Obituaries of the Past:
Newspaper transcriptions listing multiple names
"Dr. Rogers Is Dead" (1898)"Killed by A Cave-In" (1898)
Memphis, Tenn., Jan. 8 - Dr. Shep A. Rogers, the well-known physician, who was yesterday shot by Mrs. Mary Sandbrink, died to-day at St. Joseph's hospital. Dr. Rogers lingered in mortal agony until about 10 o'clock this morning when the end came. The double tragedy has created a profound sensation in Memphis. The remains of Mrs. Sandbrink, who killed herself after shooting the physician, were buried this afternoon.
In a statement written by the woman before the shooting she alleges that the physician had borrowed money from her which he would not repay and after gaining her affections would not marry her.
Memphis, Tenn., March 14 - Wm. Foley was instantly killed and Henry Schaake, James and John Fisher were seriously injured by a cave-in at South Memphis late to-day. The men were working in an excavation near the railroad tracks, when without warning the earth fell upon them.
Source: Dallas (Tx) Morning News, March 15, 1898[ Return to Top ]
"The News In Memphis: A Wholesale Robbery of Bodies Has Been Going On."
Memphis, Tenn., Nov. 14 - The following telegram from St. Louis was received at police headquarters this afternoon:
"We have under arrest Frank Thompson, who I understand is an undertaker in your city. Arrested for having in charge four trunks containing dead bodies, three black and one white. Understand checked from Memphis to Keokuk for disposal at that point. What do you know about him?
"JOHN W. CAMPBELL,
"Chief of police."The news of Thompson's arrest in St. Louis was not a surprise to the police of this city who have expected for some time that a wholesale robbery of bodies was being carried on in this city.
Frank Thompson is an employee of the undertaking firm of E.D. Thompson & Co., who have held the office of county undertaker for several years.
The first time Thompson came conspicuously before the public was a little over a year ago when the newspapers made the sensational announcement that corpses were being shipped from here by express in boxes supposed to contain books. The name of Thompson was connected with the affair, but it was never possible to trace the rumors down to a satisfactory knowledge of the facts. It was never shown that Thompson whose name was associated with that clandestine traffic was connected with the Thompson who officiated as county undertaker here, though Frank Thompson's acquaintances often joked with him about it. He always denied that he was engaged in the corpse trade.
The records at the city board of health show that the following bodies have been turned over to the county undertaker in the last week: Lulu Jones, Carrie Gray, George Butler, Rufus Jacks, Frank Jackson and William White. All of these are negroes.
The identification of the white woman whose body was found in one of the trunks has aroused considerable interest among the police. The records show that the firm of Thompson & Co. have buried several white women recently, and further developments are expected.
Lulu Atkins, a white girl, died at the city hospital on Oct. 27 and being without friends or money, she was turned over to the county undertaker. She came here from Arkansas.
Chief of Police Richards announced tonight that Thompson would be brought to Memphis for trial.
At a late hour to-night it was learned that the white woman whose body was found in one of the four trunks captured by the police in St. Louis was Mrs. Jennie R. McGuire. The woman had been in the Shelby county insane asylum, coming here from Little Rock about nine months ago. On Friday last she died of cancer and the remains were turned over to E.D. Thompson & Co., for interment."
Source: Dallas (Tx) Morning News, November 15, 1899, page 3
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Mortality Report of the City of Memphis
for Week Ending November 15,1902:
White, 16; colored, 15; total, 31. Citizens 26, strangers, 5.
MARCUS HAASE
Secretary, Board of HealthSource: The Commercial Appeal (Memphis), November 15, 1902, page 8.
Notes:
Minnie Martin (b. 26 Jan 1897) was the second daughter of William W. Martin (aka William Loyce Martin) and Mary Ellen (Mollie) Talbott.
