The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1901-11-27
CORONER STOPS
THE |NTERMENT
Orders Thorough Invest
igation Of Hessman
Suicide.
Inquest Postponed Because
Wife Fails to Appear
as Witness.

ALAMEDA. Nov. 2s.-Mrs. Clara Z.
Hessman, widow of the late Otto Hess
man, who committed suicide early Sun
day morning, failed to put in an appear
ance this evening at the local branch
MOrgue at o'clock the time set for an
inquest into the cause of her husbands
death.
In explanation of her absence, Coroner
II. b. Mehrmann received a note written
on a scrap of foolscap paper. dated to-
day. bearing the name George Adam,
NJ d.. 1876 Green street. San Francisco.
and certifying that Mrs. Hessman was
suffering from nervous prOstration and
would be unable to be present at the in
quest.
After reading the note and comforting
with City Marshal John Conrad and Drs.
G.. L. Tisdale and A. A. Stafford, Coroner
Mehrmann announced to the jurymen and
witnesses that he would not go on with
the inquest without Mrs. Hessman's pres
ence, or until ne was thoroughly satisfied
that she could not attend. He then post
poned the inquiry until Thursday next at
10 2. M, and ordered Drs. Tisdale and
mans body, which had already been
placed in a coffin and prepared for burial.
Coroner Mehrmann said:
1 know Of no good reason why Mrs. Hessmsn
could not be here this evening. She regu-
larly supenaed and was well able to be around
yesterday and early last evening. Later she
is now stopping at 1876 Bush street. She wanted
the remains Of her husband buried yesterday,
but refused to allow this. Then she wanted
them inferred to-day. 1 refused again and no
ti1ed Deputy Coroner James Fowler to hold the
body until after the inquest.
Mrs. Mary Dickson Mrs. Hessman's sister.
came to and desired to know IL she could
not appear witness in her sisters stead
l told her NO" / intend to question Mrs.
Hessman, If it is possible for me to do so. Lo-
cal appearances indicate that Hessman died
from gas asphyxia ton. but 1 have a witness
who will testify that he Arthur Stenbiht
jump upon Hessman's stomach with both feet
after he had knocked him down in the Tight
Saturday afternoon. 1t may be possible that
injuries thus inflicted had more to do with
causing Hessmans death than the gas had
mean to investigate this affair from beginning
TO end, so that it cannot be said that anything
was left uldone to determine how Hessmans
life came to end.
Drs. TisdaIe and Stafford in the autopsy
found that the internal organs in the abb
dominal and chest cavities were in fairly
good order. The face was marked with
numerous Commissions caused by blows, but
no trace of skull fracture or brain con-
siderable gas.
Arthur Stenbiht, who was named as CO.
respondent in a croSs-complaint filed by
Hessman in the suit for divorce brought
by the latter'S W Re, was released from
the City Prison late last night on bail put
UP by his mother. Stenbiht was arrested
on complaint of Detective George Brown
for the part he took in the brawl WITH
HeSSman last Saturday and charged with
disturbing the peace. He will be given 4
hearing tomorrow morning al 10 o'clock
branch Morgue this morning to ascertain
whether he would be wanted as a wit
ness at the inquest. He will be subpe-
naed,