The Indianapolis times., 1931-12-31

Other clauses of the agree
ment are supporting Vehling
and students of the Askin
Embalming School in their
alleged rushing of bodies to
the city hospital for embalm-
ing, it is charged.
Members of the group, who are
in favor of the contract, claim the
action was taken to halt Vehling's
practice of taking bodies to his own
funeral establishment, 702 Virginia
avenue, for rush embalming.
Called peace Move"
This practice and Vehling's ef-
forts to obtain funeral and burial
privileges have been dropped since
The Times barred his alleged body
grabbing" system.
UndertakerS claim the contract is
peace move of some undertakers
with Vehling and charge efforts are
being made to solicit financial and
moral support for the coroner,
should he be indicted by the county
grand jury.
The jury oday is completing its
probe into Vehling's alleged illegal
activities. 1t can return bills of in
dictment and impeachment, or both.
against the coroner.
One indianapolis funeral director
said he had "been told the associ-
alton was going to back Vehling,'
but had not been informed whether
this involved aiding the coroner in
his court fight, should he be in
dicted.
''' Hints Clauses Were Hidden
This director charged he and
others were shown only a part of
the Vehling undertaker's agreement
at November meeting of the as
sociation, and were not aware until
recently of other clauses in the
contract.
One of these sections sets out
that in coroner's cases where per-
sons are found after death that
embalming should take place inn
mediately upon removal to the re-
frigerator at the hospital used for
receiving the dead.
This, 1t was pointed out, would
result in embalming of many bodies
before relatives were notified of
deaths. DR.. Charles Myers, city
hospital superintendent, said bodies
may be kept in the hospital re-
frigerator three or four days"
Relatives Are Barred
Under another classification of
the contract, where deaths have
been witnessed, embalming is not
supposed to take place for two hours
after the death.
Undertakers said relatives would
have no opportunity to make ar
rangements with funeral directors
under this ruling before embalming
was completed.
Walter Blasengym, local funeral
director, charged members of the
association procured his signature
and probably a majority of the
forty-eight indianapolis and nine
teen out-county directors, by show
ing them only the first paragraph
Of the contract. Seventeen local un-
dertakers, listed in the phone di-
rectory, did not sign the contract.
This provides embalming be done
in unidentified coroner's cases" by
students of the Askin School of En-
balming. also known as the Indian
apolis School of Embalming, op-
Grated by Clifford Askin, for $3.50
each. This was to be done only
after all efforts at Identification had
failed. This fee would include prep
aration of the bodies for embalming
Ignorant of Contents
If embalming is not performed.
the contract sets out, 50 would be
charged for preparing each body.
The contract also provides the
embalmer on duty at the city hos
pital shall inquire at the hospital
office If preparations have been
mace for funeral director.
eff no funeral director has been
called, according to the records.
then the embalmer shall proceed"
the contract reads.
Gadd refused to furnish COPY
Of a contract to The Times until it
was "off the presses" and had been
received by local undertakers.
"Of course not" one director said.
Most of us didn't know what was
in it."
The agreement will be studied by
the city health board, at its next
meeting. d. Herman G. Morgan,
secretary. said. 1t was submitted