The San Francisco call., 1905-05-05
Norton F. Frank, a DESERVING
Yeoman From Uncle Sans
Cruiser Galveston, Is Dis
covered Fatally Wounded
LETTER FOUND ACCUSES
AN UNKNOWN MEXICAN
Injured Man Writes Missive
to the Police Saying He
Has Been Constantly Shad-
owed and Fears for Life

Norton F. Frank, deserter and yeo-
man from the United States cruiser
Galveston at Galveston, Texas, was
found mortally wounded on a doorstep
of Warmers Cooperage on Harrison
street, near Fourteenth, shortly after
o'clock last night.
The man was IN q, comatose condition
and unable to tell how he was injured.
All that he could exclaim was: II am
shot, take me to a doctor" From a
letter found in the mans clothes,
which he begged the police to take, it
was learned that Frank was in fear
of his life. The communication runs
as follows:
To the police: l have been shadowed since
/ arrived in this city and expect to be shot at
any moment. l had a slight difficulty with
Mexican while route here from Galveston
Tex. and 1t is from him that l expect
trouble. 1 have carried a revolver anticipat-
ing an attack. and If he succeeds in killing
me kindly wire Mr. Carl Anerbach Seventh
and H streets, N. W., Washington, d. c., and
notify the commanding officer of the United
States receiving ship Independence. to whom l
Intended reporting before z a. m, May o, as
a straggler of U. S. S. Galveston. Very truly
NORTON l.. FRANK.
Mrs. Paula Bengsch Of 1853 Folsom
street, and Mrs Eddy, her next door
neighbor, heard a shot or two. The
Mission Station was simultaneously
notified by a man who refused to give
his name that a wounded man was
lying shot on the Cooperage steps. 70
licemen Waller and Wilson hurried to
the place and brought Frank to the
Mission Station. The place where Frank
was found was dark and lonesome.
Lieutenant Price attempted to get a
statement from Frank, but received IN
response: Take the letter from my
%en oil VI i
went into q stupor from shock and was
rushed to the City and County Hos
pital.
Pinned to the letter were two clip
pings from Galveston papers. The ar
ticles told of a mutiny among the men
on the cruiser Galveston which ar
rived In Galveston on April 70, with
sixty men in irons. The men In irons
complained of overwork and poor feed
ing coupled with unbearable, brutal
treatment at the hands of Commander
Cutler.
Frank was shot on the right of the
abdomen, low down. In Frank
pockets were found nine 32-caliber
cartridges. The police searched for
revolver, but found none. Detectives
Coleman and Cody were detailed on the
case. and are undecided whether Frank
was a victim of foul play or attempted
suicide
Some of the police are inclined to the
belief that the man who phoned To
the Mission Station may have been
Franks assailant. The wound was In
such a position that he could not have
shot himself His undershirt bore
powder marks. These may have come
| as result of struggle at close range.
Doctors say Frank has meager
chance for recovery. AT late hour
they were still probing for the bullet.
Dr. William Waldeyer. assisted by Drs.
Mix. ChappeIl, Powers and Turnbull.
probed for the bullet. While they had
the mans abdomen cut open and the
! viscera all out, Frank, who was but
partially under chloroform. begged,
cried and pleaded that he be put to
sleep. DR.. Turnbull gave the anes-
thetic, but he did not administer enough
!! to destroy consciousness or the pain OF
/ the operation.
| Though the patient screamed and
| pleaded for mercy. no attention was
| paid to his cries. Reporters and others
! accustomed to witnessing all sorts OF
/ surgical operations said they had never
! before seen a conscious and suffering
man subjected to an abdominal opera
/ ton. his bowels exposed to his own
view, his pain unrelieved while doctors
and medical students stood by without
! effort to assuage his sufferings.