The morning call., 1892-06-16
A STRANGE Case.
Singular Circumstances Sur
rounding n WOman'S Death.
Her Husband and Two Physicians Accused Of
Causing It-A General Denial by
All the Parties.

Yesterday there was brought to the
Morgue the body Of a woman mutilated for
the purpose. il is alleged by her brother, of
hiding the evidences Of a crime.
The body was that of Maria A. Braum-
beck, aged about so years. the wife of one
Valentine Braumbeck, to whom she was
married about four months ago.
HMrs. Braumbeck before her marriage
was a Miss Tighe and was an industrious,
thrifty and saving girl. By her labor and
economy she accumulated, so her relatives
say, some $1,000 in coin and property. How
and why she married the man her relatives
are at loss TO determine, but marry him
she did, and for a few weeks apparently
lived happily with him.
Then the woman became morose and
melancholy, and told her relatives stories OF
neglect and abuse, but wnen they found
that Maria was to become a mother the rela-
tiyes paid no attention TO her complaints
other than TO humor her, and laid every
thing TO her condition.
A few weeks ago Mrs Braumbeck was
taken seriously Ill and when her relatives
went to see her they say that, much to their
surprise, they were refused admittanee
They sent friends TO see the poor woman,
and it is charged that she told these friends
| that her husband had used both argument
| ana IOfCt 10 COtHpSl 10 SUBMIT 10 q GRIM
| inal operation.
| This she steadily refused to do and to
| one Of her friends is reported as saving tn at
| DIR. Van Meter, specialist at 42S Ellis
street, had told her she must submit 10 an
operation and that she had positively re-
| fused.
Then came her death, and Dr.. Van Meter
and DIR. Mattuer of 322 MeAllister street
proceeded TO perform an autopsy on the
| woman.
Her brother, Mathew Tighe, and her
! brother-in-law, Mr.. COsgrove of no Green
street, notified Coroner Garwood of the
woman's death and demanded an investiga-
! ton, saying that Drs. Van Meter and Matt
ner had signed a certificate of death from
J heart disease and that they were satisfied
there had been foul play.
Coroner GarwOOd sent for the body and
found that an autopsy had been held and
| parts OF the body removed. He summoned
DR.. Williams, who yesterday afternoon ex-
amned the body and discovered what had
! been taken from it.
The case is a most peculiar one. and one
that leaves, in the minds of physicians.
grave doubts as to the causes of the woman s
| DEATH
Valentine Braumbeck, the husband OF the
deceased refused to make any statement
| about the case when seen yesterday. He
denied that his wife possessed either prop
| eTty or money, except furniture to the
value of 500. and stated that he had never
| refused admission TO any Of his Wife's rela-
tives. but frequently allowed Them in
| against her wishes.
He protested to know nothing of the
| charges of malpractice, although he had
been in the neighbOrhoOd OF the Morgue all
afternoon, and emphatieally denied ali
| knowledge OF the treatment given his wife
| by the physicians.
Mrs. Margaret Cosgroye, a sister of the
| dead woman, was seen at her home. TO
| Green street, last evening.
"My poor sister," she said, was engaged
as domestic in the service Of Miss Daniels
| at 1921 Leavenworth street, where she first
met Braumbeck about six months ago. She
had saved considerable money out Of her
monthly wages, and owned lot in the
Mission. just where do not know. The
deed is probably in the possession of her
husband. Sne surely had money and prop
| eTty TO the value OF several thousand dol
lars. The money was deposited In the
Hibernia Bank, but as her bank book has
| been lost we do not know the exact amount
my sister bought the house at IL Haw-
thorne street and intended to let rooms.
When she was taken Ill Of course we went
to see her, and offered TO nurse her, but her
husband refused US aGmittance. When we
finally gained al entrance my sister was
| very anxious to have some one stay with
her and asked for Sister of Charity and
priest Baumbeck told us that he won Id
| KICK tneH OuI IL iney came 10 intorfere'
when we finally declared that we wished
our family physician to attend my sister.
Braumbeck became very angry and ordered
us out of the house.
ION last Sunday my sister was deIirious
part Of the time, but during lucid interval
said that the doctor in attendance had
butchered her."
DR.. E. Ii. Mattner, one of the physicians
who attended the woman. was seen at his
office at 302 MeAllster street last night.
| He was very indignant at the statements
made by the afternoon papers that there
had been any irregularity about the case.
Il was first called upon by Mrs. Braun