The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-18
DEAD WOMAN CAME
FROM FAIRVIEW Az.
WHEELER HOSPITAL BODY WAS
MRS. JOHN KoUsANDER's.
She Was Separated from Her Husband
and Had Undergone Criminal oper-
alton Against the Advice Of Relatives
The Police Are Now Looking for
DR.. Wheeler.

DR.. Wheeler.
Another private lying.in-ho hospital
tragedy came to light in Minneapolis
yesterday; The dead body Of a young
woman whose identity was unknown
the private hospital Of DR.. Willard
Wheeler at 610 Sixth street Sc and re.
moved to the county morgue. Until
noon today, when the particulars OF the
horrible affair began to come to light,
the entire affair was shrouded in mys-
terry. Now that the facts of the case.
are known, the case exhibits details
that are shockingly horrible: The po-
lice are looking for DR.. Wheeler who
cannot be found.
The patient whose death was reported
to the coroner yesterday was Mrs. John
Kousander Of 537 Fairview avenue,
Merriam Park.
According to the story Of Mrs. John
Ryberg, mother Of the dead woman, the
operation was performed a week ago
Monday at the Wheeler hospital. Mrs.
Kousander returned to the home In Mer-
in which made it necessary for her to be
taken back to the hospital. The
mother says that she was opposed to
| the operation, but that the dead woman
was urged to it by friends. The rea-
son given for her desire for the opera
ton was her separation from her hus-
band which occurred last spring. The
| husband. John Kousander, lives on the
flats in Minneapolis. They have lit
Mrs. Spongburg at Riverside and Tween
ty-second avenues, where the mother
also lived.
| When found, the body was in a
shocking condition, modification hav-
ing set in, and the sickroom was in a
state beyond description. Even the
deputy coroner, detectives and police
were shocked and overcome. A post
mortem performed last night showed
that death was directly due to a Grim
inal operation which there is reason to
believe was performed by DR.. Wheel
er. The immediate cause Of death was
septic peritonitis. .E
Police Are Notified.
On Tuesday DR.. s. M. Bruce, a can
Ger specialist who has been. associated
with DR.. Wheeler, telephoned Coroner
Kistler that there was a dead body in
the Wheeler hospital. He asserted
that his information came from the
nurse, who in turn admitted notifying
DR.. Bruce, as she could not find DR..
Wheeler. Upon investigation the body
was found. The woman was unknown
but was apparently about 90 years Of
age. She weighed about 200 pounds
and was about 5 feet II inches in
height. e.
In the death certificate as filed out
and forwarded to the health depart
ment by DR.. Wheeler, the name, age
and antecedents of the dead woman are
given as unknown. Death was attrib-
uted to septic peritonitis and sept,
= cemia. This certificate IS ordinarily
fact that DR.. Wheeler took this means
Of forwarding it is taken as an indi
, cation that he was apprehensive. The
> certificate further states that DR.
Wheeler had attended the patient from
> Oct. 10 until the time of her death, at
am, Monday. She was in the, hos
, pital a part of two days.
The story of the nurse, Taclam Bloom
! that he had a patient who was very
ill, whose mother could no longer at
tend her, and she was to be b6ugh
to the hospital. She arrived Sunda,
about pm. and was evidently yer.
low. She rapidly grew worse and coul'
! partake of no food. DIR. Wheeler sail
} he would care for her during the nigh
as she was in septic commissions, Eff
OGlng kept up ny 1uJoCGIOuS VI oG1 yCA
Z nine The doctor spent the night o.
e a cot in the sickroom. At am. Mon
day, when Miss Bloom appeared, h
Z said:. F'She is dead. did all coul
for her, tho" He then left the place
leaving no directions and did not re
J. turn.
a Looks Bad for Wheeler.
The entire affair is now being thorol
o investigated. It is believed that D.
,. Wheeler had other hospitals, or wa
q at least interested in them, theor
e that is carried out by his first orde
" to the driver Of the hack to take tn
u patient to place on Second avenu
s. S. Furthermore, it is believed ths
% others are interested in the business
u Complaints have been made of D.
Wheeler to the county attorney, bu
- no case was ever brought that was SUI
u ficiently strong to convict.
DR.. Wheeler left his home, 1907 Fou:
teenth avenue s, Sunday, and was al
sent until Monday noon, when. he r.
turned for dinner. When he left agai
y soon afterward he said: "Good-by ain
God bless you,' to the Oldest daughte
and has since disappeared completed,
# He was at his office, 306 Globe built
t. ing, Monday night, and told the girl
It. stay in the office during the evenin,
a. Both the office girl and the daughte
81 disclaim all knowledge Of his wher
e. abouts.