New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-03-21
cuOT FROM THE RIGHT.
,,,r SECOND AUTOPSY ON MISS FULLER
BREAKS THE THEORY OF SUICIDE.
-, ou.pr SAYS THE PISTOL WAS AT LEAST
TWO FEET AWAY FROM HER HEAD WHEN
,,,,, e,,,, WAS FIRED. AND THE BALL
ENTERED TIE RIGHT TEMPLE
SUGGESTIONS OF AN
ACCIDENT.

SUGGESTIONS OF AN
ACCIDENT
That Martha T. Fuller died by murder and not
bv her own hand seems now to be concusively
established The second autopsy made yester-
dov this time by Deputy Coroner DR.. OHare
and DR. Charles Phelps. visiting surgeon at
pal,evue and St Vincent hospitals. has settled
,his much-vexed. much-discussed point almost
hevond the possibility Of a doubt The autopsy
hos NOT only demonstrated the manner of Miss
1,,I1er,s death. II has also destroyed the effect
of that part Of the case bearing on the half
o,oved left hand and the buethole in the left
side of the forehead
Drs O'Hare and Phelps are sure that the
bulIet entered the brain of the woman from the
rgbt side Of the head. passing out at the left.
AT first sight this would seem to support Magee's
suggestion Of suicide. But the surgeons are
Nth SIR, thai the wound was not sef-innicted.
ord that ~ was fred from distance Of at least
two feet "Unless a pretty long experience in
wounds Of this character goes for nothing said
Dr O'Hare Yesterday. that bullet was fired by
q hand other than that of Miss Fuller. No bullet
of that calibre C3> fired by suicide ever yet
failed TO leave the marks of powder or singed
o,sb around the edges Of the wound. In support
81 the decision that the bullet was fired into the
right temple Dr. O'Ilare advances the following
nropositions: First. that the skull was fractured
clear around the top of the head Second that
the bones shattered by the bullet in its course
had been driven from right to left Third, tha'
the force OF the bali was diminished by contact
with the tissue of the brain. and that in its exi,
on the left side it left. therefore. larger wound
Hinder the wound in the left side of the head
,ov tho clorged mass Of tissue while the wound
in the right side practically free from oD-
structon.'
Asked TO explain the presence Of the gash on
the right temple, DR.. OHare simply replied
"Oh. that cut was simply superficial, and was
nrobably made by Or. Conway when ne first
examined the wound. As matter OF fact the
hole on that side was actually the smaller Oh 'he
Two" The wound made by the entry or the
bullet was oblong. half an inch in length ana
three-eighths OF al. inch wide; that in the LETT
side was an inch and half long and three
quarters OF an inch wide.
The result OF the second autopsy the marks le't
by the bullet taken with the remarkable story
told by j. Frank Herman Editor Of The Retail
LIQUOR Dealer" and by John +. Riley the law
yer both Of whom have ofiices In the building on
the floor inmedla ,ely above Mr. Mullens rooms
90 TO show tina; Miss Fuller was shot as she
stood with her back to the window having ap-
parently riser from chair to leave the room
MR.. kEkNAN'S SIcff.
After telling Low he and Mr.. Riley heard the
shot, which they at first took to be escaping
steam; how as re went downstairs. three min
utes later he heard Magee cry out for help; how
ba turned back to the second floor. and met
in the hallway by Magee. who caught him by the
arm, saying: For Heavens sake, come into
the office; there has been dreadIuI dcclueht'
Mr.. Herman says:
into a
position on the floor, with her back against the
radiator, a young woman. The radiator stands
against the window. which looks out on
Nassau-st The blind was up exposing the in
terror OF the office 10 those in the Bennett Build
ing opposite Her legs were extended out
toward the rear Of the room: her head was in
cined slightly 70 the left side. the blood flowing
from the wound in the temple. Win the in
unct of an old newspaper man, mad looked
first for the revolver. a as sure as can De
Of anything in the world thai there was no re-
vover in any part of the room when entered
It. Nor was H. under or near the body OF the
woman when ! knel, down by her side and drew
her forward so that her head rested on the ilOOr
The second thing that struck ne was the posi-
ton Of the chair at that end OF the room II
at the left side Of the woman. between Ma
gees desk and the radiator and was turned half
around. as If somebody in rising had impauently
pushed II kicked 1t aside. Behind the chair
was revolving bookcase said to Mage:
middle Of the room. As ! went on; Of the room
TO call policeman asked Mage to put some
thing under her head. But he shrunk away as
II unwilling 10 touch her; and did it,
HE saw No REVOLVER.
Mr.. Herman ran out into Nassau-st. and called
policeman and went home. Mr.. Riley. enter
Ing the room with Mr. Herman saw no revolver.
although he too searched for it. Yet. two minutes
later Magee is heard to reprove Brannigan. the
office boy for lifting the revolver from the floor
TO the top Of the ro-desk In this little room,
Six feet wide and about fourteen long. there are
two desks-that used by Magee. In the centre OF
the northern wall and that used by Miss Fuller.
Which IS diagonaliy opposite and nearer the win
dow.
Mr.. Kernans statement the bruise of the bal
let in the steampipe and the wall and the posi-
uon Of the articles in the room make clear the
probable position Of Miss Fuller when the bullet
struck her She had started up from the chair
putting on her gloves and standing near the
north upper end of the room. in a line with the
steampipe The shot fired from point be-
tween the two desks nearer the lower or door
end Of the room and on the south side. Thus
the bullet passing In an upward slant through
her head. struck the pipe. glanced off and en-
bedded itself IL the wall The two pools OF
blood one in the centre of the room between the
two desks. and the other against the radiator
show that Miss Fuller had fallen on her back
In the first instance. and was probably hf,ed
into n sitting position against the radiator De-
Tore Mr.. Herman entered the room
ONE POINT OVERLOOKED.
One significant point has passed without pre-
vious notice. Magee has said that he was in the
outer Office washing his hands when ne heard
the shot. But in his own room the room III
which Miss Fuller was siSt, are the washstahu
and towel-raek usual IN such Offices These ne
had always used. and had never been known 70
wash in the outer Office which is commonly used
py the Junior clerks and Office boys.
No other fact % any importance was developer
yesterday Detective Sergeants Mcc!uskey anu
i1tus walked around with an air of mystery
but did nothing in particular, although NC
Cluskey present at the autopsy. Propapi;y
ne Cleaned something later when he had 'alh
with DR.. Sauce. the girls physician. buy ne ~
Iused to say anything about H. Dr. william d;
O'Sullvan and Charles W. Brooke representeu,
the defence at the autopsy and seemed pIeaseu
at the result
Magee acting under the advice Of counsel has
stopped talking about the case. MI. Mullen Iei,