Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-11-20
CORONGR'S INQUEST.

AS~'AAAe LILY OAb4.
Gross IRREG ULARITIES At THE
COLLEGE HOSPITAL.
The Faculty and Students Hold a Post
Mortem and Carry off Portion of the
Vital tOrgans from the Body of j. Ell
Sheilenburger Before the Coroner Could
Investigated Forged and Erroneous
Certificate OF Death.
Yesterday afternoon the coroner held an
inquest upon the remains of the
late j. a. Sheilenbarger, who
jumped from a window
IN the College hospital, where he was be-
ing treated for de,irinm tremens. The
inquest revealed gross irregularities in the
management of the hospital, and showed
that forged certificate of death was
drawn, aitributing the cause of death to
Chronic meningitis, whereas there was no
symptoms of the same.
The following is an epitome of the evil
dence.
g. A. sHELLABARGzR's STATEMENT.
S.A. ShollabarSer testified relative to
placing his brother in College hospital,
where ne engaged room and attendants;
cautioned them that he woaId try to es
cape, and they said they would watch him;
subsequently he was examined and pro-
hounced insane; this was on Thursday;
they ted me that he would be taken to St.
Peter By the sheriff Oh Friday, and SO 1
went home, sapposing that ne would be
taken there; on Saturday received ii tel
gram that he was dead; gave no consent
TO have p )sG moTter held.
STU DENTS STORY
student ct the hospital testified 10
picking Shellenbarser up after he had
Jumped; he fell twenty four fees; he walk
ed up stairs, two attendants steadying hin;
ne was anxious to get back into room,
aud after We got him there he wanted TO
be left alone. called DR.. Fitzsin u ons
and left the patient in his charge. The
| doctor administered hypodermic injec-
| lion.
! DR.. MITCHELL's TESTIMONY
DIR. Mitchell testified that no arrange
nents were made for special care of de-
eaeed; witness consulted with Dr.. Duns-
DIR. ID. thought there was no necessity for
notifying the coroner, but advised holding
| a post norton, which was done Judge
LELAND told witness that the sheriff would
take Shellenbarger TO ST. Peter on Friday,
nut the sheriff did not come on that day.
The patient had given DO signs of VIC
lenc. and it was not deemsd necessary to
watch him especially.
DE. HUNTERS TESTIMONY.
DR.. Charles Il. Hunter testified, in sub
stance, as follows: Know that there was a
patient in College hospital named Shellen-
barger; am on duty there this month; one
morning when / was making the rounds
DR.. Fitzsimmons called my attention to a
patient in room Is, sick, as he said, with
delirium tremens; saw the patient; ad-
vlsed the usual treatment-bromide choral
mixture; DR.. Fitzsimmons told me that
was what he was giving him; l said,noth-
ing more until the post norton; DR..
Mitchell asked nae to make
the post norton; it is the rule of the hos
pital; made the post mortem about eight
hours after death had occurred; knew
about his having jumped from the window;
looked carefully for injuries; found small
bruise on the left eye; about the size of q
copper cent; about one-half inch in dame
ter; stripped the scalp down and found a
bruised condition under the skin, but no
injuries to the bone; found no hemorrage
internal to this bruise; there were no
broken bones; the shins were
bruised; there was mark
about the hip bone, but scarcely percep-
tible; the paometer presented the appear
ance usually found in alcoholics; the fluid
in the left ventricle was t1ngeda by blood,
nothing was inconsistent with death from
shock; attributed death to a shock.
DR. FITzsIMMoNs' TESTIMONY.
Walter Fitzsimmons the house physician
testified: Had patient in my care nam
ed Shellenbarger, he was placed in the care
of TIE hospital November lst. Dr.
French sprescribed for him; 1
saw the patient daily; he was
not considered by me as dangerously ill,
and was quite easily managed; he made an
attempt to go out of the door, and fire.
quently spoke of going down town bnt did
not seem to fret at his confinement; on
Saturday morning was called; the nurse
| came in excitedly and said the patient had
jumped from the window; L Immediately
found Shellenbarger in bed; be was con-
SSIOuS dHu quiet, us pulse Was weak out
not very frequent; between 80 and 80; I
asked him if he was injured and he said no {;
Imade an examination for fractures and
found none; describes injuries similar to
those testified to by DR.. Hunter 1 gave
| him hypodermic of one third grain of
morphine; gave it on my own response
bility; after had given him the fourth in
lection on Saturday at about q. M did
not see him again until CLOCK the same
morning; he died an hour afterwards;
shown the certificate of death I made
out the certificate of death; cause here
stated is exhaustion and chronic menin-
gitis;;'at the post mortem saw what 1 de-
cided was chronic meningitis; from his
condition the evening before
before and at the time saw him I decided
Their had been exhaustion; wish to state
now that the certificate of to the cause of
death is incorrect; in my opinion now the
cause of death was exhaustion; DR.. Hun
ter did net authorize ME to sign his name
to the certificate; I signed his name be-
cause / regarded him as the attending
physician; had never received any orders
as to the case of the patient, or as to treat
ing him or as 10 removing him to any
other room; I did not know whether he
Was pay or q charitable patient