Evening star., 1907-09-02
INQUEST TO Be HELD
James Brown, DeIirious, Leaps
From Hospital Window.
CORONER SEEKS MORE LIGHT
He Regards Some of the Circumstances,
as Peculiar.
DR.. GALLAGHER EXPLAINS
Says Patient Was at Point Of Death
Before Leap-Believed He Was
Securely Fastened.

Coroner hewitt has ordered that an in
quest be held at the District morgue at IL
o clock tomorrow morning to investigate
the circumstances surrounding the death
of James Brown, twenty-nine years old, OF
113 +. street northwest. While patient in
the Sibey Hospital early Friday morning.
suffering from typhoid fever. Brown jumped
from an open window and was injured. He
died few minutes later.
No report of the occurrence was made
to the police to the coroner until yes
terday afternoon. Coroner hewitt then
made a brief nvestiga gation, performed an
autopsy on thc body and finding several
peculiar circumstances in the case that
needed explanation he ordered tie oiiic: al
inquiry.
One of the first of the peculiar features
of the case to be brought up will be the
form of the death certificate. By that GER
tificate signed by DIR. NJ. II. Price, 10 18TH
street northeast, the primary cause or
death is statel 10 have been typhoid fever,
and the immediate" cause is sci out as
"hemorrnagc" with a duration of five
hours. Another version is that the patent
had suffered with hemorrhaSe, but that ne
died from the fall, and within, at most hVe
minutes after he took the fatal plunge
Why this death certificate was given and
the coroner's inquiry.
Coroner Investigates.
Coroner Nevltt VIII also inquire to what
steps Ire hospital authorities and the at
tending physician Lad taken TO prevent
such an accident as that by which Brown
lost his life According to facts which Gro
ner Nevitt says he developed yesterday,
Brown had shown on previous occasions
tho bn hal n hpcOme
try to run away. Because of that, 1T is
declared at the hospital restraining bands
and sheets had been applied on previous
occasions At the time he was left alone,
following which he took the fatal leap from
the window it is declared, the patient was
In a room where the window was open
and where there was no screen or pars 10
prevent exit.
Supt. Gallagher, however, states that the
restraining bands and sheets were on the
patient at the time he was lett alone, just
previous to the jump, and they were re-
garded as sufficient to prevent him from
eetting off the bed. 1t is a miracle how
he got loose, says the superintendent OF the
hospital. He stated this morning, also,
that he would take immediate steps to
have room or rooms protected especially
for the restraint of delirious patients, to
prevent any repetition of the occurrence OF
Friday morning.
Sick Three Weeks.
three weeks, suffering from typhoid fever.
He was very sick all the time, and the doc
tors say that they had little hopes of his
recovery. On account of his periods OF de-
lirlum Dr. Price and Supt Gallagher or
dered the restraining bands to be applied
last Thursday night, and when last exam
Ined they were tightly in place
About O'Clock Friday morning the nurse,
10 hnr q -.
tention left his room to get bottle of hot
water. She was gone about three minutes,
when she heard thud on a roof below the
window in Browns room. Other nurses
also heard the tall and several hurried to
see what had happened. When they
reached the patient he was breathing MS
last He was unconscious, and they quick
ly carried him to cot inside the hospital.
Within five minutes. it is stated, he was
dead.
Supt. Gallagher of the hospital stated
this morning that the distance of. the fall
was about fifteen feet, but other witnesses
say the distance was greater.
Dr. Price, the attending physician, was
not at the hospital at the time, but the
nurse in charge of the case nouheo MN MN
early Friday morning that there were some
peculiar circumstances surrounding the
death of Brown of which she wished to tell
him and asked him to come to the hospital
as soon as possible. When he went FRIDAY
a III,
Supt Gala CHER of the hospital was out
of the city at the time, but returned t'rlday
night Saturday morning he was told OF
the circumstances surrounding the death
of Brown ana he decided to confer with
Dr. Price They did not meet however,
until yesterday morning, and after con-
versation they decided to take the matter
to Coroner hewitt. About $3.50 o'clock yes
terday afternoon they repaired to DR.. New
tits home, and as soon as he heard of the
case he began the investigation.
Called at House.
He called at Browns home, 1l3 f street
that Brown had died of typhoid fever but
he ordered the remains to be taken to an
undertaking establishment. With the con-
sent of Mrs. Brown, wife of the deceased,
and of William Crawl. her father, an au-
topsy was performed. Coroner hewitt sub
sequently notified the family that an In
quest was necessary.
Brown was employed as the driver Of
bakery wagon, and has lived in this city
for several years. His wife and two BROTH
ers-Daniel and Mark Brown-and one sis
ter, Mrs. Mabel Pryor-survive him.
Supt. c. w. Gallagher, who is in charge
of Sibley Hospital, when seen this morn
Ing by a Star reporter, stated that he had
advised that the coroner be notified, soon
after he learned of the facts In the case
He stated that while 1t was believed the
restraining bands and sheets with which
Brown was held were sufficient to hold him
from getting to the open window, further
methods of restraint will be adopted at
once.
DR.. Gallagher's Statement.
According to the usual precautionary
measures always taken with deliriorS ~