The record-union., 1898-05-04
The RESULT UNIETEhT!OhkL
CORONER'S JURY EXONERATES
PUGILIST GRIFFO.
Had No Intention of IzfictiEg Fa-
tai Injuries on Joseph Dewitt,
Alias McCarty.


Coroner Clark yesterday morning
held an inquest on the remains of Jo-
seph H. Dewitt C'Bun McCarty), who
on Wednesday night of last week was
battered insensible during boxing c2h-
test with Al. Griffo at the Sacramento
Athletic Clubs rooms, and who dled
from the effects of his injuries the next
evening.
The jury consisted Of A w. Beesley'
c. L. Summers, H. O. Potter, John Ha-
berkorn, r. O. Kimbrough, George
johnson. w. H. Rhodes, Sern Johnson
and r. Christensen. After being out
thirty minutes they brought in the 1ol-
lowing verdict:
We, the jury, find that Joseph H.
Dewitt came to his death by conclusion
Of the brain, from a blow or blows re
ceived in a boxing contest with Al.
Griffths (Griffo), on Wednesday, April
q. 1898, before the Sacramento Ath-
letic Club. Said death was, in our opln-
ion. accidental, as the result of the blow
or blows which caused his death was
urintentional."
9ey Hiram w. Johnson repre-
sen. ne Sacramento Athletic Club
at the examination, while the interests
of Griffo and the seconds who were
with him, and those who We're behind
Dewitt or McCarty, were looked after
by Attorney E. D. McCabe. Assistant
District Attorney ]. Charles Jones was
also present.
Griffo was present and sat through
the proceedings with very little appar-
ent interest in the outcome. He wore q
heavy gray overcoat, buttoned up TO
the chin, and talked and laughed with
his associates, and incidentally
"bowled" up a couple of times while
waiting for the jury to render its YER
dict
Mcconnell ard Schuler, who acted as
seconds for McCarty, knew but little
about either of the principals OF the
fight The former is instructor OF box
ing of the San Francisco Athletic Club,
and the latter is Secretary OF the same
organization. 1t is understood that they
We're behind McCarty at the request OF
Alex. Greggains of San Francisco, who
was interested in the unfortunate
youngster. Greggains, it is under
stood. was afraid that an effort would
be made TO beat McCarty out of his
share of the purse, and asked McCon-
nell and Schuler to see that he had
fair deal.
DR.. A. NJ. Henderson testified that on
the night of April 9th he was called
TO attend a young man known as Bull
McCarty McCarty was at the rooms
of the Sacramento Athletic Club. He
found McCarty unconscious, but sensl-
BILE to pain. and could be aroused by
shouting His general condition re
sembled that of a man who had under
gone great exertions. His condition did
not seem serious, but it was such that
a physician could not give an exact
opinion as to his final recovery.
In the morning the witness was again
called and found McCarty much worse.
His pulse was slow and the pupils OF
his eyes much enlarged. He had the
young man removed to the Sisters Hos
pital and there attended him. In the
afternoon there was no change, and he
informed those interested that he could
not recover. McCarty, the witness said,
died about 6 D. m. on the 18th, without
having recovered consciousness.
4 Witness was present when an au-
topsy was held, and testified that death
resulted from congestion of the brain.
There was a clot of blood on the right
an
lungs were found to be in healthy
condition.
DR.. f. NJ. Reith. who performed the
autopsy on the body of McCarty, testi-
fed that the tissues covering the right
side of the head were bruised
and thin clot of blood COW
cred the right side Of the brain.
Death resulted from congestion of the
brain. The heart was in a healthy con-
dition, but one lung was slightly con-
gested, and some pus, not of recent
origin, was also found in one lung. No
doubt existed but death was the result
of conclusion of the brain.
William Johnson. who refereed the
fight at which young McCarty received
injuries which resulted in his death,
never saw McCarty. Griffo or any of the
seconds behind either man before they
entered the ring.
The witness said McCarty appeared
to be in good condition-better than
Griffo. Throughout the fight he con-
sidered McCarty was strong, and
though he had received a number of
blows. none of them seemed to have
hurt him.
McCarty. the witness said, was as
round as at any other time in the fight,
and Critics blows did not seem to
phase him.
When the twentieth round came, the
witness said. McCarty started in to do
the fighting and wore himself out. Near
the end of the round he was knocked
down but got up again. In doing SO
he laid himself open, and Griffo sent
him down with a very light blow.
The witness said if McCarty had not
been Knocked out, he (witness) should
have declared the contest a draw-he
thought the crowd would have mobbed
him had he done otherwise.
Attorney Johnson asked a number of
questions, which led the witness to
state that at no time during the
fight did McCarty seem distressed. He
had seen much more severe contests be-