Evening star., 1928-04-09
ORDER TO EXHUME
GIRL 'SDODY SIGNED
Court Permits Further Exam.
ination to Test Cause of
Lehman Death.

The body Of Miss Eleanor NJ. Lehman,
who died suddenly March in the Office
of Louis w. Hoffman. physiotherapist,
was ordered exhumed today by Justice
Siddons in the District Supreme Court,
on a petition filed by Leo A. Rover,
United States attorney so that another
post -mortem examination may be MADE
by the coroner to determine whether ar
illegal operation contributed to the
girls death 1t was expected that the
body would be exhunned this afternoon
or tomorrow morning.
Hoffman is in the District jail, await
ing action by the grand jury. Mr.
Rover has announced that he will ask
for an indictment Of Hoffman for muir
der, based on a statement by Mrs
Dolores Monroe, who accompanied MtSS
Lehman to Hoffman's Office. that the
physiotheraplst broke the girls neck
after she had gone into conyulSions as
he was preparing to perform an Illegal
operation.
Assistant United States Attorney
Pearl Mccall, who is working with Mr.
Rover on the case, has asked police
headquarters to try TO locate the father
of Miss Lehman's unborn child SIZE
has a description and If he can be
found he viii be asked to come to the
United States attorneys office TO tell
what he knows about the visit OF Mss
Lehman TO Hoffman'S office.
Text Of Petition.
Miss Mccall presented the petition
of the United States attorney IN justice
Siddons' court as soon as IT opened tnaS
morning. The petition states
81 That on or about the third Gay
of March, A. D, 1923. one Eleanor NJ,
Lehman. late a resident Of the DISTRICT
OF Columbia. died suddenly in this Dis
trict under circumstances indicating
that Louis w. Hoffman was criminally
responsible for her death,
-, That on about the fifth day OF
March. A. D.. 1928. the coroner OF the
District of Columbia caused an autopsy
to be performed on the body of the said
Eleanor NJ Lehman and on the same
day caused a jury TO be impaneled and
sworn TO inquiry when. where, how and
after what manner the said Eleanor NJ
Lehman came to her death.
"3 That on the said fifth day OF
March. A. d. 1923. the jury as afore-
Sdlu oN0Ab 0ANSA AAAA@A~
sition taken at the District OF Column
hia morgte. found that the said Eleanor
Nj. Lehman came to her death while
she was undergoing an adjustment by
the hands Of the said Louis w HoI-
man and held the said Hoffman for the
action of the grand jury of the District
of Columbia.
II. That subsequent 10 said inquiSi-
ton by the coroner's jury, evidence has
been presented to petitioner. as United
States attorney i'll and for the District
of Columbia, which causes him 20 be.
lieve that Immediately prior 90 the sud
den death of the said Eleanor NJ Leh~
man an Illegal and criminal operation.
for the purpose Of bringing about an
abortion, had been performed by the
said Louis w. Hoffman on the body of
the said Eleanor NJ. Lehman
IS That the body of the said Flea
nor NJ. Lehman has been buried In
Mount Olivet Cemetery. located In the
District OF Columbia, and that it Is
necessary for the investigation Of all
the circumstances surrounding the
death Of said deeedent and in the in
terest of public Justice that the body
of said Eleanor NJ. Lehman be dis
inferred so that another poSt-mortem
examination of said body may be made
by a competent physician 90 determine
to what extent, II any. the afereaaen-
toned illegal and criminal operation
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