New Britain herald., 1915-12-31
EXHUME DEAD BODY AND HOLD AUTOPSY Heirs of s. A. Carlson Claim John
 Agren Caused His Death ARE SUING FOR s1o,ooo
Case Was Thought to Have Been Con- cluded When Authorities Declared There Was No Criminal Responsi-
 bility-Resume of Sensational Case.

bility-Resume of Sensational Case
 In desperate attempt to secure
 proof to show that the death o
 Sven August Carlson of 444 Church
 street, who died suddenly at his home
 on December 21. was the result ot a beating he is alleged to have re-
 ceived from John Agren of 466
 Church street on the night proceeding
 the body was exhumed from the
 burial plot in Fairview cemetery ye5- terday afternoon and this morning al
 autopsy was performed by pr. Philip Bunce of Hartford, assisted by Dr.
 George H. Bodley and Dr. T. Eben
 Reeks of this city at the undertaking g rooms of Erickson and Carlson. The autopsy was performed at the order of Judge John H. Kirkhan1, who has been engaged by Carlson's s estate to fight a suit for $10, 900 dam ages against Agren on the grounds that Agren caused the death of Carl son.
 Resume of the Case.
 On the night of December 20, Carl son met Agren in this city about g o'clock and the two visited M. T. Whites cafe where they had several drinks. From there they went to Hadley's cafe and near II o'clock ar rived at Charles G. Anderson's Park street saloon. Here a fight ensued between Carlson and Agren in which, it is alleged Agren succeeded in knocking his antagonist onto the floor. After the fight, however, Carl- son was able to proceed home alone and did several household duties before retiring. The following morn ing he was taken sick and Dr. E. T. Fromen was called. Two hours later the man died. Medical Examiner Harry A. Elcock gave the cause of death as apoplexy resulting from UT emic poisoning to which the deceased had long been subject and for which physician.
 On the day before the funeral stories were af1oat that Carlson died as a result of the beating he receiv- ed. Prosecuting Attorney George w. Klett, Chief Rawlings, Detective Bamforth and Dr., Elcock and pr. Fromen held a consultation and it was the unamious opinion that Carl son died from natural causes and that the fight was simply an unfor- tunate coincidence.
 The police ran down every clue and among other witnesses interviewed were MT. Agren, John Anderson of 541 Pakk street, John Anderson of 383 Park street and William Carlson of 1S0 Cherry street. All declared that Carlson did not seem to have been badly used in the saloon and that he was able to go home all right after some blood had been washed from his face.
 Agren Broken Hearted.
 Agren was broken hearted over the affair. He told the police that he had been on friendly terms with Carlson for thirty years and their respective families were intimate. His version of the affair was that as he stood next to Carlson before the bar, Carl son kicked him in the leg. He asked him to explain why he did it and re- ceived a slap in the face. The two men grappled, fell to the floor and Agren came out on top.
 { It seemed that the incident was closed when the authorities declared that there was no criminal responsi- bility on Agren.
 Sues for $1O,OOO
 Not so with the family of the de- ceased, however, for on December 2S C. Adrian Carlson, executor of he estate of the dead man, through Judge 1 k1rkham, brought suit against Agren ] fora $10,O0O. Sheriff M. D. Stockwell 1 served the papers, which are return 1 able before the superior court on the ] first Tuesday in January.
 Action of the plaintiffs in hayine l he body of Carlson exhumed and an autopsy performed is not reflection on the integrity of Dr. Elcock or Dr. tromen. The case is a purely medical civic one and in such cases. it is pointed uot, many facts which in g. criminal court would not bear much Neght, will be most valuable in a civil court. In criminal cases the guilt of the accused must be proven beyond reasonable doubt. 8 In civil ,ases only preponderance of evil lence is needed.
 None of the physicians attendant at he autopsy would consent to be in- erviewed this afternoon. They de- ,ilne to state condition they found. They consider the case private one 'f a civil nature and say it's in no sense criminal matter.