Year: 1874

THE cORONERs ALLOW BODIES TO ACCUMULATE AND


HOLD DOZEN INQUEsTs AT ONCE-ExoRBITANr


CHARGES FOR BURYING THE DEAD.


Some remarkable revelations were made
Yesterday afternoon the meeting OF the Finance Com
mtee OF the Kings County Board Of Supervisors; who
have been investigating the conduct OF the aDars AZ tue
Brooklyn Morgue, and have obtained information re-
fecng dsgraceully upon tho conduct OF the Coroners
and OF the officials at the Morgue. Soon after the pres
en Board OF Supervisors assumed the duties or their
Office Supervisor Ropes. while examining the duties OF
the members discovered that for three years payments
had Deen made by the Commissioners OF Charities to
different county officers in violation OF law The law OF
1871 required that all bills incurred by the officials shall


be audited by the County Auditor and affirmed by


majority Of the Board Of Supervisors before they can De
paid although pronounced correct by the Commission
ers This process had been systematically evaded, and
payments had been made by the County Treasurer upon
the mere request Of the Commissioners The Finance
Committee OF the Supervisors have examined all
the bills presented for payment, and thus
far Irregularities have been discovered In every case
The bill Mr.. Cody. amounting to large sum, for CON-
veyng dead bodies from the Morgue to Potters Field
came up for consideration at the last meeting OF the
Board. There much vagueness about the claim.
and the amount seemed unreasonable that the blls
were referred for examination to the Finance Commit
zee which met Yesterday. Meanwhile, Alderman R9pes
had ascertained that the bills not just and that
shameful practices had prevailed at the Mogue for the
last three years He summoned to the witness stand
Yesterday the keeper OF that institution Mr McGuirc
who testified that 1t had been the practice to permit
dead bodies and stillborn infants to remain at the
Morgue, in instances two weeks or more, by order
OF the Coroner who consulted his convenience In visiting
them, and that the inquest was mere FORM The
Coroner would not attend until large number ofbodes
had accumulated and then he would go into the adoin
ing hospital, the requisite number OF persons
ask them to look at the bodies, and then send
them back to the hospital. The time consumed
would be about ten minutes. Ten or dozen
inquest papers would be signed for which tho Coroner
received s2 80 piece Stubborn cnldren were per
For OF them also the Coroner charged tho same
sum- The contractor, whose duty 1t Is to remove the
persOn 10 the Poter Field and & so for each
coffin or box containing the bodies


The matter then laid over for further consldera.
ton: a further Investigation resolved upon, and
Whitehall directed to appear at the next meet
the matter The bills for outdoor relief were consid
cred appeared that charges were made for four
visitors at 81 day. and for the clerks at salaries OF
5000 and 81 600 q year. respectively although 1t was
stated that the fund was exhausted last April and that
since that had performed no services, and
therefore had earned the money which they cansd
Their bills were likewise laid over for consideration


Alter the meeting TRIBUNE reporter called upon
Supervisor Ropes and made inquiries concerning mat
teTs at the Morgue. MT Ropes said that affairs had
been carried ON shamefuy at mat institution Dead
saw Mt to Inspect them In heap and then go
through the form Of an inquest He had no right to
hold inQuests on stlborn infants in any event. An
inquest official inquiry into death by violence
ferret criminals and discover whether crimes had
been committed. The collins were little boxes worth 23
or cents for which rs each was CHARGED and trans
portaton for each placed at -, when that SUN more
for whole year, and the Board of Supervisors had
not previously audited these bills he had probably Deen
sonsrs Of CHARITIES Supervisor Ropes said that he
should insist on thorough investigation OF inc matter