Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-12
MYSTERY OYER DGVlTZ BODY
RtiStiyes institute Search. When it is
- Soon Produced.
WAS AT A m1DICAL COLLEGE
ndertaker says Sc Had Authority
Irom Superintendent OF PubItc In
struction Crabtrec Of Lincoln
60 Give Body 60 College.


i.-latyos ot William psvitz. an aged
..s.dent Of Omaha who died In the Doug
las County hospital on January "a, have
started an investigation into the DISPOSE
zion II his body. which was finally pro-
duCcd Friday afternoon by an undertaken,
the body being cut and muulated until Il
was beyond recosnition. save for identified
ton through scar on the back portion OF
the head AMI a crooked toe
Ms. Augusta AbendroJh Of 1871 North
Twcnty-secoud street. and Mrs. Herman
BuechsCn. VINO lives in Keystone park, both
SISTERS Of The dead man, assisted by VII
liam AbendrOth a son Of Mrs. Ahendr5th.
were instrumental In recovering the body
after they had been told various stories
uf his condition and finally the disposition
81 the body
Mrs Ahoudroth applied to the health
comm.ssiOn,r FOR a permit to bury the body
-d... os. a.oInins anu told tuls story:
- Ny brother was sent 10 the County nos
pi,sl In August" said Mrs. Abendroth.
Prior to that time he had been confined
30 q hospital here, but had not been able
to make the recovery he should have, 80 he
went to the County hospital. not havins
sufficient funds to defray expenses In
priva.. hospital.
I'VE never heard anything more from
him. Becoming worried as TO his condition.
my sister Mrn. Bueschen. called up the
county hospital a week ago last Wednes-
day and asked Tor our brother.
She was told that he was we'll and work
Ing IN the dining department. and that IT
would be impossible for him TO come to
the phone For another week we heard
nothing from him. although we left our
telephone number and requested that my
brother call Us up At the first opportunity
on last Wednesday my sister again called
up the hospital. She was told that MY
brother was I'm the dining room. working.
and that II would be impossible for him TO
come to the phone. But, after insisting
on talking to him. another party came to
the phone and told her that my brother
had died on January "a and that the body
had been turned over to John A. Gentle
mana an undertaken
said Body Was Buried.
We called Mr.. Gentleman over the tele-
phone. lie told VS. that he had received
the body and had buried II in Forest Lawn
cemetery In a nice coffin. When we asked
him where the body was buried and what
part OF the cemetery II had been Inferred
c IN he said he could not remember, but II
humcd so we could sec It.
"IJe agreed to have the body at his place
~ business Friday morning at 10 o'clock.
We went there. but he told us he did not
have tho body. but that he would have II
al 2 o'clock I'm the Afternoon.
1--WE went back at 2 o'clock when we
were told he did not have the body yet. My
son demanded to know where II was After
about a half hour we were TOLD that II we
would 40 back in another room we could
see the body.
when We went back we saw the body
dressed. Mr.. Gentleman told us not Ia
touch the body as It was poisonous. but he
held the coat tightly about the neck of my
brother.
- when my son insisted on him letting
loose Of the coat collar. ne did So and
,,aiou- the coat was pulled back we found
two long cuts on either side OF the neck
Then there was another cut along the long
portion ~ the body and several cuts across
the main part of the body When we
asked MIR. Gentleman bow these cuts cam'
there he told us the doctors may have
done H.
MIR Gentleman then told us we coult
have the body five paid for the funera
expenses. He sold us a coffin and told M
that we would have to get a permit for tn,
burial, and that Is why | came to thu
nealth department. We expect to bury tn,
G6dy Sunday afternoon
Died ia January.
Though Davitz died on January 4, no re
port OF his death was made until Saturda,
morning. when boy. who said he cam
from Genueman's establishment, brough
hr two death reports, signed by Mr. Gentle
man as undertaken and Dr. L. A. DeLanne
as The physician,
Health Commissioner Cornell says thes
are the first reports he has had on TN
ocath OF Davitz The report gives pneu
ulouia as the cause Of death and his age a
al 81 years.
Mir Davitz came to the hospital in Aug
ust" said DR.. Delaney Saturday morn
ing, "dnd died on the 18th day OF Januar,
However | do not remember whethe.
was In the morning or afternoon. As "
had no record Of any Of his relatives, W
TUNED the body over TO an undertaken
John A. Gentleman. who signed for IN
body. Al the same time, | gave him I'll
aeath certificate what disposition b
made OF the body, | do not know
However. on last Wednesday his sistC
called uJ and asked Tor her brother. | tol
her that J couldn't recall him, but though
up the phone, Il flashed across my min
that a man by the name Of DRvitz had die
some time back 1 looked up the record
and then called Mrs. Buechsen over Il
phone and gave her the particulars OF n
death and told her that the body had bee
turned over to Mr.. Gentleman. That is ,
fsI as my connection with the case e.
tended.
Gives Certificate % Underwater.
lis Il customary for you to turn over Il
death certificate to the undertakers," l.
Delaney Was asked.
Yes he replied.
Then you depend ON the undertaken
turning the report into the health office
"Yts." replied Dr. Delaney.
II But you do not know whether he turl
3 Them in and YOU do not know whether N
report has ever been turned into the heal
n commissioner
NO / do not replied Dr. DeLalne
E MY connection ended when I turned a