The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-10
POLICE ASSAIL
funeral GRAB
BY CORONER
Officers Not Permitted to
Notify Relatives of
Tragic Deaths.
YELLING MAKES DENIAL
County Official Is Taken to
Task by Undertaken
for Statement.
BY DICK MILLER

Dissension between the police de-
partment and Coroner Fred w.
Vehling dared today, after activities
Of Vehling in sending bodies of
police case victims to his own IN
dertaking establishment had been
revealed by The Times.
Several officers of the department
said they had registered objections
previously because Yelling would
not permit police to notify relatives
and friends Of victims Of their
deaths.
Heretofore, it always has been the
custom Of the police department to
notify relatives. But lately, police
charged, Vehling or employees Of his
undertaking establishment, have
rushed to homes with word of
deaths.
According to police, Vehling is do
ing this to reap greater harvest as
coroner by obtaining funeral and
burial business for his company.
EmbaIms in a Hurry
The Times Thursday revealed that
IN many cases Vehling has had bod
les of victims embalned before rela-
tives were informed of the loca-
ton of the body. The fee charged
by Yelling for this is $25.
Yelling has handled 265 bodies
since he took office, but due to the
fact his records are six weeks be-
hind, it is impossible to name the
exact number of bodies he has
rushed to his establishment at 1872
Virginia avenue.
City hospital records revealed if
teen bodies had been taken from
there, and other records disclosed
sixteen bodies had been taken to
his place from the scenes of death.
Only 1903 disposals can be checked.
In many instances the bodies are
at Vehling's establishment before
relatives can get in touch with the
undertaken of their choice.
Considers Family's Feelings
The coroner explains he does this
out Of consideration for the feelings
Of the family, who wouldn't want
to see the body in the manned con-
dition in which he found it,
Neither is the family supposed to
feel the $25 charge Coroner Veal-
ing makes for sparing the hereaved
added sorrows although the morgue
in city hospital is equipped to per-
form the same service, as are all
the citys undertakes.
Vehling insists that his aids, one
Of whom is a deputy coroner, never
suggest to relatives of victims that
he be allowed to take charge of the
burial
Records show that the coroner's
deputies have ordered bodies taken
direct to the Vehling establishment,
even in city ambulances.
Denies Any Rush Act''
Only last Saturday, Leslie o. Clev-
enger, 1852 North Linwood avenue,
assistant funeral director for Veh-
ling, and one of his deputy coroners,
obtained the signature of the widow
of an accident victim to an order
made out on a sheet Of Clevenger's
personal stationery, ordering the
body prepared for burial by Fred
w. Vehling.
Clevenger obtained the burial
order when he visited the widows
home to notify her of her husbands
death.
Vehling vigorously denied that he
or his deputies have taken adj
vantage of the excited or pros
trated condition Of relatives to sug-
gest that the Vehling establishment
conduct the funeral.
II can get along just as we'll as
any other undertaken" he conf
mented.
Hermann Hits Back
Vellling declared the rigidness or
intensity of Investigations in cor
oner's cases is in no way affected
by any interest he may have in
funerals for victims.
Assertion of Vehling that George
Hermann, 1922 South East street,
undertaken, made a false statement
when the latter charged Vehling
with enbalming a body without
authority of members of the family
today brought condemnation from
Hermann.
It's Vehling who is the liar if
he attempts to dispute the figures
on the clock, and the fact that
have a Cancelled check that was the
subject Of threatened litigation"
Hermann declared. THE litigation
was threatened until the widow. not
wishing notoriety which might make
it seem that she was Sinking her
duties, paid the bill"
According to Hermann, the coro-
ner charged $25 for the embalming
which was completed two hours
after the man had been killed in an
accident.
Sorry If He Is Misunderstood
Within the last few days, vehling
has told The Times he was sorry
If the widow misunderstood him, but
I remember telling her the body was
at my undertaking establishment
and it was being prepared for
burial"
Vehling, in his denial of unethical
practices, pointed out that his
predecessors favored certain under
takers, especially in disposal of
Negro victims.
However, The Times inquiry re-
vealed that Vellling has sent bodies
Of eighteen of the twenty-six Negro
victims to G. NJ. G. Willis & Son,
undertakers, 6S2 North West street.
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