Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-08-15
Inquest on Thomas McGorry.

Coroner Harmon yesterday held
an inquest on the body of Thoma 8
McGorry, the announcement of
whose death appeared in yester-
days HERALD. A number of wit.
nesses were examined, but as their
testimony was merely corrot ora
tive, we reproduce only that of one
witness, aud that OF Doctors Pigne-
Dupuy tren and Richardson.
J. A. Nelson, sworn. I live at
No. 20 Wilmington street; knew
the deceased; have known him
about two and a half years. He
was a quiet, peaceable man. saw
this man Jones U believe that was
his name) making some kind of
demonstration in front of the depot.
He was under the influence OF
liquor and made himself very noisy.
In few moments McGOrry walked
up towards Jones with handouts in
his hand, apparently with the in
tention Of arresting him. Jones
also went towards McGorry -four
ishipg his arms, and, when within
q short distance struck McGorry
in the face with his fist, knocking
him down. McGorry had an
officers badge on at the time and
was in the discharge Of his official
duty. After Jones struck McGory
the by. ISLANDERS rushed in; some
took hold of Jones and some lifted
McGorry up. 1 think the old man
was conscious when they picked
him up from the ground, but he
could not stand. He had little
cut on his lip where lie had been
struck. His foot, when the boot
was pulled off was swollen and he
complained of pain in it. The men
said that, in falling, he had caught
1t between the rail and the plank
and sprained it. Jones had had on
open pocket knife is his hand
while making his demonstrations
but dropped it just before the fra
cas.
J. s. Young, S. d. McLennon, w.
G. Layton and Walter Devereaux,
all witnesses of the affair, testified
to substantially the same facts.
DR.. Pgne-Dupuytreu sworn Il
was called in last Friday evening
to see the deceased. He had very
severe sprain in the right foot. L
found the foot swollen badly. I
gave him an opiate and applied the
usual remedies, making applica-
tiOns of arnica, cold water, etc.
Saturday morning the foot was
well; the swelling had gone partly
down and there was no more pain;
his ideas We're perfectly clear; the
pulse and the breathing perfectly
natural; only I remarked II little
trembling in the fingers and hands.
Seeing that, was afraid of some
nervous complication and went
TO Doctor Orme for con-
sultation, bringing him to see
the patient. The patient seemed
perfectly well when DR.. Orme ex-
amined him. DR.. Orme advised me
to continue the treatment and he
said he hoped there would be no
serious / suits. Sunday aud
Monday the patient was better in
every respect. The trembling had
left the fingers, or at least | did not
notice it. 1 did not see him in the
evening of Monday, but, Tuesday
morning I came here and he SEEM
ed to be better and better. His wife
told me however, that it seemed to
her that he had been out of his
mind atdifferent times. 1 waited
some time but saw nothing out of
the way with him. About half
past six O'Clock Tuesday evening
/ came here and found him in a
very strong delirium and
much agitated in both
mind and body. This had been
going on for about half an hour
when / came. I left the patient in
charge of his wife and several men
and made preparations at once to
have him removed to the hospital.
When l returned with carriage to
remove him, he had been dead
about five minutes. l have just
made an autopsy of the body and
found all the organs in d
normal condition. The heart is
especially natural; the brain is
sound in every part with no liquid
effusion, but perhaps greater
quantity of blood in the veins. |
think the man came to his death
from nervous troubles precipitat ed
by the injury to the foot. He
had been considerably addicted
to drink, and the system was
thus predisposed to nervousness.
[ think the primary cause of the
death was the accident; if it had
not occurred to him he would still
be alive. However, the injury
was not sufficient in itself to cause
death. If he had been man of
regular habits he would probably
have recovered readily from the
strain. The man had the best
medical treatment which l could
give him, and, so far as [ know, he
could not have been saved by any
physician.
DR.. Richardson sworn: l am a
physician and reside in Los Apge-
les. Have just been present at the
autopsy held upon the body of the
deceased. The autopsy has not re-
vealed anything which would
seem to be sufficient to cause
death with any man in or
dinary good habits of life.
DR.. Richardson confirmed DR..
Pigne's testimony, so far rs the
autopsy went.
Upon the facts ELECTED, the jury
returned verdict of death from
nervous shock superinduced by in
juries received at the hands of one
Alfred Jones.
The case was laid before the
Grand Jury which is still in session,
Yesterday afternoon.