The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-07-19

- lowing verdict: +
+ I'VE, the jury, find that said +
+ Helfmann came to his death I.
= by natural causes, no evidenc- ].
+ es of any undue violence hav- /
+ ing been used, and there be- I.
+ ing no evidence that any neg. +
+ ligence by nurses or physi- +
+ cians." J.
1. 1. !. + I. + + I. + + :. + + r .
st. Peter, Mimi, July 13-After a
session of four hours here yesterday
afternoon coroner's jury sitting at
the state hospital for the insane in
an investigation of the death of Will
liam A. Helfmann adjourned until
nine o'clock this morning. About
ten witnesses were examined, among
them Deputy Coroner Clarke of Ram
sey county, who said, with an air of
finality, that Helfmann's death could
have been due to no other than ex-
ternal means.
That a conclusion would be reach
ed today seemed settled fact. Only
three witnesses remain to be eX-
amined Coroner Merrill of Nicollet
exonerate officials of the insane hos
pital of any suspicion in the use of
undue violence on Helfmann, whose
body subsequent to death showed
many bruises and discOlorations.
Post-mortem examination in st. Paul
l.y nY
Arthur NEEDS, pathologist at the st.
Paul City hospital, resulted in finding
of undue violence in Helfmann's
case, and brought on the coroner's
inquest here.
A. l. Dittbrenner, nurse in Helf-
mann's ward, was witness who
probably brought more specific facts
before the jury than any other. RE
said in his opinion the injuries Helf-
mann received were inflicted twenty
four and probably only twelve hours
before he died. Dittbrenner, with
Mel Nelson, were the only men with
Helfmann during the night of June
5. Both men declared on the wit
ness stand that Helfmann fell out of
bed three times between $50 o'clock
in the evening and two o'clock in
the morning, when they finally put
a bed sheet or restraining device on
him. Both Dittbrenner and Nelson
denied that they struck, kicked, beat
or jumped on Helfmann or other
wise mistreated him. They declared
he received the bruises on his head,
which caused a hemorrhage of the
brain, and on his chest and other
pats of his body, by throwing him.
self from the bed.
Heard Other Witnesses.
Among the other witnesses, were
DR.. George Fl. Freeman, assistant to
DIR. H. A. Tomlinson, superintendent
of the hospital, who testified that
when Helfmann was brought to the
hospital, his blood pressure was
twice that of a normal person
George T. Olsen, county attorney,
who assisted Coroner Merrill in the
hearing declared that should the
verdict by the jury today be an in
dorsement of the postmortem held
i'm st. Paul, he Immediately will hle
charges aginst the nurses who were
with Helfmann the night before his
death, when it practically has been
established that Helfmann received
his injuries.
Deputy Coroner Clarke of st. Paul
was the first witness yesterday AFTER
noon and he testified that the
hemorrhage which he said caused
Helfmann's death, might have been
received by coming in contact with
a hard surface or receiving dow.
The nurses examined in the IN
quest yesterday afternoon were
Reuben W. Smedburg, head nurse
of Helfmann's ward; Thuria John
son, E. A. Miller, c. Thompson, A.
o. Dittbrenner, Nels Nelson and y.
Becker Nelson and Dittbrenner told
of Helfmann's three falls and or
their struggles with the patient. DR..
Covey approved the report OF the
night nurses of Helfmann's struggles
and bruises.
Senator Schain of the state board
of visitors and Superintendent Tom
linson of the hospital said last night
they expected report exoneratlng
the hospital officials from the jury
TODAY. Senator Schain said that re-
CARELESS of the outcome he was pre-
pared to conduct an investigation on
behalf of the board and report to
Governor Eberhart, if the latter de-
sires.
Further investigation to determine
the cause of the death of William
A. Helfmann, patient in the state
hospital at st. Peter, may be made
at the instigation of Governor Eber-
hart, according to reports at the
capitol, Notwithstanding the coroner's
Jury agreeing that the man died OF
natural causes.
The case involves charges that
undue violence was used by attend
ants at the hospital in restraining
Helfmann. The coroner's jury found
no evidence of any negligence by
the physicians and nurses in charge
of the patient, according to its ver-
dict
1t was said at the capitol that IL
the governor was brought into the
oooo 10 mould ahoh for an