC whether Murtle really WAS buried In |
'alvary cemetery. or was dissected by
he students at the University Of Utah |