New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-21
DIR. BUTLER HELD FOR TRIAL
HE MUST ANSWER A CHARGE OF NEED
LEssLY HOLDING AN AUTOPSY.
HINTS OF REMARKABLE DIsCLosuRhs IN iiH
PROSECUTION OF TIE PHYSICIAN WIN
AUTHORIZED THE DISSECTION OF
THE BODY OF TIE LATE
MINISTER TO CHILL.

THE BODY OF TIE LATE
MINISTER TO CHILL
on the charge OF having ne;d an autopsy uhneces-
sarilv and without proper authority over the oodg
OF William r. Roberts. Minister to thil ourhs
President C,eveland's Administration Dr' .. ~
Butler OF No. " East Thrtieth-st was helu III
5000 ball for trial yesterday by Magistrate orahe'
in Yorkyille Court Mr. Roberts died In beIeVue
Hospital on August from paresis Inc next uas
the autopsy was performed. The results OF 'he
autopsy published in the newspapers. ana
james f. Roberts son OF the dead man. OF NO az
Sanford-ave.. Flushing Long lsiand' declared tia'
the publication was the first Information he had
received of his fathers death. Mr. Roberts Sc
cured a summons for Dr. Buffers appearance III
court and Yesterday appeared 10 prosecute him.
Mr.. Roberts accompanied by A oaKey nan
and DR.. Butler represented by ex-AsSistaht
Dstrict-Attorney Barlow s. Weeks and John l.
Dunn.
Mr. Hall. in opening the case. declared tha' II
was only the preface to a series OF tigatons which
would expose the Siebert family. with whom the
late Mr. Roberts had been living AZ NO 100 East
Sevcnty-slxth-st. ever since his return from 'hii
II have bill OF complaint against the Sie"er's At
my Office" he said. which Will make interesting
reading for the public"
Mr. Roberts testified for the prosecution that ne
called nj DIT Buffers Office August l6 and de-
manded information concerning his fathers death
Dr. Butler told him. he testified, that ne ia" az
tended his father since his dDr Butter > ma,
r,age 81 asked him the nature OF fathers all
Inent" said Mr. Roberts. "and he tod me 'hat !"
was PARALYSIS Of the brain. When asked MN py
what authority he had allowed an autopsy 10 De
made ne replied. Well it is an interesting case
Then he told OF finding water on the ordh
and spoke or the marvellous healing up Oh uro"e"
booG-vossels. when 1 demanded WIS lie u'u "o'
seek fathers relatives he told me that ne n1u ~
KNOWLEDGE OF the existence OF WIG OF d soi am
that he had therefore. of his own ac'ol" 'lSlIp1
! asked him whether ii had been necessary 10 lou
the autopsy, and ne replied thtt IL .hn 70, 10, III
a knife on the body Of the dead man he could nor
be resp9ns3le lie sG imsiS;g yn 1" tc however
thnt a. Dr i5ltcr had authorized the autopsy ne
DI. 4. ". Williams. assistant house surgeon OF
Bellevue Hospital. who was iit''. d. , ,i uyij.r
80 Jjrrcti3n. DR. Rutler was also present he
testified that be had often held autopsi. "lllo"'
This aroused Magistrate crane, and ne denouhceu
outrageous ana warned Or Williams against holu-
Ing them in tn iuture ... ..,,..r, ,.sti
Dr. Thomas r. kiiiea called as an bt Or Dr
fed that the autopsy was uHleeesst.!S WnheTis
Thornas l.. Periphery. who hai ucased i,yoyis
i,''',i ,,io,,orts b. mad consented TO IN autops!
being held on mis- BODY I'm the interests OF -
Ia Mr. Roberts about holding an autopsy, anu va.
he had consented freely saying that he hoped II
" SIr. sBer} Vas asked II had over visited
Nj RoDeriss place AZ Huntington. Long lsiahH'
were You ever put out Of ne house, she was
no" replied the witness. She went on to tes-
thy that she had TO Cnih Win 'oloiiei no,
eria. as his secretary accompanied ny Aer huSOa'u
and TWO daughters. ,. ~, h.s .1,o,,
hut MAGISTRATE Crane ruled that MI. koheris
family shc I'D have been Informed OF the intention
r. Iold nm autopsy. end held DR.. Butter y
A remarkable statement was gwen out by -
Oakley EaU the attorney .Or Mr. Rohertss son.
~ i night in reg ri to the case. MI han sa!d
that a woman mas at the bottom OF inc who.e
litication. Many -cars ego. he sald. Mt. hob"rts
vs. one OF the Leading dryEoods merchants or
Ncv--York He had leen the pioneer t. esta DISH
Ing bargain stores. ana had anasse4 are
fortune He had gone into politics ana run .or
CONGRESS Later he had been appointed Minister
10 chill Mr. Han went 10 So, that a great
deal OF scandal nled Mr.. Roberts's stay IN
Chilli Nj ROBBERS had been previously estrang'i
from his wife ami son, and had not Mr.: Roberts
been suddenly afflicted with paralysis. the Cleve-
land Administration would have taken Official notice
Of some O: the allegations made.
NJ, Han went on 20 say tnat after his return
from ChiH paialytic. Mr.. Roberts had been
kept a prisoner 10y certain people. For nine wears
his wife. sister and son hsd not seen him, and in
these nine years Mr.. Roberts hld had fourteen
strokes Of paralysis. Or. Eutlor's action in per
forming the autopsy M Hal attributed 10 curl
osity to find out low Mr.. Roberts survived so
many shocks.
owned considerable property. and he was prepar-
ing bin in equity 20 reclaim this. When this was
presented the whole story of the case would come