(Sulelde verdict)
Shanghai, Apr. 28, 'A verdict of death caused by a self-inflicted gunshot wound was return-by Mr. N. E Lurton, U.S. Coroner, at the inquest held yesterday morning concerning the death of Mr. J. Rosenfeld, American fur-dealer, who was found dead in his office at 331 Museum Road on the morning of April 24.
The frst witness to be called was Dr. LG. Anderson, who told the coroner that he was summoned to the office of the deceased at about 9.15 tum, April 24. He found Mr. Rovenfeld' lying face down on the floor with his head towards the door. A superficial examination revealed that the body had been pierced by 9 bullet through the upper abdomen. There was a small wound near the spine made by the bullet as it left the body. Dr. Anderson estimated that Mr. Rosenfeld had been dead for about one and a half hours at the time of examination.
Mr. Lurton then called Dr. A. Kores. The witness said that he hod been acquainted with the deceased and that he knew that Mr. Rosenfeld had had financial dimiculties.
Det. Sub-Insp. F. W. Guess, who was next called, related that he had arrived at Mr.'Rosenfeld's office at 830 am., where he found the deceased lying on the floor with a service rifle at his left side. The detective noted that there were powder burns on the shirt and waistcoat of the body, which evidence pointed to the fact that a bullet fred at close range bad entered the body from the front. A wire had been attached to the trigger of the rifle in such a manner that the victim could have pulled it after he had placed the muzzle of the rifle against his abdomen. The detective found a letter on 9 desk in the room asking that Dr. Korosi be summoned and. directing the reader to a further number of letters contained in the inside breast pocket of the victim's coat. Mr. Guess removed seven letters, sealed and addressed to various friends and relatives.
Insp. R. J. White, when called to testify, siaied that' at 830 on. the morning of April 24 he received a tele-Phone call from " Chinese requesting that an ambulance be sent to 331 Museum Road as a foreigner had been injured. Inspector White and Inspector M. Lawman, after summoning an ambulance, immediately Mr. A. Sstor, a Hungarian, when called upon by the coroner, said that hho had known the deceased for some time as he had financed Mr. Rosenfeld's business. "After identifying letters shown. him by Mr. Gordon Campbell, U.S. Marshal, as having been. written by the deceased, Mr. Sator stated that he had known that Mr. Rosenfeld was having financial difficulties. The witness also revealed that Mr. Rosenfeld had written in a letter deft to his business associate that he did not wish to continue living in his present eireumstances.
"The Chinese coolie who first als covered the body told the coroner he had seen Mr. Rosenfeld in the corridor outside his ofice at about 745 am. on the day in question. A short while after, the coolie heard a shot fired close by, and in company with another Chinese employed in the building, he left his employer's office to find out what had happened. Hearing moans from Mr. Rosenfeld's office, the two looked inside, and when they saw that a foreigner was lying on the foot, they immediately made known their discovery and then tried to find the dead man's tea boy.
The last person to testify was Mr. Gordon Campbell, U.S. Marshal, who told Mr. Lurton that he had found the body in the position described by Dr. Anderson and Det. Guess, Mr, Gordon added that the victim's coat had been raised at the back and that blood was to be seen about the wound caused by the bullet as it had left the body, The Marshal stated that some of the letters left by the deceased were in his possession, but the Coroner did not think it neces sary that they be read.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.