Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-16
FEARFUL THRONGS
SEARCH MORGUE
Anxious-Faced Men and
Women Keep Hopes to Last
in Fearful Quest.
BY the Associated Press.


CLEVELAND, May 16.-Through the
long hours Of the night, line Of
anxiouS-faced men, women and childen
streamed through the county morgue,
hoping almost against hope that they
would not find the body of some loved
one, killed in the Cleveland Clinic dis
aster yesterday.
Realization, of stark tragedy came to
many as sheet was raised, revealing
the face Of relative, craven with the
horror Of death. The struggle with
the gas, which killed most of the vic
tins, left their faces distorted with
terror, and in several cases closest rela-
tiveS could identify the dead only by
their clothing and jewelry.
Beneath the sheets, doctors lay be-
side the patients they had been treat
ing; men beside the wives they had
accompanied here for treatment. In
cluded among the dead were all classes
-clubmen, day laborers, Catholics,
ProteStants and Jews.
Three priests moved between the rows
of sheeted bodies, amounting those be-
lieved to be Catholics.
A death-like hush which hung over
the bare-walled morgue was broken
now and then by a woman's shrek as
she came to the end Of her quest.
Two rooms and the morgue garage
housed the bodies, those of men lining
one side of wall, those of women the
other. AS the slow, grim work of iden-
LITIGATION went on, names were written
on number tags which had been placed
on each body as it was brought In from
the gas-Swept clinic.
outside crowd milled. Some were
r11orbidly curious others were waiting
sadly and fearfully to enter in search
Of relatives. Police lines were hardly
necessary, as 1t was throng made or
derby by grief.
Quiet in Morgue Uncanny.
No words were spoken except by those
of the attendants handling the crowds.
A hoarse word by an officer that those
covered already have been identified"
broke harshly into the uncanny quiet
of the place.
outside in an alley giving access to
the rear Of the morgue half a dozen
ambulances stood unoccupied, their
work OF bringing the victims of the
blast to the morgue completed. Others,
With drawn curtains, pulled away at
intervals. Their work was just begin
ming.
Across the alleyway in an apartment
house curious crowds gathered in the
windows. mother and her family sat
down to their evening meal within sight
of the back door Of the morgue. They
apparently had been stated with the
sight.
Scenes Of heart-breaking sorrow were !
seen on every hand. Some who found
loved ones lying dead beneath sheets
went into Mysteries and had to be led
from the building. Others bowed their
heads silently, and with tears streaking
their faces moved slowly out.
First to walk through the lane of
bodies was Capt. Young. He found
his daughter Blanche, who was assist
ant to Dr. George w. Grille, owner of
the clinic.
One Hopes rs Hunt Futile.
A gray-haired man limped in looked |
up and down the rows of dead, shook |
his head and asked, where's the next |
room?"
This is the last ROOM" he was told.
"Then-oh, thank God, she isn't |
here" he breathed fervently and went
out to continue his search, hopeful OF
finding alive the one he sought.
Two small children tearfully inquired |
of a policeman and then Of others, |
Where is my mammal" Apparently |
no one knew.
Telephone booths in a cigar store |
around corner from the morgue pre-
sented another tragic picture. There |
a middle-aged woman. too nervous to |
write, asked man standing by to write |
down a number she had found in the |
directory.
Her voice could be plainly heard |
through the booth after she got her |
connection. saying. II have identified |
Mabel" Sobs drowned out the re-
mainder Of the conversation.