The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-01-06
CORONERS MISS
MARK OF BLOW
ON DEAD Man
District Attorney Stops Flu
neral When Hint of MUIR
der Reaches Him.
AUTOPSY SHOWS
FRACTURED SKULL

Edward Seaman, a laborer, found dead
In his room on New Years Day. reported
by the police ard Coroners office as
having died from Brights disease, sue
cumbed. according TO an autopsy held
last night to fracture OF the skull
caused. very likely, by tho blow OF a ham
mer
This came yesterday after the District
Attorneys office had stopped the funeral
and now the homicide squad OF the de-
tec,lve bureau and Mr.. Perkins are seek
ing to unravel the mystery, while Conn
missioner of Accounts Walstein is pre-
pairing supplemental report TO Mayor
Mitchell about the Coroners system.
Revelation In the seaman case came to
Assistant District Attorney Lucien y.
breckenridge yesterday morning from
Anthony c. Guentzer, an undertaken OF
First avenue. who had been placed IN
charge OF the body by Seaman's brothers
in the city Mr. Gucntzer told Mr.. Breck-
tnridge that he was not satisfied about the
death certificate and tho burial permit Is
sued by the Coroners' Office because OF the
wound at tho back Of the head he had
discovered.
Quick Action to stop Funeral.
Mr.. Gucntzer made his report At about
IL: go and as the funeral was set for
| o'clock action was very quick. The
| hearss and the mourners had arrived
when the officials took charge of the body
| and thereafter Commissioner Wallsteir
got possession Of the Coroners records
/ in the case.
There will be more work to-day. with 4
half dozen detectives trying 10 trace tn
last hours of the man.
Edward Seaman 80 years old. lived II
"A furnished room of the third floor from
at 3l3 Fast Twenty -ninth street. n
about 9:2O In the evt ming of January
Francis Duffy, janitor OF the tenement
went to the East Thlrty-flfth ST. Get sta
ton and reported that a few III nutes
fore he had gone TO Seaman's room am
found him lying dead. What other in
formation he gave TO the police at tina
time In not now divulged.
Coroner Timothy Healy was on dut!
at the hour Of 9 p. NJ. on January !. am
the case automat ically went TO his ply
slclan. DR.. Timothy Leblanc. for years at
tachcd TO the office
II Is admitted that DR.. Leblanc went Il
the Morgue the following morning, bu
the facts have not yet been made known
When Commissioner Wnllstein receives
the papers yesterday he found that tn
B death certificate and the burinl PERM
had been issued lie also found an inconr
plete "inqulEition papet,' to which Wa
attached to the signature OF DIR. Leblanc.
The mquisition paper In the Coroners
office Is supposed to contain testimony
attestatlons and reports of the physician
and finally the atteEtation of the Corone
with succinct. formal narrative OF IN
case This paper contained only III
statement: Upon examination and &C
cordlng to testimony | am Of the opino
that the cause OF death is chroni
uephrltls.'
After Gueutzer's report to Mr.. Breck
enridge an autopsy was performed b
DR.. Albert r. Weston, Coroner's phys
clan assisted by Or. Charles Norri'
director OF laboratories at Bellevue, an
Dr Douglas Symmes OF Bellevue Med
teal College, requested by the DistriC
Attorneys office to assist DIR. Lehan
was notified and was present althoug
he took no part