The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-09
APOPLEXY DIDN'T KILL BEST.
COUNTY PHYSICIAN SAYS SO Az
TER AN AUTOPSY.
California. Prosecutor Declares woods
I0uxhM Poison on the hay best Died
Warrants Out for the Woods for Theft


The body Of william j. Best. the mining
promoter and former New Yorker who
died on April in San Rafael, Cal, at the
house OF a man then describing himself as
DR.. John Donald Woods, was disinterred
yesterday afternoon at Caldwell, N j..
and an autopsy was performed by DR..
William Mckenzie. the county physician
of Essex county.
While DR. Mckenzie was unwilling to
announce the entire result of the autopsy,
he said that it had been shown conclusively
that Best had not died Of apoplexy. Apo
plexy was the cause of death given by
Woods and put in the death certificate.
DR.. Mckenzie intimated that Best had been
In a fairly healthy condition.
The contents of the stomach and por-
tions of other organs will be analysed by
w. A. Baldwin, the chemist appointed by
Prosecutor Riker, and until this is done it
will not be known positively what caused
Best IS death.
Best's body was exhumed and the au-
topsy was made at the order Of the Prose-
cutor of the county, who had been requested
by the California authorities to take this
action. Alfred NJ. Best and Charles Sum-
ner Best, sons Of the dead man, stirred the
California authorities to action by the in
vestigation which they have been making
of the circumstances surrounding their
fathers death. Both of the sons were
present yesterday when the autopsy was
made.
Although the body was buried in the
A,,ri
in a comparatively good condition, due
probably to the fact that 1t was embalmed
in San Francisco
DR.. Mckenzie satisfied himself that
Best s death was not due to apoplexy. and
declared that nothing in the condition Of
the brain would justify even a suspicion
of it. DR.. Mckenzie said he would make
the report Of the autopsy to the Prosecutor,
who in turn would transmit it to San Fran
cisco.
Alfred and Sumner Best declared that the
autopsy had resulted just as they had
expected.
-My father" said Alfred Best, never
had the least sign of apoplexy, and his
build WIS entirely unlike that of those
usually affected with tie malady. AL
though so years old, he was unusually well,
and in letters written just before his death
he declared that he was in the best of health.
I'VE have learned that woman in San
Rafael has made statement to the ef1ect
that Woods gave him frequent injections
Of whiskey and morphine, the last things
in the world that doctor would give for
apoplexy. The analysis, we hope, viii
show whether this is true. So far we have
asked the authorities there to investigate
only the gra nd larceny and forgery charges.
According to his sons. Best was 81 years
of age. The California authorities were
informed by Woods that he was ", and that
age WAS put on the coffin. Apoplexy Is
more likely at 72 than at 80.
Another thing the Bests said yesterday
they had discovered was that the day the
Woodses left San Rafael Woods drew $500
from San Rafael bank. He had previously
told Best that he did not have cent in
San Rafael, and thus induced Best, so the
sons say, to get $500 the very day be be-
came iii, with which TO pay their way East.
The Bests said yesterday that since Woods
and the woman and child left for Atlantic
City, which was on Monday, no trace OF them
had been found.
According to James M. Fuller of the
Fuller Detective Agency, man very much
resembling Woods and giving the same
name, offered to come here two years ago
and testify in favor of doctor then under
arrest in connection with the death of a
patient This Woods offered for 81 900
to testify that the doctor could not have
caused tho patients death.
This Woods Mr.. Fuller says. had been
minister in Port Allegheny; His right
name was John Dorrity Wood. He had a
wife and was living in Clean when woman
swore out warrant against him for blgamy,
saying that he had married her in Phillips
burg, n. j. Although this Woods fled he
tod in RuH under
s., 900 bail for trial. He afterward, Mr.
Fuller said, forfeited his bail and later went
back to live with his first wife, woman
much resembling the woman whom Woods
introduced in San Rafael as his sister
When the Woods whom the Fuller agency
knows made the offer to testify the hrm
was employed by the doctors counsel,
Assistant District Attorney lie Barber, to
track him, and succeeded in bringing him
here when he made atement to MIR. LIE
Barber that he had made the offer simply
because he wanted to help brother physi-
clan out of trouble.
The matter was reported to Capt. Titus,
but Woods disappeared and the matter
was dropped According to the Fuller
people, this DR.. Woods was doctor in name
only
SAN Francisco, July s.-Warrants were
issued this morning by Justice Magee OF
San Rafael for the arrest Of John Donald
WOODS ana Alice NlOy iOl eidl
larceny. Detective Depue swore to the
complaint
District Attorney Boyd said he would
await developments in the autopsy held
upon the body of W. |. Best in the East
before charge of murder was placed
against Woods He also said he had evil
dence conclusively showing that foul play
caused Best's death. Mr. Boyd and De-
tectve Depuc will start Tonight for Sacra-
mento to procure extradition papers from
Gov. Pardee. Depue will! leave for tho
East tomorrow morning.
Bottles that had contained poisons have
been discovered in the house where Woods
lived and Best died. These bottles were
found stored in a closet. Most Of them
we're empty, but it has been established
that not long ago they contained aconite,
morphine, nux vomica and other drugs OF
a poisonous nature. Among other articles
found was a hypodermic syringe.
District Attorney BOYD has traced the
purchase of acouite by Woods from local
drug store on the day Best died. II appears
further that Woods made close inquiry
from the druggist AS to the effe and the
application Of the drug. Aconite would
cause dlation of the pupils of the eyes,
which DR.. Jones noticed and ascribed to
apoplexy
While it has been established that at
Best s death he should have had nc least
s4OO. there is reason to believe now that
the amount was actually far in excess of
that sum At least $500 more was sent
to him by Hugh Mackey from Denver only
few days before his illness. As the checks
4 H., 10 glz,-