Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-03-12
Doctor Relates Facts Relative 10
Rlch HosIOR|aR's Death.
BODY WAS EMBALnE9 IN HASTE
No Arsenic in Fluid Used to Prepare
1t for Shipment Home-undertnkc
Knew He Was Violating Law. But
at Was Custom"

iihON ISiNShON, N. DE-, M1rCn IL
Coroner Dc Mund, assisted by Prose
cutor Rooster and n jury having ex-
Sheriff Mercer as foreman. has began
an investigation in the courthouse on
Walter T. Baker. the wealthy Boston
ian who died under suspicious cir
cumstances on October 81 Mt the home
OF MIR. and Mrs. Frank Hurd, at Bo-
gotta. N. j. Edward Baker, brother
of the dead man. watched tho pro.
ccedings with intense interest.
Malcolm Lawrence. State Senator
g. w. Wakelec. and Cornelius Dorc.
mus. counsel for IIurd, were also
present
Dr. Howard McFaddcn. who. with
DIR. G. #. Adams, was called to at
tend Baker on the night OF his death.
testified that he reached tie Huri
home between | and Il. m. wah met
In The hall by Mr.. and Mrs Hurd and
Mrs. Young. and proceeded to Bakers
room. where he found him dead In
bed. From an examination of the
body and Il history of Baker, as told
by the Hurds. from his personal know
ledge he gave the cause of death NJ.
heart disease and kidney compllca.
lions. He told undertaken Ricardo
upon tho latter's arrival that II was
n case for the coroner.
Mrs. Hurd's Story.
Mrs. Ilurd told tho physician tina.
'aker had accompanied Mr. Hurd and
herself to Now York on the 7:2l train
nat night. and that Baker had left
'hom on reaching tho city. Baker had
said he would get an automobile and
take them homo from the apartments
Oh yrs. Young ut the Nottingham, at
eicVen O'clock On the way home
IN Inc automobile. Mrs. Hurd told DIR.
Mcfadden. Baker complained of bc.
ing very cold.
tho doctor learned from the Uurds
'nat Bakers mother and father had
uicd OF heart disease Tho doctor
never attended Baker, but know him
10 ne drinking man. Dr. McFadden
'oid the Hurds that the first thing IN
40 was to notify Bakers brother In
boston. An unsuccessful effort was
made to reach the latter by tolephono
whilc the doctor was present. I'm
u"r'aRer Ricardo said to Dir. McFad-
ucn that he would notify Coroner
Lees. but no effort was made "a do
SO while the witness was present Tho
iinrds told the doctor that Walter and
MS brother Edward were not on pooG
terms. The doctor saw tho bodv noyt
day at noon in company with the cor
oicf. IL had been embalmcd Word
'au 'hch been received from tho
u.o'her Ill Boston to send the iody
nero NJ once. DR.. C. f. Adams cor.
rooorated the testimony OF DR.. Nc
smbalemd In Haste.
Undertaken Ricardo testified that
w was notified OF Bakers death nv
III. Mcfadden. He arrived at tho
rouse III $50 n. M, and embalmed the
ooay NJ 4;45 the same morning. Jo
s"'u he mad no Instructions from any
que 10 DO so, DR.. McFaddcn had ro.
"ered MIN not to cmbalm tho bodv
"n'h inc coroner had seen II. Int vii.
MSS said he argued with DIR. Nc.
raudcn that II the body was going tn
noSton II would have to be nrcnarod
lat once. The doctor then told hin,
to go ahead va" nun
ricardo, who was once n coropo.
was asked If he did not know :, No.
against the law to embalm n hod,. no
fore il had been viewed nv thc &c
oner. He replied Yes" In, ,ho. o =,
had been customary to embalm whore
persons died Of heart disease or Kid
hey trouble prior to the coroner,s nv
rival In spite OF the law. Ricardo
saia mat the embalming fluid he used
coh,"ined no arsenic. He accomna.
Iled the body to Boston with tho
,i, Mrs. Young and a Mr.. Brit.
~, ns nam, he was told on the train
dear friend. wy
Mcardo was asked by tho prosecu.
TOR II he had not received instruct tone
from one OF the Hurds to cmbaIm tho
oody and answered that he had NOT
EN-Coroner Lees, when called IN
testify by Coroner De Mund. failed 10
respond His absence was uncxplain.
CO. The inquest was then adjourned
until tomorrow '' ''1