Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-03-31
BEGIN PROBING DEATHS
OF "S|AMESE TWINS
Coroner Opens Investigation
. of Fatalities of Sisters Who
/. Died Together.
WILL GIVE BuDIEs TO SCIENCE
Mrs. Joscpfn aud Rosa Ulnzrk. Joined
Since Hirth, leave Fortune Esti-
mated Mt S"OO,0 to son or
Jnscpfn.
INV Asaoclntcd rrcss-1


CHICAGO March 3o.-An invcsilea-
zion OF tho deaths Of Mrs Joscrfa
BLACK and her sister. Rosa, known
as the "Siamcsc twins" was started
today by Coroner Peter Hoffman.
Following a conference with the
DOCTORS connected with tho case. how
ever. the coroner abandoned his plans
Tor rost-mor,cm examination and
authorized the issuance Of death
certificate.
Frauls. Jr. brother or tho twins.
sNho had been joined together since
birth, indicated that he would make
ARRANGEMENTS Tor presenting the
bodies u "a medical college
y Icm,c Scu0.OnO EStnt~.
The twins according t. their broth
er 'cft q fortune estimated at APP
FroNimttely 100000 ana large
Yarn in CzcCho-Slovakin 20 which
Ihe brother ana the li-yenr-old son
81 Rosa are heirs. as the tvs ms deed
without having made their wills.
. JoScpfa and Rosa Black died at a
hospital here early This morning.
Joscpfs death occurred first and was
followed M few seconds Ivy the
death Of her sister. PHYSICIANS had
declared early in the night that IN
A'li ~ filN 'A Ntt' Ntsiti '|4 'ftl' o.. l!tt
sisters the other would ii" quickly.
Ihc!r brother. Frank Black. refused
- permit all operation which would
sever their bodies.
The twins had been in Tho hospital
1cn days. Jos,p:a was III with yellow
1aund.cc and ;hat was followed 10y
pneumonia shortly before her death
Rose was afflicted with bronchitis.
- Were Ready tn Operate.
Preparations had been made for
TIE sevcrinE operation and the physi-
clans were ready To maze every ci-
fort TO saw" tn. lie OF at least one
q tho women.
Hope - saving the life of Juscpia
was abandoned AZ midnight. accord
ltg % pr. Il. II BreakStone. ch3cf Of
tho surgical stan g. ;hc hospital
~ tied 10 get the consent Of the
brother TO operate 20 save the III.
Of Rosa. but he refused TO give his
permission" added the physician.
- DR. BrcakStOut EXPLAINED thar a
delicate operation would have been
necessary. BEFORE their death ne
HAD expressed the opinion tina: tho
NlysiolcCiCal affinity OF the twins
was SO vital that II one should die
the other might also SUccunt be
s:re the hand ot flesh and bone that
yoins them could ne severed
..AlthouGh the twins possessed sep
IGGs. Or. Brc1k stone explained that
they had only one set Of secondary
digestive and provocative organs
The operation, he said. would hHv"
nccessitated tho building M of "a
part OF the digestive and other cs-
sential organs 10 save the life Of
owe Twin
ON" Married; Other single.
Rosa Was once married her name
being Rosa Ela2ek pNorak. She IL
survived by normal li-ycar-oll
BOY Her husband was a captain in
Ia" German army and WAS killed In
action i'm 1917. She was married NJ
tcsn years ago Joscpfa never mar
Gi.d
The li,uc son, Franz. has been at
ttc bedside OF hts mother. who. Um-
Ill within the last few hours. was
less critically III than Juscpfa
Tho twins were tho second on
Npring OF q normal parcniage in
cxcchu- Slnvaktd torty-iwo years
ago. There were four Other chill
dtcu, all normal and all sui living.
The father Is also SAID to be alive
his age being - years The mother
died IA year ago 81 tho age Ot u
N.ar..