Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-27
DEATH ON THE FIELD
Witnesses Tell Of How Geo. Bahm
Was Hurt.
THAT TRAGIC Foot BALL GAME
Inquest Over the Dead Player Held
Today.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS

Coroner Hammett decided last evening
that an inquest was necessary in the case
of young George D. Bahen, the George
town University student who died yester-
day at the Emergency Hospital. as re-
suit of injuries received IN the Thanksgiv-
ing day foot ball game between George
town and the Columbia Athletic Club.
1t was thought at first by the family and
friends of the unfortunate young man that
the facts of the case were clear, and that
an inquest would not be necessary. The
body would probably have been removed
20 Richmond this morning for burial had
this been the case. but the decision of the
coroner necessitated a postponement Of
the funeral, which will be held tomorrow
n Crning.
The inquest, which was intended to get
at the bottom of the unfortunate occur
renee, If possible. was held at O'Clock this
afternoon at the sixth precinct station, on
New Jersey avenue A number of wit
resses had been summoned to appear at
the inquest, among them several of the
foot ball players who took part in the
game that had such q sad outcome. The
TRY, after beirg sworn. were taken to No.
% II street northeast to view the remains,
and then returned to the station house and
the hearing was begun.
The jury consisted of Alfred L. Wilson
George G.. Ott. Lawrence A. Latchford
harry Smith, j. T. Fleischauer and r. A.
Parton.
The Ipjuries.
The first witness called was DR., James
Kerr. who had charge of the case from the
first, four months to a day. He found
Bahen suffering from fracture of the GER
Vical vertebrate, and paralyzed from the
shoulders down. An operation was pei
formed. which showed a dislocation he
an6 fvfh npvrioo
brae, and the spinal cord crushed between
the two bones. The injured man never re-
covered the use of any part of the body
supplied by the spinal cord below the point
or dislocatton. He died as result Of the
injury, the immediate cause of death being
the action of the paralysis upon the hlad-
der and kidneys. He lived longer than such
cases usually do, but he lied practically
from exhaustion. He never suffered pain,
and there were no complications.
DR.. Glazcbrook, the deputy coroner. de-
scribed the results of the autopsy held yes
terday, and which showed tho correctness
Of the views held by the physicians at the
hospital. From being a magnificent speci-
men OF man young Bahen had become
emaciated so that he was but a shadow OF
his former self. At the time of his death
he weighed less than 100 pounds. DR..
Glazebrook said that Bahen must have died
long ago If it had not been for the admir-
able care and attention which he had re-
ceived at the hospital.
Norman McElroy, who works about the
base ball grounds. was next called as q
witness. He told what he saw of the foot
running with the ball when he was tackled
by a player on the other side and down
ed" He saw no evidences of unusual
roughness In the play, but saw the man
IDENTIFY hurt.
Witness said that Bahen, when tackled,
fell backward and it was then that he was
hurt
Frank De Neale who is in charge of the
grounds where the game was played. testi-
fled that he did not see the accident, but
saw the injured man put in cab.
Policeman Mitchell who was on duty at
the grounds that day. was called as a wit
ness, but it appeared that he, too, did not
see the actual occurrence and he was ex-
cused.
Policeman ]. T. Kennedy was also on the
grounds, but he. too, could not say that he
saw the particular incident in question. He
saw several men carried off the field, but
did not know which was Bahen.
A Players Description.
Alfred Bryan Leete was the next witness
called. He is a bank clerk and was the
left end on the Columbia team that day.
He described the game briefly and the way
it Is played. Bahen's play was to take
care of the man on the end, Leete himself.
His own duty was to look after the man
who had the ball.
He saw the player coming toward him,
and in trying to interfere he struck Bahen
about the waist striking him with his
shoulder. He stopped Bahen, but there was
no foul play Of any sort. Others of the
Georgetown team fell on Bahen, and the
doctors had assured the witness that the
injury must have been made by a blow
kick or strike the PROSTATE man himself,
and that none Of the Columbia team did.
DIR. Hammett explained that In his opin-
ion the fracture of the cervical vertebrae
from the front. and that the natural con-
clusion was that Bahen was injured either
by a kick or blow from the rear.
In answer to a question from juror
town men fell on Bahen, as it was what
was known as tandem play" He
thought the two men were Big Mahoney
and Murphy.
Any unnecessary roughness in the game
is punishable by the rules of the game,
said Leete, and at the coroner's request he
outlined briefly the methods Of the game
and the rules that govern it. Leete said
that he was a personal friend of Bahen's,
and had visited him at the hospital after
the accident. On the occasion of his visit
Bahen said to him: II did not think you
would do 1t, but If the game had been
fairly played do not think it would ever
have happened"
Leete said that he did not think any one
had kicked the fallen man by accident.
Bahen was all doubled up when he fell.
Leete did not attempt to evade any of
the questions. that were, put to him, and
said that he did not desire to shirk any re-
sponsibility at all that might attach to
him, his only desire being to sift the whole
natter to the bottom. His evidence made
a good impression upon the jury. and DR..
Hammett's explanations to the jury were
all to the effect that he did not think the
injury to Bahen could have been caused by
Leete'S interference"
Leete said that Bahen was not uncon-