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THE ClSELLING STIFFS.•‘‘Do you get $3.50 for the unclaimed deadl” .. «o; * onty §1*40 for them.”How the County ^ Undertaker Makes Money on His Contract.t bury many of the unclaimed I1it n ----1 bur'iuS only very feiv now.”io not the friends of paupers bury themsometimes?’“ Ves. They bring an order ffom the County a coffin, and that is all I have toHeflioal Colleges Taxed $25 per Pauper Corpse—Mr. Bonfield’s Story.In TnE Tribune of yesterday a brief state-jjeut teas made of the way in which it was said tie County Undertaker, Mr. BonDeld, disposed olthe bodies of friendless paupers to medical colleges, charging for them S25 each. The i ter was developed through the two students trbo wcut down to Joliet to capture a convict stiff to practice on during the holidays. It. Is ;Agent and do with the matter. ga“Jhft you get $3.50 from the county all the.1 have to deliver the coffin wherever the body is. Jt is n orth about §5 to take a bodv to Jefferson. Burials by friends help me out.” 44 YVbcn you deliver bodies at Jefferson, does any one receipt for them?”“Certainly.”‘Whof ‘“The Warden or his assistant.”‘ *.ou PV nothing for the diggingof graves 12? , The paupers or hatf-insfiie people digtwenty or thirty at a time.” 5Tjeil-Unown fact that the study of auatomy in I ?*•*”If there was an unclaimed body in vour shop, and an officer of a medical college came here and demauded it, would you let, him havemedical colleges requires practical demonstra-: tion. For this purpose, subjects are procuredjj( I wherever it is possible to obtain them. “ Body-snatching, as it is termed, is extensively practiced in some places. Columbus, O., and Pittsburg, Pa., probably send out a greater camber of subjects to medical colleges than any other places in the United States. They have: trade all over the country. In New York City,I suppose I should.”• It is claimed by these men that they cannot get any cadavers from you without paying $25 apiece for them. Is that true !”“They are liars.”“ You never sold a body?”deMvmmgbod':i”rrCtlUeUtIy **“How much?”“Ten dollars.”“isn’t that pretty steepi Nj/V Tlln t— ,i„.oflate years, this traffic has also developed to a _ Tllc work is done at night, in nnsca-eonsiderable decree, but there tbe business of | ^There^no riskr*611tbCTC iS tlie notoriety.”the notoriety.No, but then this taking bodies through thetkdeloa'manufacturing: is noiv carried on to a _______________ ^ tultlarge extent, which was formerly monopolized I streets'in a w'acon fs TiabJe to^ak^nue1 uulu-by Paris. However, the New York skeletons rlous, and I charce the doctors according to the «rlt;* not as nicely bleached as the French, and I t[‘°.uklc 1 nave. AJJ the bhdies,-claimed or un- I claimed, come to me, and these doctors haveare not as nicelytore they do not bring the same martlet price, . been bothering me ever'¥nJel“was anoolnted'' Bid are not nearly so much in demand. . They want bodies here and tlierc aH ovcT Chicago supnorts some half-a-dozen medical town, and tlicy exoect me to deliver them,colleges, some of which are largely attended. I ?Ild. think that all I have to do it.The total number of students studying medi- J’1?? f. If there is a scarcity they=j doe and surgery in this city will probably aggre- ^yfuu,u3 pate nearly a thousand. Each subject which is have paid me for the burial. This doctor busi-4 demonstrated upon is generally divided into ness is all nonsense. There is nothing in it% firepans for dissection, and, to satisfy the They get bodies from the Comity Hospital.B number of embryo physicians and give them a ] “ You don't charge them $25 apiece'”tion, that with dered to relig panv in particu might yet rend, to follow the ] our fundament: termined rathe give up your sti regret youp den But, since j obedience, but longer willing t seniel el iterum slender thread 1 Society, there 01 sity of granting iu tbe name o ottheHolv Setfor.In discharging that your Kcver find a quiet eous an eternity, ‘ wA Sunday iratlicient knowledge to commence business upon, it requires about 200 bodies a season of sit months. Thusfarthis session less than thirty bodies have been distributed amongour colleges, and the term is about half over. Tue demand for {objects is great. This State is supposed to a them $25 apiece ?‘No. Tiia^isa lie.”“ If they, applied for a cadaver, and vou had ne, you would have no objection to their tak-“ Not a bit.”. .. . When the reporter was about leaving Mr.tg have legislated in favor of the doctors and Bontield, that gentleman referred to a possibleid science, nnd against body-snatching, by enact- sensational article, which lie deprecated andiugaltw which is supposed to give away the when Tue Tribune representative finally'wentbodies of friendless paupers to the medical col- | away, Mr. Bonlield looked as if he had sorne-THIS LAW IS DEFECTIVE in that it compels the burial of any man who .expresses sueli a desire before bis death,“and the |thing on his mind.county must pay the expenses. Tbe Jaw iFATHER CURCI.Tides that the bodies shall be distributed pro Why He NVas Obliged to Leave the Society iong the colleges, but it is uotiuanda- 1 'w *■ ......weak, because it allows the undertaker to use aiscretiou, sad be has a corner on tbe business of sdlhog subjects to colleges. The Catholic priests take adraotagc of the law bv having: all who may of that faith' who die in the Foor-House, request that they be buried. The countv burial is imposing ceremonial, but is a decidedly cold aua heartless affair- If Xriends should desire ‘of Jesuit ft—It is Views on the Relation Be-the Holy See arid tho Italian Go-eminent—A Letter from tho General of tho Coiupuny of.J?Confjsiinmlence of the Geneva, Dec. 1.—Thc.ereat iutcrcst which has been awakened in Europe by tbe events eounected with the withdrawal of Father Curci -------... . , , ... i fr0111 the Jusuits warrants a more detailedfoment of thctn than I have yet seen in the in tbe Town of Jefferson. The grave is a trench, American papers.2Xlleet long, six wide, and six deep. This is Father Curci is a Neapolitan by birth, andfilled up with bodies three tiers deep, encased has belonged to the Companv of Jesus for lifty-in tbe meanest of pine coffins. VYh^ a body is one years. He is, therefore; well advanced in ^ life. ^ lie is distinguished for his ability, learn-together, arid the skeleton is allowed to honor j ,n£» industry, and eloquence, bcuur both tbe sanctum or some young sawbones .who has able writer aud an attractive and powerful won it in the class rattle. Certainly-there is ! preacher. He was one of the founders of theSSthSiMS and “Mi! I 0f_tDe. Jfs?its:than to be buried ignominously in a pauper’iI!r. Bonfleid denies that he receives or has received $25 each for corpses which he has furnished our medical colleges, but the fac mains that he has received that amouut this vtar for everv bodv that he has sold.LAST TEAR THERE WAS A DEMONSTRATORS’ ASSOCIATION,which divided the subjects pro rata among the colleges. None were favored, and all shared alike in proportion to the number of students. Then the County Undertaker received $10 each lor the bodies,wnidi was not an exorbitant price considering the unpleasantness attendaut upon business. But then came a strike,, for Bon-, with it to Rome on its removal there after the restoration of Pius IX No one who recalls the twenty years from that date Vatican Council can forget- the service which tiiat paper did to the Ultramontane cause. On the arrival of the Italians, in 1ST0, the Jesuits removed their headquarters to -Ficsola,Florence, and took with them the Ciillla, and Father Curd, its editor. He became distinguished iu Florence for his sermons and lectures, and his Advent and Lent discourses were largely attended.But in spite of the prohibitory rules of the Company the father was bold enough to express, in a preface to “Lectures on the Gospels.” _ ill as in private conversations, some views on4 field discovered the defects in the law which the present situatiuu of the Roman Church, | rave him the discretionary power. Both sides | which were sufficient to call forth a warningengaged emuienl counsel, aud Bonfield finally lomid that he came out ahead, put up the price to $25 per stiff. The money has alwavs been paid to him by tho colleges, sudln advance, for no corpses are delivered by him until the easli has been first paid. What i stated above is true, aud from authori-wiiicfi were sufficient to call forth a warning from lits General that he must obey tbe Jesuit rules and publish nothing without bis approval. He was obedient. Bat he conceived some views on the relation between the Holy See and the Italian Government which he telt compelled to express. He could not utter them in public, hut in 1S75 be addressed a confidential memoirwhich Mr. Bonfield cannot safely dispute, the Pope, of which he retained a copy. AndThe truth is, he is taking advantage of a defect in the law, and he takes good care to.grab every body which comes in liis reach that uas cied either in the County Hospital, or Insane Asvlum, or Poor-House, and demands liis own nrile for them. Since the law intended that our medical colleges should have the bodies of friendless paupers, its spirit should be carriedthe substance of what he advised He contended.jhat in theaetual state of things the restoration of the tempural power is a mifc-t impossibility. The Kingdom of Italy is___established fact. Thwoiily result of the present relations between the Church and Stute has been to drive the Italiau Government into alliance with Germany, and to alienate iiiultl- __j interest of science, and the Couuty tudes from the former who sS-e devoted ___L'udertaker not allowed to profit by selling uuity and independence o£ Italy. To win them them at an exorbitant figure. .... back, concord must be established between the“I want to get some information,” said a I two Powers. It is (better to do it now, becauseTribune reporter to the present King is more iriendlv to thecounty undertaker bonfield Cbotch than liis successor will be. That theyesterday morning, “about the extent ol your Pope, bv surrendering an illusory and liarrass-bnsiness for the county.” I :’-f- nntitinn th . . . —i not doing much just now,” was‘Well, Is the reply.*• How long have you held the position ?” “Since a year ago last March.”■.? “ How many bodies have you handled?”: “ I think the number to date is 1,070.”*! “ Where do they mainly come from?”*5 “The city.”$ “The hospital?”* “No; from here, there, and everywhere. I Poor peeple who die and whose friends are i jf Poo- to burr them.” 'J “Paupers?”9 iiiey receive aid by being buried, jnsttS -1 - —.1_____ing position, could tffus become virtual Kine ofas they do when they are alive.:“ Ilow many bodies do vou get from the hospital i”“I couldn't elve you the correct number. Last muntb I think there were four.”**44 And how manv from the Poor-House ?r 4 None at all. 'Tne authorities there burythose who dift. in the Poor-House aud Insane I rcconciiables.Italy, and that he, with the Bishops.ana elcnry .controlliiijEr the minds of the people, using the press, while according free discussion according to the Constitution, would be able to secure the deputies, the aristocracy being secured, seemed quite feasible to the writer. Thus the Governmeet would become thoroughly Catholic, and would win to it all the other Catholic countries. Nay, even Enslafld miirlit. be expected to join In such a 44 Iioly Alliance ” —a covert compliment, perhaps, to certain notorious iuffuenccs now prevailing in the British Colonial Offici Pius IX., after reading this Utopian programme, caused a copy of the memoir to be made and sent to the General of the Jesuits, Beckx, with the indorsement.^ ‘4 Tissue of impertinences and follies!” .Under the storm that was raised against him, Curd was forced to apologize and to promise that he would say nothin a more in public on the subject *satisfied with this hum ilia*Asylum. I have nothing to do with those institutions.”44 You handle the unclaimed dead, do you a'ot I”* Yes.”tion, secured the withdrawal of his liceuse to, While, however, he was making his peace with | the Pope, a copy of his memoir was made fromthe manuscript at the Vatican, and published *44 The law requires you to turn them over to ( in the Jiec’mta Europca. The letter, it appears,the medical coucgc^r* 1 ws purloined from the rope’s table, copiedIt doesn’t require me to do it. It says the I in the night, and restored in the morning by with the bodies from theundertaker may do jail, hospital, ete.”^ ‘j Do you take charge of those who die in441 would, I suppose, but I have never had case from there. Yes, I did—a child.”44Do vou bury everybody turned over to you by the Warden of theTlospital i” ■Undoubtedly.”“How many dp you get from tbere in mouth!’4_ .alet of noble rank. It excited nonenerai attention and called forth no reply. But tnis gave his enemies the opportunity of dmnriug him with haring authorized the publication. He succeeded in proving the contrary, but nevertheless he was required to withdraw, bis memoir under the penalty of expulsion. He offered a private explanation and submission, but they demanded a public retraction within a certain time. He suffered this to expire without accepting the alternative of rccan-TU, month I haven’t lind any, I hardly tation.,and though le ivas nW foiraoliv ex-, from there. The students takithem, I irmss; but I don’t know really what becomes ofThcin. In the summer I have more burials than in the winter. Since the Hospital Was moved onto the IVest Side, 1 have liad Very few.,“Have you ever sold anv bodies to medical colleges IT“No. I couldn’t seH them any. They are entitled to them, and can come and get them.’’“ Who gives you your orders to bury pconie’uciled. he was forced to retire from the. ». M. V. li.We give below a translation of Padre Beekx' letter to Padre Curei:Filsole, Oct. 22, 1S77.—Reverend Father in Christ. P. C. (Pax Chrisli): I have received the letter of your Reverence, in which you inform me of your desire to receive from me your dismission from the Jesuit compauy. It is always a sad act for ine, the duty of sundering the sacred bond which joins a membiThe Coroner, the County Agent, and the pauy, but in the present ease such an act brimWarden of the Hospital 3 “ Where do you bury them?” '8 “At Jefferson.” •a “ Docs sdy county official see you bury them? J “I don’t put the bodies in the ground. There i is a 6exton there, and he attends to that.”i ** Th?n oil T-raiT An ic in furnish Hi ft f.flffilto my heart an affliction which I cannot express iu words.Your Reverence has, for some time past, entertained certain opinions which you were pleased to call political, but which in reality touch tileThen all you do is to furnish tho coffin, -and deliver the corpses on the ground? ”“That is all.sacred interests of the Church and the mode of governing it in the present circumstances; a'ud to sustain these your opinions you have dared most rashly to constitute yout-“How mueli do you get Jrom the fount, for self a judge of those whom the Lord has madedoing that?” the rulers of His Church. Against the will of“I get $3.50 for every burial.” your superiors, you have Eeen lit to sustain, and“ Hive you always received that? ” what is still worse, to insinuate to others, and“No. I used to get only SI.40, but now the | to set forth, both by worn of mouth and in coffins are lined, and have a pillow.”“ vVhat is the price of a coffin?” . ,“Well, they cost on the average about GO or laithiul. Alter liavwriting, ideas that were gravely offensive the vicar of Jesus Christ aud a scandal to __________ faithful. After having time and again admon-65 ceuts—big-and little ones. In this county I ishedyou, both byword and letter, butalw|i*ibusiness there are nine or ten small ones used in vain, and lately seeing these your principle’to one hig coflin. If all were large I couldn’t and maxims published and discussed in thedo the work for $3.50. But the majority being public prints of small, the expense is lessened, and therefore on ‘the average pric e I can make a profit. I get as much for burying a baby as for a man of 800 lwnnds.”“ You have only told me the cost of the coffin Wbat makes up the other expenses? ”“ Well, I have to take the bodies out to the cemetery, and to do that I have to keep a horse and wagon to attend to this business, and have to pav ii man to look after 1L”“How much would ft cost to bury a there! ”“One man!”“Yes.”“I wouldn’t do it for less than $10.”“You wait until you get three or four on hand before vou have a funeral 1” ... - .“Yes.”parties, and recognizing the duty of giving satisfaction to the Holy Father, of taking away, or at least diminishing, the scandal given to the faithful, and of manifesting publicly that our company, which protesscs, according to the nrincipies oil wiiieh it is branded, the greatest veneration and the fullest obedience toward the Holy See, does not sanction, ihe other hand reproves and rejects all those opinious set forth by out of tier members, 1 have believed It my duty to command your out I Reverence to retract and condemn them publicly.reverence, instead of oneying, as you solemnly vowed to God and to the superior of your order that you would, ask me the rather to dismiss vou Iroiii the company.Cousideriug tnat vour Reverence has lived in the company for fifty-one years; tnat in it you have receive'd your literary and religious eduea-Ona bright Si his traveling con St. Sulpice, in dc Jena, and tin of the Seine. On noticed son the quay that it i learn the cause, thing of interest rection of the I First Napoleon £ ing veterans grandest rc-6tin« mortal m persons whom Hie gates were m celebrated tomb, tunily, as we wcr disappointment, open to visitors obliged to couten we could as we buildings aud grc The Hotel dcs i ing or group o “ Grand Monarqti for wounded suU more than twent front on the espia The famous Toml of the church, bei are the tombs of slinls, Bertrand ai The great court into which we nov rauguhir plaza, su inner walls of wliii ing scenes from tl legendary historyknots of oldwarrii gatheriiwere sitting in-the tween tile pillars t ing to one auothei story of Austeriit:cow aud Waterloo history of tiieir i battle-scarred ole too, were drawn ir still were wheelin' fashioned veloeipe In a little while by an ancient-look front of the chapi side opposite the Under tho arche: Invaiides'H-as drav ing white scarfs inou-eommissioned lances with the trihead.. At a signal | After a few prolon a moment, and the from a tiuc-looKins a hundred battle” church to the sOun loudest through th the nave thevlialtc inward, aud quic either side stood The officers then, t and preceded bv with halberd in hai open ranks.They were a go anil conscious of t portanee. As they eel, the two lines o In a few moments and then all the c space nearest the drums, and the o word “order arms, strikes up, and aft eeasea the tones of church are heard, swelling loud and dying away. The vestments arehow strange the with lance uprig and the eongregati the stately Dgt emu prayers aro c heavy with incense ceased, aud every sc the crowning point is about to elevate Suisse strikes his st pavement. The drt The soldiers preset ’ carry,” then grot av, and lall upon i pikes. A little be pertert sileuce, and Again the beli ringi shoulder their arms again in victorious s After this an ant retire from the chat officers rise, and, pi out in reverse order The company of ve marches out with corps halting just lances are lelt in tin ic spectacle is over A few minutes Iat company iu the Cot gular sight as tiie t view with the mus aged veterans coulc 1 noticed several lv among-them; but radcs wcntr througi eisiou, and were thWhether what hai egular Sunday obsi vafides or not I do in mucli to have seen it gestive. One eanno: cercmonj-, that he 1 view, and become ai phase of StatciTeiigic of the men who took of course difficult to caulny’s New Zealani another planet were lar combination of pi parade, might he not whether the divinity tiie mild Deing wboi stvle the Prince of Pi god of war of the pai tesy we give the namCheap Tclegraplij--■The Capitalrlillad. A new telegraph i Continental, aud wit divided iuto shares ol owed object tl . lus filed artic the County Clerk of of prominent Pmoving actively iu tinSaid a eentieman yi having the matter hi tiieir argument by fi.i perfect system of i telegraphy lias been ward the message in the sender, niakim able transmission, ai tious one, than is po system. It is guaran yention that, compare' system, the capaeiLy riipled; and this, togs improvements in batt currents, and other cl lessened the cost of what it was twenty The Continena!. Co ganized,—with Alfred - * the Atlantic Paci Worthington, of T Case, Secretary; and, t the autographic sys •and will begin opera Imc from New York of the first seetio include ail points bet ington. It is the intei new line, and it is under the Smith poles to the mile, w 5GG pounds to the mil tion by the increase
Newspaper Details
Chicago Daily Tribune
Chicago, Illinois, US
Sun, Dec 23, 1877
Page 16
Full Page
Clipped by
Kate E.
USA 25 Sep 2023
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