Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-11-26
THEORY OF ACCIDENT
THIS SEEMS TO BE ACCEPTED IN
CASE OF MRS..
GORE.
AMERICANS LEAN THAT WAY.
They May Positively Assert Agree
ment With the French.
GROUNDS FOR CONCLUSION.
French Design Showing Probable
Line Taken by the Bullet Almost
Equivalent to Mathematical De-
monstrntion-Ang1e of Wound Tai
lies Exactly with Line Based on
De Rydzewski,s Statement.
De Rydzevvski's Statement.

PARIS, November 25.-In spite of the
rigid secrecy which has been maintained
by the officials and the commission of
American doctors concerning the result
of the autopsy conducted by the latter
on the body of Mrs. Ellen Gore to-day, it
that the doctors tend individually to the
acceptance Of the theory Of accident,
and the probabilities are that their official
report will strongly incline to that theory,
bringing the French and American doc
tiers into agreement, and relieving the
case of any international significance.
After the post-mortem examination, the
American doctors arranged to have a con-
sultation later in the day, in order to
draw up their official report, but this
conference was postponed owing to the
indispostion of one of the gentlemen.
Meanwhile, the doctors We're interviewed
by the representative of the Associated
Press, but they positively declined to
make any statements as to the results of
the examina ton. 1t is clear. however.
that the American doctors are impressed
Sby the thoroushness with which the
French surgeons investigated the case,
and they are not inclined to raise a
professional issue.
For Accident Outright.
At least two of the American doctors
hold an outright accident theory, and
they will seek to have that view incor-
porated in the official report. The grounds
for this conclusion are the following:
The French experts exhibited at the
morgue this morning a geometrical design,
in which one line showed the direction of
the bullet from the revolver as it struck
the floor, and another line showed the
victim in a leaning posture, sitting at
the foot of the bed, as has been de-
scribed by De Rydzewski The angle of
the bullet wound tallies exactly with the
geometrical design based on De Rydzew-
skis statement, and tbs American doc
tors verified this. The fact that the di-
rections of the wound was almost paral-
lei with the earth is accounted for by
the leaning posture of the victim. The
doctors regard thisa. design as almost
equivalent to a mathematical demonstra-
ton.
Examination Yesterday.
The four American doctors, A. ]. Mag
min, Edmund l.. Gros, Turner, and Whit
man, were present at the examination as
was also DR.. Socquet, at the request OF
the French officials, and NJ. Paquet, repre-
senting Mr.. Gowdy- The body was
brought into the amphitheatre used for
demonstrations before students DR.. Soc
quet explained the course of the first
autopsy, and the American doctors care
fully made their own inspection; but they
made no new incisions. The skull has
been sawed into two parts along the
course Of the wound. which permitted the
Americans to make measurement to es-
tablish the range. of the bullet. It was
obvious that the range was not greatly
upward, as at first announced, but was
almost parallel with the earth.
Release of De Rydzevsl<i.
The provisional release of De Rydzew-
SKI yesterday is considered as establish
ing the view of the French authorities OF
the innocence of the Russian, but he is
still under surveillance, and If he at
tempts to leave the city he will be liable
to arrest as a fugitive rrom justice. The
American officials do not expect that De
Rydzewski will be further actively prose
cuted, although he probably will be ar
raigned later on the minor charge of hav-
ing possession OF a revolver, and Of care
lessly participating in the circumstances
which caused the death of Mrs. Gore.