Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-06-04
LIGHT MAY YET COME
On the Circumstances of the Death
of Mind Reader Bishop.
HIS MOTHER MOST DETERMINED
That the Physicians Who Held the Autopsy
Shall Stand Trial.
HER BOYS SCREAMS UNDER THE SAW

ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH,
New YORK June 3.-The case of ..Drs.
Frank Ferguson, John A. Irwin and Irwin
H./Hance, Jointly indicted on a charge of
Illegal dissection, was on the trial calendar
lof Part 3, of the General Sessions TODAY,
t but was adjourned until June 2s owing to
the absence from the city OF one of the de-
PENDANTS, who are each under 81, 500 bail for
trial
Many sensational developments are
looked for when the case is finally brought
to trial, owing to the fact that the victim
of the alleged illegal operation was WASH
ington Irving Bishop, the mind reader, who
died at the Lambs Club, on May 13, 1889,
under unusual circumstances, and also to
the fact that his mother claims that her son
was only in trance when the autopsy was
performed. Neither District Attorney
Nicoll nor Lawyer } ohm NJ. Bowers, coun-
sci for Ferguson, have any explanation to
give why this is the first time that any
serious effort has been made to bring the
three physicians to trial, although it is
three years since they were indicted.
Postponed on Account of Politics.
Lawyer Bowers obtained an adjournment
the trial was not served upon him until
yesterday, and that his client is at present
in Minneapolis attending the Republican
convention. The other defendants are rep
resented by Nelson Waterbury, JE, and
E. II. Moeran.
''The defendants counsel desired to have
the trial put off until September" said Dis
trict Attorney Nicoll to-day, "but 1 would
not consent to this, as 1 am determined to
how Fha 1,,ri tha
term. There is no particular reason whv
the case has remained untried so long, except
that it is one of the old bail cases left over
from District Attorney Fellows term, being
only one of great number"
Mr. Nicoll said that the ofense is only
misdemeanor punishable by fine of $500
or one years Imprisonment, or both. He is
not aware of any evidence to show that Mr.
Bishop was alive when the doctors began
the autopsy, but that point will be gone
into fully at the trial He is confident,
however. that the physicians disobeyed the
law which torbids an autopsy by any other
than coroner's physician, except the con-
sent of the nearest relative of the deceased
has been obtained.
Died While in a Trance.
Washington Irving Bishop went to the
Lambs Club on the night of May II, 1889,
upon the invitation of Henry Di1ey and
Sidney Drew, to give an exhibition of his
mind reading While doing so he fell into
a trance, from which he could not be
awakened by ordinary means Dr. Irwin
was called in to attend him, and, after
several hours, Mr.. Bishop partially re-
covered his senses, but again went into a
trance, and at noon on MAY 13 was declared
dead by Dr. Irwin and other physicians
His body was at once removed to Hawks
undertaking rooms on Sixth avenue, where
an autopsy was performed by Dr. Ferguson,
with Drs. Irwin and Hauce as his assis-
tants.
AT the Coroner's inquest the physicians
were declared innocent of causing the mans
death, despite his mothers claim that her
son was still alive when the autopsy was
performed. A month later they were in
dicted on a charge of illegal dissection, and
Judge Cowing held them under 81 500 bail
Tor trial
Mrs Bishop was in the room of Assistant
= trict Attorney Weeks this morning in
pectatiOn that the trial would go on TO-
day. She was dressed in deep mourning,
and she told sad story of her three years
fight to have the doctors tried for what she
maintained was the murder of her son.
Mr.. Bishops Mothers Story.
81 have come here hundreds of times to
see when the trial would take place." said
Mrs Bishop, but was always put off with
one excuse or another. 1t is not Mr..
Nicoli's fault, as the case should have been
disposed of before he took charge. 1 am
satisfied that be will see that justice is done.
If these men only fear conviction of a mis-
demeanor, why have they so persisteDtly
evaded trial? 1 have witness who heard |
my boy cry out, Mother, help, as the SUR |
geons' saw entered his brain. 1 can get |
this witness, unless he has been spirited |
away. In my sons clothing at the time |
was paper directing that no autopsy should |
be held, as he feared that just such a mis- |
take should be made as did occur. If can
not punish them for the crime, 1 shall at
least see that they are punished for the Of
fense which they cannot deny"
Dr. Irwin, when seen to-day, said he had |
nothing to say about the case, as he is at
tending to his business, and is conscious
that he did nothing more than his duty in
his connection with Mr.. Bishops illness
and death.