New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-11-25
GOT MEDICAL HALL,
BUT DON'T Use IT
Provision for AutopSies
Made by City Neglected
by COrOners.
DIR. MAGRATH TELLS
OF BOSTON METHOD
Examiner Cites Murder of Miss
Linnell by Rev. Richeson as
Example of Detection.

That the city has a building for an
official medical examiner, that equip
mcnt could be supplied for less than
$4,000, and that the coroncrs and their
physician make no use whatever Of 1t
was brought out Yesterday at the in
Quiry which Leonard VI. Wallstein,
Commissioner of Accounts, is conduct
ing into the Coronor's office
Dr.. Charles Norris, director of the
laboratories of Bellevue and Allied
Hospitals, testified that when the new
buildings were erected the authorities
had looked forward TO the time when
New York would have a medical cN-
aminer. and had arranged for his ac-
commodatiOn. There was special pro-
vision for chemical, psychological, bac-
THEOLOGICAL and microscopical work and
for N-ray examinations.
No Coroner and no Coroners physi-
clan, Dr. Norris said. had made any
use Of the place as yet, and II was
being used as an audit Office for the
hospital
Asked his opinion Of the work of the
Coronors' physicians, DR. Norris re
piled they were absolutely inefficient"
except Dr. Otto II. Schultze. who, he
said, was "a splendid pathological
anatomist.
Through questions put by Commits
sioner Wallstein to Or. George Burgess
Nagrath, medical examiner Of Boston,
il was brought out that there is failure
in hundreds of cases TO ascertain by
autopsy OF other means the exact cause
of death. One of these cases, at least,
Commissioner Wallstein is led 20 be-
lieve. was probably a murder. The eX-
act determination Of the cause Of death
in every doubtful case. DR.. Magrath
declared. was necessary 10 detect muir
ders and forestall epidemlcs.
In the case Of Clarence Y. T. Richie
son, the clergyman, who administered
poison TO Avis Linnell. the first sug-
Cestion that a crime had been com
mitted was the result of the medical
examination, DR.. Magrath said.
"Only the care and diligence Of Medi-
cal Examiner Leary,' he said, lied 20
a further investigation by the police,
resulting in the conviction Of Richie
SON.
Records before me show" said Com
missioner Nallstein, that on March 9,
1914. Eugene Rochelle was found dead
i'm the Hotel Delaware on Third av.
from a bullet wound in the head. The
Coroner was notified and DR.. Leblanc
signed the death certificate. saying
Bullet wound on head. suicide DR..
Charles Norris and his assistant, who
examined the body at the request of an
undertaken, testified before me that in
their opinion the wound could not have
been self-inficted. Rochette's bosy
was cremated the next day. What do
you think of that kind of procedure? ~
Il ,hould say that the diagnosis was
not supported by evidence. II is un-
likely that in MASSACHUSETTS such a
diagnosis would be made without refer
ence to the evidence upon which 1t was
founded
Coroner Feinberg, who took notes
during some of the proceedings yes
terday. said that he intended TO call q
meeting Of the Board of Coroners
shortly, and that the charges made
against Coroner's Physician Weston by
Robert and Charles Lee Bowler would
be taken up.