The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-01-01
Two DOCTORS n JAIL.
Charged With Numbering an
Aged Man at Centralia.
BY A SURGICAL OPERATION.
One Is Minkler, the Physio-Medico,
the Other q keeley Graduate.
They Cut Pfece on Aifrea wrisht's
Hip-BOne. Causing Beath-A Woman
Assists Them-Was There's Reason
for Putting Him Out of tn. Way?

SESIhALiA, DEC. oi-iSpec{al. s-for TWO
weeks or more the people of Centrslsa have been
much stirred up over an operatio. performed
on an old gentleman named Alfred Alright, who
died On the 2Sd OF this month.
Wright came to Centralia about shree years
ago from Lindsay, Ont, where fer :. number of
years he had figured as prominent business
man, and where he was looked uf,on as being
wealthy, being the owner OF seferal brick
blocks In an unlucky moment hs yielded to
the solicitations of his wife, who Fad been i'm
portuned by her son to get his fagaer to place
his business in his hands. In q shert time the
son completely ruined the business. besides in
yoiving the old gentleman to the amount of
$4,000 as indorser. Mr.. Wright aga.n took hold
or the business, but, owing TO Disbursements
with his wife growing out of the st:si's actions,
was unable to carry it on successfully and
finally disposed of it for what NJ could get
with the proceeds, about $3,70e, se came to
washington. He arrived in Centt4lia during
the boom" times, and invested sorss money in
real estate and erected business b,zslding
Mr.. Wright was about 20 years of age and at
some time in his early life had suffered from hi
Disease, from the effects of which he was lame
About year ago he had paraytie stroke and
received a fall, from the effects of watch he has
been confined to bed nearly all the time since
being OF penurious disposition, he could not
be induced by his friends to go TO !. hospital
where he might be properly cared sor, bu: in
sisted on living in the upper part 4f his own
building, and employed a woman nssned Cath
crime Mccormick to nurse him.
On December Drs. n. A. Gile and :. D. Mink.
Ter performed al operation on Wright without
the knowledge OF his friends. The operation
was to have been for placing the hzp joint in
position and stretching the cords, bst, finding
this impossible. they proceeded to make an in
cision and cut of piece of the bos1e. A few
days after. and while Wright was st:4 suffering
cd in
Tor $3.50 in payment for the operation. After
they had left the house Wright, deem ing that he
had been imposed on, as the original agreement
between Wright and Gile was for $l1O sent for
c. w. Johnsone and placed in his ha5ds a GER
tifcate Of deposit for $l.o5o e1l which
he wished him to raise tm 500.
This Johnsone promised to do the next day,
Gile tried to get johnson to cash the $3.50 check
given to him and Minkler, but he refused.
JohnsoGe informed number of brotkAr Masons
OF the condition in which he had four1 Wright,
and, after consultation, they decided that 1t
would be best to have guardian appointed to
take care OF the old gentleman, and ca applica.
tion Court Commissioner Pickenx appointed J.
d. Ellis, who at once took charge, dismissed
Gle and Minker and Mrs. McCorlnic< and en-
ployed other physicians and nurse.
Wright fingered till the 2Sf ~ recernber.
whsn he died, and his frier.as notified NJ. d.
Wood. justice OF the peace aud actin. coroner,
demanding that an investigation o; the cause of
his death be had, as 1t was thought circuu.
stances tended To show conspisacT to bring
about the death of Wright. A jury WIS impan-
eied and an autopsy held. The iure then ad-
1ourned to the 25th, since which time it has
been III session every day, q large number
of witnesses being examined. The t.stimony
taken is very voiuminous, covering IzearIy 100
closely typewriter pages. The jury concluded
its labors last night at a late hour, am. Justice
at re- for.
DR.. n. A. Gile, DR.. James d. Mink lerAnd Mrs
Catherine Mccormick, and placed u in the
hands OF Deputy Sheriff Blackwell, whts arrested
all three. Gile was placed in the city jzil while
Mnkier and Mrs. Mccormick were paced ur-
der guard at their residences.
Following is the verdict OF the corons5's jury:
We find that Alfred Wright came TO kds death
by a surgical operation, performed o.4 the 5th
day OF December, 1872, by Drs. n. A. Gf.e and J.
d. Minker, which. in our opinion, 9as un-
and that Mrs. Catherine Mccormick was present
aiding and abetting the same.
c. CROSBY, TT KENNEDyS
L. BARR. CHARLES EsHoa,
JOHN SHELTON, JOHN BUCKANA.
Or. Minkler is a member of the state soard of
medical examiners and Is known as the physio-
medico member. He is we'll known IN Port
TowpseDd and other parts Of the stare. DR..
Gile came here from Montesano, ans suhse-
quenty went to the Okanogan country whence
he returned here only short time presious to
the operation. He took the Kelley curs for the
drink habit, but soon took to drinking again
During his last visit here he has been ulsier the
influence OF liquor nearly all the ,ims Mrs.
Mccormick was for time connected with the
Salvation Army at this place, but was finally
expelled.
The prisoners were taken to Chehalis .his af-
ternoon to have Il preliminary examinss son be-
fore Justice Pickering.
The preliminary examination was began this
afternoon al Chehalis, when the defendants OBJ
jected to the finding of the jury as n9t suffi-
cienily explicit whereupon Coroner Wool swore
out a new warrant charging Gile and Iinkler
with murder. After hearing two Witnesses the
case was adjourned TO Tuesday, aud the prison.
ers remained at the jail