The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1902-09-13
HUMAN HEART
IS MISSING
Novel Fact ShOwn in the
Inquest OnWiIIiam
Bubrick

Chicago, ill., Sept iS.-The inquest
over the body Of william Butrick has
resolved Itself into search for
heart and over this questions there
is a clash In the testimony between
DR.. Emn Ries and the inlernes Of the
Postgraduate hospital and Coroner's
Physician George Leininger.
DIT Leeininger made a postmortem
examination Saturday morning. al
which 10 was discovered that a previ-
ous pOstmortem examination had been
made on the body and tha the heart
was not 70 be found Coroner Trae-
ger told Dr Ries at the Inquest yes
terday that he had Dr Leininger's
statement made under oath tha The
heart WAS not in the 0ody. and Dr.
Ries replied: well. can say no
more, pct the heart back in the
body. OF that am positive"
In s'iu another point the testimony
Of Dr Rie-. who is the head prhysl-
clan al the hospital diffeaed materi-
ally from that given at the FIRST hear
ing OF the inquest He was asked
whether or rot he had received per
mission from the family of the de-
ceased 0 hold a postmortem examina-
tion. He was prepared for this ques
ton and produced letter from Dr.
Cradle. who. he said was a cousin Of
Bu,rick, saying that he mad obtained
The permission of s e. Upson, the
stepfa her of Butrick. and also OF
ButnoSs wife to the holding OF a
postmortem examination This let
ter vas dated Sept and the postmor-
tenn a. the hospital was held on the
evening OF Sept. 8.
S. e Upson has already testified be.
fore the coroner that neither he nor
any Of he family gave their consent
to the postmortem examination. This
testimony was reau to DR. Ries and
Coroner Traeger asked him whether
he was willing to believe this state
ment under oath.
II don't know the gentleman. but I
have 10 reason to believe that he
would 70 s,ate the truth. replied
the doctoc
Cause Given as Bright's Disease
The certifca.e OF death which was
signed by Or Ries and which caused
the investigation. gave the cause OF
death as Brights disease and the con
tributiug cause chioro'orm anaesthe-
sia. administered for the purpose OF
an intended operation 1t was not un-
III the certificate got into the hands OF
the Postelwaite company. undertak-
ers. that the coroner's Office was
notified
Did you not know that this was
: toroners case and that you had no
right to issue death certificate in a
case like ihis?" asked the coroner.
No / did no think it was coro
nsr's case. there was no violence, ev.
erythiug was done that could be done
under the circumstances aud con
slider it was q natural death under the
circumstances, answered the doctor
20 you think II Is natural death
for a man to be asphyxiated? Didn't
you ever read the rules on the back
OF the death certificate? Why the
very 6rst rule tells you that ii is
against the law for physician to
issue a death certificate when death
occurs from asphyxiation. am sur
prised rhat a doctor Of your standing
and lea,uing would admit that he
does 90, know these rules. said Coro-
ner Traeger
Gould Have Changed Certificate
Welt. replied Dr. Ries. Il could
have made the death certificate to
read Fat he died from heart failure
and = would have been true. but you
would never have known Of the case.
could have made the certificate out
any way wanted to-"
Il knew you could and that rs
probably done in man yinstances, but
YOU know that y is against the law.
Hospital physicians are altogether too
lax ny their methods they cause the
brunt % be thrown on the coroner's
office. and We have TO take All the
hlame when just such occurrences as
this come out propose now to put
a stop 10 that sort Of practice II 1t Is
in my power, and ] am not going to
atand no nrnnl OF nnhlio oninlon any