Evening journal., 1904-05-26
Not Summoned As Wit
uesses at CorOner's In.
quest Over Body OF III.
II. Van Trump
Coroner Mccormick Gets
Angry When Inter
viewed and Refused to
Give Any Information

The Jury impanelled by Coroner Samuel
Mccormick TO hold an inquest into the
death Of Howell il. Van Trump, met last
night and exonerated Charles Armstrong,
who was charged with causing mis- death.
rhe verdict was as ioiows:
Resolved. That Howell il. Van Trump
came TO his death on Thursday, May -
1874 at the Homeopathic Hospital while
on the operating table being treated fer
fractured skull, the cause Of tho fracture
being unknown to the jury and we here
by eNonerate Charles Armstrong from amy
blame"
The Jury in the case comprised James
Z. Heal. foreman; j. II. Bougs, l.. =.
She cckley, y. v. Chambers, l.. x VIII
.iams, S. Williams and c. A. Blizzard.
David ]. Reinhardt. counsel for Arm-
strong. was present but did not examine
w.tness
w. r. Tucker, Oscar Ferguson. George
Asland and Thomas L. DowDham four
l.nemen who were in the gang with ARM
strong of which Van Trump was foreman.
w@ic among the Witnesses examined, but
not one saw Armstrong strike Van Trump
according 10 their testimony. All saw Van
Trump lying in the street, however but
the testimony of each was that he was
not looking toward Armstrong and Van
Trump at the time Armstrong knocked
Van Trump down, il he did knock MIN
Gown.
,'he evidence Of these four witnesses was
practically the same. They said they were
20 ns up the hill leading from Harrison
street. TO Franklin on West Fourth street
the side walk, called to Armstrong to
alieht from the repair wagon, that the
horses burden might be lessenel. ARM
strong was slow in getting from the wagon
and Van Trump called to him why in the
hell don't you get off. II you don't you
can set your time" Armstrong then
aiighted None Of the witnesses saw Arm
strong punch Van Trump or knock him
down, although all saw Van Trump lying
IN the street with Armstrong nearby. At
land heard Van Trump fall and saw ARM
strong reaching down TO pick him up.
DR.. Irvine NJ. Finn, DR.. Lewis w. Finn
and Or. Julian Ajair, who performed the
trephining operation on Van Trump at
the Homeopathic Hospital. said that no
ether was administered to the patient. DR..
Lewis W. Film added that no anaesthetic
was given TO Van Trump. All the physi-
clans agred that Van Trump did not die
until five or ten minutes after the opera
ton had been competed.
Permission having been obtained from
the coroner's office, a post-mortem exam
ination was held shortly after Van Trump
died. disclosing the fracture at the base
of The skull. There were no physical symp.
toms of the fracture. and no discoionat.ons
that would indicate a fracture were pres.
ent. There was a discoloration above Var
Trumps right eye. The physicians stated
that such fracture would be caused by q
blow or forceful impact. and they did no
think blow from a list would cause It,
Van Trump's skull was Of normal thick,
ness.
Coroner Got Mad.
When Coroner Samuel Mccormick
was interviewed over the telephone by
a reporter for The Evening Journal this
morning, he absolutely refused to give
out any information concerning the in
quest and became very angry when
the newspaper man persisted in ask
ing him questions.
The reporter called the coroner up by
phone at his home and asked him why
the time set for holding the inquest had
not been made public.
Wasn't it2" queried Mccormick.
Upon being told that it was not. the
coroner persisted in saying that he
thought it was and wound up by be-
coming indignant.
The reporter then asked Coroner TIC
Cormick If Patrolman William j. Sny.
der, who witnessed the assault made
by Armstrong on Van Trump, wa.
present at the inquest last night.
Il think he was" answered McCor-
mick.
Don't you know whether he was OIL
not?' asked the reporter again.
BY this time the coroners anger go
the better of him and he fairly shout
ed throught the phone: ITS none o
your business, and its none of tn
newspapers business. Now that yol
want to know so much I am goin,
TO tell you nothing"
Then ne rang off" without cere
mony.
Saw Blow Struck.
Patrolman Snyder. as a matter o