Death Records Required by Law in 1881 Seymour (IN) Weekly Democrat, September 22, 1881, p. 4. NOTE: The item below was abstracted by Randi Richardson from the original. This is how death record reporting was established in 1882, why a large number of deaths were not reported and why compliance was rather lackadaisical until 1920 when stronger penalties were implemented. Ordinance No. 224 to require undertakers and physicians to make reports and prescribing penalties for failing to do so. Section 1/2-Every person engaged in the undertakers' business or providing any type of undertakers' service (such as burial) or supplies within the city limits or places under the control of the city shall report weekly to the city clerk showing the age, name of said person, place of birth, and where buried, the disease of which said person died, if known to the undertaker, and also the name of the attending physician, if known. Failure to do so will result in a fine of no less than one dollar and no greater than $25 for each conviction. Section 3/4--Every physician or surgeon who attended a person who died within the city limits or places under the control of the city shall report weekly to the city clerk showing place of birth, if known, sex, age and disease of which said person died and the part of the city in which said person died. Failure to do so will result in a fine of no less than one dollar and no greater than $25 for each conviction.