New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-04
Mysterious Affdavits Ex-
Onerating Officials Said
To Be False.
DETECTIVE DENIES
HE SIGNED PAPER
Hellenstein'S Clerk Swears
No Such Request Was
Made to Policemen.

I ''NA' 'iANc, clbHet Dy lHteublOH VI
through sheer aziness, covered up
clews in cases where there was rea-
son to suspect criminal operations he'd
been performed was introduced yes
terday at the inquiry Leonard NJ.
Wallstein, Commissioner of Accounts,
is conducting into the Coroners' Office.
In one case, it was alleged, an affi-
davit generating the Coroners' office
from any blame in the matter was
written by Coroner Hellenstein's clerk
above the signature of a detective. In
another case a detective testified that
similar affidavit had been presented
to him for signature and that he re-
fused to sign it. The answer of Coro-
ner Hellenstein and of his clerk, Louis
J. Schwartz, was that the policemen
lied. The cases were settled by the
Coroner without empanelling a jury.
Mary Fuchs, a singer, died in Mount
Sinai Hospital on July 3, 1912, under
circumstances which led the hospital
physicians to report that there were
indications that a crime had been
committed by physician. DR.. Tim
othy D. Leblanc, after performing an
autopsy, made a similar report. Evi-
dence found By Detective John P.
Flood tended TO show that the late
Or. George J. Gladman, who had twice
been convicted, was one of two physi-
clans in the case.
A woman in whose house Mary
Fuchs had been sheltered before go
ing to the hospital made affidavit that
Mary Fuchs had told her DR.. Glad
man attended her and that just be-
fore going to the hospital she had
cried:
Call DR.. Gladman and give me q
knife, that / may kill him as he has
killed me-"
Detective william J. Enright at a
private hearing testified that Coroner
Bellenstein was familiar with DR..
Gladman's record. The records of the
Coroners' office show that the only
investigation made was an examination
of DR.. Gladman. Mr. Hellenstein said
Yesterday that he did not know DR..
Giadman nor did he know the other
physician. He must have been con-
yInced Of the physicians innocence,
he said, because he had no jury IN the
case.
Commissioner Wallstein read an af-
fidavit TO which the name of Detective
Enright was signed. In substance IT
said that all the witnesses obtainable
had been examined by the Coroner
and there was nothing 10 show any
crimlnality. The affidavit was dated
July IL. Enright's signature was on
the fourth line below the end of the
affidavit.
Testimony given by Enright at pri-
vate hearing that he had never signed
any such affidavit; that some of it he
knew TO be false and of other parts
he had no knowledge; that he had
never been at the Coroners' Office re-
gArding that case after July 10, but
t1at on that date he had signed his
name to a blank form at the sugges-
ton of Clerk Schwartz, was read into
the record by Commissioner Wallstein.
The Commissioner added that Enright
verified his statement as 10 the date
Of his last visit TO the Coroners' Of
fca by reference to police records.
Nr. Hellenstein admitted that 1t
looked as though some one In the
Coroners' office had been anxious TO
get favorable report from the
police He identified the writing IN
the body of the affidavit as that OF his
clerk. Louis J. Schwartz, who is
law;er at 800 Broadway. II looked
suspicious, the Coroner said. Mr..
Schwartz was called.
"Did YOU ever ask a policeman to
sign a paper in blank" asked Com
missioner Wallstein.
81 am pretty sure never dld-I am
sure / never did"
"a roi:ceman has testified that on
at leas. two occasions you did"
"Is he 20 testiiies he lies"
suppose a policeman says the facts
in an affidavit he signed are false|
"Then he committed perjury
Suppose he says he signed 1T in
blank" 50
"Then he's either a fool or liar"
"The date of this affidavit is July
IT; the policeman's records show ne
was not in the coroner's Office on that
day." persisted Commissioner wall
stein. -
ut is very easy to doctor records
replied Schwartz
''How do you know it's so easyT
"The same as any other man; and
besides. any lawyer would know from
the cases he handles"
Mr. Schwartz said he did not see /
ANYTHING suspicious in the clrcum-
stances Of the signing of the affidavit.
II was customary TO take such affida'
Wits. he said, after the Heineman
case. in which there was dispute be-
tween the coroners and the police as
10 the witnesses examined.
After an autopsy on the body OF
Anna Kecura. who died October %,
1of3. DR.. Leblanc reported evidences
Of criminality. Detective John +.
Skelly got from Anna Kecura's sister
the names OF physician and wom'
an who had attended her. These
names were pencilled also on the notl-
6cation of death sent TO the coroner's
office. So far as the records show,
neither of the two was ever examined
bv the coroner, although Detective
sicily testified that Mr. Hellenstein
had ordered him TO make no arrest,
as he would subpoena both OF them.
"He ordered me not to make an ar
rest as there was not sufficient evil
dcnce." said the detective at private
hearing. "f am still awaiting instrue.
tions from the coroner in this case,
he said in his report to headquarters.
"Are either OF these two persons
Continued on page 5. column