Evening star., 1947-08-14
|Coroner's Jury Rules
Bunch's Fatal Injury
Was Received in Fall

written into the District Morgue
records today in the case of John
Forrest Bunch, 63, of 18 Third street
N. E., who died in Gallinger Hos
pital. August 4, week after his
arrest on a charge of intoxication.
Deliberating 20 minutes yesterday
afternoon, coroner's jury decided
Bunch died of skull fracture, suf-
fered accidentally when he fell as
the result of stroke. The jury had
heard 26 witnesses during q long
session in sitting heat.
Arrested July 20 and charged with
drunkenness at No. 9 Police Pre-
cinct, Bunch was taken to Gallinger
when he complained of feeling ill.,
After an examination, he was de-
clared uninjured and returned to
Jail. Twelve hours later he again
was taken to the hospital in semi
conscious condition and found to
have skull fracture.
Doctor after doctor from Gallinger
Hospital said he found evidence of
skull fracture and many bruises on
Mr.. Bunch's body. Some of these
bruises could have been caused by
medical injections and others pos
sibly" by falls, the doctors said.
| Beating Version Denied.
All denied they had told any
member of the Bunch family they
thought the injuries were the result
of beating or "manhandhng."
DR.. Bruce Mcintyre, an inferno at
the hospital, denied he told Otis G
Bunch, 80, of Richmond, Va, thai
he thought his father was victim OF
foul play. Mr., Bunch had testified
that DR.. Mcintyre had so told him
DR.. Mcintyre said Mr.. Bunch asked
him if foul play was possible and he
had answered yes.
Mrs. Kathleen Ford of Arlington
a daughter of the dead man, was
expelled from the room by Mr.
Murphy when she persisted in ques-
tioning witness after having beer
cautioned to be quiet. She was per-
mitted to re-enter later.
| 'Idl llClS INlS. L Olu lldO ScStlllCO
she told several of the doctors and
nurses at Gallinger she thought her
father had been manhand,ed and
they told her "it looks pretty bad
Another daughter, Mrs. Hazel
Scott of Arlington, said DR.. Marion
Richmond had told her he would
take the matter of her fathers in
jury to court if he were she. DR.
Richmond denied the statement ano
said Mrs. Scott asked him If" the
police had beaten her father, tc
which he replied he did not know
| Mrs. Bunch Testifies.
Mrs. Forrest Bunch said she fourC
three deep indentations in her hus-
bands head when she visited him
at the hospital.
Pvt. Walter Perkins said he ar.
rested Mr.. Bunch after respond
ing to call that a man was lying
on the sidewalk in front of 1902 F
street NE. He said Bunch's false
teeth and straw hat were on the
walk about two feet from his head
and that he was sleepy but had
no apparent injury.
Albert Finlayson of 1902 F street
NE. testified he saw Pvt. Perkins
put Mr.. Bunch into the patrol
wagon "in a gentlemanly manner.
Mr.. Bunch was taken to the hos
pital for examination about six
hours after his arrest, Pvt. Perkins
said, because he complained of feel
ing i'll.
DR.. Sidney Sattenstein, resident
physician, said he examined Mr..
Bunch at that. time and found him
coherent, but suffering from high
blood pressure and some alcohol
ism" He was returned to jail
after the examination.
Found Semiconscious.
Pvt. Francis v. Andruzzi told the
jury he was in charge of the cell
block at No. 9 and that Mr.. Bunch
lay on a bunk sleeping most of
the day. Only when they tried to
wake him so he could be released to
friends was it discovered Mr.. Bunch
| fx, eexoion~eaio,,e ,a,,