New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-05
CENSURING A SURGEON.
THE WINCHESTER INQUEST ENDED.
CoRoNERs JURY FINDS THAT HE DIED FROM
NATURAL CAUSES. BUT BLAMEs HIS
uncpIrAI. ATrENnANr

NATURAL CAUSES BUT BLAMES HIS
HOSPITAL ATTENDANT.
The Coroncrs INQUEST in the case OF Colonel T. ID.
Winchester. the Nyack hotel who died at the
Ninety nn,h Street Hospital. ended yesterday
before Coroner levy. The jury after hearing the
testimony. retired for twenty minutes, and returned
verdict in which they severely ccnsurcd the hos
pital surgeon in charge Of the case The first witness
examined was Joseph Bender, undertahcrs assistant
in Patterson Bcvlnss establishment Mr.. Winchester
the dead mans brother, claimed that Bender had
expressed the opinion that the body in most
horrible condition" This Bender denied, and was
dismissed. TuDis II. Patterson the undertaken, had
'xamned the body after II had been brought to his
place. lie said: :" I consider that the autopsy in
this case was bunglingly and roughly performed
The body was in disgusting state, and the sewing
up was very careless
Park Policeman Mcguire two laborers. William Nc
Weigh and James COnley and John H. Stevens in
their testimony gave the details Of the finding Of
Colonel Winchester, in dazed condition. on River
side Drive. He was taken to Rappolds Hotel and
remained there for eight hours Captain
Berghold of the Twenty sixth Police Precinct who had
been criticised for not notifying Colonel winchcsters
relatives, testified that the person OF Colonel Win
chester had never been brought to the station house
The captain had sent officer to Rappolds with
instructions have the sick sent 10 the hospital
at once. This had been done. Later the captain
had gone to the hospital and identified Colonel Win
chester
House Surgeon Dunn, OF the Ninety-ninth Street
Hospital was next called. His for not notify
Ing the relatives was, simply, that he did not con-
slider II his duty TO do DR.. Dunn acknowledged
that the autopsy had been begun only few hours
after DEATH contrary to all medical rules and
customs, and that the head had been opened
before Deputy Coroner O'Meagher had ordered an
autopsy. Dr. OMeagher did not arrive at the
hospital for five hours after the hospital sur
geons, Dunn, Sheedy and Moore, had sawed the
dead mans skull. DR.. Dunn thought he would not do
anything of the kind again, because this case had
caused him much annoyance Besides. he had
been ordered by the Commissioners Of Charities and
Correction to notify Bellevue at In similar
cases.
DR.. 0Meagher was called, and surprised everybody
by saying that in Of doubtful diagnosis the hos
pital surgeons customarfiy performed autopsy
without consulting the He finally testified
that Colonel Winchester had died from congestion
in the kidneys The jury took the case, and returned
this verdict 80 The jury finds that Thomas d. Win
defined in the coroncr's autopsy The jury considers
Superintendent Dunn, OF The Ninety ninth street
Hospital, guilty Of gross carcessness In not taking
proper steps 10 notify the relatives Of the deceased
In the face Of the fact that proofs Of the identity OF
deceased were On his person, and in permitting an
autopsy to he begun before the arrival of the deputy
coroner and so soon after DEATH