The San Francisco call., 1906-06-24

bauch with her husband and his tntt-
mate friend, Michael Baumann. The
story fs one of soddcn brutishness sell
dom equaled- An Inquest yesterday
showed that liquor was poured down
Mrs. Reiehert's throat when she refused
or was unable through intoxfcation to
drink any more. 1t is supposed her
neck was broken d1ring this besttaI
performance In the course of the orgy;
or II might have been broken in muir
derous frenzy by one of her Liquor
eraSed consents during the progress of
the debaueh.
There is NO proof that either of the
men directly caused the woman's death,
and they have not been arrested, but
the police arc Investigating the case.
The facts thus far brought TO light
Indicate TO the police that Mrs. Reichert,
g semi-invalid was the victim either of
her husband or of his friend Michael
Baumann, while the three INDUCED in
liquor at the Reichert home in West
Berkeley on June 90 The men admit
that whisky was given to Mrs. Reichert
on that day, and that they held her
head while the whisky was poured
down. At some stage in the proceed
ings Mrs. Retchert's neck was broken,
either In drunken quarrel or while the
whisky was being poured down her
throat by her male companions in the
house.
A Coroner's jury that heard the tes-
timony in the case today and cross
examined both Reichert and Baumann
confessed itself unable TO decide wheth-
er Retchert is responsible for the wom-
ans death, or both. Neither Reichert
nor Baumann was detained by the po-
lice. though they Will both doubtless be
kept under surveillance. The jury found
that Mrs. Reiohert's death was the re-
suit of dislocated neck.
SHERIFF INVESTIGATES.
The discovery last night by DIR. ]. ].
Benton that Mrs. Reichert's neck was
dislocated inspired Sheriff Barnet to
begin an investigation at once. The
woman died last Wednesday night, sup
posedly of natural causes. Her husband
reported her death to DR. Benton on
Thursday morning. DIR. Benton in
formed the Coroner, and an inquest was
ordered for this morning,
Supposedly the inquest was 10 be one
of the perfunctory affairs that follow
when death comes so suddenly to man
or woman that the relatives of the
stricken one have not time TO call
physician. the law then requiring that
official inquiry shall be made into the
causes Of death, even If the inquiry is
10 be largely perfunctory.
When DR.. Benton notified the author
tiles last night, however, that in max
ing his autopsy examination of Mrs.
Reichert he had found her neck dislo-
Gated, death certainly being the result
Of this dislocation. the case assumed
new aspect. and there was no more
thougL.s Of perfunctory inquest.
Murder was suspected, and instantly
those cogniZant of the circumstances In
connection with the case recalled sew
eral suspicious features of the affair
hod IL
attention. The woman's husband, for
example, had not reported her death un-
Ill Thursday morning, although she
died Wednesday night.
Also. those who took care of the
corpse found Mrs. Reichert dressed in
street gown, wearing her gloves, as
though ready for a journey from the
house. These details had seemed un-
usual to those who took care of the
body, but were not made much OF, be-
cause the husband of the woman had
said she was an invalid, whose death
had not been unexpected by him. so that
when she expired suddenly on Wednes-
day night he did not consider 1t re-
markable.
BOTH MEN SUMMONED.
The authorities determined to make a
searching investigation Of every feature
connected with Mrs. Reichert's death,
dllcI lCdIiluk VI lncSt unusual mai
tiers, and Reichert, accordingly, with
Michael Baumann, who was in the
Reichert house when the woman died
were summoned before the Coroners 8
jury this morning to give testimony and
be examined.
DR.. Benton also testified. He was in
formed by Reichert of the death of Mrs
Reichert twelve hours after the death
occurred. DIR. Benton informed the jury
today that he asked Reichert why no.
tification of death was given to him, a
physician, or why his services were re-
quested after the patient had passed
away.
"Reichert told me-" said DR.. Benton,
that he wanted to be sure that no
blame attached to him for his wife's
death, and that il there was anything
said about the death he desired a ply
sician's word for what had actually
happened"
Reichert is a humble laborer in Louis
Schaffers bone yard, and has lived in
ramshackle house near Flemings Point
in West Berkeley for several years He
swore that he and Mrs. Reichert lived
peaceablY, never quarreled, and that on
the night of her death was given atten-
tion by him for several hours. he rem
dering all the service possible to sus-
tain her.
My wife was an invalid" said
Relcnert, a victim or tuberculosis. She
had been to the County Infrrnary for
some time. having returned to our home
only last Monday. She always com
planned of the cold. and almost always
wore her gloves. She planned to walk
out last Wednesday night, but finally
cnanBed her mind and, saying that she
felt badly. laid down on the bed She
called for water and whisky during the
evening, and I sent out and got some
for her. and held her head while she
drank It. l don't know just when she
died. / did not call for physician be-
cause she seemed to be dead before L
realized tt
Baumann testified that he came to
the Reichert home at about s O'clock
Wednesday evening. Hes found Mrs.
Reichert I'll, and stayed in the house
until she died. He tried to get rhy-
sician, he said. but could NOT secure
one over the telephone.
INJURY DUE TO FORCE.
DR.. Benton stated his opinion that
the cause OF death was a dislocation Of
the bones OF the neck, causing pressure
upon the spinal cord. He found a iag-
ged piece Of bone in ,ne neck and a clot
or blood directly below this bit of bone