The San Francisco call., 1897-01-28
THE DOCTOR AND
THE DETECTIVE
Opposite Opinions as to What
Caused Nordhausen's
Death.
Doctor Taylor Says the Man
Cou'd Not Have Shot
Himself.
Detective Whitaker Says the Evi.
dence All Shows That
He Did.

The mystery surrounding the death Of
c. c. Nordhausen. the wealthy dry-goods
mercha ant of Oakland, has been intensi-
fed by the result of the autopsy upon the
body.
Ex-Coroner DR.. Taylor, who was the first
physician called to attend Nordhausen,
and Autopsy Surgeon Morgan performed
the autopsy yesterday afternoon and came
10 the conclusion that the man was MUIR
dered and that the case was not that OF a
suicide.
The fatal bullet entered the left breast,
and ranged downward until it struck one
of the ribs. This bone turned the course
of the bullet inward and the leaden pellet
passed through the lung and lodged in the
back.
The doctors are satisfied that the bullet
was never fired by Nordhausen. The
weapon was discharged when the man
was lying on his side, and was held either
over his shoulder or al an angle with the
stock or handle considerab bly, elevated.
A careful examination was made of the
ragged cut or wound in the forehead.
Nordhausen stated that it was caused by
fall but the physicians are convinced
that it was produced by a blow from a
blunt instrument. The edges were ragged
and bruised, and while the skull was not
| fractured there was clot OF blood on the
| brain under the wound.
Detective Ross Whitaker, who has been
steadily working on the case, differs en-
tirely from the opinion OF Drs. Taylor and
Morgan, and from his Investigations he
| has no hesitation in saying that Nord-
! hausen shot himself.
| Yesterday he procured the bullet that
| was extracted from Nordhausen's body at
st. Luke's Hospital and it fits exactly the
exploded shell in the revolver that was
! found in Nordhausens room in the Bald
win Hotel, and the she'll is an exact coun-
terpart of the other four in the pistol.
The pistol was ident titled as Nordhausen' s
| by ]. Heeseman, his nephew.
That is one reason why Whitaker scouts
! the idea of murder. Another Is that the
necktie worn by Nordhausen is burned
! and shows where the bullet went through
| it. The revolver is one of the most diff
cult to pull, and the presumption is that
to enable him to pull the trigger he had to
| hold it at an angle, which would account
| for the course of the bullet.
! Besides there are the statements made
| by Nordhausen before his death to differ
ent people that he shot himself First to
| Manager Lake of the Baldwin Hotel, then
| to the doctors at ST. Luke's Hospital, to
Heeseman, his nephew, and to others.
|
| iect was Robert burst, steward at the
hospital. In answer to bursts question
| he said 81 shot myself"
"What for?" asked burst.
IH"It was an accident" CURLY replied
! Nordhausen.
| He was also asked about his watch and
! chain and he replied, Never mind about
| that. 1t doesn't amount to anything.
That's all right"
There is no woman in the case" said
Whitaker last night. "Of that l feel as.
sured. No woman was seen going IN or
| out of his room during the time he was at
| the Baldwin. From the time he regis
tered at the Baldwin till six or eight hours
before he rang for the bellboy Monday
| morning he had been drinking whisky
| and abslnthe. He was never known to be
a drinking man, and drinking to excess as
he was while at the Baldwin might have
| had something to do with the shooting.
1.-THE cut on his forehead may have been
caused by fall or he might have got
mixed up in a scrap, but that had moth Ing
| whatever to do with his DEATH
The friends of the deceased scout the
| idea of his going off on a spree, They
think that he fell in with some thugs who
found his soft spot was Randsburg, and
| in his enthusiasm over the subject he
| failed to detect their character and that
! they got him out, drugged, robbed and
murdered him. 1t is possible that when
assaulted he attempted to use his pistol.
He was an extremely sensitive man and
was Just the person who would seek to
hide the mortifying circumstances of such
| an event to the very last.
The deceased was worth about S100, 600.
| In addition to one-half interest in the
Reliance building he owns some real
estate ir West Oakland, and also has re-
Gently made an investment in Randsburg.
| the value of which is not known He is
also the owner of some stock OF unknown
value.
The funeral was arranged to-day to be
held Friday afternoon, but in view of the
| developments this may be changed.