The evening world., 1912-12-17
Weird Midnight Scene That
Scared Morgue Attendants
Explained by Undertaken.
POLICE WERE ON TRAIL.
Strange Funeral" on Dead
Mans Birthday Suggested
Crime to Bluecoat.

a dying mans wish that MS ashes
BE- cast into the East River on his birth
day caused wild commotion early to-day
In the fnorguo and among the police OF
the East Twenty-second street station.
The ashes were those of Alexander
Mcconnell. who died in the New York
Hospital ON Nov. 30 He was q clerk for
thirty years In a store In Duane street.
and Il was nearly three years ago that
h made arrangements for the DISPOSE
ton Of his remains with the undertake
ing establishment of Frank Campbell at
No. al West Twenty-third street The
body was to be crcmated and the ashes
to be distributed on McConnell's birth
cay. Dec. Is.
Keeper Thomas Connolly was stand
ing in the doorway OF the morgue at
he foot Of East Twenty-sixth street
about midnight whom . large black au-
tomobile drove up near the door and
two fur-coated men In the machine con-
versed IN law tones with each other.
Their caps were pulled down over their
faces 10 he could not see them. and In
q few minutes they aughted.
Are you sure thsrs are no police
sround7" Connolly was sure he heard
one OF them say.
Everything In all right" the other
said In q low voice.
Then they opened the door Of the
automobile and after considerable tug
ging. accompanied by loud grunts. 30
Connolly told the police. pulled nut .
large bundle. Dragging II ~ the end
OF the pier they showed Il into the
river.
They stood there . moment rs-en.
tered the machine and turned II around
For the first time the men then noticed
Connolly. They consulted In low tones
again and one called to Connolly to
come over to the machine. The weird
performance In the moonlight had been
100 much Tor Connolly. He saad he
had no desire to risk being ssnt to Join
the mysterious bundle. 90 he hurried
inte the Aorsus and looked the door.
MoRouE ATTENDANTS 0RAPPLE
FOR THE kukpLE.
BY the time the auto was leaving he
was yelliag for supt. Armstrons. When
he was able to talk eohArsntly h told
the Superintendent what he had seen
and the police we're pohnsd-
The supposed number OF the machine
was given them. and whiie they were
investigating the owner. 'Aorgue attend
ants were grspp,ing with hooks by Ian
tern light In the dark shadows of the
pdG. On the edge OF the pier some
heavy wrapping papar and chloride Of
lime were found. but no trace Of the
bundle.
Connsliy said the number on the car
vas either ioo00 or l0.GD. The hrst
was found 10 belong 70 Frank Campbell.
N undertaken In Twenty-thtrd street.
% the police went there.
r. Il. Frye. manager Of the Campbell
Undertaking establishment explained the
mystery OF the river. lie said Mr.. NO
Connell had como to him on Feb. 1
sSie. and made his strange rsqueR.
WANTED ASHES KEPT YEAR, "
NECESSARY.
TN case ne should die on the fifteenth
Of December" Mr.. Frye said. Mr.. Nc
Council wanted 1t understood that II he
could not be cremated In time for the
distribution to take place next day. his
birthday. the body was to DO kept until
che following year. lie gave me his
address ~ No. lao West Fifteenth street.
lie said he had two daughters, one Mrs
II. q. Jones Of Oldneid avenue Montreal.
and the other. Miss Euphemia Gal
braith Mcconnell. He was born. he
said. In Belfast, Ireland. Doc. ". 1870"
THE cremation took place At Union
Hell. IN. j.. II was learned Mcconnell
did not mention his strange request ~
his daughters or to his landlord. Joseph
McGowan. the undertaker's assistant.
who threw the ashes 10 the winds. said
the ceremony was performed at night.
because he did not want TO attract any
more attention than necessary