The San Francisco call., 1897-06-03

planned the circumstances to the postotfice
inspector and the inspector told him that
there would be no more trouble about the
matter, and nothing was done. Mr.. Hoffman
felt very badly about this matter.
One of the most I'm portant links point
ing to homicide is the autopsy held on the
body. 1t was completed yesterday after
noon at . o'clock Coroner Hawkins,
the chemist and DR.. Samuel Kahn were
present.
DIR. Gallagher found that two OF the bull
le.s fired had entered the head, while a
third made a superficial wound on the
forehead. All the wounds were on the
left side. The first bullet passed through
the head, and, after entering the pariet
bone, lodged In the brain.
The second bullet entered through the
left cheek and went through the roof OF
the mouth, tearing away the bones OF the
jaw. Hoffman must have swallowed the
bul ct, as 1t was found lodged In The
stomach.
The third bullet grazed the forehead and
passed through the rim of the dead mer-
chants hat.
There are various other reasons whv
Chief Lees and his detectives are unwill-
ing 10 accept the theory OF suicide.
The blood-stains on the floor OF the
telephone-room indicate that Hoffman
endeavored 10 open the door, proba bly, 10
Sdll lOA are U II the
glass door, on the wall and on the door
knob. 1t is hardly likely that Hoffm an
tried to call for help If he had attempted
suicide
Blood is spattered also over the walls
and furniture OF the rooms, and in the
first room entered from the storeroom
bloody landmarks disfgure The door
casing. No drops OF blood are on the
floor in this room, which indicates that
the wounded man did not make the
STAINS, as everywhere he moved q trail OF
blood marked his course.
Another strange feature of the ca Sc is
the manner in which the door lock was
found bY Special Officer Ferrenbach
shortly before he discovered Hoffm an,
wounded and dying, in his Office. The
lock had been turned, but it allied to
catch the bar-clutch In the proper man
ner, and the door was easily opened. II
Hoffman closed the door he must have
used a light 10 find the keyhole,
and in that event he would have
certainly noticed that the bolt was i'm
properly sprung and would have rectified
his mistake. On the other hand, if a man
with the blood OF a fellow being on his
hands went out the door, closed it behind
him and hastily locked the door, as he
thought, he would take no time TO see
that it was properly done in his anxiety
to escape.
Chief Lees said last night that he had
not concluded his investigations, and
until that was accomplished he would
decline 10 express q definite opinion, but
the public could judge from the facts he
had so far ascertained.
The Chief secuted the idea that the
wounds could not have been self-inhicted
and demonstrated how easily it was for a
man to fire the shots with his left hand.
There were three shots fired" said the
Chief "The bullet fired at his right tenn
pie passed through the brm of his hat,
hit the wall ricocheted out the coping and
fell on a chair. The brim of the hat where
the bullet passed through is powder
his forehead Just below the brim.
''Part of ball was found in the back Of
fee in pool of blood, just where one goes
into the telephone There is a
wound in the side of the head, where the
hair is burned and singed. That hall
went into the skull, drove piece of the
skull into a iurrow of the brain an inch
and half long. The ball there split in
two and one half came out at the lett tenn
pie and logged in the pool of blood re-
ferred 10, whore it was found.
THE other bullet entered the left cheek
and tore the top of the roof of the mouth
away, broke the upper jaw. smashed
things in the mouth generally and fell
into the mouth and he swallowed it. 1t
was found iE his stomach.
The three shots are thus accounted for.
Which shot he fired first OF second l dom
know and have not troubled myself TO find
out"
The Chief refers to the letter from NJ s.
Hoffman's uncle in New York, and Mrs.
Hoffman's reply as proof OF the unhappy
domestic relations OF Holman and his
wife. The letter from Mrs. Hoffman to
her uncle was taken by Hoffman from his
wife before she had an opportunity oil
posting it, and it was revelation to him.
The Chief pointed to theI statements of
friedman, Lauer and Figel, 10 show that
Lauer saw Hoffman alter Figel was last
seen with him. Friedman saw FigeI and
Hoffman together about 6:15 P. NJ. and
Lauer fixes the time he saw Hoffman
alone at 6:20 P. NJ. Figel had TO catch the
6:30 boat so that he could not have been
with Hoffman later than 6:20.
Figel said that q few days ago Hoffman
received dividend of $3.50 from the Build.
ing and Loan Association, and Mrs Alex
ander threatened to bring suit against
him for recovery of half OF the amount
Hoffman retaliated by threatening to sue
her for $6000 which he claimed she owed
him.
While the detectives work and worry
over the case, the dead mans widow in her
home thinks not of the manner of dea tn
but of the death itself No matter what
may have been her feelings few DAYS
ago, now that her husband is dead she
grieves his loss. She is prostrated over
the news of the awful death and refuses
TO be comfoTted.
her two youngest sons, too young to re-
alize the shocking tragedy that took their
father from them, play and look with
wondering eyes on their weeping mother,
and with nsping tongues ask where papa
is and why he stays away so long. They
are tod that their father will return to
them soon, and in a contented way they
resume their frolic of innocence.
Eagles rarely change theI ID ates, as do
nt har nj ri Thav uSuaItv ~, a lFa