The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-24
NAY DIE OF RED TAPE
A Man Brutality Assaulted Has
to Wait for a Doctor.
RESULT OF .ReeoRm" METHODS
Serious Outcome Of . saloon Quarrel
Only the Charity OF the Sisters
Secures Medical Aid.

down with heavy car coupling-pln IN fne
hands Of q man supposed 10 be John Nc
Neary directly in front of Il. Goidsons
secondhand store, 81 ia West Main
street, last evening about s o'clock The
blow was dealt in q muderous manner,
and at the time of this papers going 70
press the victim is unconscious. He now
lies at Providence hospital. not by order
OF the city through its health officer, but
81 the request Of the poles and by the
charity Of the sisters, having been taken
there after more than an hours delay.
The present case is another illustration OF
the hardships worked on victims Of acci-
dents, the police and the hospital authori-
ties by the recent order of the board OF
pualic works and the stand taken by the
city in relation to the sick and needy.
John Murphy is an ordinary laborer. OF
few acquaintance. yet undoubtedly
legal resident OF the city. He has been in
the hospital before, and before leaving
said he came here from Spokane two years
ago. He is not an exemplary man in
habits by any means. and yesterday after
noon he was intoxicated. Part of the
time he was in the Mug saloon, at the COR
ner of Main street and Railroad avenue,
McTRerney, petty larcenist who was re-
leased from the county jail yesterday
morning. There we're several Others in
the crowd, all somewhat under the in
fiuence OF liquor There was dispute
among them and at one time Murphy and
McNeary came 10 blows, the latter re-
ceiying punch in the face. A short time
after this the crowd went ont on the side
walk and broke up, a part going
across the street and others up Railroad
avenue. Murphy walked up Main street
rather unsteadily and stopped in front of
B. Goidson's secondhand store, at the
northeast corner of the alley running
north between Main and Railroad avenue.
Goidson asked him if he wanted TO buy
anything, and Murphy replied:
mo; L am dead broke and have been
out OF work for some time past"
Neither Murphy nor Goldson paid any
attention to small man with black suit
of clothes who came toward them hur-
riediy. until he stopped directly behind
Murphy and cried out:
1--WE got you this time, you -"
Before another worn passed and quick as
q flash. the little man drew car coupling
pin from behind him and struck Murphy
With ell his might on the back of the head.
Goidson stood paraiyzed, and the little
man gave him push that sent him reel
ing to one side and then, like q man who
had q business engagement up town,
walked hurriedly toward Commercial
street. As he passed the alley he threw
the iron bludgeon away. Goldson coll
lected himself enough to ask Murphy If he
knew the man who had hit him. Murphy
shook his head. took three steps forward
as If 10 chase his assailant, and then CON-
menced to stagger. His strength left him
rs suddenly as the blow was struck, and
before Goldson reached him he fell TO the
sidewalk with blood squirting from an ugly
wound at the back of his head
People who stood on The corner of Main
and Railroad avenue saw something of
what had happened. and some one cried
"Murderl PoliceP' The crowd COM
menced to increase, and those who first
reached Murphy tried to speak to him.
He made an effort TO answer, but fell back
insensib!e, and the blood still ran from his
head down his neck and over his clothes.
Officer Baldus was standing at the corner
of Washington and Railroad avenue when
he heard the cries. As soon as possible he
reached the, scene and struggled through
the excited mob TO where Murphy Law.
Cries for the patrol wagon were coming
from all sides, but Baldus first asked for
the direction the assailant had gone up
the alley" answered several voices. If he
took that direction he was surely out of
sight. Baldus then hurried to the patrol
box and rang for a fast wagon. The an
swer was prompt, and in a few minutes
Nurphy's apparently lifeless body lay at
the police station. Detective Philhrick
was Immediately sent out to run down the
murderous wretch who had dealt the blow.
Then commenced the red tape process
that has been in vogue of late owing to the
quarrel between the city and county au.
thorities There lay Murphy, covered
with blood. possibly dying and in need of
the best nursing and medical treatment.
There was no question about the need of a
physician or that the hospital was the
place for him, but the police had no au-
ihority to send him there and Health OFF,
Ger Palmer could not De found by tele.
phone. Finally Capt. Hogle said: Take
him to the hospital" The patrol wagon
took the man to the hospital and ut the
same time the captain telephoned about
the patient that was on the way. us he
a city patientf" was asked. Cant. Hovie
was at iirst At a loss for a reply. bst said
that he thought the health officer
would De there IN short time
and settle the matter. The operating
roam was gotten ready and meanwhile the
police were after Health Officer Palmer.
They say they could not ind him for A
long time, and long before that Murnhv
Was on the operating table ready for a
physician, yet none came. The sisters
telephoned for Or. Palmer, but he did not
arrive after reasonable wait and then
they telephoned TO the police again. The
police had not reached him, they replied.
Sister Superior Eugene became anxious
and telephoned to Chief Jackson that she
was waiting for the health officer, but that
If he Was not coming she would get a
physician herself before the poor man
should die on the table for want of at.
tendance. She VAS as good as her word.
and soon had Dr. Willard at the poor mans
side. The blood was washed from his
head and the ugly cut laid bare. The
probing failed 10 show any fracture. but
even after the torn and Jagged iisps OF the
skin had been pulled together Murphy
gave no sign OF returning Consciousness.
Dr. Willard ordered that be be nut to bed
ana kept quiet. Late last nigh. he vas
sta! In The same condition, without having
g'vea favorable signs.
While the operation was going on AZ TIA
HOSPITAL Capt. Hogie reached Health on.
Ger Palmer AZ his residence and told him
es the case. The doctor. so the captain
says, replied tAas il was not one # his cases.
a. 49, S. a