The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-04-28
NURSE LEAVES ROOM;
MAN MEETS DEATH
William w. Green Jumps From
Fourth Story of L. D. S.
Hospital.
Or. J. c. LANDENBERGER
DENIED FACTS IN CASE
Manager Wells Says Green
Would Have Died Anyhow;
Try to Suppress Story

Was the death Of William W. Green,
carly hour Tuesday morning. the re-
suit OF carelcssness on the part of a
nurse?
Green was admitted to the hospital
on April 16, During the night of April
IS he jumped from fourth-story win
dow during the absence of the nurse
from his room. a few minutes after
be had made the leap he was carried
back into the hospital and to his
room -Four days later he died.
Friends of Green allege that the neg
lcct Of the hospital people in permitting
him TO Jump from the window caused
his death On the other hand the hos
piial people state that had they known
the real condition of the man when he
entered the hospital they would have
kept a more careful watch on him and
his movements.
On Wednesday morning The Tribune
published 4 short death notice, an,
nouncing the death OF William w.
Green OF ST. Anthony, Ida, together
with the fact that the body would be
shipped 10 that city for interment.
Wednesday afternoon this paper re-
ceived Information that while Green
was at tho hospital he had escaped from
the nurse and Jumped from window
on the fourth floor. An effort was
made 10 reach Superintendent John
Wells, but that gentleman could not
be found.
Landenberger Story,
Dg j. c. Landenberger, house surgeon
Of tho L. y, s. hospital. and who, in
the absence Of DR.. Pinkerton, had
Charge of the case, was called up over
the phone by The Tribune and asked
for the cause OF Green g death. DIR.
l.ardcnbcrger replied that death was
duo TO a complication of diseases, IN
Guiding Bright s disease and crysipe-
las. Dr.. Landenberger was asked If
Mr. Green had met with an accident
since his arrival al the hospital. To
THIS question he replied that il Mr..
GrceH had met with an accident he had
rot heard OF It. DR., Land"nbcrger was
tncr asked: 80 Is II. o. IS IT not, 2 fact
ia:' while the rursa was absent from
The room Mr.. Green ima,ed from the
wjr4ow While n ~ o. mental de-
rSug"mcrt. Il los question DR..
Landerberecr -cpi'cd that he knew
hing aboa- suCu M incident
That D.. Lan1cnhcrgcr had charge cf
tho case is evident bv the report of the
hospital authorities, yet four DAYS after
Grccn had jumped from q fourth story
window the physician in charge Of him
other source, the same night. The Trih.
ure learned that there was something
20 the story, but was requested to with
hold any information it might possess.
We have expected TO hear some
thing about the case before now said
n hospital official, ''but until an in
vesiigation, which is now in progress,
is comrlctcd we would ask that nothing
be said'' -
Thursday Mr.. Wells was asked about
Tho case. He admitted that the story
of the man getting away from the
nurse and jumping from window was
correct. Mr. Wells stated al that time
that the entire matter was being inyes.
tigated and asked that this paper say
nothing about 1T until the investigation
was concluded.
John Wells, superintendent of the T.
D. ,. hospital, made the following state
ment to The Tribune last night. in con
nection with the death Of Green. the
first official statement given out bv M-
wells IN connection with the case:
Manager Wells Statement.
The hospital authorities and all
connected with that institution deeply
regret that Mr. Green, in the absence
ot a nurse. Jumped from the window Of
bis room / am fully aware of the fact
That many will condemn us for nepli-
gcnce, and viii feel that we were not
facts IN the ease. however are as fol
lows: Green camc 10 us from st. An
thony, Ida. When he iefS his home t he
was in the charge of two men who were
10 bring him to this city. Neither of
these men accompanied him when he
came to the hospital. He asked for DIR.
Pinkerton, who at that time was absent
from the city, in the absence Of DR..
Pinkerton,' his assistant, Dr. Lauden.
berger took charge of the case
Green arrived at the hospital on
April Is. TIL" Gav following his wife
came 10 .ha hospital 1t was discoy-
cred that besides some other trouble
Green was suffering with virulent cry
sipclas. AS this was infections, his wifc
was not allowed 10 come and go as she
pleased. Mrs. Green made no obiec-
ton 10 our request that she leave her
husband al that time, nor has she made
any, complaint TO us since.
During the night Of April is the
nurse in charge of Green left the room
for about i've minutes; during the alb
sence Of the nurse Green lifted the win
dow of his room, which was on tine
fourth floor, and jumped TO the ground
below. He landed in the soft ground
of the lawn between the front steps Of
the hospital and the cement walk Ur
was picked up and carried back into
the hospital within two minutes aftel
he had made his mad leap. From til,
rlmc tnaS ne came 10 lis until he was
picked up he had been in dazed con
difion.
'fWhen he was carried back to hi,
room and asked why he had Jumped
from tine window he replied that h.
wanted TO get some lime water 1t wa
not until later that I understood thi
remark. | asked his wife what ne mean
by saying that he wanted TO get som,
lime water and she informed me tina
her husband was a saloonkeeper an,
that he had been on the verge of de
lirium trcmens for some time and tha
was the reason that she had placed min
in the charge Of two men to bring hin
from his home TO this city for treat
Iuent. The two men, however, did no
accompany him to the hospital Ha,
we known that the man was drinkin,
NAN thar ha had ,non -,