The herald., 1897-03-19
.AbON CAUSED HIS DEATH
c. Gassen Did Not Take
Poison
He Died OF cerebral HEMORRHAGE
Caused by an Injury to the Head
and Right Ear
RESULT OF THE INQUEST
James A. German Is Taken Into Custody
by the Police
Suspicion Cast Upon Him by the Verdict Of
the Jury
His Contradictory Statements While on the
Witness stsnd-Aekuowfsdges Having
scuffIe With 0assen and Seeing
Hi. Qf.ad Erar, . Wouoh
James A. German Is Taken Into Custody
by the Police
Suspicion Cast Upon Him by the Verdict Of
the Jury
His Contradictory Statements While on the
Witness stsnd-Aeknowfsdges Having
scuffIe With 0assen and Seeing
Him Bleed From a Wound

| After am investigation which occu-
| pied nearly five hours yesterday after
noon and evening a coroner's jury came
| to the conclusion that Charles M. Gas
| sen, the young butcher who died so sud
| denly and mysteriously in the recelv-
ing hospital on Wednesday evening, ex-
pired from hemorrhage OF the brain and
not from the effects of any poison taken
with suicidal intent. AS a result of the
| evidence adduced and the verdict re-
turned by the jury. James A. German,
a boon companion of the dead man. was
taken into custody by Police detectives
Hawley and Fowler and locked up in
| jail, although he was not booked, and
no charge has as yet been preferred
against him. The shadow of suspicion
| having. however, been cast upon him
| by the jury's verdict, 1t was decided
| TO restrain him until 1t can be decided
what further action will be taken.
| NOT OPIUM POISONING
| A partial autopsy was held upon the
body of Gassen on the night of his death.
which indicated that congestion and
hemorrhage of the brain and not opium
/ poisoning was responsible for his con-
dition when brought into the hospital.
ard the completion of the post mdotem
yesterday but confirmed this conclusion.
The blood vessels of the entire brain
were greatly congested and there had
been a rupture of some one of them. for
when the skull cap was removed fully
six ounces of blood was found to be coag-
ulated and pressing on the brain mat
| ter. The mysterious wound on the right
ear. which no one has yet been found
who knows how 1t was inflicted, 1t was
| settled had been the principal cause of
| death While there was little or no evil
dcnce of confusion around the external
car, inside the skull was found guam
| tity OF coagulated blood which, taken
H. connection with the cut on the ear,
| sufiiced to show that deceased had either
fallen and received his death wound or
| had been hit alongside the head blow
| either with the fist, causing him to fall,
or possibly with some blunt instrument.
OUT OF HIS OWN MOUTH
| 1t was Gormans own testimony taken
| In connection with corroborative cir
cumstances detailed by other witnesses,
that caused him to fall under suspicion.
Under a cross fire of questions from
| Coroner Campbell, the detectives
became so tangled in his own contra
dictions. that it was really impossible to
arrive at the truth. 1t was brought out
that he and Gassen had had a scuffle in,
his room in the morning and that he had
elected the deceased from his apart
ment, although German strenuously de-
MED that his act consisted of any more
than taking Gassen by the arm and
pushing out of the door, He also ad-
mitted being the owner of the blood
stained handkerchief which he had
himself taken from his pocket and used
10 staunch the blood which flowed from
| the cut on Gassen's ear, but afterward
put 1t into the pocket of Gassen's coat,
which was hanging in his room. While
/ giving his testimony, German was ex-
| ceedingly nervous and at times seemed
to be either under the influence of some
drug or slightly out of his head. al
though he protested that he was sober
and In his right mind, fully comprehend
! ing the testimony he was giving.
IN THEIR CUPS
Witness first said that he had known
Gassen for a long time and had roomed
with him about two months, but had TAX
en- a separate bedroom a short time ago.
! He had always been on the most friend
! ly terms with the deceased. and that
Gassen slept I'M the next room to him on
4 because he had been in his friends room
late at night before he went to bed to
get q cigarette. At this time Gassen
had told him that he was going to San
Francisco. On Wednesday morning
| German first saw Gassen about II o'clock
when the latter came upstairs from the
saloon on the corner. A pitcher of beer
was brought from the barroom by Joe
! Johnson a young man who worked
about the lodging house. the liquor be-
ing drank by Mrs. Arbuckle. the pro-
prietress, Gassen and Johnson, he TAX
! ing none himself as he had had good
deab already. At this time Gassen
talked flightily as though he had been
drinking heavily. although witness did
not consider him drunk.
Shortly afterward Gassen took up his
coat and started to lie down on his bed
whereat he protested, and told him to
go into his own room. Gassen refused
and German grabbed him under the
arms and walked him out of the door
into his own room. He denied that he had
hit deceased at all, or that Gassen had
fallen and struck against anything.
Germans own face showed the marks OF
abrasions and when asked whether the
bruises had not been received in scuf-
fie with Gassen he emphatically de-
MED 1t, saying he had fallen on the side
walk while drunk four or five days ago
He had had no trouble with his friend
and 80 far as he knew Charlie had never
left the house until after he came up
stairs at II o'clock.
THE BLOODY HANDKERCHIEF.
After putting Gassen out of his room
he lay down few minutes. hut soon got
up and went into Gassen's room, find-
Ing the latter bleeding from cut on the
ear. He took from his pocket a silh
handkerchief, and while Charley lay on
the bed he staunched the now Of blood
finally throwing the handkerchief
on the floor. so he thought
although he could not remem:
Der whether hex had told Of1cel
Fowler that he had lEken It into his oWr
room and put 1t In the pocket Of Char.
ley's cost. which had been left there
At this time Gass&n was stupid and
could hardly talk, but this was attribut-
ed TO drink He wes greAt tly excited ovel
Qhaflet'b condition. although he could
~ tell hx, pn!eIb 4 was because OF