The San Francisco call., 1896-10-05
Officer Esken Reported to DR..
Fitzgibbons That the Woman
Had Taken Poison.
DENIED BY THE SURGEON.
An Autopsy Will Be Held To-Day to
Determine the Actual Cause
of Death.

Mrs. Mary Anderson of 419 Harriet
street died at the City Prison last night
under most peculiar circumstances. Ii
the story told about the police headquar.
ters is true, there is one more entry to be
made in the column of shortcomings al
ready credited to the management OF the
Receiving Hospital.
About 40 o. clock Yesterday afternoon
it was reported at the southern station
that Mrs. Anderson was lying helplessly
drunk at her house on Harriet street.
Officer EskeD was quickly dispatched to
the place, and after some difficulty gained
access to the house. He searched all the
front rooms, but without success. Finally,
as a last resort, Esken directed his steps
to the kitchen, and on sofa found Mrs.
Anderson apparently in drunken stupor.
Within easy reach was gallon can hall
filled with stale beer, though the woman
had already succumbed either to its po-
tent influence or some powerful drug. 1t
is this that has brought the attendants at
the Receiving Hospital under the suspl-
cion of having neglected their full duty.
Esken endeavored to arouse the woman,
but failed utterly. As there was big
cash over the right eye the officer thought
it likely that she was unconscious as the
result of blow or fall, and accordingly
summoned the ambulance. Pending the
arrival vi this slow moving vehicle Esken
was informed by parties Occupying the
upper fat that the woman had taken
poison. She had been drinking heavily
OF late and on several occasions threatened
10 take her life.
At the Receiving Hospital the wound
on the woman's head was dressed by DR..
Frank Fitzgibbons, the surgeon in charge,
who Immediately ordered Mrs. Anderson
taken to the City Prison. He said it was
simply case of plain drunk"
At 6:15 o'clock Mrs. Anderson died in
the woman's ward at the City Prison.
She had been placed on bench, and was
apparently incapable of movement. Sud-
denly she turned over, as if in pain, and
then rolled to the floor. Her cellmate let
forth q piercing shrek, which brought
Sergeant Shields quickly to the scene,
though the woman had breathed her last
just before he reached her side.
1t is generally believed that the woman
died of poison. Officer Esken swears he
told DR.. Fitzgibbons that Mrs. Anderson
had taken poison, but the surgeon insisted
on its being merely case OF plain
drunk" On the other hand, DR.. Fitzgib-
bons affirms that Esken said nothing
about poison, but, on the contrary, said
she had taken too much beer.
The body of Mrs. Anderson was removed
to the Morgue, where an autopsy will be
nelO tO-Udg. II II IS SHOWN IudL sue uaQ
swallowed poison DR.. Fltzgibbons will
probably find himself in very embarrass-
ing position.
Detectives Ryan and O'Dea were de-
tailed on the case last night and they
found certain facts that thro W some light
upon the matter. Mrs. Della Cardnell,
who lives in the rear of 419 Harriet street.
told them that she saw Mrs. Anderson in
the yard and she asked her for glass of
water. She got glass, filled it with water
and handed it to Mrs. Andersons hus-
band. She refused TO take the water from
him, and he got mad and threw the glass
in her face, cutting it.
Mrs. O'Malley, who lived in the same
house as the Andersons, found an empty
box marked "Rough on Rats" in the
yard. She gave it to John August Mack,
another resident in the house, and he
handed it to Ryan and O'Dea. Mack saw
Mrs. Anderson as she went into the yard,
and expressed the opinion that Mrs. An
derson's husband had nothing to do with
her poisoning herself, if she did so.
Emma and Lizzie Johnson told the de-
tectives that Mrs. Anderson said to them
that she was going to take poison and do
away with herself.
RYAN and O'Dea deemed it advisable to
place the husband, Andrew Anderson,
the tanks" at the City Prison pending
developments He was considerably under
the influence of liquor ano threatened to
poison himself if he got the chance.
The couple nave two daughters, who
some time ago, while they lived in Ala
media, were placed in the Maria Kip
Orphanage. One is now about Is years OF
age and the other II.