Sunday Washington globe., 1902-03-16


at the Hospital.
Every home in Washington experienced
shock the past week when the discovery was
made that Or. Charles z. Hagner, brother
of Justice Haguer was arrested for dispos
ing of a new born infant by throwing the
supposed dead body iu a garbage can in
Goat alley. The infant was not dead as DR.
Hagner supposed, aud on being found il was
taken to the Homeopathic Hospital. where
il subsequently expired some twelve hours
alters its discovery in the garbage can by
two colored women The dead infant was
of six or seven months CESSATION and was
born quite suddenly or Unexpectedly while
Or. Haguer was in the house waiting on an
other patient.
The mother Of the infant. Mrs Peter
Blair. resides at 7o4 NJ street northwest, and
is wife of an employe of the photographic
Office Of the Navy Department. The couple
were married last August and resided with
a sister of Mrs. Blair This sister, Mrs.
Ella L. Kieso, whose husband s an en-
ploye of the Bureau of Engraving and
Printing, was the lady upon whom DR..
Haguer was in attendance when the pains
of maternity suddenly developed in Mrs.
Blair. DR.. Hagner promptly responded 10
the call up stairs and safely delivered the
mother. The infant was born dead as he
supposed and placing It in a shoe box he
gallantly relieved the family Of the en-
barrassment Of its disposal Originally in
tending to devote It to science the doctor
by some unaccountable freak OF the mind,
which he himself is unable to aualize. en-
tered Goat alley in the rear of the residence
and threw the box in the garbage can. Tive
colored women almost Immediately dis
covered it and on removing the paper wrap
pings discovered the infant ALIvEl They
even assert that they heard its plaintive
cries before removing the wraDpings. The
important fact is here made note of that
the infant was discovered Within a few
minutes after the doctor had thrown it in
the garbage can.
Of course the Doctor was arrested and
promptly furnished bond. HIS statement
of the affair has been substantially given in
the foregoing epitome The inquest over
which the coroner presided after
a fun Investigation Of the facts, the
testimony of the colored woman and the
physicians at the hospital who tried to save
the infants life, but failed, returned a YER
dict that Dr. Hagner was guilty of 'inex.
cusable neglect and he was held to the
grand jury in bonds of $1,000, which were
promptly furnished.
feature of the investigation which has
given the public an additional shock was
the fact that the infants legs were doubled
up against its body and one of the legs was
broken
A profound sensation throughout the Ma
tional Capital has been the result of this
horrible affair The Doctor is a gentleman
of over thirty years practice and leader in
his profession His high connections aud
social standing, his daughter being private
secretary to Mrs, Roosevelt, has added TO
the amazement with which the public read
the plain, uuvamished accounts in the
daily press of this most iuexplicable and
shocking affair. It must be accepted, for it
is against human reason to think otherwise,
that Dr. Hagner was unfortunately deceived
by the appearance of the infant into sup
posing that it was dead. It was a fearful
mistake by an experienced practitioner.
We venture the assertion that obstetrical
history cannot parallel the error
The act of interment in a garbage can.
however, was no error, but a deliberate
violation of moral and statutory law ac
countable for in the Doctors case, consider
ing his high standing and long aud honor
able career as a physician, on the hypothesis
that he was suffering under some mental
alteration or was not in POSSESSION of his
normal faculties. That criminal intent
existed it is impossible to believe, as no
motive is apparent in the premises, besides
the Doctors whole life, antecedeuts and
connections are against such a strained con-
clusion. We take issue with the verdict of
the coroner's jury in finding the doctor
guilty of "inexcusable neglect" II is a
case of manslaughter if it is anything.
caused by a violation Of his legal pro-
fessioual and moral obligations as a ply
stefan. All of which he has undoubtedly
been guilty of on the face OF the facts so
far developed and presented to the public
The GLOBE does not. however, charge OF
believe tbat there was criminal intent in
the prefnises on the part of Dr. Haguer
but rather an unfortunate lapse of his
legal and moral responsibilities as a ply
siciau due TO some temporary mental abe
ration.
It is indeed, as the daily press has we'll
stated, "a distressing affair" aud decided
shock, the GLOBE would add, to the moral
sensibilities of every father and mother
and to every home in Washington