The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-01-26
SUICIDE VERDICT
OF THE JURYMEN
No Additional Testimony OBJ
tanned in Kaufman
Case.

Shortly after 3 o'clock yesterday after
noon the coroner's jury met in Deputy
Sheriff Chillingworth's office to investi-
gate the death of E. c. Kaufman, which
occurred about 10 O'Clock Thursday
evening in the music room of the old
barracks. But three witnesses were
called, their testimony being as follows:
| DR.. j. S. B. Pratt was the first wit
ness and he said: II examined the body
of the deceased this morning, and be-
lieve that the bullet entered the brain
through the mouth. 1 can not state pos
itively concerning this, as rigor mortis
had set in. The ball came out at the
/ top of the head. There was a compound
fracture of the skull, and the bones
were pressed out. Either concussion of
the brain or hemorrhage ensued and
caused death"
j. c. Cohen took the stand and in re-
ply to the question said. II am the
manager of the Orpheum lodging house
and am acquainted with the deceased
saw him last Wednesday evening about
6 o'clock and loaned him some money. I
did not see him again until 1 viewed
his dead body at the barracks Thursday
evening. 1 found him lying on the floor
with a chair partially covering his head.
His legs We're crossed and his head and
shoulders lying in pool of blood His
hands and face were also covered with
blood.
Il believe that he commi0ed suicide on
account of the exposure of his crimes in
the Advertiser on Saturday morning and
his knowledge that the police were
locking for him. He was about so years
3of age and was professional musician;
he had been employed as such by Cap
tain Berger in the Territorial band for
the last three weeks. Prior to that he
was employed in the Orpheum orches-
ira.
HE was native of Germany, and to
my knowledge never drank or smoked.
He was on the Baltimore and stopped
here on his way to Manila, giving a
lconcert at the Hawaiian Hotel, where
he made the acquaintance of Captain
lBer GER
When called to the stand Robert L.
Caswell testified that he was in charge
of the Government cement at the drill
shed and went to the door of the music
room at 1890 O'Clock Thursday evening.
Continuing he said, II thought some one
was in there, and opening the door saw
a man lying on the floor. Believing that
he was drunk, / told him Do get out, and
gave him a couple of kicks to wake him
up
He only stared at me, and on closer
observation l discovered that he was
dead. 1 did not see the pistol until later,
and could not make out how he had kill
ed himself 1 called one of the men
about the building and he identified the
corpse as the body of Kaufman.
Captain Berger and / are the only
ones who have key to the music
room, and Kaufman must have used
the Captains key, as mine is never out
of my possession. From the appearance
or the candle, I believe that he must
have killed himself soon after he enter
ed the ROOM.
The letter written by Kaufman to
Captain Berger, a copy of which was
published exclusively in yesterdays Ad-
vertiser, was read to the jury by Deputy
Sheriff Chillingworth.< The jury was
then informed of the nature of the
crimes of which Kaufman was accused,
and that a warrant had been issued for
his arrest. But a few moments were re-
quired for the jury to reach verdict
ot death, caused by a wound in the
head, from a bullet fired from a revol-
yer in the hands of the said E. c.. Kauf
mann