The herald., 1893-06-25
RINKENBACK'S HEART FAILURE,
Most Convenient Term Used by
q Coroner's Jury.
However, Tom Ward is Likely to be
Tried for Murder.
The Inquest Yesterday ON the Dead Ex-
Police Oficer-There Was a Thumb
Chewing Fight and
Dead DIan.

An inquest was held by coroner Gates
yesterday ct Orr q Sutch's undertaking
rooms on the body OF Henry Rinkenb bach,
ex-policeman, who died on Friday night,
shortly after fighting with Tom Ward in
Jean Lennert's saloon on Alameda
street.
Lennert was called as the first witness
and said that on Friday evening he was
in the card room OF his saloon playing
freeze-out with three friends. About IL
O'Clock he went to the bar and saw
Rinkenbach leaning against the bar.
Ward was there also; both were bleed
ing and excited. He asked them what
was the matter and Ward told him to
mind his own business calling him
foul name. Ward continued to insult
Rinkenbach until witness told him to
leave. The deceased then went out 10
the lavatory.
Officer Stephenson came in and asked
Rinkenbach how the fight occurred.
The deceased complained of pain in
his breaet and went inside to wine
room and lay down. The patrol wagon
was sent for but by the time it arrived
Rinkenbach was in dying condition.
He expired few minutes after the
vehicle arrived.
E. Haup. bartender in the saloon,
heard Rinkenbach ask Ward to let him
see cane which the latter was carry
ing Ward refused to let him see 1t.
Soon afterwards Ward called the de-
ceased foul name, which Rinkenbach
resented by pushing Ward out into the
back yard. Both men then went out.
side. They were under the influence
of liquor. After the fight Ward said TO
deceased, "Ill get you yet, you = -"
Frank Worthington said that he was
in the vicinity OF Lennert'a saloon ON
Friday night. He saw two men fight
in bis mouth and WAS biting 1t. Wit
ness told him either to fight like q man
or else say he had had eaough. Ward
shouted, LET the chew away, he's
been biting my finger for half an hour
Ward then got ON top OF Rinkenbach,
who asked witness to take him off. The
deceased was biting Wards thumb and
trying to gouge his eyes out. At length
Rinkenbach said he had had enough and
the two men got up.
7. Phoenig saw deceased fighting with
Ward. Rinkenbach had Wards thumb
in his mouth and was chewing it. They
fought for nearly 20 minutes.
S. Il. Harris, police officer, met Ward
on the street. Ward told him he had
been fighting and had done his man up.
Witness went to the saloon and found
Rinkenbach dying. After the death of
deceased witness went out to find Ward.
Officer Stephenson stated that he was
with Harris when Ward met them.
When witness found out how badly
Rinkenbach was hurt he went to the
Pico house and arrested Ward. Ward
at fret refused to come, and when told
of Rinkenbach's death said: "pm
d-n glad Of it," Witness took Ward
to the jail
]. A. Stevenson saw the two men
fighting. Rinkenbach was biting his
opponents finger. Both men were
drunk, Ward being more 30 than Rim
kenbach.
DIR. K. Ainsworth stated that be
had made post mortem examination OF
the deceased. All the vital organs were
In normal condition with the exception
OF the heart, which showed marked fatty
degeneration. There were no outward
signs OF injury, but underneath the mus
cuar wall OF the chest were several
bruises. In the opinion of the witness
"death was due to heart failure, caused
by over.exertion aud accelerated by the
blows received in the region OF the
heart" Death might have resulted from
the over-exertion alone.
DR.. Wernigk, Nellie Lynch, ]. Rap.
petit, Lizzie Rowe, Julius FISCHER, Lou
isa Woods and Frank Gage gave corrob-
orative testimony, Gage stating that he
was with Rinkenbach up to the time of
his death.
The jury found that the deceased came
to his death by heart failure, caused by
over-exertion in fight with Tom Ward
in the Pantheon saloon.
Deceased was a native Of Germany, 30
years of age and leaves widow.
In spite of the verdict OF the jury
Ward will be tried for murder. Infor-
nation was given to the police yesterday
by witness to the fight, who declares
that Ward jumped on Rickenbsch with
his knees several times. 1t was just
after one of these blows delivered In the
vicinity of the heart that Rinkenbach
exclaimed, "Let me up; I've had
enough"