The San Francisco call., 1899-07-19

~ ORONER HILL STANDS ready 10
II exhume the body of Mrs. Fannie
II LOoria should any relative of the
~ dead woman make the demand
that he investigate the ugly ru-
mors persstently circulated since her
sudden taking off.
The Coroner's first information of the
demise of Mrs LoOria and Of the strange
action of DR.. John R. McMurdo in issu-
ing a certificate of the cause of death,
without having so much as seen the body,
was obtained when he picked up yester-
days Call and read the story Of the death
and interment. He at once went TO the
records. where he found that no report
of the case had ever been forwarded 10
his office The narrative of the circum-
stances attending the decease of Mrs.
Looria made it plain TO DR.. Hill that, foul
play or no foul play, the matter was one
for investigation by himself. The fact,
TOO, that DR.. Margaret Mahoney, acting
as the law prescribes a physician should
act in such case, had written note
which she instructed should be taken to
the Coroner, strengthened this belief.
Coroner Hill called a once upon Chief
of Police Lees and laid the case before
him. The two agreed that the action OF
DR.. McMurdO in the issuance of the death
certificate had been entirely unauthorized,
and if generally practfced would make
the way easy for crime and almost i'm
ever, that the body was in cemetery
in San Mateo County and that consider
able expense would have to be incurred
TO exhume il, determined the Chief and
the Coroner in the conclusion that no
steps should be taken toward disinter-
ment unless some relative should make
the demand
Coroner Hill, not satisfied with stopping
at this point, determined TO call Dr NC
Murdo to task for the part he had taken
in facilitating the burial of Mrs. Looria.
The Coroner decided to write a letter to
the eX-assIstant city physician concern
ing the case, inquiring particularly why
Or. McAurdO had stopped the note to Dr
Hill written by Dr. Mahoney. The Coro-
ner was busy writing the letter when seen
10y reporter for The Call.
Il can understand" g" he said, why DR..
McMurdo should have stopped DR.. Ma
hOneyS letter before II got to me. he
had no more moral right to do 1t than
/ would have TO intercept letter IN tho
United States mails addressed to you. No
more did he have authority to issue the
certificate of the Oeath OF Mrs. Loorla.
He mad not attended the dying woman
and, as l am informed and bene[e' saw saw
her neither before nor after death. IN
der the law only the physician in attend
anCe, or. failing him, the Coroner, IS en-
powered 10 sign a death certificate.
'Dr. Mahouey refused, and properly,
TOO. 10 sign the certificate. She did the
next best thing, however, and wrote j
note to me. l never got 1t. 1t went to
Dr McMurdo, and so did fee. Had he
sent the note to me, as he should have
done, II Is probable he would nave IOsI the
fee. That may explain why l did not get
This Is not the first time the hand of
DR. NIcNIurdo has meddled with the busi-
ness of the Coroner's office. L had occa-
sion last March to point this out TO his
superior, then City Physician A. T.
'Brien AT that time l wrote: 1t be-
comes my duty TO notify YOU that one Of
Your subordinates. Dr. McMurdo, has been
Tor some time signing death certificates in
direct violation of the law You quote.
must. therefore, ask you TO issue an or
der foTbidding him TO do so in future.
I am very sorry to deprive DR.. Nc
MurdO Of the fees he was wont TO receive
for doing this work. but you will agree
with me that the law is paramount
DR.. McMuTdO does not seem to have
been disturbed by this Ietter-in the Looria
case At any rate-and. although he, is no
longer assistant city physician and can
not issue such certificates. | propose TO
let him know that his action. altogether
without warrant of law. may have left
open the way to crime without a chance
Of detection. If any or all of his success
sors have the power 10 issue certificates.