The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1867-11-13

NJ.
81. 81 4S-Fine day.
IS. IS 49-Cloudv, with rain.
1t will be recollccted that the body was
found on the 2Sth. The accused was last seen
with his wife eleven days bcfore-on Sunday,
February 18th. Mr.. Barksdale stated that the
range of the thermometer WAS taken A. N.
and 10 +. NJ being hung out on nothcrn ex-
posure, 1T Mr.. Abram Warwick's house, cor.
ner of Fifth and Grace streets. Any conside-
rable amount Of rain would have been noted
Mir. Albert Turner was recalled, and in re-
ply TO questions from Colonel Young stated
that .PhilipS'S trunk was brought to his ia
ther's between the lst aud 7th of April in q
cart with two barrels Of -four. This was the
same trunk found by the officers in the room
of the accused.
Miss Roxana Pitts was then recalled. In
response 10 questions she testified that her
sister wore home knit gartcrs, one OF which
was knit by witness ard the other by her
mother. The former was longer ana wider
We're decayed, or worn, and the upper jaw
teeth dreadful" while the lower teeth were
generally good.
Mr.. William =. Knox was recalled to testify
in relation 10 the exhuming OF the remains.
He was present, and took the garters from the
inches longer and somewhat wider than the
other. He also examined the mouth Of the
deceased. Her Jaw teeth were very bad IN
deed and some were broken entirely OIL
There was q little division between the front
teeth, but. whether they Were worn or de-
caycd, witness was unable 10 determine With
certainty.
Cross examined The garters were left with
the under -clothiug in the trunk and deposited
il til" bascmen: of the county courthouse. J
did not sec the dress on the body OF the de.
ceased, but while it was in the possession OF
Constable Cole.
EVIDENCE OF DIR. pAyIs.
DR. Davis was next sworn, and examined rs
N,rll. had 1fTf fI.
body he thought there We're 10 certain criteria
by which more than an approximate opinion
could be formed rs TO the length OF time since
death 1t depends very much upon the state
of the body, the temperature, &c, whether
putrefaclion speedily takes places. A body
would not putrefy at thirty-tWo degrees Fab
rcuhcit, while from seventy degrees and up.
wards decomposition would quickly take
place. Much also depends upon the disease
which results in the death Of the subject. In
the month of February, at temperature
ranging from thirty two to fifty degrees, IL
would be almost impossible TO tell viii accu-
racy whether life had been extinct III 4 body
exposed in the open air for tco or ten days
Witness would be surprised ut guess within
q few days OF the fact. EXudatlun Of serum
from an iucision would not be conclusive PROOF
of recent death.
To Judge Crump: The condition Of 4 body
with consumptiYe tendency Is rather faNori-
Bile TO preservation. The presence OF tuour-
position by its effect upon the fluids of the
system producing emaciation. Parts OF Il
body which have been bruised Will putre1y
sooner than others.
WITNESS FOR THE DEFENCE.
At this point the counsel for the accused
begged leave TO Introduce Mr.. Ihomas Tor-
don n witness for the defence, who was III
very bad health and was anxious to get home,
He testified that in the early part Of the year
he saw on the Three Chop road Mr.. Jude, on
his way 10 Richmond. MIR. Jude introduced
\ entleman with him as Jeter Phillips. He
could rot tell certainly in what month this
occurred, but it may have been in February
To Colonel Young: / did not know the ac-
cuscd except by this introduction. l never
saw him again except AT the county court
house, and did not know him then.
MORE PHYSICIANS EXAMINED.
DIR. James Bolton was next called upon to
testify as an expert. He testified: II body
had been exposed after death II an average
temperature OF about forty degrees 1t could
not be told with any accuracy now long lie
had been extinct. Decomposition takes place
slowly 1t temperature OF MY, anu tle Tue
nearer il approacnes thirty-two of course the
longer the BODY will keep. AT the latter
point Il corpse might be preserved Tor an mae,
finite period. 1t is stated that the carcase OF
q rud,araotR. was found in Siberia In 4 perfect
stale OF preservation, life having been extinct
for thousands of years. Wild beasts led upon
the flesh, and Il portion was carried TO 81.
Petersburg, deposited i'll museum, ana Is
now on exhibition.
To Judge Crump: In order TO give anything
like Il correct opinion about the iehgth OF lliiie
that 4 person has been DEAD 4 physician
should be informed of all the facts in the case
is important 10 know the cause OF uealll,
the state Of the body previous 10 ueatn anu
the temperature since lie was e8llngulsnea.
But in any case physician can only give !
oniectural opinion, rs accuracy III such mat
TORS ;s certainly not vouchsafed TO man. FROM
the statement of the weather Iurhlsheu ps
MIR Barksdale ! estimate that from the ltL
TO the 2Sth OF February inclusive the a'eIase
in the morning was 81 ~ - ue
grees, and in the afternoon 4l2', "hllo u'.i III
The last four days the average was even lower !,
so that during the whole period the average
was only ia degrees ABOVE tne
freezing point. In such weather BODY Hlsh'
be perfectly preserved for number OF days.
An open space in the WOODS nlisti ue -, ~
colder than the side of the house III the citS
Bruises on a body may affect decolnposllion'
tut in a low temperature they would not lha
Ioriaily accelerate the process III Il lew DAYS.
don't know that an exudation OF So seIun1 ~! u
left the body. No definite rule can
nossibly be laid down, but In every case aH
nninior must be formed from Inc clrculh-
stances of the case. ,,oa uo
nr G. Cabell was next examined: he
said that he agreed with Dr. boltoh III a,r, aiinus
stances detailed, he did not think an eSaE,
estimate could be made concerning the lehs'i
of time that the body had been oeaa' t;
Dr r. G.. Knox was next called. ms lesli
mony eorroborated the statements OF hls sspi pro
fessional brethren just examined. No Tmth ue ~
ruIe could be laid down about the lengtl "
, innc that might elapse before decomposltion
witness saw the body after 1t had neen ea
huned II was then swollen, ana Pusieiao
ION had commenced. A cursory observe
,.on,d hardly distinguish between bruises aho
marks Of putrefactioh'
ruy uspgRTAKgR's TESTIMONY.
~ Satterwhite, undertaken, was theh e1. X
,1ined. He said he sent his wagon oudsr oas u u
Thinkers farm after the dead BODY yourht py NH II
is p.,s,ica wade. After it had been brouent - -
> nn usI,.v co'pty court house he went in person l..
the synra and rpps.ysa pS it in sSo 70 take
scre"ihs soant off, and he remembered par
ha. found m"sh ns sfn as%s ON o
moving sne oF home manufacture. Decompo
o. ,s nrs Tnd set in and the task was exceedingly