The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-09-02

Coroner Nevitt was notified yesterday
that James Brown, a patient at the sib-
ley Hospital. had killed himself while de-
!irious from typhoid fever, by jumping
from a second-story window in the in
stitution Brown, who was twenty-eight
years old and married. lived at nS z
street northwest.
Although the suicide occurred at 40
o'clock Monday morning. the matter was
not reported to the authorities untn
p. m. yesterday. The only explanation
vouchsafed by those in charge at the
hospital is ignorance of the police
rules
Brown had been seriously i'll for some
time, and ali hope for his recovery had
been abandoned. according to the ply
sieians in charge. The patient, however.
had been exceedingly violent at times.
owing TO his delirium, and had been kept
under close, constant watch by his
nurses.
As an additional precaution the ''re-
straining sheet had been used. This Is a
specially contrived bed covering. by
means Of which dangerous patients are
bound to the bed. In some manner Brown
succeeded in slipping out from under this
restraining sheet while his nurse was
absent from the room for a few moments
HurIs Himself fTom window.
Instantly he dashed to the window and
hurled himself out. Death resulted i'm
mediately after he struck the ground be-
low.
The body was taken into the hospital
BY the attendants and the widow noti-
fed. The body was then prepared for
burial. but it was not until yesterday
that the hospital authorities came TO
realization Of the fact that an inquest
was necessary before "a death certihcat-
could be issued. Coroner hewitt was
then notified. and he began an investiga-
ton Owing to the fact that to-day is
( holiday the Inquest has been set for to-
morrow.
/ Dr. Nevitt was asked last night II he
! intended 10 take any action with refer
enee TO the infraction Of the regulations
I
case 10 him.
Il have not taken any steps along that
lire" he replied I asked them why
/ they had not notified me sooner, and
/ they said they were ignorant Of the rules
governing the relations between such an
/ institution and the coroner under such
/ circumstances. They seem to be repU-
/ table people, and the institution is con-
Quoted very strictly
Isn't il strange" the coroner was
asked. that a hospital should be ignO-
rant of regulations which are a matter
/ Of common knowledge?
Coroner Thinks Ii Strange.
We'll. yes" conceded the doctor. 1T
does seem strange that such a reputable
institution should be ignorant Of the regu-
/ lations governing the relations between
/ IT and the authorities in such cases. 1t
/ Is generally understood that under such
circumstances the coroner must be noti-
fed"
DO you expect to make an investiga-
! ton of the causes OF the delay?"
! We'll. it does seem rather unusual. but
had not thought Of doing SO"
/ The police were without any informa-
tion beyond the bare facts reported TO
them by Coroner Nevitt. This notification
was sent to precinct No. at O'Clock
| last night The officer in charge had no
/ knowledge Of where the body was. and
! had not been asked 10 take any action IN
/ the matter. beyond sending the cOroner's
/ report TO the bureau.
! At the hospital nothing whatever could
be learned. Only the night nurse was in
charge when the matter became public.
/ and she referred all inquirers TO DR.. Gal
! lagher. The latter. however. could not
! be reached last night. although the nurse
! herself tried to locate him
Discovers Bruises on Body,
! Daniel J. Brown. brother OF the dead
man. was seen by reporter Of The
Washington Herald last night at 113 E
street northwest, and expressed the
greatest indignation over the action Of
the hospital authorities Mr.. Brown said:
"It was by the merest accident that
discovered that my brother jumped from
window of his room at Sibley Hospital.
His body was brought home Friday and
death certificate with il set forth that
| he died of typhoid fever We made ar
rangements for the funeral tomorrow,
but while I was looking at my brothers
dead face I discovered bruises on the
head and then on further examination I
| discovered other marks on his body Not
knowing just what to make Of these, /
went to Sibley Hospital, where I was
again told that my brothers death re-
suited from typhoid fever.
However. l insisted upon knowing
about the bruises on the body, and after
great deal of questioning. I was finally
/ told that while a nurse had left my
| brothers room for about three minutes
he had succeeded in releasing himself
| from restraining sheet and jumped
out of a window.
Fall Might Have Caused Death.
After more questioning, a man zho
said he was Supt Gallagher, Of Sibley
Hospital. admitted that while death re-
suited from typhoid fever. the fall from
the window might have caused his death.
Mr. Brown said that the widow Of his
brother had not been told Of the accident,
and that she is still under the impression
that her husband died of typhoid fever.
as set forth in the death certificate from
sibley Hospital
In the meantime the body is az Il
z street home, and funeral arrangeme
are delayed awaiting the action OF me
coroner.