Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1859-10-07

severing this nerve would render powerles,
the muscles that move the chest in respira
ton. 1t would impair respiration, not pre-
vent 1T entirely. a sense of suff0ca tiOr
would follow the severing of this nerve
Victim could not struggle after receiv
ing such wound. Should expect an ex
preston of pain, faintness and death from
such a wound
There is another suppOsition more consist
ent with the character of the wound. From
the movements and direction OF wound and
extent, my inference is that the instrument
passed through the skin and pierced the
bone while parties were either erect or bend
ing while the parties were standing, and
that the fall down drove it to its destination
III victim was on top he must have been on his
Iace- II the other was uppermOst the victim
must have been resting on his left shoulder,
which position would bring the base of the
heart nearest the breast bone
No particular indication that knife enter
ed skin before the parties fell. My suppOsi-
ton Is not alone based on the wound but
from the wound and the testimony | heard.
! If the man who inflicted the wound was
bending over the victim, it would give the
wound the same direction.
! Nothing inconsistent with its having
pierced the skin while the parties were in
conflict and the victim was bent forward
Cannot say if it was more probable that
1t was done in that way rather than while
the two were rushing together; would depend
on the position of the arm. 1t was a clean
cut, little wider in the soft parts than in
the bone. Should say there was not much
struggle after wound was received. Instan-
taneous relaxation must follow, if the victim
was clasping another. Knife could have
been withdrawn easily, if drawn in IA proper
direction Have made no experiments on
dead subjects to determine amount Of force
required to perforate the bone in this way
Knife passed home, however, in my opinion,
while victim lay on his left side or partly on
his left side and back; it must have required
more force to drive knife home by blow
than could have been given while parties
Were in conflict
Redirect. There is nothing inconsistent |
with the supposition that the blow was
struck while the parties were standing and /
then the parties fell. Abrasion on the back /
was on the left shoulder near the middle Of
back
Mr.. LoGAN's TESTIMONY.
WM. II. LOGAN, sworn. Was acquainted
]
quainted with prisoners, was in the store Of
McKeen and Wight on the night McKeen
was killed About u o'clock, some one
came to door, made noise like taking hold
Of the latch and said something Mr. Bliss,
Wight and Mckeen We're there. McKeen
got up and went out quite soon after the
noise. | followed him. | was close behind
him. Others reached the door soon after,
T. L.. l., g
opened the door and stepped out on the step
stepped ont behind him on the sters on the
south side Of him. Saw three parties north
If us, knew none of them. some words passed
dCKeen asked who was there or what taev
we're doing. The parties were up street,
tan1ing still. They did not reply then but
'om menced walking towards McKeen,
walked several steps opposite to Us before
hey stopprd. McKeen repeated his inquiry,
rho it was that came to the door. The tall
lan replied. say it was either of US. or
)mething like that. Another spoke and 4
aid - suppOsng it was me. what are You
DING to do about 1t p 1t was a short man
fho afterwards came mp to McKeen; Mckeen
hen stood on the steps and the others in
ront of bin. Mckeen inquired what he
allied him and stepped down. The other
topped forward at the same time. They
linched and fell shortly after. Nc6een
ad gone half way, the two at first standing
bout six feet apart.
McKeen was standing up as they met In per
APPS half Il minute they tell. Nck--r filling
n step with his head towards iHe +upr, on MS
ack with feet towards t1t street. The other
-as bent over him, pretty CLOSE TO bim. Don't
now where his hands were Couldn't say
ow McKeen's hands were when he LETT the
,ep: nor how the other hands We're when
e went to meet McKeeen. Saw the right
and and arm of McKeen as they elinehed,
nd the left hand and arm of the other each
,und others body. As McKeen was falling,
g said .: They're knifeing me
Ike him OFF " 1t was within a minute after
ley met that they were down.
The tai man was standing below. Don't
now how near he came to Mckeen before !
ley fed. They fled down the street. pur !
led them short distance. When got
,ck McKeen was inside. Saw no knife ex
'pt in DR.. Thayer's hands don't know who
cked it up.
Saw no blows struck or attempted by either G
lrty After they fell, think McKeen's 5 hands
ere by his side, or the one next me was.
| was at McKeen shop the Saturday night !
le week previous. We commenced playing
hist about o'clock. Howard, Coburn c
nd McKeen were there. Some persons came
the door number of times first came O
bout 10 clock. and ballooed at us-want- /
| to know what we were doing what was I
jumps, &c. Stumped us out to fight, and S
lid if we came out would lick US. Stopped I
II a while and then came again. On return
lg called us something; wanted to know I
hat that little white-headed fellow was doing 5
lere; said would tell Brinsmaid of him. :
The second time McKeen went to the door I
nd after him saw no one, and we came Z
ack. They came again, and said If we a
ould come out again they would lick us.
[cKeen said they would run again. They v
llled Mr.. Wight's name. Replies were B
ade by those insIde-remember none other l
ut McKeen's. Was not acquainted with t
ther of respondents. These visits were S
ade within Is or 20 minutes. McKeen b
oarded at Mr.. Stanton's and slept in the
tore, up stairs with Mr.. sBrinsmaid' clerk. v
Cross Examined. Knew McKeen nine h
Ears lived in Nova Scotia when l first n
new him, at Gays River. That is my ma
We place. He came from there years or
ore ago believe he was born there. |
lme from there years ago. McKeen has L
we'd part of the time at Boston, at Hinsdale, N
. H., at Shelburne Falls, Mass. az t'
In couple of seconds after we went INTO Il
le store, Mr.. Wight came, saw him on S-1tt eHe h.
ep shortly after. He was on the NE W. On % =,
de. These persons were up street aoo"U ~ y
of were standing. They came down alter
lex Ickeen sT spoke opposite tG US, one little be- /
w. WI. on the e. North. l saw McKeen step p
: tba .tep. Think heard some such re- "
arL as well, sail in then, from the person W
pposite think it was in reply to McKeen. to
,6rt time, perhaps half a minute before he oI
epped off step After Mcdonnell said is
sail in then. think McKeen said nothing Il
reply to that. Before he stepped down 81
IcKeen wanted to know what he was cal o
ng him. Mcdonnell called MeKeen son e'
bitch, and McKeen SAID something like o.
what was that you called me?' and i'm h
ediately stepped down. a
During the scufle did not turn much, my Z
- 1890 oE fr0r, <hap, short time / |