The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-01-23
WAS SHE AIDED?
Mrs. S. z. BetZ Dies From
an Operation.
HER ANTE-MORTEM LETTER.
In Which She Declares That She
Did 1t Alone.
AN INQUEST TO BE HELD.
When an Endeavor Will Be Made to
Determine if Any One Assisted
the Woman.
AN INQUEST TO BE HELD.

Mrs. Violet X. BetZ, who was living
with her husband and her sister, Mrs DR..
Maude InmaD. at 939 Mission street, died
yesterday morning from the effects OF a
criminal operation performed, as per GER
tificste left by her, by herself, without the
aid of any other person. The body was
turned over to MessTs. Halsted & Co., IN
dertakers, for burial. but when they made
application to Drs. Clark and Giberson of
119 Powell street. the attending physi-
clans, for a certificate of death it was re-
fused. La consequence the body was
turned over to the Coroner for investiga-
tion.. DR.. O'COnnOr made an autopsy late
yesterday afternoon, which disclosed the
cause Of death as eported-typical septi-
c8mia.
The circumstances surrounding the death
point to, some other persons than the
woman herself as being connected with
the operation. although not either OF the
attending physicians.
Mrs. Betz, who was a Miss Smith. met
and married Stephen r. Betz about six
years ago, and to them a girl was born,
now two years old. About a year ago she
met William Logan, who called at the house at
the request Of Mrs. Dr. lnman. Logan's visits
became more frequent, until the husband be-
gan 10 object to the attentions he Claimed Mrs.
BetZ receiving from him. This resulted IN
frequent quarrels, until ABOUT six months go
BetZ openly accused his wife Of being too
friendly with Logan and left her. Logan con-
finued his visits 10 the house and would take
Mrs. BetZ out TO the theaters aud other places
In october last Mrs. BetZ applied for a divorce
from her husband, charging desertion. which
was granted October 26 in Judge CARRIERS
court. On the 9th of the following month she
was married 10 Logan and look up her resi-
dence with Mrs. Dr. Inman again. Shortly
after her marriage with Logan he began TO
abuse and maltIeat her, often kicking her
downstairs, and several times threatening to
Kill her. She stood his abuse quietly until
about SIX weeks ago. when she discovered that
Logan was already married and had wife aud
child IN the East She confronted MIN with her
discovery, and a reward was given ali I'M
merciful beating and told that she must live
with him or he would Kill her. In few days
the quarrel was made up and all would prob
ably have gone on well had ii not been for the
fact that Stephen r. BetZ appeared upon the
scene. He and her sister, DR.. Inman, had an
interview with Mrs. Logan, which resulted in
reuniting of the divorced couple.
Before carrying ont this plan, however,
Logan had 10 be got rid of, so few days later
he was arrested, charged with stealing trunk
from 939 Mission street and with being
burglar. To add TO the sensational features of
The trial when The case came up Mrs. DR.. In
man TOOK he stand ana teStlhed that besides
all these Logan was murderer. inasmuch as
lie had compelled his wife TO submit 10 a crimi-
nal operation.
Logan once out of the way, Betz and his for
mer wife assumed matrimonial relations with
out going through any form Of service. The
marriage VIII Logan was simply overlooked,
and they were happy. Shortly after taxing
up with mis- wife BetZ made discovery.
On Saturday, January Is. DR.. GiberSOn was
called in by Mrs. Dr. IDman TO attend Mrs
Betz, who was suffering from what DIR. Inman
said she did not know. On arriving at the
house DIR. Glbers0n made an examination ana
found the woman suffering from a criminal Op-
Grafton. de told the women present-Mrs.
Smith, her mother; the nurse, Mrs. Allison, and
Mrs. DIR. Inman-that he would 90 no further
i'll the case unless certificate were signed by
Mrs. BetZ as TO who performed the operation
The following was then drawn up and signed:
SAN FRA NCIsCo Jan. IL. 1894.
This is TO certify that /, Violet Betz am now
suffering from the effects of an operation which
brought on myself and that no one assisted me in
It. MRS. VIOLET BETz.
Witnessed by Mrs. Peter Smith and Mrs.
Allison.
After receiving the certificate DR.. Giberson
agreed to continue in the case. In speaking
OF the case that same day Mrs. BelZ told DR..
Giberson that the cause of her trouble was be-
cause she had been kicked in the stomach by
William Logan before he left her. On the fol.
lowing day blood poisoning set in, and at the
woman's request DR.. William d. Clark, who
occupies offices with DR.. GiberSon. was called
Ia In consultation. -Four days later she ap-
parenty began TO recover, but finally became
worse and sank rapidly until she died yesterday
The autopsy revealed the worst case of blood
poisoning that has come into the Coroner's
Office for long time. An inquest will be held
to-day aud effort made to ascertain if the
operation was performed by Mrs. Betz
herself