The evening world., 1920-07-12
HEALTH OFFICIAL
BEGINS AN INQUIRY
INTOLAUTE BURIAL
DR.. Monaghan Summons Oar
geon in Effort to Fix Blame
for Neglect of Regulations.

DIR. Frank ]. Monaghan. Actins
Health Commissioner, announced TO =
day he has started an investigation to
fix Official responsibility for eircum-
stances surrounding the burial Of
Mrs Julia Laute, apparently in de-
fiance OF the regulations, Instituted
as a result OF The Evening Worlds
efforts TO put an end to body snatch
ing at the city morgue.
DR.. Monaghan said he had sum-
moned William ]. Dargeon, under
taker, Of No. 954 Amsterdam Avenue.
and will call in any officials or other
persons he deeds sSould he wanted
to throw light on the L..,4,e case.
Charges for service not rendered,
made by Dargeon in the Laute case,
are under scrutiny.
'Dargeon was warned to live I'D 10
regulations, when on July 1 he OBJ
tained his permit, against the rocm-
mendation of Dr. William II. Gull
foy Health Department Registrar of
Records" DR.. Monaghan said; "Dr.
Guihoy's protest was because of the
case of James Duffy, in which Dar-
geon tried to collect $780, which was
cut by Surrogate Cohalan TO $500.
The Laute case occurred before Dar-
geon's permit was Issued, but there
may be ground for some action"
DIR. Guilfoy to-day wrote to DR..
Monaghan, asking that the committee
that framed the present regulations
be called upon for a conference to
make any needed changes. The COM
mlttee represents the police District
Attorney, Health Department, Public
Administrator, Charities and other de-
partments concerned with burial Of
unclaimed" bodies at the Morgue
and responsibility for notifying their
families.
Other Investigations arising from
the Laute case are to be made by the
Public Administrator and Capt. John
Ayers Of the Police Bureau Of Missing
Persons.
Capt. Ayers will try to learn why
nothing more than a perfunctory re-
port from his bureau is on record in
the Public Administrators ONCE.
Another investigation will try to
determine why Mr.. Dargeon charged
for silver casket handles when mono
was supplied and for embalming when
he did not perform that service
ALL DEPARTMENTS JOINED TO
BREAK UP PRACTICE.
The regulations affecting undertake
ers and the Morgue. 1t will be re-
called. were announced Jan. /, follow
ing a vigorous campaign by The Eve
ming World after disclosures in the
case OF Mrs. Anna Cailless, killed by
a taxicab and hastily buried by an
undertaken who made a false record.
When her daughter, Miss Charlotte
Cailless, who had a studio near her
mothers lodging place at No. 2OS
West SD Street, finally managed to
find the burial place at Kensico
Cemetery and, with the aid OF this
newspaper. took steps to have her
mother more suitably buried, she was
shocked to md, when the grave was
opened, the evidence of hasty and
careless interment in a rough wooden
box.
All departments concerned in such
cases. including the Police, Charities,
Health and Public Administrator, en-
tered into an arrangement to CO.
operate in enforcing the new regula-
tions to break up a system of which
1t was declared the Cailless case was
only one of many.
Yet within two months the Laute
case occurred and was only brought
to light on Saturday. when the facts
we're published.
Mrs. Laute was accidentally as
phyxiated Feb. 1s in a furnished
room at No. 244 East SD Street. Her
body was taken to the City Morgue
Detective Donohue OF the Bureau OF
Missing Persons was assigned to
identify her and find members OF her
family.
Mrs. NJ. Langer. at whose house Mrs.
Laute roomed. Is positive In her
statement OF what she told the de-
tective. She informed him, she says
that Mrs Laute's father was an lu-
mate OF the City Home on Black
wells Island and that she had q. sis
ter in the city. as well as other
relatives, although Mrs. Langer could
not give their addresses. She pointed
out to the detective a basket OF fruit
Mrs. Laute had bought TO take to
her father, as she intended visiting
him in n day or two.
INSURANCE RECEIPTS GIVEN TO
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATOR.
In Mrs. Laute's room was a book
Of receipts. showing she had paid
premiums on an insurance policy for
$3.50. This, apparently without fur
ther inquiry, was turned over to the
Public Administrator, with police
report on the case, stating Mrs.
Laute was believed to have a father
in the City Home"