The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-02-10
CORONER DEFENDS HIS
MEDICAL EXAMINER IN
IDENTIFICATION DELAY

after having been cared for, it was the /
duty of soneone-ambulance officers, |
hospital authorities or medical ex-
aminer, to examine his clothing and
effects in order to ascertain who he
was, and to inform his family and
friends as early as possible of his con-
dition and location. These views, it
would seem from the course of pro
ceedings in this case, are all wrong.
1t seems from the treatment of this
case that a person may meet with ac-
cident or be stricken with disease or
death and be taken charge of by the
authorities or by a hospital of our
city, and that no matter what means
of Identification may be on his per-
son, it i1 not the duty of any person
to look Tor such means of identifica-
ton of such person and to notify his
relatives and friends when the identity
is established, and that it is a matter
of supreme indifference to the parties
| dealing with his case whether his
family or friends are ever informed
of his misfortune or whereabouts
even though they can be ascertained
without the slightest difficulty.
It would seem to be the plain duty
of. our people, if in case of sudden
illness accident they do not wish
to reach the Potter's Field, to see that
| laws are enacted or regulations made,
making it the duty of officials and hos
pita1 authorities to do that which the
| common laws of humanity would die
| tate, but which seem from the forego-
| ing not to be a factor in the present
| treatment of the unfortunate. There
fore, be it resolved,
That, in the interest of humanity,
we call upon the proper authorities of
our county, city and hospitals into
whose care persons suffering from ac-
cidents, wounds or disease, or who
are deceased, may come. to make a
| thorough examination of the person,
| clothing and effects of such person,
and thorough inquiry, to ascertain
| the identity of such person, and to
make a record of the same, and to
| Immediately inform the relatives and
friends Of such person of their condi-
tion. and location, that they may come
| to the relief of such persons.
| Voted: That this preamble and
resolution be published in the public
press of this city.
Adopted Feb 8, 1916. by Elias
Howe, Jr., Post 3, Department of
Connecticut G. A. r.. William NJ.
Barnum, Adjutant.
Adopted Feb 2. 1916, by Waldo
mere council. No s. Q. U. A. NJ.
E. G. Congre. Recording Secretary.
| x Adopted Feb. 8, 1915. by Uncas
council, No. rs, o. U. A. M, Charles
Mcpherson. Recording Secretary.
superintendent Eugene Birmingham
/
had been done injustice. He said
in part: ST am sorry to see man of
| DR.. Gar1ick's personality and ability to
be wrongfulIy accused. I believe AZ
/ right and wrong"
The superintendent then added: SET
i was going to supper at 1850 the even
| ing after this man had died in the
| hospital. DR.. Garlick came into head
| quarters as was about to go out the
door. He said that he had in his pos
session a number of papers found on
| the clothing of the unknown man.
Among the articles were fraternal let
! tiers and Mr. Garlick told me he be-
| 1ieved that the deceased was a fra
| ternal man. Among the letters was
/ one from the United Order of Ameri-
can Mechanics
Lieutenant Hazel was behind the
| desk and ordered him to get busy
hmm ediate1y. He endeavored to COM
| municate with Doorman Taylor at. the
Third precinct, who by the way, is a
prominent Odd Fellow. Lieut.. Hazel
/ was unable to get hold of Doorman
| Taylor and he got in touch with Henry
| J. See1ey, a prominent member of the
| Odd Fellows. Tt was exactly Z O'Clock
| when the body was identified by the
police with the aid of, members of the
Odd Fellows
Nobody has come, to me concern
ing the matter and, in my opinion, as
far as understand the facts of the
case, DR.. Garlick has been done an
injustice. He was promptly on the
| job and I don't see why he should
be an object for criticism" Lieuten-
! ant Bert Hazel verified this statement.
Il Medical Examiner Garliclk says the
| unidentified man died in the hospital
on the evening previous That he was
taken to the morgue between II and
- o'clock the next morning and that
he Immediately began an investigation
hi found
which led to his identification. He
Il reported the particulars to the police
at 1880 that afternoon.
Fred Mullins, members of the firm
4 of Culfinan & Mullins, said today: cit
is not our duty as keepers of the public
rnorgue to seek to identity dead per-
sons brought to US or to notify their
relatives That is the duty of the,
authorities who bring US the bodies.
Wherever possible, out of humanItar-
ian motives, we always try to notify
relatives of those who are placed in
our charge. II the morgue at Bellevue
no attempt is made to discover or no
tify relatives of unknown dead. The
bodies are placed in ice boxes labeled
| and allowed to stay until they are
| claimed or buried"
Medical Examiner GarIick said to-
day that he would make no reply to
the resolutions adopted by the various
societies. He said: THE resolutions
are uneaIled for and are without
foundation. BY the time the body
was called to my attention the dead
| man had already been in the hands
of the emergency hospital authorities,
St. Vincent's hospital authorities and
s. the undertaken. I had reason to be-
Iieye they all made every reasonable
} effort to communicate with relatives
and friends of the deceased fol-
lowed out to the letter the statute
which defines my duties in such cases.
AFTER the body had been identified
some relative of the dead man spoke
to me at the rnorgue and rather Hastily
demanded to know whose business it
was to take charge of such cases and
to notify relatives of persons who die