Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-01-03
A CLUE THAT FAILED.
COINCIDENCE THAT COLLAPSED BY
VARIANCE or TIME.
verdict from the Coroner's jury Showing
that mr. Frederick Goodrich Died
of Pneumonia.

II Mr.. Frederick Goodrich was the vic
Tim Of any assault it has not been
proved.
II seems that there was difficulty in the
bar.rooui Of Ford's Opera-House on satur-
day night. December 2ist, and one man was
very badly handled by another; but I'M
doubtedly the sufferer was not Mr.. Good
rich. for he was at the Exchange Hotel
(wherc he livcd) on Sunday. and was in his
usual health.
His bruised condition was first noticed
- nionSav following. His explanation
throughout was that he got his injuries 10y
follins in his room against the fender.
This he repeated to several persons. ~
vcas only in his wild dcliripm that he SAID
he had been assaulted at Fords Opera
House.
His bruises were received on Sunday,
December 22d and he died at l2;l2 day be-
fore yesterday.
Mrs Goodrich was very much averse 70
q nav. .,or,fD, examination. and refused TO
allow the Coroner TO make II; but nna-
inc that tue Coroner was firm IN ms
pnrpose the distressed lady, after con-
sultiur with her husbands brother, MI.
Henry W. Goodrich (who arrived from
New York on the morning tram reluctant /
lv consented TO allow the officers OF the
law 10 proceed. and the Posi r'orhon was
made by the Coroner and his deputy. Dr;
Ieryis q. Bosher Tho autopsy revealed
The fact that death resulted from pneu-
monia. and that the bruises on the BODY,
es far as could be seen. had no connection
with il. II also disclosed the fact that the
liver and kidneys were badly diseased,
wluch rendered deceased liable to succumb
to any attack of sickness.
At o'clock y. NJ. an inquest was held;
The Jury assembled in room No. 4. Ballard
House. and from there they were taken 70
room 56. where the body was found lying
on strotcher. The jury then returned 10
room No. and the examination was pro-
ceoded with.
Colonel NJ. J.. Spotswood, the Common
uenlth's ATTORNEY, was present and assist
ed in the examination Of the witnesses.
statement of the Physician.
DR. C. W.P. Brock testified as follows
was called To see Mr. Frederick T.. Good
rich on tho 26th day of December, 1889
fonnd him in his room, No. So, Ballard
House. reclining on q lounge, the right
eide of his face enormously swollen, hard,
and discolored. | asked him how he re-
ceived his injury. He said that ne had
stumbled over the armchair end had fallon
against the fender. asked him II ne was
DtlGTNlcf llfl. ana Bt HiAl hOs
| urescribed for him. and was told by pr.
Ref and Others about the hotel that Slr,
Goodrich had been drinking very heavily
for a long time.
visited him TWICE on Friday and once
ON SATURDAY. and htying to leave the city
rot NV friend DR.. George Ross to take
charge of the case for me.
Returning homo early Monday morning
my first visit was to Mr.. Goodrich. before
the visit, however. DIR. Ross 'phoned me
that MIR. Goodrich was very sex man.
and that | had better see him early. Al
that visit the lung symptoms were promi-
nent and pneumonia present IN It's nrst
stage. and the disease rapidly advanced
involving both lungs and terminating Ia
tally about ~ NJ. January l, 1890.
DR.. Ross saw Mr.. Goodrich IN consulta-
.ion with me on the evening OF December
8Oth. and continued to attend deceased
with me till he dieu.
NV attention was called TO some bruises
time of nv visit on Monday. but j did not
think that they had anything 10 do with
the gymptoms presented. They seemed 10
be superficial nor do think that the M
iuries of his face were the cause OF his
death.
Hepetl.ion of the Deceased's Story.
Mr.. John Watson Bell. friend of Mr..
Goodrich, and who was with him a great
deal during his sickness, testified that Mr..
Goodrich, last Thursday morning about III
o'clock. was living on couch IN the gen.
tlJmans' parior on the Exchange SIDE; ne
spoke about going to see doctor, nut !
got him TO 60 to bed IN his room. lie said
his iniuries had come from faintlng flt on
the preceding Sunday night. during which
he had fallen and struck himself against
the re fatng and chair.
During his delirium on Tuesday morn
.ng about 9iS o'clock he said he went up to
the Broad-Street Opcra-House on SUNDAY
before last. Then no stopped talking, and
waving his hand and pointing, at the
foot Of the bed, said, There they are
There they arei Look at them
| humored him during his delirlum by
tnlkipp 10 him and asked HIM who beat
him at the Opera-House.
He replied an elderly man with large
nose and red face.
asked him if he knew his name.
He said no, he knew nothing more about
him.
| also asked him what he was doing at
the OpeTa-House, but failed to get an an
swer from him:
All this he said while in an UNCONSCIOUS
condition. | did not regard any OF his
statements as Trustworthy.
The Sunday night on which he claimed
TO have been hurt | saw him about twenty
minutes past O'Clock. He went up the
street with two others. One of them was
NIr. James Mendecott; the other, believe,
WAS man named Nichols. Goodrich was
perfectly sober and unhurt.
The witness further said the chamber
maid told him that Goodrich's bed that
night appeared slightly rumpled, but from
other appearances of the room she did not
think Mr.. Goodrich slept there that night.
One of the bar-keepers. either Mr.. Fur
cr0n or Mr. Taylor told witness that Good
rich was at the bar on Monday morning
with his face badly bruised and blood
gushing from his ear, nose, and mouth.
He oxpectorated q great deal OF blood.
The witness said that Goodrich was walk
inr about from the time Of his injuries TIL
Thursday.
The Bar-Kceper.
Mr.. Marcus S. Furcron, one Of the bar
keepers at tho Exchange Hotel. testlfied
that he saw MIR. Goodrich on Sunday night
before Christmas between the hours OF 3
and half-past 5 o'clock. He was then un-
hurt.
saw him also, said he. the next morning
about o'clock in the bar-room. HIS face
was feaTiullv swollen and he was spittlng
blood and blood was coming from his nose
and his left ear lie said no did not realize
IhM AAf AiAtNl avs AhA ANib iAibNLts tAt httNN
he had fallen aud struck himself against q
chair and also against the crate or the
fender, don't know which. advised him
10 90 TO his room and send for doctor,
and be- said "ko. am going uptown to
see gentleman ] saw him afterwards
walking about until Thursday morning.
Sergeant Tomiinson on the stand.
Sergeant Alexander Tomlnson, who has
been at work OH the case, said | was in
formed that there was man at the Ex-
change Hotel that had been badly beaten.
J also received information that man had
been beaten at Ford's 0pera-House on Sat
urday night. December 2lst. heard that
toe man who had done the beating at the
Opere-iouse had smooth. red face, big
nose. and wore silk hat aud Prince
Albert coat. The information was that
she man was knocked down. then thrown
over chair. After the difficulty the two
walked "a together.
REMOVAL OF The BODY.
The widow and brotherof the deceased,
VAN The body IN charge, left for Albany,
N. a., Yesterday evening.
whether tho death was in aiy wise con-
hecteu wsta The injuries received was not
o1ealt with IN The verdict Of the Jury. They
0ld not CONSIDER II necessary TO say more
tLan that death was the result OF pneu-
fn0Ula. Roth l1IOe trr.. 4. n IL A..