The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-01-01
CORONER BURGESS
NOW SAYS R0Hh
IS SUICIDE
Makes Fresh Examination Of Body
and Discovers Traces Ct Carbolic
Acid On the Lips and
Throat.
Mixup Over Analysis of Stomach
Brings County Physician and
Coroner Into Warm Conflict.

AS the result of County Chemist
Clark's analysis OF the stomach and
liver OF Joeph Rohn. No. 176 Twenty
eighth-st. which revealed that these
organs were literally saturated with
carbolic acid. Coroner Burgess visit
ed the bereaved home Friday after
noon, and made further examination
OF the body. The coroner then found
traces OF acid in the mouth and the
passage leading TO the throat. which
he had not noticed In the previous
examination. and he Is strongly in
clined to the suicide theory. In the
coroner's opinion IL would have been
impossible for any one to have given
Rohn acid in such quantities without
his knowing It.
The widow cannot believe that her
husband took his own life. He never
threatened suicide, she says, and on
the contrary was always cheerful and
pparently satisfied with life Nor does
she see how 1t would have been pos.
sfble for anyone to give him the acid
without his knowing II and making
protest.
County Chemist Clark reported late
Thursday afternoon that there had
been misunderstanding about his
talk to Coroner Burgess, and that he
had not examined the stomach of
Rohn. when he reported there was no
carbolic acid in the stomach. DR..
Clark was referring to another stom-
ach--the latest one he had received.
Coroner Burgess had referred to
Rohn's stomach. and thought DIR. Clark
referred to the same one. AS matter
OF fact, County Physician Grimes had
the stomach In his possession until
Thursday afternoon When he did take
II to Chemist Clark. the latter i'm.
mediately reported that there were
traces of acid In that stomach-that
he could smell It.
But DR.. Grimes, while feeling that
he Is indicated by DIR. Clark's report
ON the real stomach, takes fall out
OF Coroner Burgess and the police for
scouting his original discovery.
He took Julius Spanier, a son-in-
law OF Rohn. to see Chief Mcdonnell.
Thursday. Chief Mcdonnell refused
to quiz Spanier. saying that incident
was closed. That was while the cor
oner and police were laboring under
the impression that DR.. Clark had
reported adversely to the carbolic
theory.
But Coroner Burgess takes several
falls out Of DR.. Grimes. Friday morn
ing. In spite OF the latest report from
Chemist Clarke.
IF County Physician Grimes had
done his duty, there would have been
no mixup," said Coroner Burgess,
with considerable warmth. DIR.
Grimes had no right to lug that sto-
mach around. II was not his bust
ness to take 1t to police headquarters,
and to start an investigation. II was
his business TO perform the post
norton, remove the stomach. tie it
up. seal II In a clean jar, and send II
directly to the county chemist.
Instead OF that, DR.. Grimes had
that stomach for more than "a hours
before turning II over to the county
chemist. There's no telling how that
stomach may have been tempered
with since IL was taken from the dead
man.
DIR. Grimes says he never made a
mistake. He made a mistake when
he performed that post norton. with
out having County Physician Staple
ton present to assist him. He made
stomach so long"
County Physician Grimes says that
he worked on the case without gloves
An unusual thing-and that his
hands were burned by the acid In
Rohn's stomach. He says the stomach
lining was eaten away.
Coroner Burgess says he had no
business handling the stomach lining
"If the operator had to swear that
he touched the inside of a stomach,
about which there was some suspicion,
1t would kill criminal prosecution In
q minute" said DR.. Burgess.
Coroner Burgess Is a fabricator II
he says I made a mistake In this
case" said DR.. Grimes. Indignantly,
Friday morning. Il have never made
a mistake since I have been county
physician. say there was carbolic
acid In this mans stomach and re-
ported II to the police because 1t was
my duty to do so. And did not send
1T to DIR. Clark sooner because
wouldn't entrust it to messenger