The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-06
MAY Be A MURDER CASE,
Doctor Robert S. Macbeth Is
Held in Custody on a
Serious Charge.
MRS. oU1NN's SUDDEN DEATH
An Autopsy Revealed That She
Died Through Criminal
Operation.

Another case in which woman had
died from the effects of a criminal opera
ton was brought to the attention OF the
authorities yesterday, and as result OF 1t
DIR. r. S. Macbeth occupies cell in the
City Prison, awaiting the placing OF a
charge of murder against his name H.
after investigation, the circumstances war
rant such action.
The victim in this case is Mrs. Catherine
Quinn, the wife of mining engineer, who
is now on his way from Mexico. The
woman died at 1908 Market street, where
she had been living with her two children,
a boy and a girl. The facts thus far OBJ
tainable and in the hands of the police
seem to implicate DR.. Macbeth in man
ner which warrants his arrest
Before her death Mrs. Quinn made a
statement which is now in the possession
of District Attorney w. S. Barnes. In 1t
she said that on the 10th of last month she
went to Dr. Macbeth's office for the pur-
pose of having an operation performed.
At the time friend of hers-Mrs. Annie
Fulton-was with her. The latter re-
manned while the operation was per-
formed. Two days afterward Mrs. Quinn
was taken very iii, and on the goth of
March she sent a request to DR.. Macbeth
to call and see her.
DR.. Macbeth refused to respond to the
call, and then Dr. Patton was called IN.
He saw that the woman was in very
serious condition and called Doctors Stone
and MAYS in to consult Their united
efforts were in vain, and Mrs. Quinn grad
ually sank until death came to her relief. -
The ante-mortem statement was taken
in the presence of Assistant District At
tOrney Peixotto and Detectives Gibson and
Hogan.
When taken to the City Prison DR.. Mac
beth who is a middle-aged man, and who
has been in practice in this city for over
thirty years, refused to have anything to
say regarding the case All that he would
say was that he knew he had done no
wrong, and that when his case came up
for trial he could prove his innocence. He
had been taken into custody before Mrs.
Quinn's death, but when informed later
that the woman was dead he expressed but
little concern.
: An autopsy, which was made by DR..
Barrett, revealed the fact that Mrs. Quinn
died from peritonitis, the result of a crimi-
nal operation. An inquest will be begun
on Monday, and all persons connected with
. it will be examined. Although DR.. Mac
beth is not charged on the prison books
yet with any crime, he is kept in close con-
fnement. The evidence which the police
have is somewhat incomplete, but they say
that they expect to have evidence sufficient
to formally charge the doctor.
The prisoner took his arrest rather
easily last evening and sent out for blan-
kets, sheet, pillows and everything neces-
sary to make himself comfortable in his
cell. He refused, though, to say anything
regarding his case and the circumstances
:. connected Herewith. Macbeth has secured
the. services OF Robert Ferral as attorney,
Il L
innocent of the charges which have been
brought against him. DR.. Macbeth has
been in trouble of the same kind on one OF
. two occasions before but has always man
aged to clear himself as far as punishment
was concerned.