The San Francisco call., 1896-07-31
He Would Not Answer the
Questions Put by Coroner
Hawkins.
NO LIGHT ON soNDERUP's CASE
Autopsy Physician Barrett's Micro
scopical Examination of Sonde.
rup'S Spinal Cord.

DR.. Charles Kuhlman was in the Coro-
ner's office yesterday when Coroner
Hawkins resumed the inquest into the
death of Jens w. Sonderup. But the doc
tor refused positively to testify. The re-
suit was the inquest had to be adjourned
indefinitely, and DR.. Kuhlman was COM
mitted to the County Jail for thirty days
for contempt. He smiled as re went away
with Deputy Sheriff to the City Hall.
When called by the Coroner TO the wit
ness-chalr DR.. Kuhlman hesi:ated.
'I would like to make a statement be-
fore proceed any further" he said. "I
wish to state that have simply come
here as matter of courtesy TO the office,
and inasmuch as I am advised and do
thoroughly believe that these proceedings
are unlawful, and in as much as | could
give no information beyond what is set
forth in my death certificate, fled accord
ing to law, but as to what would be III the
nature of professional condolences, l re-
spectfully decline to be sworn and tes-
tify."
CDR. Kuhlman, this is an inquest to de-
termine whether or not crime has been
committed in the City and County of San
Francisco, and your testimony is neces-
sary. Now, l want your testimony in this
case, and for that reason you will have to
be sworn. Do you refuse to be sworn and
testify in this case?" asked Coroner Haw-
kins.
"Yes; for the reasons have set forth l
respectfully decline to be sworn replied
Kuhlman. =
"Dr. Kuhlman, for your said refusal you
are adiudged guilty of contempt" was the
Coroner's rejoinder, land sentenced to the
County jail fo- the term of thirty days"
DIR. Kuhlman requested the shorthand
reporter to read his notes of the state
menr, whereupon Deputy Sheriff took
Kuhlman in custody, and the jury was e.-
cused until called again by the Coroner.
Jens w. Sonderup was attended by DR..
Kuhlman, who in the death certificate
stated that Sonderup died of progressive
traumatic cerebro-spinal ataxia and
paralysis This certificate was not ac-
cepted by the Health Department when
presented for burial permit, and the
Coroner was instructed to hold an inquest
and autopsy. DR.. Barrett, the autopsy
physician, who made the post-mortem ex-
animation, testified that Senderup had
died of consumption. Sonderup's widow
then claimed that her husbands death
had resulted from injuries sustained in a
street railway accident on Kearny street.
DR.. Kuhlman corroborated her assertion,
but refused to give any information to the
Coroner.
For this refusal he was judged guilty OF
contempt and sentenced to ten days in
the County Jail. His attorney took the
80 O,,-
but on the eighth day the sentence was
confirmed and DR.. Kuhlman spent one
day and hall in Jail.
Yesterdays proceedings we're held to
give the physician an opportunity to tes-
tify, but as he again refused, the Coroner
once more committed him for contempt.
DIR. Barrett stated yesterday that he had
made q microscopial examination oi
Sonderup's brain and spinal cord, both oil
which he had saved in their entirety. In
endeavoring to detect If there was any
degeneration such as would indicate in
jury, or what DR.. Kuhlman gave as the
cause of death, he was unsuccessful. On
the contrary in his search he found the
bacilh of tuberculosis in the dura.
DIR. Kuhlman and his attorney pro-
ceeded from the Morgue to Judge Dain-
gerfeld's court, where the case was con-
sidered by the Judge.
The arguments indulged in were long
and tiresome. 1t took nearly three hours
to hear all there was to be said. When
the matter was finally submitted his
Honor summed up the whole matter by
saying that the Coroner's contention was
that he had right to commit man for
contempt upon his order beirg counter
signed by Judge of the Superior Court.
1t was found, however. that under sec
tion 10 of the Political Code the Coroner
has power to subpoena any person whom
he believes to have some knowledge Of a
matter under inquisition. In this case
the order of arrest did not show that the
Coroner believed DR.. Kuhlman had this
knowledge, hence the doctor was dis.
charged.
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