New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-21
Haste in Taking Bodies TO
Morgae Probed in Cor
oners' Inquiry.
DR.. LEHANE ANSWERS
UNDERTAKEN ACCUSER
Entry in Coroner's Day Book
and Disposition of COM
plant Taken Up.

The summary ordering OF ooCN 10
the morgue for an autopsy which was
never performed; an entry IN the
Coroner's daybook apparently altered
20 take the responsibility from Dr.
Timothy D.. Leblanc, Coroner's physi-
clan. and the final mysterious dispo-
sition Of complaint made against Or.
Leblanc. were subjects Of inquiry yes
tcrday before Leonard NJ. Wallstein,
Commissioner Of Accounts. Or. Le-
hsne said the complaint was made by
al undertaken. who had a grievance
against him.
Charles J. Coyle is the undertaken
named bv Or. Leblanc IS the writer
OF the complaint Il related 20 the
disposition Of the body of Charles l..
Duval. laborer. who died June o.
1912. at his home. pa East l2lst ST.
"He Or. Lehanee' wrote the un-
dCrtaker. got excited when the WIDOW
could not answer him quick ehoue"'
and ordered the remains 10 the
morgue. Before ordering the remains ms
20 the morgue he asked her VINO the
undertake was. and she informed HIM
that il was Mr.. ---. lie SAID NAV
did you get him for? A.
A sergeant and FIVE patrolmen, the
undertaken continues, were summoned
from the East 126th 81. police stau3h'
Tbev hustled every one out OF the
roors in spite of the pleading OF the
widow From the Harlem morgue, ne
continues. the body was not sent 10
9etb g until too late for DR.. Albert
T Weston TO perform an autopsy o"
that dav. The following day the un-
dertaker's assistant Informed nm
frat the state of the body was such
that 8 closed coffin would be neces-
sarv. The cause Of death was hnally
determined without an autopsy
A scrutiny of the daybook IN the
Coroners' Office showed that the words
"morgue" and autopsy by order OF
Coroner Hellenstein" had been writ
sen over an erssure. II was done, d.
.t.ne said. without his knowledge.
20 police tag which was produced by
commissioner Wallstein Is inscribed,
"No suspicious circumstances Ut.
Leblanc had difficulty in recalling the
matter at all and was indefinite as 70
the disposition made OF the COMPANY
A suggestion By Commissioner Wall
stein that DR.. Israel L. Feinberg, pres
ident Of the Board Of COroners, SAID
he had never heard of 1t, did not help
DR. Leblanc.
"There was something 70 that ef-
feet" said DR.. Leblanc. Lots Of un-
drrtakers receive information from the
police and get TO the home OF the de-
CEASED before ] do, even. After seeing
such men. am opposed TO their meth
DDS. | play no favorites with under
takers. and won't stand for body
snstching. Whoever wrote that letter
and I suspect il was Charles !.
Covle-must have had p grievance
against me. II that letter was called
~ my attention must have gwen
some explanation. don't remember
whether I was called before the board
or whether ] made it TO one or Two
coroners. r..
ners covering the period in which the
complaint was made are not 70 10
found
DR. Leblanc considered infantile con
yt.lsions q sufficient cause OF deatn
WREN the death certificate was signed
h. Coroner's physician. Until Com
missioner Wallstein told him, Dr. LIE
Iene was in ignorance OF the 1acV
that infantile convuls ons We're sPe.
c;6callv mentioned as insuthcleht
cause Of death upon the reverse OF
death certificates.
Commissioner Wallstein wanted 70
know how DR.. Leblanc reached the con
r;nsion that Lena Gartield's death IN
l.a.b Israel Hospital on March II last
VA. due TO endocarditis. The hospital
-leet gave no history Of the case
Trevious investigation by the Com,
missioner had elected from hospital
cn,nloves the statement that no one
had told DR.. Leblanc any PARTICULAR
and that ne spent not more than one
minnie examining the body. Dr. Le'
hane acknowledged that the symptom
no noticed might have been those OF
several other diseases, and SAID ne
based his report simply upon his .opin-
ION and the statement Of relative
that the womans trouble had Deen
with the "herz."
The inquiry viii be continued Mon
day .-,..
Justice Newburger yesterday re
served decision in the matter or al
recting Coroner Herman Hellensteln
70 answer the questions put 20 MN py
Comnoissioner Wallstein. Frank Moss
counsel for the Coroner, besides rals'
;rs the question Of jurisdiction, com
nis;ned that the rapid fire OF cues
tions was directed in English, whici
Odd 10 confuse his client.