The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-02
HOVER'S BODY EXHUNED.
Seems 10 Have Been a Case Of AbSCeSS
on the Brain.

Post Morton Examination Made by
Drs. 'sheftau and Purse 81. c..
White to Make the Chemical Analy-
sis-No Evidences OF Foul Play Dis
covered The Physicians Report.
The much talked about post norton eX-
animation OF the body of Lemuel l.
Hover, with regard to whose death many
rumors have been current during the last
few days, was held yesterday morning at
the morgue in the Laurel Grove cemetery.
Drs. b. f. Purse and b. +. Sheftau con-
Quoted the autopsy
Nothing of course except the physical
examination was made and according to
the report of the examining physicians,
there is nothing in the appearance Of the
body that suggests d suspicion Of
foul play On the other hand
the physicians discovered two
causes either of which might have lead to
death, an abscess on the brain and fatty
degeneration of the heart.
When il seemed necessary that
the examination be held, witness was
obtained or rather a friend Of Hoyer's
who had made some remarks about his
SuuuEll ut-d III lDOAluE HNN NUS Dll az
count of the we'll known trouble that had
existed for some time between himselfand
his wife. That friend was Thos w. Nc
Nish, who has been a friend Of Hover's
for years.
He MAKES AFFIDAVIT.
Mr.. McNish stated TO Detective Morgan
that he had said sometime ago tina, Ho-
yer would come to his death suddenly.
He made other statements concerning the
charges Hover had made against his wife,
which have already been published in the
MORNING News, and then made the aft
davit' necessary to the examination,
which read as follows:
Before me- Thomas J. Shcftall, a justice Of
the peace, in and for the county Of Chatham,
in the state of Georgia, personally came and
appeared 7. W. McNish, who, being duly
sworn, deposeth and saith that 10 the best of
Opponents knowledge and belief, Lemuel
Hover of said county and state on the 25th
day of July, 1898, in the county OF Chatham,
in the state of Georgia, did suddenly die
without any attending physician. Deponent
further declares that to the best of his Inowl-
edge and belief the said Lemuel Hover came
to his death by violence at the hands Of per-
play of parties unknown. Deponent further
states that he verify believes that unless the
body of said Lemuel Hover be exhumed and
a post-mortem held that the ends of justice
will be defeated,
Mr.. McNish also gave ia some testi-
money in writing to substantiate his afi-
davit Among other things was a state
ment that Hover had made, to the effect
that he had seen enough intimacy be-
tween his wife and Maui to have killed
him long ago. A number of other state
ments and charges made by Hover previ-
Gus to his death We're also mentioned
Drs. Sheftall and Purse were appointed
by Acting Coroner Shepfall to make the
examination, the following order being
given, which was presented with per-
init from the health officer to the supein-
tendent at the cemetery:
ONCE Of Thomas J. Sheftau, Justice OF the
Peace and Acting Coroner, Savannah, Ca,
Aug. /, Is93-To DIT. b. +. Sheftall You will
please, in company with DR., b. ). Purse, have
the body OF Lemuel Hover, who came TO his
death suddenly and under suspicious circum-
stances exhumed and make examination
with dissection of same. You can bill the
county. You will also make your report in
writing 20 me. THOMAS j. SHEFTALL.
J. P. G. c. Ca, Acting Coroner
THE EXAMINATION.
Thus armed with all the necessary per
mits and orders, the doctors went out to
Laurel Grove cemetery, together with
Detective Morgan and Acting Solicitor
General Salas, and had the body ex-
humed.
The coffin was taken up to the morgue
hH~# II su~.a ia
alton was to be made. The lid was taken
off and an unsuccessful effort was made
to deOdorize the contents Of the coffin
but it would not down. The body was
removed by two negroes, placed upon a
table, and the winding sheet removed
The body was found to be partially
black, especially about the head and
upper portion, this being said to be the
result of the cOagulatiOn of blood which
had settled under the skin in those places.
First an external examination was made
but no sign of any bruise or wound that
could have been inflicted with a weapon
was discovered. The head was then dis
sected to see if the skull had been frac-
tured or the brain injured, and nothing
was found but an abscess on the brain
which is in no way indicative of any
unusual circumstance.
Then began the dissection of the alb
dOminal cavity, and nothing unusual
was discovered among the internal
organs except the extreme fatty de-
generation around the heart and other or
gans. The stomach and a portion of the
intestiIes were removed, placed in a
chemically clean glass jar and sealed
They will be forwarded to DR.. H. c.
White, professor of chemistry at Athens,
who will make the chemical analysis
Drs. Sheftall and Purse were assisted
IN making the eXamination by MIR. G. c.
Lawrence, a medical student.
When the post-mOrtem, which occupied
about three hours, had been completed.
the body was again placed in the coffin
and buried. The examination was a
thorough one in every respect, but one Of
the most undesirable and uuclean pieces
of week that has been attempted in
Chatham county in sometime In fact it
is the only post norton examination that
has been held by order of the county in
ten years or more. The case has been
peculiar one from the beginning. but it
seems safe 10 say that the last of its
sensational features has passed.
THE ABsCEss MIGHT HAVE CAUSED DEATH.
The report of the examining physicians.
almost in itself dispels any idea OF
Hover's death having been caused by foul
play. The fatty degeneration around his
heart and the accumulation OF this tissue
around the other organs in his body, were
enough in themselves to have produced
l. NH IL