Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-18

An Investigation at the Emergency Hospi.
tai Today.


An Investigation at the Emergency Hospi-
tai Today.
As result of the statement made Bradley
Green, the cabman, at the inquest yesterday
over the remains of Lieut.. Reynolds, USN,
who died Thursday morning from injuries re-
ceived by being knocked down and
run over by cable car Wednesday
evening, to the effect that the injured man was
kept waiting at the door Of the hospital for
twenty minutes and that he was inhumanly
treated after being received at the hospital, Dr.
Jas. Kerr, in charge of the hospital ordered an IN
vestigation Of the charges by the hospital
authorities this afternoon. DR.. Kerr when
questioned this morning about the matter bv a
STAR reporter said he did not think it proper
to say ANYTHING at this time, preferring that
the investigation should first be had
DIR. HEINECKEs STATEMENT.
DIR. Heincke, the resident physician of the
hospital who was in charge at the time Lieut..
Reynolds arrived there, was seen by reporter
OF The STAR this morning in reference to the
charges made
DR.. Heinecke said: my attention was called
to the by the janitor who came to nv
room and told me that there was a man in
a cab at the door who had been injured
by being run over by a cable car. In COM
ant resident physician. at once without a
moments delay. went down to the door where
we found Lieut.. Reynolds sitting in the door of
herdic cab with his legs hanging out He was
In a dazed condition, and DIR. Stuart
and /, carefully taking hold of his
legs. and two others taking HIM BY the shout
ders, we carried the injured man in and placed
him on the operating table. We cut his
clothing off his limbs and carefully examined
them. He was very restless and insisted
,nQf nyrarx
Stuart, as quickly as possible. gave him hypo-
dermic injection Of morphia to relieve his suf-
fering. We explained to Lieut.. Rey-
nolds that his legs were badly
broken; and that unless he remained
perfectly still he would increase
would be necessary. Notwithstanding this ex-
PLANTATION, Lieut. Reynolds insisted upon ris-
ing, and it required considerable effort
to restrain him. The statement that l or
any one else threatened to strike him il he
did not keep still or that we were going to am
putate his legp is absolutely false. l found both
legs to be badly crushed above the knee. and
perceived that the unfortunate man was
suffering greatly from shock. l immedi-
ately telephoned to DIR. King, the attending
surgeon of the hospital, to come at once, and
DIR. Kerr arrived in about ten minutes after re-
ceiving my message. DIR. Kerr put the injured
limbs in splints and Lieut.. Reynolds was
then placed In private ward and
made as comfortable possible. From
that time l or my assistants never left him.
Heart stimulants were given the injured man to
overcome the effects of the shock and his condi-
ton improved until about $780, when he began to
sink gradually. About 9 o o'clock a consultation
was held by DR.. Kerr. a surgeon from the navy
yard who was a friend Of Lieut.. Reynolds, and
the hospital staff, when it was decided
that all that possibly could have besn
done had been done, and 1t was
recommended that the same treatment should
be continued. At midnight it became apparent
to me that the case was hopeless one and the
injured mans condition was then telephoned
to DIR. Kerr by me. Dr. Kerr, In
reply, stated that a continuation of the treat
ment prescribed was all that could be DONE
Lieut. Reynolds gradually sank and died at
Cos the morning following his injury. There
was no neglect on my part nor on the part OF
any one else connected with the hospital
that l am aware of, and I am at
loss to understand why such a statement as
that sworn to by the cabman, Green, should
have been made. have demanded an investi-
CATION by the hospital authorities and am con-
fident that all have stated will be found to be
true In every particular.
DR.. Stuart was present when DIR. Heinecke
made his statement and corroborated it in every
particular.
THE JANIToRs STATEMENT.
The janitor of the hospital, Geo. H. Keppler,
was also questioned by the reporter. Janitor
keppler stated that the door bell was rung
about ten minutes after 5, and that
he answered it without moments delay On
opening the door he saw the cab and was told
by man that there WAS a man in it
who had been badly cut up by a cable
car. He stepped outside and seeing
that Lieut.. Reynolds legs were probably
broken he quickly stepped to the speaking tube
near the door and called up to DR.. Heinecke
through the Office tube. Receiving no response
he tried the one running to DR.. Heinecke's
Office. That one seemed to be out of order and
getting no response to his call he Immediately
ran upstairs to DR.. Heinecke's room. He found
the doctor there and told him Of the in
jured man outside. DIR. Heinecke, followed by
DIR. James Stuart, the assistant resident
physician, fastened down stairs at once and
assisted in CARRYING Lieut.. Reynolds into the
room near the door, where he was placed on
the operating table.
Janitor Keppler stated that in cases Of broken
legs the arrival Of the doctors was always
awaited before carrying the injured person into
the hospital unless the person was lying on
a stretcher. This was done, he explained. that
the injury might not be increased or
unnecessary suffering caused through unpro-
fessional or careless handling. He said that he
was certain that Lieut.. Reynolds was in the
room and receiving the care Of the physicians
inside Of five minutes at the very latest.
ExoNERArED.
At the investigation this afternoon the other
witnesses examined bore out the statement OF
the doctors and the janitor, and the board heard
all connected with the affair except the
cab driver and policeman who could not be
found. The conclusion Of the board was that
there was no foundation whatever for the
charges made at the coroners inquest