Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-03-06
CHRISTENSEN
DEATH INQUIRY.
In Progress Before Justice Nc
Master Today.
ACCUSATION OF DIR. IlENSEL.
The Doctor Denies the Charge. and
says the woman Herself aud Wan
Named shefncr Did ~.

Christensen. who died under suspicious
circumstances nt the Albert block ON
the gSth nit. The body was cNhumcd
from grave In Mount olivet cemetery
early yesterday morning and In the az
tcrnoon Drs. Anderson and Mclean
held an autopsy.
AZ 10 o'clock this morning the hold
Ina OF an Inquest was commenced be-
fore Justice McMaHtor. Deputy Coun-
~ Attorney oun,cr appeared In be-
half OF the state and the following
named Jurors were sworn n. a. Em-
pey. J. Mldgloy and T.. 81. Robertson.
Justice McMaHter and jury then re-
paired TO the undertaking establish
mont OF <. d. Evans and Viewed the
remains. ON their return number OF
witnesses were sworn and their teHti-
mony taken. DR.. John 4. ilenrci came
into tho court room during the exam.
nation. having been Hubpu'nwd by
Mr. Guntcf. before giving his testimony
he was given to understand that he dld
not need TO answer any question or
questions tending to incrlminRtc him.
40 ID might possibly be used against
him later. The witness said h. was
anxious 10 testify and asked the priv
ilcg" OF being represented by counsel
Was present during the Doctors exam
inution.
TESTIMONY or PHYSICIANS.
The first witness called was County
phyalcian ~. 4. Anderson. lie said HIS
attention was nrut called 10 the death
of Mrs. Christensen By the newspapers.
in'tturted him 10 make an autopsy OF
the body. Ia company with Dr. \. ..
Mclean he made an examination of the
body yesterday afternoon. at the un-
dcftaking parlorH Of 4. -. Evans ON
State street. Found no external marks
" any Kind. with the exception Of the
abdomen which was very much swollen
and drum like. The body WAS then cut
open and large quantities OF nus were
discovered In The intcatincn. which also
gave evidence Of being very much In
iiamod. lie aud associate concluded
that death resulted from septic perl
tonitin nuperinduccd By an unnatural
action. The odur was very strong but
was not due 20 decomposition. for the
same condition would have been found
Co exist " the examination had been
made nye minutes after death. II was
impossible FOR a physician to tell whcth-
or or not instruments had bcen used
the abdominal cavity resulted from an
unnatural action which could be- pros
ducod accidentally OF otherwise.
Dr. Mclean was next called, His
testimony was In confederation of the
last witness,
MRS. STEWARDS TESTIMONY.
Mrs. Emma Stewart testified that she
roomed In the Albert. Had known de-
ceased Tor about three months. Saw
IsaV al nA
ing her sickness, Mrs, christensen died
nt $3.50 u. M, Feb. ssth. ON Thursday.
February card. deceased called ON wit.
ness and. placing her hands on her
hips. asked, DO look like sick
woman" wltncna said she told her
mes said then told her rhc had hcon
To see Dr.ilcnHel who told her she would
have 10 lay on for n fuw weeks Tor tho
purpose of undergoing an operation.
Witness asked, what for, goodness
ankeG" and the deceased said II was
for kidney trouble. The next time witt
ness saw her was the nirht she died
She heard gfoanH enafnating from the
wOman'H room ana thought aho would
go In and see her. Found Mrs. Minor
and Mrs. Reams. the nurse. IN the
room. The deceased asked witness II
she would battle her, and change tho
bed. Witness did 30 ana described the
condition the woman was In. Deceased.
witness said. also told her that James
Luke was the man who was paying all
expenses. that he was having lots ~
trouble OF late, having lost
hts home home ,d ana would shortly shortly
she told witness that Dr. Hcnsel
would perform the operation. That
was before she took sick Nothing was
said about doctor afterwards, The
deceased asked witness to take care ~
her seven year old child for the night.
which she ala.
MRS. MINOR TEsTIFIEs.
Mrs. Harriet Minor said she was a
married woman, living with her hua.
band In the Albert block. Knew Mn.
Christensen ana had waited on her up
a. the night before she died. on the
Thursday morning before she died de-
ceased came TO witness and asked Cor
some articles, telling witness Snc had
20 be al Dr. Ionnel'a at n o'clock 10
undergo an operation. Deceased re-
turned about 9 O'Clock IN the evening
and told witness that she had been
operated on and that she was feeling
very weak Witness assisted her to
bed Friday noon Mra. Christensen
rang up a messenger boy and sent for
Dr. Hensel, who came and attended to
deceased. Witness did not remain In
the room while the doctor was there.
ON Saturday deceased was very sick.
Witness charged deceased with having
deceived her. She begged witness 10
stand by her and told witness that
James a. Luke was responsible for her
trouble, that she loved him and that
they had been Intimate for the past
four years,
A surgical instrument and small
bottle containing "A dark brown rolored
liauid was shown witness. A label ON
the bottle giving directions, Witness
recognized the instrument hut said the
bottle was empty when she last saw II
and there was no label on II, The day
before deceased died she told witness
that Dr. IIensel had performed the
operation.
PICTURE OF LuKES CHILDREN.
Mrs. Iona Altman, roaming with her
husband ut the Albert block. testified
that she had known deceased for about
six weeks prior To her death. Witness
SAW her shortly before II O'Clock the
morning OF February 2lrd. Told witness
she was going to DR. Hensel'a 10 have
IN operation performed. SIZE passed
witnesses door In the evening and com.