The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-11
CAUSES OF THE
DEATHS OF TWO
PEOPLE MASKED
Embalmed Before the
Autopsy.
CORONER HILL is INDIGNANT
CASES WILL BE BROUGHT TO
JUDICIAL NOTICE.
Evidences of Crime Destroyed by the
Embalming Fluid in the Case
of Mrs. Anderson-Man-
slaughter Charged
CASES WILL BE BROUGHT Tt
JUDICIAL NOTICE.

Because the undertakers in charge en-
balmed the bodies of two persons who
were supposed to have died by violence
a widow may be unable to collect dam
ages for the loss of her husband, and a
husband may in all likelihood escape
conviction for manslaughter
The cases are those Of William Finnie
a seafaring man, who was knocked down
by Sutter-street car and who died a
few days later, and Mrs. G.. Anderson.
who died short time after having been
knocked down and jumped upon with
both feet by her husband, Alexander An
derson, In the City of Gutenberg saloon
III Steuart street, about ten days ago.
The undertakers had injected embalming
fuid into the bodies before the autopsy
surgeon of the Morgue had an opportun-
lty OF making the autopsy, and he could
not be positive as to the cause of death
Coroner Hill said yesterday that he in
tended to call the attention of the Dis
trlct Attorney to the matter in order that
an example might be made of the guilty
persons and that others might be deferred
from initiating their action.
shortly after L took office" said Coro-
her ftllI IN an interview yesterday II
sent circular letter to all the under
takers in town warning them against in
gect1ng with embalming fluid any bodies
before the undertaken had received the
necessary permit. This is a very per
ntcious habit and one that must be
stopped, and If there is no legislation to
prevent 1t the necessary legislation must
be enacted at once. Embalming fluid con-
talnS poison, and the fluid used in some
OF the cases at present tans the tissues
and the organs of the human body so
that 1t Is impossible to detect whether
person has been poisoned or has died
from injuries, the effect of the fluid being
to mask the cause of death.
Mrs. Finnie, whose husband was run
over by a Sutter-street car will be un-
able to obtain judgment against the COM
pany for her husbands death, even as
Stunning that the company was to blame
l am going to consult my attorney at
once and have such action taken as will
prevent this abuse in future"
In the inquest on the body of Mrs. An
derson Sergeant of Police Brophy testified
that the saloon had a bad name and that
he had repeatedly called Anderson's at
sitting on the laps Of sailors in the sa-
loon while Anderson played the accOr-
dion for their amusement. Three wit
nesses testified that Anderson had
knocked down his wife inside the bar
and had jumped upon her abdomen and
that when she arose blood was streaming
from her head She took to her bed
a day or two later and a physician was
called in, but he left the case, and DR..
D. b Plymire took charge. He found
symptoms of pneumonia and treated her
for that disease. He had heard nothing
of the beating and kicking, and in his
opinion the woman had died from pneu-
monia.
Anderson on his own behalf testified
that he was ''fooling' with his wife and
that while she was attempting to strike
him with a cup he threw her from him
and she fell on the floor. He denied haV-
ing struck kicked her.
ION account of the body having been