The San Francisco call., 1899-11-06
JEWELER HOGG
MAY HAVE MET
WITH FOUL PLAY
Friends Claim He Was
Murdered.
HIS IDENTITY WAS LOST
TERRIBLE ERROR OF SOME CITY
OFFICIAL.
Remains Were Buried in Potter's
Field While Relatives Were
Searching for Him High
and Low.
HIS IDENTITY WAS LOST
TERRIBLE ERROR OF SOME CITY
OFFICIAL.

c-AAN AOWs
One of the most remarkable cases that
has ever called for police investigation in
this city has just come to light. William
1ogg, Well-known jeweler, who resided
at 1910 Bush street, was picked UP Sun
day night a week ago on a sidewalk in
one Of the most thiCkly populated por-
tions Of the city. he passed through the
Receiving Hospital to the City and
County Hospital. where he died. as John
Doe his identity having been lost in the
transfer. The body passed through the
hands of the Coroner into those of an un-
dertaker and was buried in Potter's Field
while the relatives were searching the
city for the missing man.
Only by the merest accident was the
identity of the body discovered. 1t has
been eXhumed and examined. and in ad-
dition to the story of its bunettngs during
the past week, it is possible that another
chapter, showing foul play, will be added.
In other words. the relatives are con-
WINGED that the Official eyes under which
Hogg's body passed were not only Grim
inaily careless concerning his identity, but
they were closed to a bloody crime.
The case is one that in any event, calls
for a most searching investigation. Why
this man. who was known at the Receiv-
ing Hospital, should lose his identity
while being moved to the City and County
Hospital cannot be explained. The Cor
oner held no inquest, performing only the
perfunCtOry duties sufficient to earn MS
fees, turning the body over to J. Hogan.
the city undertaken. There IS no evidence
that any effort was made by the Coroner
TO ascertain the identity of the body.
Now that the relatives of the dead nan
have heard Ct his fate. Coroner Hill has
decided tHat an investigation is necessary
The appalling fact presents itself, from
he evidence surrounding This Ihlt
a man may be murdered in this city,
taken TO u public institution, die there
and be buT",i as pauper ana his slayer
E0 unpublished unless the victim has
relatives who may interest themselves IN
IIozg. who was 43 years old, left his
visit his uncle, 5. NJ West of 121l Bush
street with whom he had an engagement
y play Whist On his way ne stopped at at
corner of Pine and Hyde streets
where he collected 81 cents due him
for repairing a, clock, He spent the
ing 10 the story told by those who fire.
QUeuc the resort. Some time later he vas
brought back to the place by John Nixon,
who claimed that he had found the man
lying in front of the home of Police Com
missioner Gunst, corner OF Bush and HYDE
streets, in semi-cOnsctous condition
The ambulance was summoned and
IIOgg taken to the Receiving Hospital,
where Nixon gave his correct name. The
patient was badly bruised about the head
and body. Monday morning he was re-
moved 10 the City and County Hospital. /
where he was registered as John Doe. He /
died the same day. An autopsy was per +
formed ut the hospital and. as a result I.
the physicians certified that death was
due TO cerebral apopleXy. On this state
ment the Coroner held no inquest, ana
after keeping the body at the Morgue tor 4
two days, had 1t buried in the potters
The disappearance of Hogg might have
q eF.sr-- ad he pod
mother al a last resort, inquired at the
MOrgue If there was any information
there of her son. The officials showed her
q picture Of John Doe and she readily
identified Ii as q photograph of HOgg. /
This happened Saturday, Yesterday the
remains were eEhumed and Will be kept
at the. Morgue until the inquest Is held
The relatives are strongly suspicious
that the dead man met his injuries in
the saloon from which he was taken 10
the Receiving Hospital. The people VINO 4
frequent the place add some color to the
suspicion by their reticence to discuss the
affair. The proprietor kept in the shade
last evening and could not be inter- /
It is also stated that while the assault /
occurred about I clock in the evening
the ambulance was not called until some
hours later. John Nixon, who claims that
he found Hogg in front Of the Gunst resi- /
dence, was formerly police officer. but
was discharged from the force and is now
a barkeeper in the saloon.
Donald Bruce, editor Of the Political
Record and steD-brOther of the deceased /
insists upOn an investigation He sus-
poets foul play as the cause of the mans
death and believes that something hap
pened in the saloon from which Hogg
was taken that was instrumental in
bringing about fatal results. At the
Norgue last night he made this state
'Tbe appearance of Hoggs body after
I had caused it to be eXhumed is my
strongest ground for suspicion Of foul
play. The face and upper portion Of the
body had evidently been badly beaten,
causing rapid decomposition and nearly
obliterating the features. Hogg drank
very little, so far as 1 know, and he was
seldom I'll.
corner of Hyde and Pine streets this
evening to inquire into the facts leading
up to tu3 cause Of death, the people with
reticent, and I believe withheld a greater
part Of the information. Their actions
were decidedly suspicious, and desire
the police to make further inquiry. |
understand that Nixon, who ii Is claimed
brought Hogg back to the saloon from
the corner Of Bush and Hyde streets,
was very friendly with the man who is
now deceased. ! have also learned that
after Ho0g was taken 10 the saloon in
seml-consciOus condition he was al
lowed TO remain there for some hours be-
fore an ambulance was called"
Upon the demand Of Bruce and the
other relatives Of HOgg Coroner Hill de-
cided to hold an inquest Thursday on the
body He informed the police last night
of the matter and detectives will be de-
tailed to clear up the mystery of prob
able murder and temporarily lost
identity.
The body was finally procured nv an
undertaken and exhibited TO the relatives.
From its appearance It is suspected that
the corpse had been sold to some medical
college as it looked as though 1t had
been preserved in some solution