The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-29

ever was taken in the inquest on the body
of Mrs Schmidt. The husband of the
dead woman was the first witness called,
and as he took the stand Attorney M. j.
Waldheimer took a seat not far away.
Jacob Dietrich, the divorced husband of
Mrs. Schmidt. was an interested spectator.
He was on friendly terms with the wild
over and seemed prepared to testify in his
behalf if called upon.
In his testimony Schmidt said his wife
had on several occasions threatened to
take her own life. She was respondent
over the case pending against her in the
Superior Court for having performed
criminal operation on Louise Hauser. 81
was acquitted, said the doctor, triumph
antly, "but my wife was held to answer"
Have you ever seen this latter DeforeP"
asked the Coroner, at the same time hand
ing him the following:
SAN FRANCISCO, June 8, 1895.
This is to certify that l, Mrs. A. Mettler, on
or about the 9Th inst received treatment from
Mrs Dr. Goodwin at 1920 Market street OF this
City, for criminal purpose. In the meantime
the said Mrs. Goodwin was arrested and failed
to attend to me to completion of the work, and
accordingly l applied to DR.. C. ]. Schmidt to
attend to me. In case of any accident ] exon
crate him from all blame. Mrs. A. METTLER.
Witnesses: Mrs. DR.. Schmidt and DR.. Field.
The witness admitted having received
the document from Mrs. Mettler and said
the woman lived somewhere on Elsie
street, near West avenue. He admitted
that Mrs. Goodwin and the notorious Mrs.
Lapham were one and the same person,
and that Mrs. Mettler told him she had
been operated upon. He persisted how
ever that he only took the case in the regu-
lar course of practice and secured the GER
tificate to protect himself. Asked why
he did not report the matter to the police
or District Attorney, the only excuse he
could give was that he did not know that
that was the proper course to pursue.
At this point Waldheimer wanted to
ask some questions, but was promptly sup
pressed by the Coroner, who told him to
mind his own business as ne was conduct
ing the inquiry.
Wilhelmina Dietrich, who said she was
daughter of the deceased and q milliner at
219 Sixth street, said there were two causes
for her mothers suicide. One was her IN
happy family life and the other grief over
the suicide of her sister. On several occa-
sions she had heard her mother say she
was tired of living. On one occasion Dr.
Schmidt fired shot in the kitchen while
she and her mother were at work, but
whether at her mother or not she could not
tell, as her back was toward them. Schmidt
walked up behind his wife and fired.
These were all the witnesses called, and
the jury brought in verdict to the effect
that the deceased committed suicide
through temporary insanity caused by
family troubles"
DR.. Schmidt wanted to make an explana-
ton of his conduct to the assembled crowd,
but DR.. Hawkins very promptly ordered
him to keep quiet.
The case of William T. Oliver, who died
from opium poisoning at 1921 Vallejo
street, was the next case examined into.
DR.. O. w. Jones told how he found the pa
tent on the morning of his death and said
he learned from his chemist that Oliver
was in the habit of purchasing half-ounce
bottles OF the drug at one time. Mrs.
Nellie Oliver, however, swore that her hus-
band never used opium and she never saw
any of it in the house. Her husband had
been sick six months, but had no troubles
to worry over.
After the verdict of accidental death had
been brought in the Coroner called Mrs.
Oliver again and questioned her as to what
insurance was on her husbands life. She
was only able to inform him of one COM
pany in which he held a small policy.
In the case of Mrs. Minnie Schmalholz
the verdict was suicide by Rough on
Rats" r. II. PAIL, father of the deceased.
denied emphatically ever having stated
that his daughter had been criminally
operated upon.
R. T. Chamberlin shot himself on one
of the Oakland steamers and Charles FL
sasser on his wife's grave.