The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-05-09

Officers will be elected at the next meet
ing OF the association.
Coroner Baldwin Mystified.
The more he investigates the case of
Sydney Smith, whose body arrived here
on Tuesday from Rawlins, Wyo., the
more mystihed does Coroner Baldwin be-
come, and he has decided to postpone the
inquest until he hears from the police OF
Rawlins, from whom he hopes to obtain
some definite information.
An autopsy was held by DR.. Webster
and DR.. Crowley yesterday, and the TACT
was developed that Smith did not die OF
hanging. for no indications that he had
been strangled could be found. The back
of the head was badly cut and bruised and
several Commissions of the face and neck
were found.
The physicians came to the conclusion
that he died of conclusion OF the praln,
though no fracture OF the skull coulo De
found 1t is now believed by the st. An
drew's Society, under whose auspices
Smith was buried yesterday, that the first
news of his death was authentic, and that
he was killed in some accident which the
railroad company is anxious to hush up.
The first intimation that his friend was
dead came to Alexander Thompson, to
meet whom Smith was on his way to Cali
fornia, through the medium OF dispatch
from W. H. Bancroft, division superinten-
dent of the Union Pacific at Laramie. The
message read as follows:
PARTY named Sydney Smith from Buckle,
Scotland, was accidentally killed by one of our
trains yesterday, and his remains are now at
Laramie Wyo. Can you advise disposition of
them.
Mr. Thompson and the members of the
society supposed that the matter was as
reported BY the railroad employee, and
were very much surprised when the death
certificate, which was found in an envelope
inside the coffin, gave the cause of death as
suicide by hanging in the Carbon County
Jail at Rawlins.
They Immediately began a correspond
ence with the Rawlins authorities. but up
to last evening had received no further in
formation. The mystery of the case is
deepened by two kilograms from Rawlins
which were printed in a Laramie (Wyo-
ming) paper of February %, which was
received by DR.. n. K. Foster of this city
yesterday.
The first was dated February IS, and
stated that Sydney Smith, man about 40
years old, had jumped from the west
bound train and rushed uptown in a de-
mented condition. He was caught and
taken to the jail and, later, recovered
his reason and admitted that he had been
drinking heavily for several days. The
dispatch closed by saying that he was
better.
The second telegram was dated the fol-
lowing day and contained the following
words:
Sydney Smith, the Englishman who was
taken from the westbound passenger train
last evening in a demented condition, was
found dead in his cell this morning, he having
committed suicide.
These conflicting statements have
aroused the suspicious OF the members of
the local branch of the ST. Andrews So
ciety and they will investigate the case
thoroughly.
The physician who signed the death GER
tificate, DR.. Maghee, is said by DR.. Foster.
who is well acquainted with him, to be a
reputable practitioner. DR.. Foster believes
that if Smith was killed IN an accident the
Rawlins physician was imposed upon by
some one and induced to sign the certifi-
cate without actually knowing the cause of
death.
BerkeIey's Flower Show.
The flower carnival at Stiles Hall, for
which the ladies of the First Unitarian
Church have been preparing for the past
ten days, will open this morning at 10
o'clock.
The principal decorations of the hall
will be bamboo and snowballs, and the
exhibits themselves will consist largely of
roses. carnations and pelargoniums.
The reward for the largest and best coll
lection of roses will be a copy of the illus
trated History of the University of Cali
fornia."
A study in oil will be given for the best
twelve roses displayed in separate glasses.
For the six best varieties of roses in
separate glasses hand-painted mouchoir-
case will be given.
Other prizes will be given for the best
collection of roses exhibited by amateurs,
for the best display of wildfiowers, the best
collection of pelargoniums, the choicest
display of carnations, the best collection
Of ferns, and the choicest display of esch-
scholtzias.
The best rose in the carnival will be de-
cided by popular vote this afternoon and
evening, and the owner will be rewarded
with handsome Royal Worcester plate.
A concert, under the direction of w. w,
Davis, will be rendered on each of the two
evenings of the carnival. The committee
which has had the arrangements in charge
consists OF Mrs. W. H. Smyth, Mrs. R. W.
Brehm, Miss G. Bates, Mrs. Vale and Mrs.
William Wattles.
Lambert Pleads Not Guilty.
Walter Lambert, ex-clerk of the Police
Court, who is charged with embezzlement
of public money, pleaded not guilty in
Judge Frick's court yesterday after an ap-
plication for more time to plead had been
denied by the court.
Attorney Abbott, who appeared to de-
fend the accused, entered demurrer on
two grounds, the first being that the in
dictment did not state that the money was
such as the defendant had right to re-
ceive or the purpose for which it was re-
ceived.
The second ground was that the indict-
ment was not definite on the point that
the money was such as he was required to
turn over at specified time, also that if
such time was specified it had not passed
at the time of the alleged misrepresentation.
Judge Prick overruled the demurrer and
will set a date for the case to go to trial
this morning.
Professor Jordan's Lectures.
Professor David Starr Jordan, president
of the Leland Stanford Jr. University, will
deliver the second of a series of lectures at
the Unitarian church, Fourteenth and
Castro streets, this evening. The address
will be entitled "Altruism. Socialism and
Individualism" and will be discussion of
the points raised by Professor Heron in
his recent lectures in this city.
Damage Suit.
Attorney William w. Waste, whose
fiancee was killed, and who was himself
severely injured, by the colliding of local
train with streetcar in which the couple