The San Francisco call., 1905-02-05
BOYS DEATH
STILL UNSOLVED
Post -MOrtem Examination of
Remains of Young Lubben
Finds No Signs of Bruises
HAZING Is NOT PROVED
Father Reiterates Story of
Violence and an Inquest
Will Be Held by Coroner

ALAMEDA, Feb 4.-Cerebro menin-
gifts was the cause Of the death Of g.
year-old Clarence Lubben, the alleged
victim of boy hazers at the Longfellow
School. according to DR.. C. George Bull.
who performed a post-mortem exam
ination on the remains of the lad to-
day. Whether the disease which ended
the child's life was caused by the rough
handling he is said to have been sub
jected to by schOolmates the autopsy
physician was unable to determine. No
trace of bruises remained upon the
boys body, If any were inflicted. An
inquest will be held Monday evening at
the undertaking parlors of Smiley &
Gallagher. Coroner H. B. Mehrmann
has ordered Deputy Coroners H. C. CAL
lagher and A. P. Smiley to subpoena all
persons with any knowledge of the al
legged hazing and of the condition OF
Clarence Lubben before and after the
bouncing" is said to have been done.
Tomorrow afternoon the funeral Of the
child will be held from the home Of his
father, John Lubben. $50 Railroad ave-
nue.. The remains will be incinerated
at the Oakland crematory.
In making the post-mortem examfna-
ton DR.. Bull was assisted by DR.. M. w.
Brown and DR.. l.. w. Stidham. Regard
ing the autopsy DR.. Bull said:
"I found no evidence of bruises or Of
injuries to the brain, lungs or abdom-
inal organs, such as might be caused
by the treatment the boy is alleged to
have received. Injuries of that nature,
weeks ago and become obliterated
through healing. I have taken a deep
interest IN the case. Public sentiment
has been so wrought up over the pub
lished reports of the illness and death
of the boy that an inquest is impera-
tive. Clarence was not a rugged child.
His mother died from tuberculosis. The
shock he is said to have sustained in
the alleged hazing may have brought
on the illness that resulted in his death.
1 will make microscopic examination
of sections of the brain, lungs and alb
dominal organs to satisfy myself If
they contained any tubercular germs. ;"
John Lubben, the father of the dead
lad, will not believe that any cause
other than the hazing he asserts his
boy received was indirectly responsible
for his child's death. He said:
II am morally certain, although /
cannot prove it at this late date, that
the injuries my son received by being
hazed at the Longfellow Grammar
School brought about his death. He
came home on the day he was first
tossed into the air and was bleeding
from the mouth and vomiting. There
was also a bruise on his right side that
might have been caused by fall or
kick He was never the same after that
day. While the doctors found no signs
of bruises on the body, sufficient time
had elapsed for the bruises to have dis
appeared He told me that he had been
thrown into the air and hurt, and be-
lieved that what he said was the truth.
I will insist that a thorough inquisition
into the entire affair be made by the
Coroner, and Will assist the authorities
in every way to place the blame where
it belongs"
School superintendent Fred T. Moore
is preparing report of the investiga-
ton he made In the Lubben case, to be
submitted to the Board of Education
next Tuesday night. President Frank
Otis Of the Board Of Education has also
interested himself in reported hazings
and will be ready Tuesday night to dis
cuss the matter.