Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-13
rHE suRaEoN,s rEsrrMoNY.

surgeon Of the United States navy,
serving on the Baltimore, testified as
follows: ST was on shore the day OF
the riot. The morning of the next day
was sent ashore by Captain Schley, to
visit the sailor woundedi in the riot, then
in San Juan hospital. Arriving there l
found Turnbull, Davidson, Hamilton,
Painter, Talbot, all sailors OF the Bal
timore. l also found the body of Rig
gin, boatswain's mate of the Baltimore.
An autopsy had already been held by
the physicians OF the hospital. A ball
had passed through his neck, fracturing
two cervical vertebre and iniuring the
brain. From the direction pursued
by the ball, never deviating from
a straight course; the great
length of the track of the ball, and the
character OF the tissue passed through,
and the size and appearance OF the
wound, l should Judge the bullet to
have been of lead fired from a rifle. Ex-
amining the body, found several
bruises caused by blows, and also two
stabs in the back, neither serious. The
bullet wound was necessarily and imme-
diately fatal. The other wounds might
have caused temporary unconsciousness
but could not have proved fatal. Only
a month previous had under my care
in two hospitals 200 Chileans, wounded
in the battle of Placilla. / also
examined $50 other Chileans, all
of whom had been chiefly wounded by
leaden bullets fred f1om rifles. The
wound received by Riggin was similar
to these. made tests by firing rife
and pistol bullets through pieces of
cloth placed against pieces OF meat.
1.-THE rifle bullet holes correspond ex-
actly to the hole in the shirt of Johnson,
armorer OF the Baltimore, through which
the bullet that killed Rlggin passed be-
fore striking him. The pistol bullets
made holes very much smaller. Some
time after this the judge of crimes at
Valparaiso requested Captain Schley to
have the medical officer that examined
Higgins body make certificate, show
ing what, in his opinion, was the cause
of death. / made a certificate stat
ing that l believed the wound was
caused by a rifle, and giving the
reasons just stated. Two days after
1 was summoned, with DIR. White of the
Baltimore, on commission with two
civilian Chilean physicians. The latter
testified that they believed the ball was
fired from pistol. DR.. White of the
Baltimore and myself believed the ball
was from a rifle. A paper embodying
these facts was drawn up and presented
to the Chilean secretary of court.
"After examining Higgins body, re-
turned to the wounded sailors. On
Hamilton 1 found two confused wounds
on the head. and two incised wounds on
the buttocks. The wounds were not OF
grave character, but he lost a great
quantity of blood and was exceedingly
weak. j. Talbot, apprentice of the Bal
timore, had two wounds in the back,
both cuts. George Painter, coal HEAVIER
of tie Baltimore, had a confused
wound on the head, rather Sc
rious, probably caused by stone.
John Davidson, landsman of the
Baltimore. had one wound on the head,
probably caused by stone, and num-
ber OF bruises. He was very weak from
loss of blood and bruises. William Turn
BULL coal HEAVIER, had twenty-one
wounds, all in the back. With the ex-
ception of one, which penetrated the
| lungs, they were not of a dangerous
character. l expected him to recover,
but next day l found him in critical
condition. had asked the Sisters in
charge to dress the wounds, but they re-
fused on the ground that they could not
touch any wounds, or allow me to touch
them, without the permission of the
| physicians in charge.
"Next day | urged more strenuously
! that be permitted to attend the Balti-
more men. This was also refused,
though the Sisters seemed to regret the
fact. The person in charge of the ward
was only nurse without medical knowl
edge. Nothing wss done for the men
except to put ointment on the wounds.
| The condition of the lnen was becoming
worse and Turnbull was failing fast.
DIR. White agreed with me that it was
imperative that the men be taken
aboard the ship, but for two days more
Judge of Crimes Foster refused to allow
them to leave the hospital. At the end
OF that time, the attendants telling the
judge that Turnbull would probably die,
the judge permitted the sailors to be
| taken away.
"Beng late at night, 1 could not take
other three men TO the ship, and next
| for Turnbull. He died two days after
wards from blood poisoning, resulting
| from imperfection in his treatment at
the hospital, which allowed blood
poisoning to set in the wounds. There
is no other reason why Turnbull should
not have recovered.
"One of the wounds received by Ham
ilton was caused by bayonet stab.
San extremely hostile feeling pre-
vailed in Valparaiso against Americans
before the riot of October 10Th. As an
instance of this, high Chilean officer
became furious when be found that his
son, who had been woundad in battle,
was being treated by American physi-
clans. He said he would rather his son
should die than owe his life to Ameri-
cans.
TURNBULL's S ANTE MoRTEM STATEMENT.
"While'in the hospital, Turnbull made
statement, which / took down at the
time. 1t runs as as follows:
II was not intoxicated. l was talking
with friend, an American, and went
into barroom. They told me there
was crowd outside waiting for me, so
did not 60 out but waited until thought
they had gone away. Then | went out,
and as soon as l was outside l was
struck on the head with stone. I
turned and tried to get back into the
saloon, but they would not let me in.
The mob was around me on all sides,
and in short time was knocked uns
oor coior,o nd cv,lu 40 tra 70 ;,, 4bo hoo