Evening star., 1900-01-22
Verdict Of Jury in Case Of Henrietta
Speier.
4 LOCAL PHYSICIAN IMPLICATED
Required to Give Bond Pending
Action Of Grand Jury.
THE EVIDENCE SUBMITTED

Coroner Carr held an inquest today in the
case of Miss Henrietta Speier who died at
Columbia Hospital Friday afternoon under
alleged suspicious circumstances. The jury
found from the evidence that the woman
was the victim of an alleged abortion The
jury held that DR.. Samuel S. Bond, the
physician referred to in the testimony,
should be held for the action of the grand
jury. because of his alleged connection with
the case.
Miss Speier, who formerly lived in New
York, was employed in the government
printing office. She was in the bindery,
where she had worked for several years
She had room at the house of Mrs. Gu
bish, 604 18th street northwest. After hav-
ing been sick two days she was removed to
Columbia Hospital. where she soon died.
Before being taken to the hospital she
told DR.. Allen of her downfall and men,
toned the name of 2he accused doctor as
having performed an operation her.
After the verdict was rendered Detective
Boyd took charge of DIR. Bond and went
with him to the district attorneys office,
as he desired to discuss the question of CIV
ing bail for his appearance Detective
Boyd was detailed on the case yesterday.
This afternoon the services over the wo-
mans body We're held at ]. w. Lees un-
dertaking establishment, 332 Pennsylvania
avenue. Rabbi Stern officiated. The body
was inferred in the Hebrew cemetery, be-
yond Anacostia. Mr.. ]. S. Mckenna. a
friend of the Speier family, from New
York, was present at the inquest and fu-
neral. The inquest was held at Lees un-
dertaking establishment.
Result of Autopsy.
Deputy Coroner Giazebrook testified that
he performed the autopsy the body of
Miss Speier Saturday afternoon. The wo-
mans face showed that she had undoubt-
edly suffered intense pain. Death, he said,
was the result Of blood ciot following the
wcman's being delivered of a child. He
could not tell from the conditions found
whether the deiverance was the result of
criminal conduct or from natural causes.
DR.. Jacob S. Allen, No. 666 G street north
east, testified that he was first called TO
treat Miss Speier in June, 1897 when she
had malariaf fever. A year latter she cali
ed on him for treatn ent. Then she told
him of her previous condition, from which
she was still suffering. Miss Speier, the
doctor said, talked with him on two occa-
sions when she did not come to him for
treatment. Last year he treated her for
asthma. About Christmas he was sum-
moned to her house. but for reasons of his
own he declined to go. Between Christmas
and New Year day she called to see him
and admitted to him that she was in tron-
BILE. She begged him to treat her. Offering
him SO in cash and diamond pin. He
told her he could treat her for no such
trouble and she left
Last HuI SIdN, me witness Sdlu, he re-
ceived message from the woman. When
he went to see her she told him it all
over; that she had been seeing a doctor and
she had worked until Tuesday. The doctor
who had treateed her, she told him, had
told her~to call her family physician.
Did she tell you the name of the doctor
who had treated her?'' inquired the cor
oner.
Yes. sir answered the witness but I
wouldn't like to tell his name unless l am
compelled to do So
That's a very important thing for the
jury said the coroner.
The name of the physician was then given
to the jury.
Number of Visits.
Miss Speier, the doctor said. told him she
visited the office of the physician named
eight or nine times and that the doctor
had used instruments on her.
When witness called at the house on
18th street Thursday, the time the state
ments Were made to him, witness said he
did not even examine the woman
DIR. l.. S. Nicholson, COS 18th street north
west, testified that in December 1898 he
was summoned to see Miss Speier who
complained of an attack of acute indiges-
tion. About last Christmas he was called
10 see lhe woman, who thea made a SINH
lar complaint. He heard no more of her
uhtli last Wednesday, when he found her
In about the same condition. He then told
her that she would have to send for her
ment he left That night he saw her again,
Thursday morning about I o'clock he was
again called, and then he went and tele-
phoned for DR.. Allen for her Again in
the afternoon he was summoned. and he
tod her he could not take her case. as he
was not regular practitioner He was
loid that another physician would be sum-
moned.
Witness found the woman was getting
worse. and he questioned her, he thought.
rather closely. She told him she was taken
SICK at the office, and she stopped at the
once or a physician, who gave her a pre-
scr1p1on. Friday morning DR.. Atkinson
was summoned, and he recommended that
the patient be sent to the hospital. When
an ambulance called witness accompanied
the woman to the hospital, where she died
Miss Speier, he said, lived in the house
where he had a room. She persistently re-
fused TO allow witness to make an eXami-
nation.
Responds to Call.
Dr. Wade Atkinson, sos 18th street north
west, testified that he called on Miss Speer
Friday morning, in response to a note from
Or. Nicholson. When he reached the house
he found the patient in prostrated condi-
ton. Witness advised that she be sent 10
the hospital, but she objected to going.
Mrs. Emma Gubish, 604 18th street, in
whose house Miss Speier had a ROOM testi-
fed that the latter was sick Wednesday.
she went to work, but returned home. Wit
had and said she suffered intense pain The
woman lived in her house about six months
and had been sick three times. Miss Speier
never mentioned DR.. Bonds name to her.
Eetty Kelly, coored, 400 Warner street
told the jury that she did Miss Speier's
washing for her She knew nothing of her
Illness until after her death.
Dr. Samuel S. Bond, S1S New Jersey ave-
rue. testified that he knew nothing of the
case except what he had seen in the news
papers. He said he never had a patient
of the name of Henrietta Speier DR.. Bond
viewed the body and said he did not re-
member of ever having the deceased
before. He added that to his knowledge he
had never seen the woman's face before
he saw it in the coffin. If she had been in
his office he thought he would have remem-
bered. No woman ever offered him a dia-
mond pin to perform operation.
Never Accepted Collateral.
DR.. Bond said he had never accepted col
lateral security from patients, although It
had sometimes been offered. He said that