The San Francisco call., 1896-04-26
Testimony of the Chief Wit
nesseS Conflicts on Many
Points.
DIR. 0DoNNELL IS ACCUSED.
Mrs. Browning Swears That The
Attending Physician Performed
a Criminal Operation.

The stories told under oath by the chief
witnesses in the Browning Flynn baby
tragedy at the inquisition before Coroner
Hawkins yesterday were in a great mea-
sure conflicting. A large number of per-
sons testified on both sides and George
knight, who has been chosen to defend
Flynn, allowed his client to go on the
stand. Flynn told a straightforward story,
but the evidence of the opposition was
strong ana the jury held the accused to
answer the charge of murder. There was
large attendance at the inquiry and the
proceedings aroused widespread interest.
John Smith of Ill Jessie street, the boy
who found the valise containing the baby,
was the first witness examined. He said:
Ny mother sent me on errand to Tenth
and Market streets, and on returning home, 1
went through the lot, and seeing valise,
picked it up, and striking it on the bottom,
heard a cry. Opening the valise, found the
baby. 1 took it to the police station, and the
officer told me to take it to the hos pital, which
did.
DR.. John n. Quigley of A Sixth, testi-
fed to attending Mrs. Browning on the
evening of April Is and delivering her of
male child. Sa id he:
On the night of April Is, gentleman called
on me and asked me to visit a lady at 1887
Ninth street. saying that she was i'll with q
cold and had little fever. He gave me his
card and said ne would pay the BILL On going
to the house, saw that the woman was about
TO be confined. delivered her of a child, and
the next morning when called the womans
sister, Mrs. Shane, told me that the child had
been taken TO foundling hospital. Flynn was
the man who called on me and left his card.
saw the child as it lay in a bureau drawer.
The drawer was partly closed. Itwas wrapped
in a blanket. The child was prematurely
born. With good care it might have lived.
Later Mrs. Brown ng told me that Flynn had
taken the child away. She said that Jones was
the father OF the child, and the Jones referred
to was the same man who called on me.
Mrs. Browning was the next witness
She testified as follows:
don't know where my husband is. He left
me five years ago. 1 believe he Is living. On
Monday evening week at 80 gave my boy a
note TO take to Mr.. Flynn. He came to the
house and on coming to my room he suggested
l should send for DR.. Farnum. l objected and
he went out saying he would send physician
Later the doctor came and my sister also
arrived. had sent for her.
Later that same night Flynn called again.
He asked me where the baby was l said it was
in bureau drawer. He picked it up and took
II
child. was willing TO have the child taken
to the Founding Asylum. 1 have known
Flynn about year. He was the father of my
child. l went to DR.. C. c. ODonnell about
two months ago and asked to have a criminal
operation performed. paid him $25, though
he said it should have been $33. He gave me
two capsules There was no one present when
paid the doctor the money. Flynn gave me
the money.
lUTr fAld mo- hot flooro ha,n
about my going to DR.. O'Donnen.
The Coroner-As a mother, did you realize
the full significance of that step-that it was
murder?
The witness-No, sir; did not
The Coroner-Did you not know that it
would be taking life?
The witness-No, sir. 1 thought the medicine
DR.. ODonnell gave me would remove all life.
The Coroner-Why did you object to having
physician called in when you felt the pains?
The witness-Because the doctor told me
ever Iything was ali right.
The Coroner-Why did you send for Flynn
on the evening of April 13?
The witness-Well, wanted to see him, as I
felt sick. did not know at the time 1 was
going to give birth to child.
DR.. Fitzgibbons of the Receiving Hospi-
tai testified to the body having been
brought to the hospital on the morning of
April Il. II was wrapped in a newspaper
and towel and placed in a valise There
were bruises on the right hip and the left
heel of the child. DR.. Barrett, who made
the autopsy, Deputy Coroner Mccormick,
who had the body removed from Mount
st. Joseph's to the Morgue, Edward Kelly,
the undertaken who buried the remains,
all testified as to their connection with the
case.
DR.. E. A. Bohn of ia Turk street said
that he was called in to attend Mrs.
Browning on April Is. The son and
daughter of Mrs. Browning called and told
him that Mrs. Shane had sent for him to
attend Mrs. Browning, as she had pain
in her side. Mrs. Shane met him at the
house and told him the child had been
born prematurely. "She said she was sorry
that | had been sent for, but would see
that l was paid for my seryices," said DR..
Bohn.
1 met Mrs. Shane again on wednesd ay on
Mission street. She said: 'I telephohed for
you, didn't /, doctor?' l said, "No you did
not; you sent the children for me-" She
then said:
"Weu, was before the detectives and told
them so. Can't you say the same 20
replied that had already told the Coroner
everything. Mrs. Shane told me they couldn't
do anything to her as she only wrapped the
baby up and put it in the bureau drawer, and
that they could not prove that she murdered
the baby.
Mrs. Shane testified that her husband
was saloon man. She said she was
sister of Mrs. Browning. She did not
know that Mrs. Browning was about to be
confined, though. She had seen her every
day for the past month. Continuing she
said:
1 did not send for DR.. Bohm 1 saw him
when he came to the house, and told him it
was q shame that he had been called out and
would see that he was paid for his trouble.
She denied DIR. Bohms story about the
telephone message absolutely. She swore
that she did not know Flynn, though
she called at her sisters house one day and
was introduced to a Mr.. Jones, who she
afterwards heard was Flynn.
Flynn stood up and the witness said she
did not remember ever seeing him before.
She said:
Flynn did not accompany me to my house on