New-York tribune., 1922-08-10
Surgeon Admits
Captains Kick
Killed Seaman
DIR. Farquahar, Who Certi-
fled Cause Was Drugs,
Testifies at Inquiry Miles
Told Him of Assault
Case Then Reinvestigated
Witness Says Accused Off
Ger approached" Him to
Stand on Original Autopsy

DR.. G. W. Farquahar, surgeon of the
United States Lines steamship Presi
dent Van Buren. first Of fifteen mem
bers of the ships company examined
ir connection with the alleged death
by violence at sea on June % of AL
bert Baxter, pantryman, made the
admission under questioning by AS
sistant United States District Attor
ney Goldthwaite yesterday chat the
mans death resulted from injuries in
aicted by Captain c. H. Miles, U. s. N.
r. F., commanding the vessel. DR..
Farquahar had certified in the ships
log that Baxter died of drug exhaus
tion.
The Federal investigation is being
held to sift charges that Baxter, who
had reported sick on the morning of
June %, and who had previously been
5mprisoned in the brig heavily ironed
because of his refusal to work and ga
highly cxcitablc state of mind" was
examined by DR.. Farquahar at Captain
Miles's request. He was reported to
be fit for work and ordered by Miles to
resume duty. The charges by Baxter's
shipmates are said to be that on the
mans protesting he was too i'll to work
Captain Miles kicked him in the abdo-
men, inficting injuries from which he
died nine hours later of an internal
hemorrhage.
Unaware He Had Been Kicked
Replying to questions by Dr. Gold
fl1waite, DR.. Farquahar said he was un-
aware of the fact that Baxter had been
kicked or otherwise ill-treated when
he certified the cause of death was
drugss He had been compelled to re-
verse his judgment in the matter, he
said. after Captain Miles admitted
having kicked the man. With this
knowledge his analysis of symptoms
underwent q radical change. He had
been forced to the conclusion that
Baxter died from violence, death being
fastened ny his weakened condition
due to drugs.
Under cloNe questioning DIR. Far
quahar admit ed he had been approached
by Captain Miles with suggestion that
If he permitted the original certifca-
tion with regard to Baxter's death to
stand he wouldt be taken care Of The
witness admitted that knowledge of
the erroneous report covering cause Of
death in BaXters case had caused him
anxiety. He now wished to relate all
facts in his possession, he said, and
get the affair Strengthened out. Origi-
nally he had not intended to conceal
anything. A false position had been
forced on him by circumstances.
In suggesting that causes aside from
violence were in part responsible for
the death of Baxter, DIR. Farquahar in
timated that the pantryman was an
epileptic. Questioned by Mr. Gold
thwaite as totwhether he had ever OBJ
served Baxter in fits of epilepsy, the
surgeon said he had not. When pressed
for details as to the alleged epilepsy
he admitted his only information had
come from a member of the crew whose
name he did not recall.
Man Believed Insane
The Assistant District Attorney also
inquired why Baxter, if it was believed
that he was epileptic, had been thirty
six hours in the brig, DR.. Farquahar
said he approved the mans imprison-
rnent, as it was deemed likely that if
he were actually insane instead of suf-
1ering from acute mania induced by
morphine, a seemed to be the case, a
period OF solitary confinement would
demonstrate this fact
The witness was further questioned
es to his administration of drugs to
Baxter. He admitted having used sew
eral forms of drug in treating him, ex-
planning that the mans violence rem
dered this necessary. He added that
after it became apparent Baxter was
really i'll he was given hospital care
and every effort made to save his life
DR.. Farquahar will be recalled for
further questioning to-day.