Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-28
GEO. BAHEN'S DEATH
THE CORONER's JURY UNABLE TO
SAY WHO WAS TO BLAME.
OMcial investigation Yesterday
nGements for the Funeral Not
Ia Arrive To-day.

The Coroner's inquest into the causes OF
the death OF George ID. Bahen. the stu
dent-foot-ball player. took place I'm Wash
ington yesterday. After having sifted all
the testimony the jury returned YER
dict to the effect that 1t was unable 10
tell who was to blame In the unfortunate
affair.
The remains are expected TO arrive
here on the fast mail this afternoon, and
the funeral will, II is understood, take
place from the Cathedral on Saturday,
though the hour and details OF the final
rites have not as yet been fixed. Obsequles
will also be held in Trinity church,
Georgetown, this morning. They will be
OF the most impressive character. The
body now lies in state, under guard OF
the students Of Georgetown College
These services will be held at 9 o'clock
when the procession will form at the col
lege building and will march down to
Trinity church. 1t will consist OF the
celebrant Of the mass, the deacon and as
slstant deacons. acolytes, and the vested
choir OF the college. Solemn high mass
OF requiem will be celebrated at the
chapel The celebrant Will be Rev. j.
Ravens Richards. rector OF the university;
the deacon, Rev. J. -. STAFFORD. ;. j..
and sub-dcacon. Mr.. J. ". Corbett. = j.
The pall-bearers will be chosen from
the members of the junior class, 10
whieh BahoE belonged. They Will oe
Robert Dick Douglas. James II. Dugan,
Thomas G. Nelson. Outerbridgc Horsey.
Francis Il. McDermott. william f.. Roach.
Howard J. Kelley, and Richard j. Har-
ley.
After the celebration OF the mass 10y
Rev. Father Richards the body will be
carried at once TO the Baltimore ana Po-
tomac depot and placed on the 1927 train
LOT Richmond. accompanied by commit
tee of the students from the college.
THE CORONER'S INQUEST.
Coroner Uammett conducted the in
quest at the Sixth-Preclnct Station at ]
o'clock yesterday afternoon. AMI the
Washington Star OF yesterday contained
the following report of the testimony in
the case:
The first witness called was Or. James
Kerr. who had charge OF the case from
the first. four months to day. He
found Bahen suffering from fracture OF
the cervical vertebrae. and IGralyzed
| was performed, which showed "A dislo-
cation between the fifth and sixth cervi-
| cal vertebrate, and the spinal cord crush
| "a between the two bones. The injured
man never recovered the use Of any part
| OF the body supplied by the spinal cord
| below the point of dislocatiOn. He died
| as a result Of the injury the immediate
| cause Of death being the action Of the
| paralysis upon the bladder and kidneys.
| He lived longer than such cases usually
| do. but he died practically from exhaus-
tion. He never suffered pain, and there
| were no complications.
| "Dr. Glazebrook. the Deputy Coroner
described the results Of the autopsy held
Yesterday and which showed the correct
| ness Of the vtws held by the physicians
| at the hospital. From being a maGnin-
| cent specimen Of a man young Bahcn han
| become cmaciated so that he was but \
| shadow Of his former self. At the time
| Of his death he weighed less than TO-
| pounds. Dr GlaZebrook said that Rahen
must have died long ago il it had no.
| been for the admirable care and atten-
! ton which no had received at the hOspi-
tai.
THE FATAL TACKLE.
Norman McElroy, who works about
| the baseball grounds. was next called as
| n witness. He told what he saw Of the
football game last Thanksgiving. Bahen
| was running with the ball when he was
tackled by player on the other side
and 'downed He saw no evidence of
unusual roughness In the play. but saw
the man carried from the field grooming
ana evidently hurt.
Witness said that Rshen. when tackled.
f.l backward and it was then that he
vas hurt
a PLAYERS DESCRIPTION.
alfred Bryan Leete was called. He
| is bank clerk. and was the left end on
| the Columbia team that day. He de-
| scrbed the game briefly and the way IT
| is played Bahens play WAS 10 take
| care Of the man on the end. Leote him
! self His own duty was to look after the
man who had the bail.
ale saw the player coming toward
! him. and in trying to interfere he struck
| Bahen about the waist. striking him
| with his shoulder. lie 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 bv blow from the rear. Leete
| said that he did not kick or strike the
PROSTATE man himself. and that none OF
! the Columbia team did.
| "Dr. Hammctt explained that In his
! opinion the fracture Of the cervical verte-
hrae never could have been caused by a
blow from the front. and that the natural
conclusion was that Bahen was injured
either bv "A kick or blow from the rear.
"In answer to a question from a juror
| Lccte said that at least two of the George
town men fell on Bahen, as II was what
| was known "a tandem play lie
| thought the two men were Big Mahoney
and Murphy.
4 FRIEND OF BAHEN'S.
"Any unnecessary rouGhness in the
game is punishable by the rules Of the
| game, said Lcete. and at the Coroner 5
| request he outlined briefly the methods
of the game and the rules that govern II.
Lcete said that he was personal friend
Of Bahen's and had visited him AT the
| hospital after the accident. On the occa-
sion OF his visit Bahen said TO him: 1
did not think you would do 1t. but II
the game had been fairly played ! do
not think 1t would ever have happened
"Lce'e said that he did not think any
| one had kicked the fallen man by acct
dent Bahen was all doubled up when
! he fell
'Leete did not attempt to evade any
! Of the questions that were put Ia him,
and said that he did not desire 10 shirk
any responsibility at all that might attach
| ''s nlAl' MS ohI! uesiIe pelHS ~ SUI tHt
| whole matter TO the bottom. His evil
dence made 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 interior
| ence'
"Loete said that Bahen was not uncou
sc.cuS when he was picked up, and seem
I cd 10 realize what was going on.
SPECTATORS TESTIFY.
Wilson Young. a spectator at the sain'
and classmate of Bahcn. was called. IL
said he thought Bahen was jumped on b,
| some one. He did not know by whom
| Leete struck Bahen somewhere below III,
| chest and he did not think II was Leet,