The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-11
CARLICK TELLS SUPERIOR ABOUT
 GILMORE CASE
Medical Examiner Saw Body in Morning Gave Police
 Effects in Afternoon.

"I will say that no one would be better pleased than Medical Examiner GarIick and myself if some official is named by law whose duty it shall be to establish the identity of unknown persons found dead and to notify i their relatives or friends. The law makes no provision now and although we exhaust every, available means we are often unsuc ceessful.
 This is the statement made today by Coroner John Ps~Phelan in comment ing on the case of Thomas F. Gilmort i of Wa1lingford, whose sudden death in this city has caused members Of various organizations to pass resolu- tions censuring Medical Examiner Samuel M GarIick. The resolutions passed by the various societies state that MT. Gi1nore's body was allowed to lay for AS hours in the public m orgue while no effort was nsSde to identify him. Dr. Garlick yestArday said he would make no reply to the resolution but today he evidently changed his mind for he sent to the coroner a chronological statement of just what had occurred in the Gilmore case as far as he was able to ascer- tain.
 The statement is that Gilmore was stricken i'll in Col. T. J. Murphy's cafe in Main street and taken to St. NVincent's hospital on the night of Nov 30. 1915. at 7:3O o'clock. That he was unconscious when he reached the hospital and remained so until he died at 3:2O the following morn ing. Dec. l. On that day Dr. Bern stein made a report to the medical examiner and the latter went to the Hospital between g and 10 o'clock in the morning and viewed the body. He found death due to cerebral hemorrhage. I
 Alter seeking identification from the ! hospital authorities, the ambulance corps and other sources, ADr- Garlick turned over to the police the letters and effects found on the man. The I doctor thinks it was between l and Z o'clock on the same day. The police 1 records show it was between and , l o'clock that afternoon.
 Lieut.. Bert Hazel recognized the 1 name of ''Rowbotham'' among the pa 1 pers of the dead man. J. H. Row botham is the recording secretary or Betsey Ross council, No 19, Daugh- 1 ganized this society and on invitation from it was in Bridgeport to attend an anniversary celebration.
 According to Dr. GarIck's report to the coroner, Lieut.. Hazel got in touch with Rowbotham that afternoon and morgue at 7:3O that night where he identified MT. Gilmore. On the strength of his Identification the undertakers prepared the body for burial awaiting word from his relatives and friends. MT. sRowbotham said MT. Gilmore's home was in New Haven and nOtidca- ton was sent the police there but they identified MT Gilmore as coming from WaHin gford.
 Tn concluding his report Medical Ex- anniner GarIick says that as far as the records show the resolutions are all wrongAthat the body did not re- main for AS hours unidentified, that the undertakers who received the body promptly turned over to him all pa- pers by which it might be identified and that in less than 12 hours after ward the body had been so identified
 and the disposal of it placed in the hands of those supposed to be respon- sibIe friends.
 In regard to MT Gilmore's watch, chain. and society eInblems. pr. Gar lick says he received courteous in
 quiry from MT. Gi1nore's relatives about a week after the funeral He 1 immediately made inquiry at St. Vim l cents hospital and found the valua- b1est there sealed in the original en- ve1ope in which they had been placed after their removal from the body. He said he forwarded the valuable and lcourteous acknowledgment of the re- iceipt.
 If this inquiry into the Gilmore
 death may lead to the passage of a law placing the responsibility on some
 official to conduct +rruiries to estab- llish the identity of unknown persons 7 found dead, Medical Examiner Gar lick, the police authorities, myself and s everyone else who is concerned in suct leases will be greatly gratifed. As il
 is, this matter is at present the 1ega,
 duty of no one," said Coroner Phelan