Los Angeles herald., 1892-02-05
The COroner's Jury White
washes the Doctors.
Nothing in Gregg's Charges
Against the Hospital.
The Autopsy Shows Death from
Consumption.
The Sensational Statements of a Hos
pital Patient Declared Un-
founded-Report of
the Inquest.

Coroner Weldon yesterday afternoon
held an inquest on the body of James
Gregg, the consumptive who several
weeks ago made some serious charges
against the doctors of the county hos
pital. The sick mans story was pub
lished at the time in the HERALD, but
day or two after publication was denied
by Gregg's brother William.
In the testimony brought out yester-
day it was shown that Gregg had really
and repeatedly made the statements
attributed to him by the HERALD. There
is no doubt but that the sick man i'm
agined conditions at the hospital which
did not exist, but it was by far safer to
make an investigation of the matter
than remain in doubt as to the manner
in which things are being run at the
hospital. The verdict of the jury exon
Grated the officers and physicians from
blame.
The first witness sworn was William
Gregg, brother of the deceased, who
was the one who demanded the autopsy
and the inquest. He testified that the
dead man had attained the age OF rs
years, and had been born in New York.
He was cement pipe-maker by trade,
and for number of years had been fore
man for Frick & Co. About three years
ago, while at work on the storm-drain
at Westlake park, he was caught under
a cavern and had three ribs broken.
Ever since then he has been i'll with
pulmonary trouble. Some time in De-
cember William Gregg received letter
from James, who was then in the county
hospital. He went up to visit his
brother, and the latter complained of
being i'll treated. One night, the sick
man declared, he was feeling bad
and asked the attendant for
was offered dose of something
butrefused to takeit. twas then given
to another patient by the attendant, and
the individual who took the medicine
was dead the next morning. Gregg
therefore concluded that the dose had
been poison, and had been administered
in order to dispose OF an incurable case.
The sick man also complained of hav-
ing been taken from the fever ward and
put into the consumptive ward. Finally
he charged that he had not been given
sufficient food, and had been compelled
to get up from bed to get his breakfast.
All these statements were accompanied
by requests to be taken away, and this
was done on January 10th. The sick
man was first taken to No. 200 August
street, and on last Friday was removed
to No. 235 Water street, East Los An
geles, where he died. DR.. Bullard of
the hospital still furnished him with
medicine after the removal
Robert Gregg, 235 Water street, East
Los Angeles-I am brother of the de-
ceased. He repeatedly spoke to me of
not having been treated properly at the
hospital. When patients became very
sick were in the habit of giving them
stuff to hurry them off. They did it to
get rid of them. After the article had
been published in the HERALD, James
said he was sorry it was published be-
cause it might stop DR.. Bullard from
coming to see him any more. He did
not deny the story. He said they would
not feed him properly after they had
him in the consumptive ward. 1t was
the head DOCTORS fault that this was
the case, for ii the doctor had instructed
the attendants to treat the patients
better, they would have done it. James
was strong minded as ever up to his
death and knew what he was saying.
DIR. H. G. Brainerd, superintendent of
the county hospital, gave the history of
James Gregg while in the hospital. He
said that at first the doctors did not
know whether the patient was suffer
ing from pneumonia or consumption,
and put him into the fever ward. After
while the true ailment was diagnosed,
and for the safety of some pneumonia
convalescents, Gregg had to be removed
to the consumption ward. He did not
like the change and said he would go
out of the hospital. DIR. Brainerd told
him to do SO by all means if he had any
place to go to and be taken care of. The
statements made by Gregg, he said were
absolutely untrue and had not even a
suggestion of foundation.
DIR. Frank S. Bullard, who attended
Gregg, and Gus Weider, the night nurse,
testified in corroboration of DR.. Brainerd
and detailed the treatment which Gregg
had received. All the hospital witnesses
denied emphatically that any medicine
intended for Greeg had been given to
another patient, and therefore they
branded the death story as fabrica-
tion.
J.J. Carpenter of S22 Rosabelle street,
from whom the HERAL D obtained it's first
information, testified to the correctness of
the report of Gregg's statements. Mr..
Carpenter said the sick man had gone
to East Los Angeles in his Carpenters
buggy, and had reiterated the state
ments he had formerly made. Gregg
said he knew he would die, but he did
not wish to be killed. He was very
positive in telling his story and per-
fectly clear OF mind.
Mrs. Robert Gregg and Mrs. Mary
Gregg substantiated the testimony Of
the Gregg brothers and of Mr.. Car
penter.
DIR. M. NJ. Kannon, who performed
the autopsy, said he had found the
marks of an old fracture on the right
side of the fourth and fifth iibs. A
number of adhesions had formed. There
was almost complete destruction of
the left lung, and what remained was
full of pus. The right lung had also
wasted somewhat. The cause of death,