Delaware gazette and state journal., 1895-12-05

ment1a. lie had evidently boon miner,
and was difficult to manage when in
his obstinate moods.
The origin Of the alleged expose DR..
Hancker believed to be the dismissal
OF tho man Oakes on October 25th.
Oakes was an attendant in the ward Of
which Michael Lynch had charge, at
the time of Pisa's death, and IL he
knew of cruelty causing the mans
death he should have reported IT., as
he knew what the rules were. Lynch,
however, had reported Oakes to the
Office several times, charging him with
disobedience of orders and neglect of
duty. On October 25th Lynch made
charge of neglect of duty against
Oakes, and the latter was ordered to
report to the office. When he reported
Dr. Hancker asked him what the diff
Guilty was, and he began TO make
counter charges against Lynch, wind
ing up with the declaration that Lynch
did not know anything about hospital
business, and that he (Oakes) knew 1t
better and would not do as Lynch COM
manded.
In reply to this DR.. Hancker told
Oakes that he must obey orders or he
would be dismissed. Oakes began to
threaten an expose if he was dismissed.
He was dismissed at once.
Before going away Oakes mado
threats TO the patients, telling them to
watch the Philadelphia Inquirer, as
he would make it hot for the hospital
people.
The next incident in the story com
ing to DIR. Hancker's knowledge was
the arrival at Farnhurst of patient
known as Thomas West, alias Lord De
la ware. In DIR. Hancker's opinion
| there was no real evidence OF dementia
| In Vests conversation except the
single character OF the answers given.
| In regard to Vests charge that
Michael Lynch robbed him, that is
kept his knife and the money taken from
him on his entrance to the hospital,
DIR. Hancker says it is untrue. The
knife and money are still at the hos
pital, in thesafe, properly labeled with
Vests name. They were given to DR..
| Hancker within an hour after Vests
arrival, and have been in his possession
ever since. West could have had them
on leaving the hospital if he had asked
| for them.
The other two witnesses quoted by
| West, Robert Kenyon and Daniel M.
NAPLES, are we'll known at the hospital.
Kenyon is chronic growler and has
| been trying to get story of alleged
cruelty to patients published for several
years NAPLES is weak minded indi-
| yidual, who was committed to the hospi.
tai after having been acquitted of some
| breach of the law, on tho plea of in
sanity. His friends had arranged to
take him from the hospital Thursday.
DIR. Hancker came to town Thursday
morning, hoping that he might secure
| the release OF the men who had been
arrested, and have them return to work,
as their absence seriously cripples the
working force of the hospital. He was
not really aware of the serious nature
| OF the charge until he met Thomas B.
Smith. Leaving Mr.. Smith, DR..
Hancker went to New Castle to consult
with Dr. j. j. Black, chairman Of the
hospital board. In the meantime DIR.
Black had heard the story and gone to
the hospital {. When DR.. Hancker ar
rived home DIR. Ogle had also arrived
at the hospital. The three physicians
we're soon in consultation over the
alleged murder of Pisa. DIR. Ham
mond gave history of the case, and in
proof OF his assertion that Pisa died of
heart disease, produced the dead man 8
heart, which he had preserved because
OF its extraordinary condition.
DIR. Hancker declined TO disclose the
result of the consultation Of the
physicians. except to say that his own
conviction that Pisa died of heart dis
ease was confirmed by his (Dr.
Hancker's) examination of the mans
heart.
DR.. Hammond, in speaking of the
story Of the alleged murder said:
l sA diapnpar1 mr. 1narlKa In1ipn n n
violence. Tho only other remarkable
thing, except the condition of his
| heart, that noticed was the condition
| Of the mans lungs. They were full of
something like coal dust, and l saved a
piece of one of them as a curious
anatomical specimen. -
| DR.. Hammond's attention was called
TO the statement made by West. to the
effect that he (Hammond) and Clayton
had agreed to keep the facts pertaining
| to Pisa's death secret, He denied
that he had agreed, or even suggested
anything of the kind.
| DIR. Hammond was positive that Pisa
| died from heart disease. and believed
the condition of the mans heart would
prove it.
TUE BODY OF PISA ExHUMED.
|
on Friday in making the post mortem
examination of the body Of Pisa. Coro.
ner's Physician James Walker and DIR.
Il. G. Shortldge made the examina-
tion, had most revolving job. After
the body was taken from the grave, il
was removed from the coffin and placed
on q slate slab in the hospital morgue
II was badly deeomposed and very re-
pusive. 1t was prepared for the
physicians by Deputy Coroner James
L. Chandler and negro assistant.
Tho first step was to remove the
scalp. After that the skull was sawed
in two and the. brain was taken out
The head was then taken off. The
body was also cut open and the intes.
tines removed. Before any cutting was
done, however, u critical examination
was made of tho body, and as far as
could be ascertained no external signs
of maltreatment were visible. The
body was almost black, however, and if
there were any bruises none but the
experienced eye could detect them.
After the parts were removed from
the body they were taken charge of by
the physicians, who will make most
critical examination. As matter of
course, nothing could be learned from
the doctors while tuey were dissecting
the body, but it was whispered that
they found the skull fractured and two
ribs broken, all of which were re-
moved,
During all the time Drs. Walker and
Shortlidge were busy dissectine the
body, both were at the side of the re-
mains in the morgue and part Of the
time they were bAnt over it. The odlor
l.,.a