The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-15
THINKS 1T WAS MURDER
CORONER BRAYTON's ANALYSIS OF
THE RosENGARTEN CASE.
He Has Found No Valid Evidence of
Suicide-Examinat of the
Bullet.


a. Rosengarten until his assistant in the
case returned TO the city. At the city
morgue DR.. Brayton produced from an
envelope the shattered bullet taken from
Rosengarten's head. He said it was small
er than the other bullets found in the dead
mans revolver. He said the futing on the
bullet found in the head was of a different
character from that of the other bullets.
He still insists that Rosengarten was muir
Gered. He said he had investigated thor
oughly the mans family affairs and found
they were pleasant.
Coroner Brayton took Rosengarten's re-
volver to Gus Habch, a gunsmith on West
Market street, yesterday to determine
whether the bullet found in the mans
head had been fired from the revolver.
The rifles in the barrels OF revolvers differ
materially. even in revolvers OF the same
make, Habich explained. A mold was
made by pouring molten lead into the bar
rel of the revolver. When taken out it was
found there was a slight similarity be-
tween the impressions of the rifles the
mold and on the battered bullet. A slight
variation on the ridges between the rifles
left room for doubt. Habich was unwilling
to say the rifles on the weapon were the
same as those on the shattered bullet.
THE CORONER'S ANALYSIS.
1.-The coroner" said DR.. Brayton, ''is only
required to find the cause of death and COL
lect the testimony fairly and as completely
as possible under the circumstances. He is
not required to state whether death is due
to suicide or to manslaughter or murder.
have made it a rule not to make a verdict
suicide ha i,tcf
incontrovertibly, as under our modern
views of life and ethics suicide is by most
regarded as sinful or at least cowardly and
leaves a stigma upon an individuals per-
sonality and family. He is regarded as
either insane or criminal, and a burden of
grief and explanation is laid upon his fam
lily. In the case of Merchant Policeman
HoSengarten L at first information thought
1t likely that his death suicide, but
upon inquiry Of his family his friends and
his fellow policemen L could find no motive
Whatever Tor suicide, and so at once or
dered an autopsy and an examination to
nnd II there was any objective proof of
murder. or at least of homicide. The result
OF the autopsy was the finding OF bullet
which had passed through his brain from
temple to temple. causing immediate death
But the bullet only weighed 1864 grains
while the four bullets left in his revolver
each weigh 152A grains. The temple bone
is thin-a knife blade is easily thrust
through 1t, causing death, as in a case on
English avenue last fall. The skull was
broken and crushed in over area two or
three times as large as the bullet, and the
skull was crushed for two inches over the
eye The bullet was fiattened at the sides,
but evenly wedge shaped and gave no evil
dence TO me of being shaved off. and in
deed, fragments were found In several
cases 1 have seen the bullet was disfigured
but in no instance shattered off so as to
lose third of its weight.
There were no powder grains in the skin
about the wound, as In cases where the pis-
tol is held close. The hair was curled up at
the ends perceptibly, but no singed ends
were discernible. The wound in my judg-
ment. might have been made by a gun at
some distance from the head In many
cases the question of suicide or of homicide
depends upon determining the distance at
which a fatal shot was fired, well its
direction and its caliber.
THE observations of any one person are
of little use in determining all the prob
lens, even though he have exceptional OPP
portunities Hundreds of test cases on re-
cent cadavers have been made and record
and at distances of from direct contact to
one hundred feet No .3S is the most usual
weapon. and with it over one hundred shots
have been fired into recent cadavers in or
der to find the nature of the wounds of
exit and of entrance. in both the skin. the
skull and the brain. Smoke stains, burning
or ScOrching of the skin are found only at
ranges of less than one foot Powder grains
are found imbedded in the skin at ranges of
from one-half foot to four feet: at six feet
none exist. Scattered, unburned powder
grains found at ranges of from one foot
TO twenty feet, lying free on the skin and
clothing. / am led to believe from the con-
sideration of all the varying elements in
this problem that IL is quite possible that
Rosengarten was shot by missile entirely
out of his own reach. and perhaps several
feet distant.
MIR. Habich took a leaden cast for me
of the rifiing of Rosengartens gun; 1 can
not say that the differences between the
rifling of the cast and the fatal bullet.
while they are considerable, are not within
the range of similarity which would be
easily seen if the fatal bullet had not been
bulged and twisted by the impact with the
skull There is abundant evidence that
Rosengarten carried an empty shell for
safety in his gun. Mr.. Habich told me that
he could not say how recently the empty
chamber had been fired; that it might
have been a week a month go. Evidence
of this nature-as to the recentness of ex-
plosion-is of little worth.
THE theory of accident Is entirely within
the range of probability, and from the sub
jective side is far more likely than that of
suicide. These theories we may leave to
the police and the public-every one may
invent his own. and many of them are
plausible. The great sentiment in this ca
the appealing argument in the lack of
objective proof, is the lack of motive.
June, TO be sure. Is the month of suicides
in northern ATTITUDES from Berlin TO San
Francisco-all along the lines of towns and
countries ON this isotherm. But in the
present case 1 have not personally found
a scintilla of evidence, although L have
not examined all who have thrown out
vague reports and statements yet, TO
show that Rosengarten was not at perfect
peace with his own and his wife's family.
and with all his surroundings. He was not
in debt; he was doing we'll; he had not
lost a day in the year; he was in good
health and at his business as usual. He
had been married seven years and had
known mis- wife and her family intimately
for seven years earlier. He was not de-
spondent. nor Incorporate subject to
hts of melancholy. He was thrifty. good
collector and provider, and with his wife
also a good worker and money-saver, they
were accommodating means TO better them
selves.
THE mere fact that a Merchant police
man is found dead in an alley with his
pistol in his hand with one cartridge ex-
ploded, is no proof OF suicide, even though
but one shot was fired heard in the
neighbOrhood. And in this case the matter
of accident and of homicide should be con-
sidered. II would be grave injustice.
believe. with the present evidence, tC
L a - r.f- ID