The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-04-22

eral appearance of the place. aroused his
suspicious and he reported the matter to
Coroner Hughes, who called uUon the
specialist.
when I opened the subject" said the
Coroner, she Immediately said. "Oh, l
didn't give it anything which tended TO
confirm my suspicious that there had been
foul play, so I ordered an immediate au-
to- sy.
"Dr. Ryan removed the stomach and
made a complete examination of the body,
but found all the organs healthy. The
stomach was then chemically analyzpd by
DIR. Charles L. Darlington and found 0
contain quantity of tincture Of opium OF
laudanum. There was enough to kill two
or three full-grown men.
The case was at once reported to the
police and the woman was yesterday ar
rested"
AT 10 o'clock yesterday morning the in
quest was held, about dozen witnesses
testlfying.
Isiiore Cohen, a clerk in the employ of
Philip Flatow. WHO keeps a drugstore on
the corner of Geary and Jones streets, tes-
tilted that last Sunday he filled pTescriD-
ton of DR.. Louis Stern. and took il TO
the house of DR.. Laphame, but he does not
know to whom he handed 1t, as the hallway
Of the house was dark.
DR.. Louis Stern next testified that last
Friday evening he was called in by DIR. Lap
hame to treat another woman who had
given birth to a child the previous Wednes-
day and who was suffering with perltODitis.
He called on Saturday, and again Oh Sun
day, when he prescribed the tlucture Of
opium to relieve her intense pain.
II had never been at the house before,
except upon one occasion, about month
ago, when the doctor called me in to treat
her for carbolic acid dropped in the eye. l
do not know the reputation of the house.
but / should judge from its appearance and
also from the sign at the gate that the
woman is not engaged in lawful occupa-
ton.
II remember that just as l came from the
house on Sunday evening DR.. Laphame
came out of the parlor with child in her
arms, which was not that OF the woman l
had been treating, and, holding it out to
me, asked, DO you think 1t is healthy,
doctor? See how small it is said, We'll.
o t1s "eaa Is fA'n'f ''na''' anu 'HeH passed.
Then the woman who styles herself Dr.
Belinda Laphame was examined. She talks
with marked brogue, is very Yolu0le, but
also very irrelevant.
She said she is So wears of age aud has
kept the private hospital at 526 Geary street
for about eight months. About year and
a half ago she came to this country from
Australia, where she says her husband was
a practiclng physician.
"1ave you certificate, diploma or other
license to practiee?"
II had all of them, but lost them in
please state when Mrs. Williams came
20 your place and all that has occurred
since"
"She came TO me with her mother. Mrs.
Manning, and said that had been recon-
mended to her by some one in San Jose.
She came from San Jose on last Saturday
week. She said she was very poor and L
agreed to take her for $50, instead of S25.
which is NV regular price.
81 saw her husband, or some man that
she said was. or course he didn't stay at
my house. Last Sunday night at half-past
10 the baby was born. The child was sickly
and unhealthy from the moment OF its
birth.
MRS. Burmlster, a neighbor, was with
The child until O'Clock in the morning.
On Tuesday, at about o'clock, the Infant
lied and | went down to see about having
Il buried"
'Who was in the house at the time be-
Iides yourself, Mrs. Williams and her
nother?"
Mrs. Hogan and Mrs. Blankall, who are
visiting me-"
who had charge of the baby from the
lime ii was born until il died?"
Only myself" replied the witness. Part
of the time it was with the mother. But
Iha was very sick. Mrs. Burmister was
there at first"
What did you feed it?"
Just little milk and oil. 1t wouldn't
take much"
Did you give it anything else?"
well, gave it a compile of drops OF pare
gOric before itded L got it from FlalOw's.
gave 1t in the ><STning."
when dis the mother see the child last?"
II 'ae morning / took 1t up for her to
ove. don't think it had more than twenty
bpoonfuls OF milk altogether"
The witness further testified that she
had handled from fifty TO a hundred con-
hnement cases since she opened the hospital
ana had had good deal OF experience in
Australia before she came here, ana had
also worked at the same business in Cork,
Ireland. She vigorously denied all unlaw-
1ul practices and swore that she never took
women. except those who were about to be
confined. although she did treat women for
special troubles.
An advertisement which the woman had
inserted in the daily papers for some time
was read TO her. II was like those of the
ordinary male and female practitioners of a
crime severely condemned by law.
Now. what do you mean by thls?"
u copied il from another advertisement"
you give these pills in all cases?"
No; | never rive medicines to women
about to be roufin ed"
''For how many babies have you obtained
adoption? ?"
"0h, about ten,"
On further examination she contradicted