Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-12

tients."
Coroner Hartwell here stated that he
Thought such methods We're lax, ana III
reply Dr. Wilson said: I'VE cannon
have an attendant for each patient,
In reply to further questioning Or.
Wilson said that Berg was still In san
| Bernardino but refused to tell him now
the accident happened.
! "Grassmee," said DR.. Wilson, was
| strapped to his bed with sheets, and
must have received his injuries when in
a helpless condition. He might have
aroused the other patients by his rest
lessness. I believe that death was due
to paresis."
know that the broken ribs penetrated
! the pleura and diaphram. and if so,
why did you sign a permit giving pare
sis as the cause of death?"
Because I had informed the rela-
tives and they were satisfied replied
DR.. Wilson.
Coroner Corners Doctor
Coroner Hartwell remarked; THAT
is no excuse for not giving the facts,
and why did you not state that the
injuries were contributory causes of
death?"
Perhaps I should have done that"
replied DR.. Wilson.
Deputy District Attorney John North
inquired WHO SANt LIZ ~ AtFNAA
sion to perform the autopsy ana the
latter replied that Grassmee's wife ana
brother consented.
DR.. Wilson admitted he personally
did not perform the autopsy, but was
present and that DR.. LoizauX did the
work.
In reply to questions DR.. Wilson
stated all he saw during the autopsy
was two broken ribs, but admitted the
inv confined DrlnClDaIlX
to the brain.
In cases of paresis," said DR.. Will
son. "all bones yield readily to blows,
although it is not usual in all cases of
paresis to find broken bones"
my idea was to see if the man
would have lived if the blows had not
been inflicted" said DIR. Wilson, and
my opinion is that he would have died,
anyway 1 questioned all the attend
ants, but got no information, but it is
my belief the injuries were received
while Grassmee was in bed
Deputy District Attorney North then
carefully led up to the fact that Berg
was the only person who wore boots
that night, who had access to the room,
and also that no furniture was in the
room except a stand.
At this point DIR. Wilson stated his
belief that no person in the same ward
was physically able to inflict injury on
Grassmee.
Did Not Think Injuries Severe
Further interrogations were made to
learn who first found Grassmee was
injured seriously. and DR.. Wilson ad-
mitted he probably knew of the case
from Bergs report but did not think
the injuries were more than mere
scratches.
Dr. Campbell then gave his evidence, |
which was in direct contradiction TO
that of DIR. Wilson. He described the
condition of the body and stated there
was no indication of softening OF the
brain. and that unusually rough treat
ment, producing internal hemorrhages, |
caused death.
Supervisor Wilson testified he was
surprised when on making his usual
morning rounds he found Grassmee
strapped to the bed, as the latter had |
always been a patient who had not |
given any trouble.
Butler said he ordered the straps re- |
moved at once and reported the matter
to Wilson. Butler and Wilson had |
conference and Wilson said. What |
shall we do about it?' why, FIRE !
Berg" said Butler.
Berg was sent for and told he was
discharged, and Berg asked why But |
Ter replied: ION account of the Grass |
is what Butler testified Berg replied.
Butler said Berg appeared very cool
and was non-committal when question |
ed. At this point Juror Dewing re-
marked it was funny that an attendant |
could beat a man to death and simply |
be discharged.
q had no authority to have him ar
rested" replied Butler.
Jury Seeks information
The jury was also anxious to learn |
how a person could have the ribs near !
the back bone broken while strapped TO |
the bed, and Butler stated that the in
juries might have been made while |
Grassmee had gone to the toilet. He
stated the report showed that Grass |
NEE had been strapped at ! o'clock in |
the morning, but that it was not until
the second morning after that the seri- |
Gus condition of the patient was dis
covered and then he was given every |
possible attention until the time of
death.
District Attorney Byrne was unable |
to be present at the inquest and at his
request Deputy District Attorney North
represented the interests of San Ber
nardino county. Attorney Byrne ar
rived in Los Angeles at p. m. yester-
day and was shown transcript of the
testimony, and at once wired back to
San Bernardino to arrest Berg. Los
Angeles officials will have no jurisdic-
ton in the case, as the alleged crime
was committed in San Bernardino
county, but will lend all possible as
sistance in the searching investigation
of conditions at Patton. Harry H.
Willis, United States district attorney,
accompanied DR.. Wilson at the in
quest
It is said that NJ. c. Neuner, in whose
employ Grassmee had been previous to
his commitment to Patton, has re-
ceived letters signed by DR.. Wilson
which are of an entirely different ma
ture than the testimony given by DR..
Wilson yesterday. Oscar r. Grassmee,
the brother also has a letter which he
claims will refute some of the state
ments by the Patton officials at the in
quest.
Until the investigation of District At
torney Byrne it is not likely that any
further arrests will be made. The case
has aroused widespread interest and
the result of the investigation will be
awaited with interest in all parts of
California.
For the protection of other unfor-
tunate, is the reason why l demand
an investigation" were the words of
Oscar e. Grassmee last night.
Funeral services were held yesterday
afternoon, and the body of Henry
Grassnee was cremated at the Rose
dale crematory.
BERG DENIES ALL KNOWLEDGE
OF INJURIES TO GRAssMEE
GAN REpNARnTNJO Tune ~ IIorc