The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-22
MALPRACTICE AND MANsLAUGHTER.

TRIAL OF DIR. RICARDO, OF PAssAIC N. j., FOR
AN ATTEMPT TO KILL LITTLE BOY-AL-
LEGGED FIEND1sH EFFORT TO COVER UP
TRACKs-MoRPHINE THE WEAPON.
The trial Of DR.. Norton Q. Ricardo, OF Passaic,
for assaultng with intent to Kill Uor the alleged
purpose of covering up traces OF maipractice) q
little hoy named Warner Scharer. commenced
yesterday in the Paterson Court, before Judge
Barkalow and an intelligent jury. Messrs. iona.
than 5. Dixon, of Jersey City. and James Evans
and Robert ]. Hopper, of Paterson, appeared as
counsel for DR.. Ricardo, ard the prosecution was
conducted by County Prosecutor A. b. Woodruff.
assisted by mir. 8. futile, OF Paterson.
The latter opened the case and briefly referred
to the facts, which the State proposed to prove.
Some Two and half years ago, he said, the little
son OF MIR. Scnaffer. living at Passaic, fell and
broke his arm at the elbow joint, for which he
treated by DR.. Ricardo, AID the arm had to be
subsequently amputated In consequence of the
civil suit was brought by the parents lor dam.
ages against the doctor, which resulted In ver-
dict OF 5000 damages for the plainuG. The pres
ent trial was brought upon an Indictment found
by the Grand Jury against DR.. Ricardo Tor assault
and battery with attempt to Kill, In that he gave
the boy medicine calculated to take his lie IN
order TO cover his malpractice. One OF the neigh
bors was called IN, at the Doctors request. to
tnat the child would die about certain time that
night. Morphine powders were ordered to be
given at certain hours during the night. The
cnilh survived that night which seemed to greatly
surprise the Doctor upon his arrival the next morn
ing. The next nigat the same WAGNER was Called
III, and ne was Told that the child would certainly
die that night, and the morphine powders were
ordered to tie given again. The Doctor went to
an undertaken ana told nlni that the Child would
dle that night and made arrangements with this
undertaken Tor the burial Ricardo then told the
watcher, the unoertaker and the mother oil the
child, tnat II the cnlld died, not to remove the
baLuages. as 1t would be DANGEROUS for them to DO
50. he reason that the chd did not die was
because the powders were all gwen as
directed only a portion of them being gwen. the
attendant and the mother being alarmed at the
excessive size OF the dose. Seeing that
the child did not die, Mrs. Schafer sent
for Dr.. Watson an old family physician, who
examined the wounded arm and found tGat 1T mad
mortified and was partially decayed. the flesh
fairly ial ing ofY rom the bone. The arm was am
putated, and the unfortunate little boy NOW ten
yesterday. Ii was also alleged that Dr.. Ricardo
dence, that ne "had given the enid twenty four
Fisk 10 These were the facts tnat the counsel for
the State said he proposed to prove
The Schaner boy was examined yesterday as to
the breaking and amputation of his arm; and DR.,
Klnne. WHO visited me child after DR.. Ricardos
dismissal was examined to the propriety OF
RicardO's treatment, both Kinne ana Ricardo
belonging to the homeopathic school Of practice.
4 he Doctors testimony was hard upon Ricardo,
and the general opinion seemed to be that the
prospects were decidedly black Tor the defendant
I N c.Sn