The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-10
Points Out That Statutes Do
Not Fix Responsibility
For Pursuit of Clues to
Unknown Dead Persons.

CenSure OF Dr.. Samuel M Garlick.
medical examiner, for the long delay
in effecting identification of the corpse
of Thos. f. Gilmore, is not warranted,
in fact, in the belief of John J. Phe-
Ian, coroner of Fairfield county. Cor
oner Phe1an is Dr.. Garlick's immedi-
ate superior, and the official who
names the staff of medical examiners
for the county.
The division of responsibility or ap-
parent lack of definite responsibility
in any department of the government,
for the pursuit of clues to the identi-
hcation of unknown dead, is pointed
out in an interview given to The Far
mer today by Coroner Phelan.
The coroner cites statutes to show
that there is a. lack of definite re-
sponsfbi1ity. He expressed deep re-
gret that it was possible for such a
thing to occur but at the same time
! insisted that Medical Examiner Gar
lick was not at fault.
Coroner Phelan said:
eff any one was to blame in this
matter am sure it was not DR.. Gar
lick. The law does not require that
the medical examiner conduct an in
quiry with a view to notifying the
| friends Of any unknown dead person.
DIR. GarIick did just what the law re-
quires he shall do in reporting to me.
His report shows Mr.. Gilmore was
about a and that he died of cerebral
henorrhage- He also in his report
gave q description of the man as re-
quired by law. He did not turn over
to me the personal effects found on
pairing his report at the morgue, rela-
tives and friends of the deceased came
| in and identified him.
1T is regrettable that such a well
known man should have lain in the
morgue so long unidentified but it
! r. aiT7IU of
lGarIfck and there is no provision in
the statutes for action by any official
in seeking relatives of dead persons
who are unknown. We usually rely
on the newspapers to print descrip-
tons of such persons and by this
means reach their friends"
After reading the statement pub
| lished in The Farmer yesterday re-
gafding the resolutions adopted on
the death of Thomas F. Gilmore of
Wallingford. a prominent local mem
Der of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows, said today:
1.-THE statement that action was
fsought on the resolutions and that
they. were tabled by most of the Odd
/ Fellow lodges is not quite correct AS
a. matter of fact the resolutions were
offered in and adopted by six Of the
seven lodges of the I. o. o. F in this
city,
| The fact that the Odd Fellows laws
\
| prevents the publication of any reso-
buttons of this character adopted by
them is not material as the same reso-
Iutions, which they adopted were also
adopted by Elias Howe, Jr., Post.
G. A. r.. and Uncas and Waldemere
councils. o. u A. NJ. The resolutions
| in full follow:
Whereas, We are credibIy informed
that on Nov. 80. 1915, Thomas F. Gil
more, a citizen of Wa1lingford, and for
40 years an honored and influential
member of three prominent fraterni-
ties having organizations in this city,
viz: Admiral Foote post, No. II,
Grand Army Of the Republic, of New
i Haven; Phoenix lodge, No. 81, In
dependent Order of odd Fellows, of
New Britain; and Washington council,
No. z, United American Mechanics. of
New Haven, came to this city on writ
ten invitation to visit a branch of one
of these Organizations on the occasion
of its anniversary.
That, at or about 1880 D. M of that
day, when within 800 feet of the
place of meeting, he was stricken with
apoplexy and was taken by the city
emergency ambulance to st. Vincent's
hospital.
i That, at that time he had in his
Il pocket the letter of invitation above
referred to. with his name and ad-
dress thereon, and wore the badge or
button of each of said Organizations,
SO that by the use of even the most
ordinary care. his name and address
could have been ascertained and his
family and friends notified.
That, he died at the, hospital at /
p. M, Dec. 1, 1915, without having
regained Inconsistencies.
That his body remained at the hos
pitaI about 21 hours, when it was
taken to a morgue.
That, at or about 6 O'Clock D. M
Dec 2, about 48 hours after he had
j been stricken and about 80 hours after
his death. the medical examiner gave
| to the police department the letter
Mr.. Gilmore had received inviting him
to make the fraternal visit in this city
Il Lieutenant Hazel being in command
of the First precinct, it was handed tc
him, and within half an hour there
after, the wife and family and repre-.
sentatives of the three above named
fraternities to which Mr.. Gilmore be-
longed, were notified of his death.
That, up to this time, 48 hours after
he was stricken, apparently no effort
had been made to determine who he
was or where he belonged, although
! his family has definitely stated thai
he wore on his clothing the badges OF
each of the above named fraternities
l and he certainly had about his cloth.
| ing the letter of invitation to attend
l the meeting in this city and which
was subsequently used by Lieutenant
Hazel with such good effect to motifs
his family and friends.
4 That a member of these organiza.
tions, in the interest of these three
fraternities. approached the medica
examiner for this city, with a view
of securing some information relating
to the case.
. That he emphatica11y stated that il
was nobody's business to be concerned
as to who the man was or to bother
about notifying his family and friends
however many evidences Of his iden.
!. tity he might have on or about his
. | person.
That he was then asked that if he
: | himself should be stricken in
strange city. taken to a hospital and