Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-30
Brother Insists Body
Robbed After
Death
Attorney Works to Clear
Up the Strange
Case
Charles ohde Unable to Understand
K Method of Public Administrators
and Coroner in Dealing
u with Affair

II have instructed Attorney Frank A
Cattern to do anything he decides is
necessary to clear up the mystery of
my brothers death. 1 have no proof
that my brother was ever buried and for
all 1 know to the contrary his body
may Vnow be at so1ce medical college
and not in the lot the undertakers say
they purchased for it at Rosedale."
These statements were made by
Charles Ohde, brother of j. F. Ohde,
the German bla acksmith whose body
was found by Mrs. A.. Mendoza lying
fully dressed on a bed in his room at
223O Enterprise street, September 16,
with a ballet wound in the head and a
revolver tightly clutched in the left
hand.
Charles Ohde came to Los Angeles
recently to learn all possible about his
brothers fate. Mysterious circum-
stances surrounding the tragedy
caused him to think it was possible his
brother had met his death at the hands
of a murderer, and while investigating
he learned of many strange things.
II found that the coroner was not in
terested enough in the death of man
to even send one of his deputies" SAID
Ohde. 81 found that the chief of po-
lice was not interested enough in the
death of a man to even send detective
to Investigate it. found that Pierce
. Bros, undertakers, were not sufficient
ly interested to keep track of the ar
ticles which were taken from the body,
while the public administrator did not
care enough to even visit the place and
learn what possessions the dead man
had
Instead of doing these things the
coroner took the word of some out
side person and decided that my
brother had committed suicide. The
undertakers took the body to their es-
tablishment and when friends called to
see it they were refused permission. A
funeral was held from their establish
ment, of that I am certain, as one of
my brothers friends was present, but
1 have no proof that my brother was
buried and for all L know some col
lege may today have the body.
81 do know that Pierce Bros. have
a bill of $3.50 against my brothers es-
tate for burial expenses while there
is also bill of $25 for digging a grave
and one of $40 for public admins
traitors fees.
"When 1 complained about the size
of this bill for burial 1 know they at
once told me that if 1 thought it was
excessive it would be reduced.
Says Corpse Was Robbed
80 far l have located $87 belonging
to my brother. OF this $50 is deposited
in a local bank and l found the bank
book myself. The 81 was found by the
undertakers' assistants, so L was told
today. One of their managers told me
that he had found a card in the safe
which showed that j. F. Ohde had that
amount to his credit. Still they were
not able to produce his silver watch
or revolver although they admit the
latter was brought to their establish
ment. My brother received several
hundred dollars from the sale of his
blacksmith shop. Where is that money ?
'I have been unable to get the least
satisfaction from the coroner, the pub
lie administrator or the undertakers,
but intend to have some before l get
through. l am willing to go to any eX-
pense to recover the articles and money
which l do not hesitate to say were
stolen by unknown personS from my
brothers body, and l also intend to
learn whether his body was. really
buried. If it was, 1 will take it back
to Freeport, ILL.,, where my mother and
father are buried. If it was not / will
expend every dollar 1 possess to punish
the ones guilty of taking it."
When seen last night the managers
of Pierce Bros. insisted that every
of ]. F. Ohde's body from the room
where he was found dead to their es-
tablishment was carried on in the
usual careful way and that the body
was inferred at Rosedale. So far as
any articles being taken from the body
is concerned, they state this is very
improbable.
They say that to their knowledge no
person ever called at their establish
ment and was refused permission to
see Ohde's body. They state it was
possible for this to happen, however.
providing such a visit was made while
the body was being prepared for
burial
Charles Ohde will leave this morn
ing Tor his home at Salton, but will
return to Los Angeles January 10 to
take charge of his brothers effects. He
was appointed administrator of his
brothers estate yesterday. This es-
tate is valued at about $25OO There are
three heirs Charles Ohde, a sister. who
lives In Chicago, and whose present
name and address are not known. and
a brother who lives in the east, but
whose address is not known.
Mr.. Ohde declares his brother must
have had several hundred dollars upon
his person when he killed himself or
was murdered. So far no trace of this
money has been found, One of the
undertakers employees intimated last
night that the body might have beer
robbed before the undertakers Were