Morgue

A place where the bodies of persons found dead are exposed for identification, or until they are claimed and removed" by their relatives or friends. A dead house. A place where the bodies of unidentified dead are kept and exposed to view for the purpose of identification or that they may be claimed by their friends. Koebler v. Pennewell, 76 Ohio St. 278, 79 N. E. 471. This meaning of the word is a derived, and not its original, one. Its present use in cities is adopted from the Morgue in Paris and is quite general. The word Is derived from morguer to look at solemnly or sourly, and a morgue was formerly, “In the chastelet of Paris, ^ certain chair wherein a new-come prisoner Is set, and must continue some hours, without stirring either head or hand, that the keeper’s ordinary servants may the better take notice of his face and favour.” Cotgrave. A variation in this explanation Is that the word originally meant the inner wicket of a prison, where prisoners were kept for some time, that the Jailers and turnkeys might view them at their leisure, so as to be able to recognize them when occasion required. Int. Encyc. The term morgue as used in a statute forbidding the establishment of one on a street on which there are dwelling hou.ses, except under certain conditions of consent of the owners or occupants, does not make it unlawful to receive, care for and keep temporarily in an undertaking establishment in such location, in a private room and unexposed to public view, the bodies of known and identified dead taken there from time to time by relatives or friends In order that funeral services may be held and conducted at that place; Eoebl^ v. Pennewell, 76 Ohio of public trust with fixed salary and continuous duties, not menial, is a public offi(^ within a rule requiring appointments to be in writing; People v. Keller, 30 Misc. 62, 61 N. Y. Supp. 746.