The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-04-09
funeral GRAB
TACTICS LAID
TO CORONER
'Rush' EmbaIming System
ArOuSes Complaints
Against VehIing.
OWN BUSINESS THRIVES
Bodies Hurried to Morgue
Of Official, Extra Fee
Charged Relatives.
BY DICK MILLER


BY DICK MILLER
The body was sent to Coroner
Fred w Vehlings own undertaking
establishment"
This statement OF fact, oft-re-
peated in The Times. has aroused
the wrath Of Coroner Vehling. It
also has resulted IN an inyestga-
zion Of public records that reveals
Nehhng has sent sixteen bodies
srom the scenes Of accidents and
tragedies to his establishment at
922 Virginia avenue in the city am
bulancc.
In many other cases, Vehlings
undertaking equipment has been
rushed from his south side address
80 near the county line north OF
indianapolis, the bodies being re-
turned to the Vchlng establishment.
Some instances Of removal Of
bodies from the scenes and also
from the city hospital have brought
complaints from persons who have
had bodies OF relatives involved in
transactions with Vehling.
Forced to Pay Fee
In at least one case, it was re-
Cealed. the body was taken from the
death scene and embalmed before
members Of the family and friends
we're able to get to Vehling's place.
Consequently. they had to pay
$50 for the service, under threat OF
litigation If they refused, they
charge.
Since Vehling took Office. Jan. l.
he has handled 265 death cases. Of
the 1903 of these that went TO city
hospital Vehling obtained the
bodies of fifteen victims from the
institution
Because Vehlings own records
cstensibly public-are incomplete,
mot having been touched since
March /, an investigation Tuesday
showed, it is impossible to give an
accurate and up-to-date account Of
the disposal Of the other 1877 bodies.
Vehling admitted his records were
"behind.
Denies Students Embalm Bodies
If his records were in proper
shape, it would be possible for The
Times to state the number Of
bodies that have been sent to his
establishment from other Indian
RpoliS hospitals and homes.
The coroner also was presented
with the charge that much of the
embalming on bodies was done by
students of the Indianapolis School
of Embalming, who are serving in
terneshipS at his establishment.
This, he denied, declaring that only
experienced embalmers did the
work.
The practice of rushing bodies
30 his morgue and removing them
from city hospital which. QUILTED
with the latest type Of morgue
equipment, is not Countenanced by
county officials and has not been
the practice of former coronerS. I'M
less such action was ordered by
relatives or friends of victims, it
was learned.
Vehling said he removed bodies
TO his morgue after preliminary in
Vestigations, so that relatives, when
they do find where the body was,
would find it in good condition. He
denied employees of his establish
ment urged persons to permit the
coroner to carry out the funeral
and burial, although several in
stances of this and the $25 charge
for embalming were barred in The
Himes inquiry.
Undertaken Gives Version
@. H. Hermann, 1922 South East
street, undertaken, said he recently
was called by family. the hus-
band of which had been killed in
an auto accident Vehling had no
titled members of the family of
the death and said the body was
st his funeral home.
Hermann obtained an order for
the body from the family When
he turned it over to Vehling, the
latter told him the body already
had been enlbalmed and demanded
the $25 fee, Hermann charged.
According to Hermann, a protest
was entered. but relatives finally
agreed to pay it. after an attorney,
said to have represented Vehling'
threatened suit Hermann said $40
additional had to be spent for plastic
surgery.
Vehling recently suggested that
one of his hearseS be used to OBJ
tain bodies outside the city limits
when county and city officials we're
discussing the plan to assess the
county 81 each time it was necessary
for a city hospital ambulance to go
outside the city limits.
Warned by Snider
George Snider, county commits
sioner, said he warned Vehling
against charging more than 81 and
also stated he believed Vehling
eventually would be criticised for
his activities
According to Snider. Vehling said
that If he we're given the burial
privileges, he would add the 81 fee
10 the funeral bill. If relatives in
sisted on having the burial con-
Quoted by another undertaken,
Vehling said he would bill that IN
dertaker for the fee,
Auto Kills Pedestrian
BY United Press
GARY, Ind, April 9-Luther
Harkrider, p. Calumet City, III,
died of injuries suffered when
: struck by q hit-and-run motorist