The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-08
Will Begin Suit Against the
Coroner for $4,000 Damages
for IndignitieS.
ACCUSES SOUTHERN PACIFIC.
Says 1t Has the Coroner's Office in It's
Grip in Order to Defeat Claims
of Widows and Orphans.

City and County of San Francisco will
record in few days another big suit for
heavy damages.
Dr.. Charles G. Kuhlman, having been
victorious last Saturday in his protracted
legal battle with Coroner William ].
Hawkins over a commitment to prison by
the Coroner, now intends to sue the Coro-
ner for $4,000 damages for indignities
which he claims the Coroner has heaped
upon him. The doctor charges the South
ern Pacific Railroad Company with having
its tentacles entwined around the Coro-
ner's Office for the purpose of defeating
what he calls the just claims of widows
and orphans. The railroad company is
additionally interested in this same story
to the extent that it has been sued by the
widow in this particular case for $4,000
damages for causing the death of Jens w.
Sonderup.
The story begins October Is last. On
that day Sonderup was knocked from his
wagon BY d Kearny- street electric car
A fter a lingering illness of six months
Mr.. Sonderup died. DR.. Kuhlman says,
from the result of injuries received in the
accident. In professional language the
cause OF death was progressive traumatic
cerebro-spinal paralysis and ataxIa. The
date OF Sonderup's death was April % last.
The Southern Pacific Company has al
ready settled with the widow Sonderup
for damages to the horses and wagon, pay
ing her $500.
Sonderup was Dane. The Danes are
said to have peculiar horror of autopsies,
post-mortems and any mutilation of dead
bodies. The remains of Sonderup were
taken to the undertaking establishment of
Gantner q GuntZ, near the City, and Mrs.
SOndeTup requested the underlakers not
to mutilate the body or permit any body
else to do so, DR.. Huffman says that the
Southern Pacific Company anticipating
that il might have a suit for DAMAGES to
meet, had spies biVouacked around the
undertaking establishment, watching the
CORPSE.
As soon as the death certificate was
filed in the Health Office it was stopped.
DR.. Kuhlman says that this shows the
early watchfulness OF the Southern Pacific
in the case. There being no other reason,
he says, why the death certificate should
not issue, the doctor went to the Health
Office and made a legal demand for one.
The reason given why the burial permit
was not granted was that it was case for
the Coroner. But, DR.. Kuhlman in
quired, there beng no evidence at
at the time before the Health Officer that
the case be one for the Coroner? The re-
suit of the doctors visit to the Health Of
fee was that, Invested of all the verbal
compliments that were passed by each
side, it was finally refused point blank to
issue the death certificate.
Widow Sonderup then, by advice of her
attorney, notified the undertakers not to
permit the Coroner to take the body except
by due process of law. Subsequently the
Coroner telephoned to the undertakers for
the body and they refused to let him have
ii except sby legal process. Shortly after
that several of the Coroner's deputies APP
peared at the undertaking establishment
and took the body away practically by
force. DR.. Huffman says that previous to
sending the deputies the Coroner threat
ened to make it warm for the undertakers.
On the same day that the body was re-
moved from the undertakers Dr. Kunl-
man and others were notified by telephone
by Coroner Hawkins that an inquest
would be held at the Morgue at $50
O'Clock in the evening. Taking several
friends and physicians with him DR.. Kuhl-
man went to the Morgue to protest against
an autopsy on the ground that the death
certificate mad been regularly made out
and that there was no evidence of an acct
dent. They waited an hour, and there be-
ing no indication that an inquest was 10
be held they departed.
DR.. kaufman says that Coroner Haw-
kins is a sly man and practiced a trick
upon him, Tor after they had gone an
autopsy was held some time during the
dead, still watches of the night on the
body of Sonderup, and next morning,
with the marks of the autopsy plainly
visible, the body was delivered to the
undertakes.
Then Coroner Hawkins filed a death GER
tifcate in the Health Office that Sonderup
had died from consumption and that an
inquest was pending. DR.. Kuhlman says
that an inquest was not pending, because
no Jury had been sworn. A burial permit
was then issued, and poor Sonderup was
lowered into a grave in the Odd Fellows
Cemetery, April IS last. Besides his
horses and wagon he had little stock in
a beer-bottling concern, but the widow
could not realize on 1t. She had to sacri- |
fee their household effects to procure the
necessaries of life for herself and family |
She has been assisted by friendly and
sympathetic Danes, who have given sew
eraI balls aud parties for her benefit She
is now out of the City on the advice of her
attorney in order that she might escape
the meshes Of any bull-dozing tactics that
might be attempted.
A few DAYS after the funeral of her hus-
band Mrs. Sonderup filed a suit against
Coroner Hawkins for $4,000 damages for
"willfully and maliciously mutilating
the body of her husband.
After this suit was brought against him
Coroner Hawkins impaneled jury. called
witnesses ard proceeded to hold an in
quest. This was on May % last. DR..
Kuhlman was summoned to appear, and
did appear, as the public will remember,
for the occasion was productive of sensa-
tionaI results and a narrow escape of the
doctor from confinement in jail for con-
tempt.
The doctor asked Coroner Hawkins if he
was holding the inquest as Coroner or as
private citizen. Tue Coroner re piled that
he was holding it officially. At the open
ing of tbeinquest Coroner Hawkins stated
that he had been sued for $4,000 damages,
and Dr. Huffman says that the Coroner
also announced that he was holding the
inquest to square himself as against the
suit.
DR.. Huffman was called to the stand. !
He refused to testify on the grounds OF
professional secrecy in his relation to his
patient and on the ground that the inquest
was illegal.
Coroner Hawkins demanded an answer /
10 his questions or he would send DR..
Kuhlman to Jail for contempt as the
Coroner sits as magistrate.
"a IL n l nc