The morning call., 1893-08-23
LITTLE ZINC BOX.
Baby POulsOn'S Death Is
Inquired Into.
WHAT WAS WITH THE DEAD.
A Hospital Matron Testifies and so
Does Sister of Mrs. POuI-
soma Faint Cry.

The much taIked-of little zinc box,
which has been sealed hermetically and
laid away for nearly twenty months last
past, was opened by Coroner Evers yes
terday morning and an inquest on the
contents began.
"How much is left of ?" was asked the
Coroner's assistant by CALL reporter.
''Oh, enough to hold an inquest on. ="
was the reply.
Which was as represented There was
enough of the wee baby boy left to war
rant official inquiry, but not much more.
There were other things in the zinc box,
too; two cablnet-size photographs, one
of Mrs. Poulson and the other of the
doctor. They were haZy sort of pictures,
and one might almost imagine that spirits
were floating about in the background on
the cards if his mind were attuned to
that sort of thing But it would take
stretch of the Imagination.
Besides the two photographs the box
contained two pamphlets, one Of undoubt-
ed Scandinavian origin. but the reporter
was not acquainted with that language
and could not understand the title, but it
had nothing on il about the neither world.
The other pamphlet was Mr.. POulsOn's
own book, ''The Light of the Messiah"
Ia the box were several of Dr. POulsons
business cards. also a mOldy picture or
cut flowers and small lithOgraph. These
were all very wet and moldy. On the back
of one of the business cards was written.
evidently in the doctors handwriting, tile
followinc:
THE baby buried here is Count Peter
Fagarstjina. born October so, 2 A. NJ, 1891.
He died by a shock of fear his mother re-
ceived just at the time of BIRTH"
On the back of DR.. Poulson's photograph
nrrTf hnr, IN &c
photograph is Of Count =. Wilhelm Poul-
son Fagarstjina. Peters father"
On another card was this:
This boy laid to rest-his earthly re-
mains is Count Peter Fagarstjina, born
October so, 1891"
Beneath this is written the word Peace"
So much for the zinc box. The jury then
viewed the remains and the inquest
opeGed.
The first witness called was Mrs. Sadie
Boyer, who was the matron at DR.. Poul-
sons Fruitvale hospital at the time of the
birth of the child. She said that the child
was born at 514 East Sixteenth street, to
which place Mrs. Pouson had been tenn
porarily removed because, the witness
said, ii was the wish Of the doctor to have
her away from the hospital on account of
the presence there of a little insane girl,
between whom and Mrs. Poulson a great
affection had sprung up and DR.. POulSOn
way. Witness said that she was present
when the child was laid out, that there
were no marks on the child. She said
The doctor did not want TO leave mis- wife
10 answer the call of a sick person. The
doctor was always kind TO his wife and
she kissed him always when he left her.
~ never heard any charges against the
doctor regarding the death of the child
The doctor told me that the child was born
dead because Of a shock the mother had
received two weeks before. when a strange
woman called on her with little boy or
years of age. The mysterious woman
was assmall, stout woman" Witness did
not know her, but the doctor said her
presence visibly affected his wife, and
that she tremDled and turned pale.
Mrs. Alice Hunter, sister OF Mrs.
Poulson, was next called. She said she
lived on Telegraph avenue, between Forty
third and FOrty-fourth streets. She said:
ION the night before the birth of Mrs
POulsOn's child | went to see my sister,
but the doctor would not let me in, as he
said | was not needed. | went again late
at night, but he did not want to let me In.
My sister wanted me in and / went. The
doctor sent me into the kitchen for warm
water and | had TO build fire, so l was
gone hall an hour. The baby was born
before | came in. The doctor said it was
born dead. Sister said she heard cry of
the baby and told me that che felt motion
1s
l was 10 the next room. Am sure l heard
the cry of a baby"
At this point the witness put her hand
to her face and sobbed little.
Witness then continued, saying that the
doctor had threatened to shoot her sister if
she ever said baby was not buried. II saw
the doctor follow my sister all through the
house, upstairs and down. with a razor.
l never liked DIR. PoulsOn and would
never like him; be was not kind to my
sister,"
Mrs. Poulson's attorney was present and
stated that his client was prostrated with
nervousness and would like the case to go
over, but the Coroner shook his head
The case went on. In answer to uues-
tion by luryman the witness said:
Yes, [ heard the baby cry. was in
the next room. l am sure heard a baby
cry"
The nurse, whom it has been so hard to
locate, the witness said was named Anna
Murnah.
The witness said: "Yes, the doctor
called himself spiritualist."
The witness was very explicit and firm
in her story about hearing the baby cry
just before she went into the room from
the kitchen.
When she was excused the man who
made the famous zine box and sealed it
was called. His name is Ro bert B. Nc
Mutt, and at the time he was working for
Louis Dahl. an East Oakland plumber
He said lie knew of no especial secrecy
connected With the matter. The doctor
told him the box was TO be shipped.
Dispositions from Drs. Blood and Adams
were introduced and also that OF Paul
Schaffer, Secretary of the Board of Health,
showing that there was no record of the
birth or death of the baby.
DIR. Poulson's attorneys, Messrs. Sawyer
and Aver. protested against the proceed
ings as then being taken Mr. SAWYER also
presented certificate stating that death
had been caused by fright received by
the mother at II 80 A. NJ, October 81, 1891.
At this stage the proceedings came to a
close. There is only one other witness.
Mrs. Ponlson. and an adjournment was
taken until tomorrow morning, at 10
o'clock, when she will be present