Los Angeles herald., 1906-08-16
ACCIDENT CAUSED
STAFFORD s Death
DOCTORS SEND AN OFFICIAL
STATEMENT TO BOARD
Explosion Rendered Engineer uncon-
scious, Making Asphyxiation
Easy-Gray Explains Alb
straction Of Papers

Inexpressibly hurt by the insinua-
tions that her husband committed sui
eide in order to avoid disgrace In con-
nection with the outfall sewer con-
tract. Mrs. H. F. Stafford yesterday
presented statements to the board of
public works, signed by the physicians
who attended the late city engineer
after he was found unconscious from
the effects of gas.
These statements are as follows:
"On account of the false impressions
which have become so generally cir
culated concerning the death of Harry
F. Stafford, late city engineer, the un-
dersigned, attending physicians, who
treated the injuries resulting in Mr..
Stafford's death. feel 1t our duty to
make a public statement of the con-
ditions in justice to Mr. Stafford and
his family, who have requested that
these facts be made known.
Due to Accident
I'VE wish to state, first. that in our
opinion. the theory of suicide, which
has been frequently alluded to, is not
only unsupported by the general con-
ditions under which Mr.. Stafford met
his death. but that there is abundant
and to us absolute evidence that his
demise was due to the accident.
THAT there was a powerful explo-
sion of the instantaneous gas heater
was absolutely shown by the condition
of the room, and by the rim of SCOT and
rust which had been forced out entire
ly around the base of the burner, as
well as by the disconnected vent pipe.
"As a result of the explosion, Mr..
Stafford in our opinion received a fall
which rendered him unconscious and
was the real cause of his death.
Large contusions and abrasions on
the head and body point unmistakably
to fall. and with the small amount OF
gas issuing from the heater Mr.. Stat
ford certainly would have escaped
from the room, had he not been rem
dered unconscious from these blows.
THE fact that he never emerged in
the slightest degree from this condition
would also indicate that the injuries to
brain resulting from the concussion
really caused Mr.. Stafford's death.
~ F. T. JENKINS
~ T. STEWART, M. D.
Los Angeles, Cal, Aug. Is, 1906"
Surveyors Working
| No new developments were found ir
the outfall sewer overpayment yester-
day.
| The surveyors who are trying to de-
termine the amount of work actually
done on the outfall have not concluded
!
through until some time today.
| When their labors are finished
draughtsmen will make maps showing
exactly the amount of work done anc
the amount uncompleted.
| r. H. Grey who so hastily removed
certain papers from the private desl
of Engineer Stafford while he was still
unconscious. yesterday explained t.
Secretary Ferris of the board of pub
lie works the exact nature of thos,
papers, but out of consideration for {
delicacy of feeling entertained by Mrs
Stafford refused to make the nature O.
these papers public.
He stated that the papers wer,
purely private and that action had t.
be taken on them in the afternoon
when Mr. Stafford was in such a pre-
carious condition in order to mak'
them effective.
He had previously intimated tina
they were insurance papers.