American History Hit: New York Morgue's Dark Secrets

Podcast Information:

• Title: American History Hit
• Host/Author: History Hit (Don Wildman)
• Episode: New York Morgue's Dark Secrets
• Release Date: October 31, 2024

Introduction: Unveiling the Hidden Histories of New York’s Morgue

In the Halloween special episode of American History Hit, host Don Wildman takes listeners on a chilling journey into the dark and gruesome history of the New York morgue. Partnering with Anthony and Maddie, and featuring expert guest Kat Byers, the episode delves deep into the macabre aspects of New York City's past, exploring how the city coped with its burgeoning population and the resultant rise in mortality rates during the late 19th century.

1. The New York Morgue in the Late 19th Century [03:16 - 08:34]

As New York City transformed into a bustling metropolis under the influence of industrial magnates like John Jacob Astor and Cornelius Vanderbilt, it faced significant challenges in public health and mortality management. The rapid population growth, fueled by waves of immigrants, led to overcrowded and unsanitary living conditions in slums such as Five Points and Hell's Kitchen. In response to the insufficient existing facilities for managing the dead, the New York morgue was established around 1865.

Don Wildman sets the scene:
"In the midst of all that seemed so gilded were the smudgy, smelly neighborhoods downtown. Slums like Five Points and Hell's Kitchen, where crime was rampant, disease was rife, and death was always right around the corner." (03:16)

2. Architecture and Functionality of the Morgue [08:34 - 11:42]

The New York morgue, inspired directly by its Parisian counterpart, was located at Bellevue Hospital on East 26th Street, adjacent to the Hudson River. This strategic placement facilitated the transportation of unclaimed bodies to mass graves on Hart Island. The morgue featured a display room with large glass windows showcasing slabs with bodies and a Wall of the Unknown Dead adorned with photographs for identification purposes.

Kat Byers explains:
"They took the model directly from Paris. So there's this guy called John Bigelow, who was the sort of US Minister for France. And he literally took the plans, took the model, took it straight to New York and was like, right, let's just build the exact same thing in New York and see what happens." (06:50)

3. The Role of Photography in Identification [11:42 - 16:56]

Photography became a crucial tool for identifying unclaimed bodies. Oscar G. Mason, the hospital photographer, was tasked with photographing corpses to aid in their identification. These images were more clinical compared to the intimate postmortem photography practiced elsewhere. The photographs served a dual purpose: aiding identification and echoing the emerging practice of criminal mug shots.

Kat Byers notes:
"These are photographs of the dead. And the photographer himself was really aware of that. He writes about the photographs and these annual reports, and he's really sensitive to it, and he's very much aware of like, we're trying to find, you know, their kin, we're trying to find out who these people are." (11:42)

4. Cultural Perceptions: New York vs. Paris [14:08 - 16:56]

Unlike Paris, where the morgue became a tourist attraction, New York's morgue was viewed with revulsion and was not a popular destination. The cultural and social differences between the two cities influenced public perception. New York, emerging from the chaos of the Civil War, was less inclined to embrace the morgue as entertainment, viewing it instead as a grim necessity.

Kat Byers discusses:
"There was a cultural element, there was a social element. You've got a kind of a different religious sensibility in the US as compared to France. You've also got, like, you say this is now mid-century. We've again just come out of the Civil War. Is there a sense of being like, I don't really want to go and see dead bodies on display?" (14:58)

5. Medical and Scientific Experiments in the Morgue [30:50 - 32:15]

The morgue served not only for identification but also as a site for medical experimentation. Unclaimed bodies became subjects for various scientific studies, including lethal experiments like shooting corpses to study gunshot wounds. Additionally, groundbreaking medical procedures, such as the first skin graft from a dead person to a living individual in the US, were conducted using bodies from the morgue.

Kat Byers elaborates:
"They were basically just propping up bodies in the storeroom and shooting at them so that then they could analyze gunshot wounds and the impact of bullets." (30:50)

6. The Story of Albert Napoleon White [35:07 - 47:19]

One of the most notorious figures associated with the New York morgue is Albert Napoleon White, the morgue keeper who amassed significant wealth by selling unclaimed bodies to doctors. Over his 25-year tenure, White enriched himself far beyond his modest stipend by facilitating the sale of corpses to medical professionals. His actions highlighted the systemic corruption and ethical breaches within the morgue system.

Maddie presents the case:
"Albert N. White held the solemn office of the keeper of the New York morgue for 25 years. Then one night, he died of a heart attack... his estate was worth around $100,000. Clearly, the dead had been enriching White beyond all lawful measure." (27:02)

Anthony's Analysis:
He calculates that based on White's estate, around 12,500 bodies were sold, averaging $8 per corpse. This revelation underscores the extensive and organized nature of body sales during that period.

Kat Byers adds:
"If you think about it, he's probably sold even more because if we think about it, you know, he's got some overheads, he's got other people to pay off... it's a complex web of reasons why a lot of stuff is missing." (42:29)

7. Hart Island/Potter’s Field: The Final Resting Place [47:52 - 50:56]

Hart Island, historically known as Potter's Field, served as the mass graveyard for unclaimed bodies in New York. Over a million New Yorkers are buried there, and the site remains operational today. Recent activism has aimed to make Hart Island more accessible to the public, challenging the long-standing stigma associated with its use.

Kat Byers explains:
"Hart Island is still functioning, and it got taken over by the Department of Parks a couple years ago. They're trying to make it more accessible and so that people can go and visit." (47:52)

She also highlights the interconnectedness of institutions:
"The morgue and the penitentiary institutions and the workhouses and the asylums and the prisons were all under the same department." (Hart Island Context)

8. Anecdotal Stories from the Morgue [53:34 - 58:21]

The morgue's history is rife with bizarre and surreal stories, adding layers to its grim legacy. One such tale involves a "candy baby" found in the morgue, which turned out to be a life-sized confectionery creation mistaken for an actual corpse. These anecdotes, while lighter in nature, reflect the murky line between reality and absurdity that permeated the morgue's operations.

Kat Byers shares the story:
"There was a feature in the newspaper where some boys found a baby wrapped in a blanket, taken to the morgue, and it turned out to be a life-sized candy baby." (54:15)

9. Conclusion: Reflections on Society and Death [58:21 - End]

The episode concludes with reflections on how the treatment of the dead reflects broader societal values and inequalities. The morgue was not merely a place for handling death but also a mirror reflecting the marginalization and dehumanization of certain populations. The legacy of the New York morgue serves as a poignant reminder of the intersection between death, society, and morality.

Kat Byers reflects:
"It's not about trying to track down who all these individual people are. It's like, what does this say about society, about the living, about who you prioritize, about who you marginalize, who gets to matter and who doesn't?" (23:28)

Notable Quotes:

• Don Wildman (03:16):
  "It's by far the most populous city in the land. Not even close. Never mind the millions who come just to visit."

• Kat Byers (06:50):
  "They took the model directly from Paris... let's just build the exact same thing in New York and see what happens."

• Kat Byers (11:42):
  "The photographer was a man named Oscar G. Mason... these are photographs of the dead, trying to find out who they are."

• Kat Byers (30:50):
  "They were basically just propping up bodies in the storeroom and shooting at them to analyze gunshot wounds."

• Kat Byers (42:29):
  "He's probably sold even more because he's got some overheads, he's got other people to pay off."

• Kat Byers (23:28):
  "What does this say about society, about the living, about who you prioritize, about who you marginalize, who gets to matter and who doesn't?"

Conclusion: This episode of American History Hit masterfully unpacks the multifaceted history of the New York morgue, revealing the intricate ties between mortality, societal values, and systemic corruption. Through expert insights and compelling narratives, listeners gain a deeper understanding of how death was managed in one of America's most iconic cities and the lasting implications it holds for our contemporary views on life and death.