The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1917-08-24
D0cF0RSTELI AT
INQUEST Of DEATH
OFFLORENGEDERG
Long Delayed Probe Of Tragic
End Of Nurse Is Finally Be-
gun But Is Continued
LUDY WILL TESTIFY ~ I'D
f.. AT COMING SESSION
Name Of Army Man Is Brought
Into Proceedings and His Tes-
timony Is Eagerly Awaited

The inquest on the body of Miss
Florence Berg, formerly operating nurse
at Queen's Hospital, and who died in
the Beretania Sanitarium at the end
Of last month from the effects Of a
criminal operation, was begun yester.
day. .#,#
\ Evidence adduced was Of a medical
nature and ut half-past four O'Clock
an adjournment was taken until next
Monday afternoon at two o'elock.
II is understood that there are a
number of important witnesses to be
called, including DR.. J. NJ. Ludy of
the medical reserve corps, whose name
has been closely connected with the
case, and that evidence of a sensation.
al character will be forthcoming.
Deputy City Attorney A. NJ. Cristy
watched the case on behalf of the gov
eminent. The proceedings we're con.
ttueted by Coroner Julius W. Asch. II
DR., G. b. Cooper testified that he
had been called into the case MT the
|instance of Doctor Ludy. Miss Berg
had told him that she was suffering
from ptomaine poisoning, the. result Of
eating pickles and ice cream. he sup.
gested that she 60 to the Queenh Hos
Pital but this she positively refused to
do. She was then in a state Of col.
lapse. Witness accused her of having
had miscarriage and she Indignantly
denied that she had ever been preg.
nant.. ...t d itF5
Witness spoke of the finding OF Ave
or six'months foetus in closet Of the
room occupied by Miss Berg at the
Engleside rOOming house, and stated
that II had been reported to him that
some. surgical instruments had been
found in the closet where the foetut
was. DR.. A. +. Jackson, he stated, had
stepped into the case and done his duty
until its unhappy termination !
Life Gould Have Been Saved
Witness expressed his opinion that
Miss Berg came to her death from loss
of blood consequent on q criminal op.
erationa and stated that had she gone
TO the hospital her life could probably
have been saved. ~ Nv 5aNtgl
'She bluffed it out and lied to us
and fooled u.s." exclaimed Doctor
Cooper. ~.
Blood-stained surgical instruments
found in the closet were offered in evi
dence and witness stated that it was
absolutely impossible for deceased IA
have performed the operation herself
this with particular reference to the
use of a tenaculum. %a,s,. .a.E
DR.. Robert G. Aver testified to hav
ing made post.mortem examination
of the body and that the cause of death
was septicemia. He spoke of, an in
lection and stated that had hemorrhap,
not taken place, deceased would in al
probability have been able to resist tn,
infection. ...r},F H.. J
DR.. A. X. Hahehett, who assisted In
the conduct of the post,mortem, gave
| evidence, along the lines of that sup
piled by Doctor Aver .. g,.r'.."
DR.. L. L. Patterson, board of shenltl
physician, testified that he knew Mis-
Berg very we'll and that about yea,
ago she had occupied cottage of hii
at Royal Grove for a period of about
two months. 80 air. -.
Was a Good Girl =
Nothing was ever said against The
girl s mOrals,' stated the witness
"and every indication pointed to tn,
conclusion that she was O very mora
girl )" ~ -.
DR.. r. w. Benz stated that he wal
connected with the case in coniunc
ton with Doctor Cooper and his. testi
mony was in consOnance with that oi
thaf nh yOtnian
perintendent Roehl of Queen 3 .Hospi
tai had told him that he was willing
TO do everything in his power to ait
the suffering woman. $751;
Dr. A. r. Jackson testified that h,
was well acquainted with Miss Der,
and that he knew of nothing wronI
about her until about July 90, wheI
Miss Kemp, head nurse at the Palam;
Settlement, told him that Miss BerI
| had been discharged from Queens Hos
pital on account of being FIVE or al,
, months pregnant. Witness stated tina
common rumOr had il that Doctor Lud,
' was the cause of her condition,
Witness said that Ludy was gooc
| friend of his and that he was shocke,
to hear the report which was being cir
! eulated. He told Miss Kemp to get Il
touch with Miss Berg and be a frien,
to her in her need in every possibl
way.
Doctor Jackson testified that on tn
morning of July 2S he was at tn
police station and that the ambulance
returned from the Engleside with tn
report that Miss Berg refused to b
moved to the Beretania Sanitarium un
til four o'clock that afternoon. an,
that she had to see lieutenant first
Enters Doctor Ludy IT,.
Witness then phoned to Ludy and tn
latter asked him what he could do TO
him. Doctor Jackson In return askin
what he could do for him, I.udy sal
that he wanted TO see witness and ask
ed him not to believe what he NIGH
have heard about his connection wit
the condition of Miss Berg.
Al half past twelve o'clock witnes
met LudY at his room in the Royal Hi
wniinn Hotel by appointment.
"Ludv then told mel stated VII
InN l., 4