New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-06-12
a BOLD PROCEDURE.

Coroner Mosse of Rochester Falsi-
fles the Records in the Combs
Case.
ROCHESTER,. Special Telegram. June 81
Every day adds some new and startling feat
ure to she Combs murder case, and to-day's
Developments have EMBODIED within their
meshes the coroner who held the autopsy on
the murdered mans body. DR.. Mosse has
placed himself in box, and it will take all
the ingenuity he possesses, and more, too, to
get out Of it, He has tempered with his rec
ords as coroner in connection with this case
and falsiiied them. If they are not false
now, then they were false on the
day they were inserted in the book
which he keeps for that purpose.
He was unwittingly himself the means Of
causing this fact to become known Monday
last an extract from the record Of Combs
autopsy was published. Yesterday morning
Coroner Mosse had copies made of what he
alleged was complete record, claiming that
the part first published was ga-bled. His de-
sire was to have the record published il full,
and without attempting to see spe-
cial CORRESPONDENTS, although he was
aware of their presence in town,
he sent one copy through another person to
the PIONEER Press, and the second copy he
mailed TO Minneapolis paper. When to-
days PIONEER Press reached here 1t was no.
ticed that what Dr.. Mosse sent as a correct
copy Of his record differed materially from
the original record seen and partially copied
Sunday and again Inspected Sunday even
ing On that date, June 2, the oulY record
of the case was on pages and 5 Of the cor
oner's book, and concluded as follows:
sFrom the statements above made it appears
at this time, April 2, 1889, that the cause of
the above injuries which resulted in the
death of Taylor Combs was fall from a
scaffold in the room of Ward G 3. 1t is my
opinion that such a fall was not sufficient to
cause the injuries found in the sternum and
chest cavity, it being m ore probable that the
fracture of the sternum and the resulting in
ternal hemorrhage was caused by the knee
or heel Of tne attendant or attendants above
named There being no testimony to show
that violence was used by any party, I con-
clude not to empanel jury but to await fur
Their developments in the case" Then fol-
lows signature: IF. B. Mosse, M. D., Coroner"
SUBJECT TO CRITICISM
Upon this very paragraph was BASED con-
siderable criticism of his action, especially
regarding the manner Of holding the
autopsy and strange conclusions he reached
when he found thas asuch fall was not suf-
fcienu to cause injuries found in the
sternum" Of deceased. It was not astonish-
ing that the public should have asked why
he was content with having merely made an
autopsy instead of holding regular inquest
and making thorough inquiry into the cir
cumstances connected with Combs death.
The publication of this remarkable portion
of most remarkable record aroused the be-
lief that Dr. Mosse, as well as Doctors Bow
ers and Collins, Rev Mr.. Kerr and the at
tendants knew all the facts connected with
the tragedy within two days after it hap
pened It was then that Coroner Mosse, see
ing the perilous position in which he was
placed by his own record, went to work and
deliberately falsiied it as it appeared in to-
Gays PIONEER Press. Hence the portion
quoted above from the original rec
ord was changed to read as fol-
lows: sFrom the statements above
made it appeared at the time. April 2,
1889, the cause of the above injuries, which
resulted in the death of Taylor Combs was
fall from a scaffold in the room of Ward @
5. May 81, 1889-It is now my opinion that
such fall was not sufficient to cause the
injuries found in the sternum and chest cav
ity, 1T being more probable that the fracture
of the sternum and resulting internal hem
orrhage was caused by the knee or heel of
attendant or attendants above named. There
being new testimony to show violence used
by some party, conclude now to empanel a
Jury and to make further development Of
the case. The whole meaning of the para
graph is changed. and all attempt made to
show that this part of the record was not
written until May 81 At the very beginning
the words @Iu appears at this time, April 2,
1885," are changed to read sit appeared at
the time, April 2, 1885," then. at the end OF
the same sentence. the date May 81, 1889"
is inserted in the tempered record. It did
not appear in the original at all. Its effect
would be to create the belief that everything
following twas
3 WRITTEN ON THAT DATE,
and in order to support the coroner's state
ment that that day he proposed to hold
an inquest that is necessary. SThere being
no testimony" is changed to read sthere be-
ing no new testimony. aAny party" is made
to read some rarty," and where the original
reads 81 conclude not to empanel jury, but
to await further developments" the garbled
record reads Il conclude now to empanel a
jury and to make further developments"
which besides being radical change is also
very peculiar English. AS soon as these
wide Emergencies were noticed an attempt
was made to see the coroner's record book.
DR.. Mosse was found at his Office. but de-
clined to show it then, pleading that there
was not time. as he was compelled to leave
at once to testify before the grand jury.
How he reached the court room is a mystery,
as reporters guarded the front entrance
awaiting his arrival, and the impression is
he was not anxious to be seen and reached
it by roundabout road to the rear
door. Meantime County Attorney Breck-
snridge was notified of the dis
covery and requested to closely
examine the record book when the doctor
produced it before the grand jury. aIt is a
serious matter" said the county attorney
when the facts were fully explained to him,
sand hardly think the coroner would do
ist 1 - i 80