Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-06
DENY GIVING CONSENT
AIbreCht'S Friends CHALLENGE
DR.. Vaughan's Statements.
HAVE SENT FOR RELATIVES
Kneecap-Grafting Operation Not to
Be Investigated by Coroner.
NO IRREGULARITY, HE SAYS
Surgeon Is Asked to Tell Who Au-
thorized Him to Make Ana
tomical Transfer.
HAVE SENT FOR RELATIVES
NO IRREGULARITY, HE SAYS

Since Thursday. when they made the
statement. through Gustave r.. BuCh
holz head waiter at the New Willard
Hotel, that they would take no further
steps in regard to the autopsy performed
on Hans Z. Albrecht at the Georgetown
University Hospital in connection with the
kneecap-grafting operation, the walters
and other friends of Albrechts at the
hotel where he was employed, have
changed their minds. In a signed state
ment.- BuchholZ and G.. II. Lehker an
nounced last night their intention to get
at the bottom of the affair."
They deny that consent was obtained
from them for the removal of AlbrechtS
kneecap. They have written. TO Germany
to try to locate Albrecht's relations.
DR. George Tuly Vaughan, who per-
formed the autopsy on Albrecht and the
subsequent grating operation on George
Kelly, declined to discuss the case further
than to say he had full proofs that he
had received the necessary permission to
perform the autopsy and to deny the
statements to the contrary made by Buc-
holZ and Lehker.
DR. hewitt. after seeing the statement
issued by Albrechts friends. reiterated
MS statement maze 10 a reporter Tor ne
Star Thursday when he said he had
been present at the autopsy on Albrecht s
abdomen, but had not seen the autopsy on
his leg. In the opinion of Dr. hewitt.
there was no irregularity on the part of
DR. Vaughan or other authorities at the
Georgetown University Hospital.
Dr. hewitt had nothing to do with the
case in his capacity as coroner and says
he will conduct no official investigation
into the matter. as he does not consider
such course Justitable.
Statement of Albrecht's Friends.
In reply to DIR. Vaughns statement as
published in Washington newspapers. the
following statement, given out by G.. +.
Buchholz and G.. III. Lehker last night, is
as follows:
1T is absolutely false and untrue that
we or any of Mr.. Albrechts friends who
called TO see him daily were ever informed
by anybody that it was the intention of
the hospital authorities to use "a part of
Albrecht's body in performing a surgical
feat on Mr.. Kelly.
"Albrecht did not know their inten-
tons or he would have mentioned it to
us. his confidential friends. To the con-
trary, he often expressed his hope to
leave the hospital as sdDn as possible, as
h did not like the treatment.
Even up to the last day before his
Oedtn he complained ABOUT the 1000 " men
questioned about the chicken broth and
other food sent him each day. he would
answer that 1t was no use sending any
more. as he did not get it. If it was a
hopeless case from the beginning. the
doctors claim. why were not his longings
for food satisfied?
''On Friday, January %, two days be-
fore his death, we were informed by the
hospital authorities that change for the
better had taken place and his recovery
S-oC Tod dnN
authorities claimed he was dying. but he
was found by us on Saturday night, as
well as on Sunday morning, clear in mind
and able to converse.
IF he had known anything even then
of the intended transfer of his knee cap,
he would have told us, but he did not even
then realize that he was dying. The sis
ter in attendance asked us not to men
ton or inform him of his condition.
1T seems quite unnatural that man
should consent to have his knee cut out
when he still had hopes of recovery. We
don't believe that Albrecht ever gave his
consent as we know his character too
we'll.
Buchholz Denies Conserving.
referring to DIR. Vaughans statement
Of permission to transfer Mr.. Albrecht's
knee, G. BuchholZ further says:
AT $40 pm. Sunday. January "a, l
was called on the phone by a doctor of
the Georgetown University Hospital and
asked if I were any relation OF E. AL
brecht or if he had any relations in this
country. l told him / was not "A relative
but if any financial assistance was need
ed. his friends had the necessary means.
In answer to that he said that AL
brecht was about to die. and it was his
duty to ask about relations. as they now
had to perform an autopsy on his liver
and knee. l could not see any objection
to this, as l thought it was necessary to
ascertain the cause of his death.
'As to the knee / concluded the disease
must have affected his bones. and the
doctors wished to see the results. l GER
tainly did not give permission to the
removal of Albrecht's knees to use on
Mr.. Kelly or anybody else.
We did not hear of Mr. Kelly until ac-
counts of DIR. Naughan's surgical feat APP
peared in the Washington papers of Feb
ruary 3. G. BuchhOlZ that same after
noon called Coroner hewitt by phone and
asked for an explanation. Coroner hewitt
said he would make an investigation, but
has not reported as yet
I'VE are now communicating with his
relatives in Germany. AS soon any
assist them in every possible way to get
to the bottom of this affair.
I'VE further challenge DR.. Vaughan,
member of the medical staff of George
town University Hospital. to name any
of the friends of r.. Albrecht from whom
he obtained permission to transfer his
knee to Mr. Kelly, who was not known
to any of Mr. Albrechts friends"
The statement is $ gned by Gustave f.
Buchholz. SIS 18th street northwest and
G. II. Lehker of 1903 Vermont avenue.