New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-09-16
DEAD IN THE CAB.
.,,nnrS END OF THE son OF A DOWNTOWN
MERCHANT
,,n,x,oys SAY THAT HE WAS DRUNK
AND FELL TO THE sIDEwAIk-A DOCTOR
pRoSouScBs 1T A FRACTURE OF THE
SKILL - TROUBLE OVER A
HAsTY AUTOPSY.


ns s,ont Of the New York Hospital at half past
'..iork Yesterday morning Three young men
.od ont Of it, ran rapidly up the stone steps and
!o.i,sd the door-bcl so vigorously that it strained
.ho wire Daniel J. Hogan, the night-clerl an
srcrod the summons and when he opened the door
sno Of the men said excitedly: Hurry up, quick,
and get doctor; there is dying
in the coach
The men were all young, well dressed, and
seemed greatly agitatcd While they were
waiting for the surgeon to make his appearance
they walked nervously up and down the corridor
'Uouse Surgeon McCrcary aroused and came
out Of his room in few moments and hufSlcd
to the carriage. Within it, lying IN the corner
Of the rear seat, was young man. HIS chh
rested upon his chest and his eyes were wldc
pcn and had a CLASSY stare. The surgeon felt
Of his hand and gave Il sudden start Then lie
cot into the carriage and maze
careful examination After moment
the surgeon stepped back to the
sidewalk and said "There is nothing that can
do for this young man. He is dead lhe lnlorila-
hon was a great shock to the three companions
of the dead man, and they held consultation lor
3 moment and seemed undetermined WhaV 10 10
or say. Finally one of the men sald thaU 'iie
dead boys father was a wealthy man. ana was ouV
taken into tho hospital 1t is universal Gus
tom at ell hospitals not to receive dead DouS'
but in this instance it was violated, ana the
bodv was taken 10 the dcadhouse in the rear
Of the hospital
Surgeon McCreary questioned the men and they
said that they were Frank WaShburne, OF NO lo4
West Fourth-st; Thomas L. Spler, Of No. 2oO
West Forty -frst-st.. and Albert L. LicH OF NO
goo West Fortieth-st. The dead boy was FIede-
rick Doty Of No. Is West Iwenueth-s,. ne
was eighteen years old and the son of John r.
Dotv, who is a dealer III rubber goods at No. oo
Park Row Mr. Doty is now living at the Ire
mont House Chicago. and formerly lived at NO. 10
West Fortieth-st His wife is with him. The
son lived with them until they went to Chicago
and then took room in West Twentieth-st
Wasbburne told the story to the manner in
which Doty had received the injury that caused
his death He said that he was stranger to Doty,
and first met him at Thrteenth-St. and SlAth-aVe'
about midnight. Doty was at hot corn STAND
when Washburne came along lie stopped TO get
an ear of corn, and spoke TO Doty III friendly
way. After they got through eating corn they
went to JohnSon's liquor store at SlXth-ave. ana
Nintb.st. Spier and Lirn were in JOhnsons place
standing at the bar. Doty knew both of them,
and they chaffcd one another for moment, and
then had drink Round after round fol
lowed, until they all became more or
less intoxicated. The liquor was too
much for DOty, and he had severe
attack OF nausea. His friends assisted him TO the
street He was deathly sick and hardly able to
stand Spier called Il carriage to take Doty home
Just as the vehicle, driven by Nathan Partlngton,
stopped in front of Johnsons, DOty lost his bal
ance and fell backward. The back of his head
struck the curbstOne and he did not str AFTER
ward The cab-driver assisted in lifting Doty
into the carriage and his companions, who were
thoroughly frightened, ordered that the carriage
be driven rapidly 10 the New-York Hospital
Spier, Liell and Darlington corroborated the
story told ty Washburne in every particular. but
the house surgeon, as "a matter OF precautlon,
sent Hogan. the night clerk, for a policeman
HOGAN cot an officer from the Nineteenth Pre-
einct who refused to interfere III the case, de-
claring that 1t occurred out of his jurisdiction
Hogan made another trP Tor policeman ana
returned with Chcer Patrick Clune, OF the Mercer
ST. station. Clunc TOOK MaShDufne, op'eI Lien
and Darlington 10 the McICer-st station, ana
Sergeant Dou glass held them 10 await thorough
investigation.
The prisoners were taken to jefferson Market
Court, where Justice Ford was sitting. IL was
expected by the pOAcc that the prisoners would
be held 10 await the action OF the Coroner Inc
court Investigation was simple alalf. Inc
prisoners told how DOty met with his death
Justice Ford asked Officer Clune If he had any
personal knowledge Of the case, and being an
swered III the negative All the prisoners "eIe
discharged. Sergeant Douglass was greatly sur
prSed 10 learn what disposition had been made OF
the case, a. II was possible thing Tor the pfls.
oners desi .nody 10 tell false story, and II
would have been much better for them TO nave
been held until alter the Coroner had made an
investigation. In the meantime the coroner
Ofhce had been informed of DOty ucdlI, anu
Deputy Coroner Weston started for the hospiGll
TO hold autopsy. lie was astOunded when he
got there, about halfpa>t l clock yesterday
fo ind a lot 70 NEb
by Dr. Frank Ferguson, the weIl-knOWn p9IhoIo-
glSt, informing Inn that an autopsy Iad alFeauy
been held. Death had been caused according 10
Dr. ferguson, by IA fracture al the base VI Iue
skull and brain hcmOrrhage.
Deputy Coroner Weston expressed his disoppro-
baton of the action OF Dr. Ferguson IN vigorous
language, and said that he had gone beyond his
suthorty ana had no right Whatever 10 hold an
autopsy under the circumstances. The deputy
coroner went to the deadhOuse and made sec
ond autopsy upon Doy's body. The result
Of his examination differed materially from that
OF DR.. Ferguson, lnaSlnuch as h could not find
nny fracture of the skull. He certified that death
was due TO intro-crania hemorrhage The injury
could have been made either by blow or a fall |
There marks OF external violence. How
the injury caused he was not enabled officially
10 determine, as the witnesses or persons who |
were present at the time that Doty was hurt had |
not oeen held and were temporarily at least out |
OF the reach Of the Coroner DR.. Ferguson said |
last evening that he held an autopsy upon the |
BODY OF DOty before the arrival of the Cor |
oner, but could not remember az what |
tme. ne iOGhd slight fracture IN the base
Of the skuH mat was barely visible. There was
large amount Of blood within the skull indicat-
ing "a severe hemorrhage He said that there
was no real difference between brain hemOrrhage
and intrO-cranial hcmorrlage
| Doctor Ferguson reluctantly admitted that
he did not actually have any authority to hold
an autopsy on Dotys body, but said that IL
was question Of arrangement or common under
standing that he had with coroner. He said
that he had been sent for by the hospital
authorities 10 make an autopsy, and he made
il without any question, except TO satisfy himself
that Doty was dead
Spier Liell and Washburne could not be found
at their homes after they left jefferson Market
Court John WeStervet, an undertaken of No
1858 Thirdave went 20 the hospital last evening
ehd took Dotys body away. lie carried il 10
Doty's boarding house, at No. Is West Twentieth
81 Mcsaar.-ola l.. I'D LneL. or.lnroA