The San Francisco call., 1895-12-22
CEHSURED The POLICE,
An Injured Man Dies Ten Minutes
After Leaving the City
Prison.
HOSPITAL STEWARD ERRED
Finnigan Received No Medical Atten
tion and Died Twelve Hours
After Injury.
OAKLAND OFFICE, SAN FRANCISCO CALL,
9OS Broadway, Dec. 81.

An autopsy was held to-day on the body
OF Michael J. Finnigan. the man who died
suddenly at the Receiving Hospital last
night. 1t was shown that the mans skull
was fractured and that he died of his in
iuries. Finnigan was knocked down by
an electrician and after going to the hos
pital was taken to the prison and booked
for drunkenness.
The hospital steward declares that there
was nothing the matter with Finnigan
when brought into the hospital.
when he came in," said Steward Vic
tory, 81 examined him from head to foot.
There were no scratches on his head or
body. 1 examined his head carefully and
then made him strip that [ could examine
his body. He objected to this saying that
he was not injured at all. He admitted
that he was drunk and walked about ex-
cltedly. a little later Officer Rand tele-
phoned to know how badly the man was
injured and I told him there was nothing
the matter with him, and 1 was told to
hold him until the patrol wagon came.
supervisor Church was present during
the examination and heard him say that
he was not hurt He told Officer Rand be
was drunk and did not want to go the
City Hall. am positive the man was all
right when he left my hands. l had moth
ing to do with his being locked up. When
be was brought back last night his head
was badly crushed, as could be seen at a
glance. | believe he fell while in the cell
and struck his head against the cell, in
flicting the injury"
Officer Rand says he took Finnigan to
the receiving hospital and later a call
came from the jail telling him to come and
take him away, as he was drunk. Il went
down" said Rand "and found he could
walk and talk. He smelled stronlv of
liquor and l thought he was drunk and
took him to the City Hall, locking him up
as any other drunk"
Finnigan's friends declare that it is ab-
surd to say that he was drunk when going
to his work in the morning. The smell of
liquor is easily accounted for. The place
where the accident occurred is near the
house OF Mr.. Davis, an insurance man.
When he saw the nearly insensible condi-
ton of Finnigan he Immediately brought
some whisky and poured some down the
injured mans throat. Davis says that
some of the whisky was spilled, and of
course would be readily smelled.
Joseph Kelly, cellmate of Finnigan
at the City Prison, was the first to inform
the officials that Finnigan was very sick
man. He was seen By DR.. Mayon, or
dered to the hospital and died in ten min
utes after arrival.
An inquest was held tonight and sey-
eraI doctors gave expert testimony regard
ing the effect of conclusions on the brain
and all agreed that for Finnigan not to
feel any pain for so long after he was hurt
was almost without precedent.
The jury returned a verdict censuring
the Police Department for not giving atten-
ton to Finnigan earlier and for permitting
him TO languish whole day without CALI
ing in doctor or doing anything to re-
lieve him.
They also found that the steward of the
Rece1 wing Hospital erred in allowing Fin
nigan 10 leave that institution without be-
ing ex amined by doctor.