The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-01-03
THE CASE OF GOODRICH.
" DEATH CAUSED fY PNEUMo-
MA" SAYS THE JURY

ro.s Mosfcm Held IN spite OF the wife's
Protests- Examination Of Several VIII
nesses-rhc Remains Taken TO New
York for Interment.
The death Of Mr. Frederick Goodrich at
the Exchange Hotel Wednesday resulted
from natural causes, said the coroners
Jury, that held an inquest over his body yes
iarday afternoon. The severe bruises about
his head and body, and the mans shoe
print on his chest are still unaccountcd for
and are likely 10 remain SO. The statement
that he fell over q chair and struck the iron
fender stands a. an unimpeached statement
and the post norton and the inquest are
over and the body has been carried 70 New
y 0rk.
II may be- that the blows inflicted upon
the deceased bV some unknown person were
NOT the cause Of immediate death, hut ne
never left his room from the night ne re-
turned 10 the hotel with marks Of violence
upon his face and head.
Mrs. Goodrich, the wife Of the dead man.
persisted in her protests Yesterday morning
against the post norton when Coroner W.
a. LAWFUL NIIAN'k OF Nh' tf'N'Ntt'-"
She declared that she would not permit the
body of her dead husband 10 De cut with a
knife.
II believe that Fred was murdered she
cried. "but don't want any inquest 70 De
held"
Coroner Taylor was firm in his determine
ton 10 perform his duty and would not DE
deferred in the slightest degree but pro-
cefded 90 arrange for the autopsy.
Mr.. Henry W. Goodrich. brother OF the
deceased. who reached the city yesterday
morning at $40 o'clock from New YORK:
was also opposed 90 the pOst-m0rtem ana
| informed Dr. Taylor and his assist
ant DR.. BOsper. iWEO was also
present. that hc had sent messenger Tor
Drs. Brock and Ross, the physicians VINO
attended his brother during nis Illness ana
requested that no steps De- taken uhlli ln s,s
could arrive. Dr. TAYLOR was perfectly
viking 10 wait until the doctors came. but
informed Mr.. Goodrich that it was his duty
10 find out how. il possible, the deceased
came 10 his death. and that the inquest must
be held at an hazards. and the body must
remain in the city until this was done.
When the hours of II 80 arrived Dr.
TAYLOR could not wait longer, and decided
10 proceed with the autopsy, but MIS-
Goodrich again objected. Police Justcc
Crutcbdold appeared and stated that the
most morfem must be- held. and he had come
10 see that the same was done. and that II
She persisted in the objections, he would Dee
compelled 90 place the body under the
charge of the police. Mrs. Goodrich then gave
her consent. and Drs. Taylor and Bosher
proceeded with thoirWOrk. After the eNami-
nation the coroner WIS of the opinion that
the deceased died OfpneumOnla, and thai the
/ blows had nothing 90 DO with the origin OF
the demise. The autopsy also revealed the
] g. ID. 81 Tfs|f lfIMlKl badly
diseased. aud that Dee had been upon an IN
ccssant debauch prior 90 his DEATH
THE INQUEST.
At1o'cl0ck the jury. coroner and few
newspaper men gathered in room No. 4 m
! the Ballard House. and from there they pro
ceoded To- Room J6 where the body had
been left hy the cOrOner-. The deceased
was shrOudod in "a dark suit and lay upon a
sfrptchcr. lie looked very natural and as
ID asleep His face was greatly swollen, as
/ if bloated. ON the chin was bad Druise
and on the right lower jaw and neck
was bad looking brulse. His BODY
lust over the right lung, and on each mp
there were bruises. The coroner explained
the nolure of the wounds and expressed MS
opinion 90 the jury, after which they re-
turned tOrOOm 40. :, and the inquest was
begun. Colonel Nj. L. Spois"ood, Common
wealth-AttOncy. was present ana assisted
in the examination.
THE FIRST WITNESS.
Dr. G.. W. =. Brock was the first witness.
lie made the following statement: Il was
called 90 see Mr.. Frederick T.. Goodrich. ON
the g0lh day OF December 1850; found him
i'm his room. 40. -6 Ballard House, reclining
4 on his lounge. tine right side Of his iacc
enormously swollen. hard and disc0lOred.
asked him how herecci'cd his injury. lie
said that be- had stumbled over the arm
chair and bad fallen against the FEM
der. asked him IL be was other
wise hurt and hc said no. / prescribed
for him. and was told 10y Mr.. Bell ana OILERS
about the hotel that he had been drinking
very heavily for "a long time. visited him
twice Friday and once saturday, and haN-
ing 20 leave the city. got my friend, Or.
George Ross. 10 take charge of the case.
Returning home early Monday morning, my
first visit was 90 Mr. Goodrich. Before the
visit. however. Dir. Ross 'phoned me that he
was a very sick man. ard that / had bet
ter see him early At that visit the
lung symptoms were prominent, and
pneumonia present i'm lis first stage, and the
disease rapidly increased. involving both
lungs. and terminating fatally about - NJ,
january l. 1890. Dr. Ross saw Mr.. Good
rich In consultation with me on the evening
Of December 30th and continued 10 attend
him with me tin he died. My attention WAS
called % some bruises on the upper portion
of his chest at the time OF my visit ON Mon
day. but / did not think that they had any
thing 10 do with the symptoms presented
They seemed 10 be superficial. Nor DO
think that the injuries Of his face were the
cause of his DEATH
MIR. BELL.
Mr.. John W atson Bell, "a friend of the de-
ceased who had been his companion during
health and his brief sickness, gave very
interesting testimony. lie said: about
III o'clock last Thursday morning, Mr..
Goodrich was living ON "a couch in the gem
tleman's parl0r on the Exchange side. lie
spoke about going 90 see doctor, but got
him To 20 90 bed in his room. lie said his
injuries bad come from flaming 90 on
the preceding sunday night, during which
he had fallen and struck himself against the
fender and chair. During his de-
lirium ON Tuesday morning about
$3.50 o'clock hc said he went up
10 the BrOad-strcet Opera House on
sunday before last, and then he st0pped
talking, and waving his hand and pointing
at the foot of tine bed. said, There they ore.
there they are Look al them j humOr-
cd him during his delirium 10y talking 10
him. and asked him who beat him 40 the
Opera House. lie replied an elderly man
with large nose and a red face. ] asked him
If he knew his name. lie said. NO, he
knew nothing more about him; / also
asked him what he was doing at the Opera
House but failed 10 get answer from him.
All this he said while in an Unconscious
mood. / did not regard any of his state
ments as Trustworthy. The sunday night
on which he claimed % have been hurt, /
saw him about twenty minutes past eight
o'clock. lie Went up the street with two
others. One Of them was Mr.. James Men
decOtt; the other, / believe, was man
named Nichols. Goodrich was perfectly
sober and unhurt
The witness said the chambermaid told
him that GOodrich's bed that night appeared
slightly rumpled, but from other appear
ancos of the room she did not think Mr..
Goodrich slept ia his room that night.
one of the barkeepers, either Mr. furcron
ar Mr.. TAYLOR. told him (Beli) that Goodrich
had been at the bar ON Monday morning
with his face badly bruised and blood gush-
/ ing from his ear. nose and mouth. The wit
ness said that Goodrich was walking about
from the time OF his injuries till Thursday;
that G0Odrchs injuries were bruises Nnder
the chin. a large swelling on his right Jaw,
which was very much discOl0red. There
/ upra aISn bruises and di-cOlOr1fiOn about