Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-07-15

would be below the point Of entrance, but
could not give any reliable opinion as to
where the ball stopped, owing to 'the soft
ened condition of the brain when il was
found. In Tylers experiments with hal
when muzzle was near the hat grains Of
powder showed on the hat OF course
these grains were the surplus which
didn't burn. If YOU put in too much
powder a portion of it will not burn.
Would think that if patch be wet or greas'
ed the powder attached to it would not Be
burned. If no more powder were put in
than was burned Of course there would be
none shown on substance bred at
EXPERIMENTATION ny STATE. y
The first evidence of accidental or suici-
DIAL wounds by shooting We look for, is Of
powder being blown into the soft part;
where the bullet has catered the integu-
ment. There is no fxed rule Sc TO eontrac-
ton o. relaxation of muscles, where hand i.
clutched aroundan object al time of death.
If the wound be inflicted 1T spinal nerve
there will be relaxation; if ut muscular
there will be contraction. If powder
were all consumed there would probably
at two feet be IN impression OF burning,
a stain caused blythe blaze or smoke. Ii
q man is killed instantly would expect
him to be paralyzed. IA rifle about four
feet in length, ofsmsll bore, with set lock
is exhibited by the Pros. Atty, and admit
ted by the defense to be the gun found
with Mr.. Holcomb at his death. Thai
and part of skull first shown are put II
evidence. -ice .r-f
Homer j. ,Bdtes.-Live in Vernon just
north Of center. Hive seen Sawyer and
Mrs. Holcomb together. Have seen him
riding with a person Isupposed was Mrs
II. They were north Of her house going
south, drove up and stopped there. Have
seen them at singing schools. They talk
ed together S othen did. Perhaps more
to one side than others did. Can't say ]
have seen hem walking together.
CROSS ExkzINATIoN. c.
Have seen others talking together al
Singing Schools. Saw no desire NANTES
ted by S. or Mrs. Il. 10 keep from the OBJ
~servation ofthe crowd. Was not positive
it was Mrs. H., I saw riding with 5.
Were in open buggy Drove in front oil
Mrs. Hs house ant topped but did not
get out. In Oct. last1 saw SIS. horse and
buggy in front of Mri. H'si Jaw buggy
come towards eorness and turn west.
Could not say certainly it was Mrs. H.
1t was about dusk. These two are The
only times that 1 have seen persons whom
L supposed TO be them riding.
Henry Beach-Llvs in Vernon. Saw
body at house, examined wound. Loren
Waters was with me- No appearance of
powder or burning. Ne smell of powder
on hat. Hole clean q and smooth.
Found q black hnsn thread inside Of hG.
inch below bullet hole, and couldn't see
that fbers had been burned or scorched.
d.. j. MattoekS.LLive in Vernon at
center. Went to ground whsre Mr.. HOl-
comb was found dead, with others. One
day last spring, Richard Wellmsn and /
went there and found the beech tree that
had been shot at, near where the body
was found. We cut bullets out Of beach
tree pieces bead of irregular shape
shown by witness.1 These are the balls.
Bullets were nearly On north side of beach
tree. The man who shot them might
have stood . little north of west but near
ly north. Saw no bullet holes that we
did not cut balls from.
CROSS EXAMINATION
Saw stick lying on ground, six or Gig hit
inches thick. Saw no stick lying across
the other. Did not look for any other
stick. Don't know who shot the balls into
the beach tree. People 60 down there to
shoot. Il is quite common. lf5.
N. B. TgLer.-De business IN Warren.
Am q gnnsmith by trade. Have worked
at it about Is years. Have used guns q
good deal, shooting more st mark than at
game THE Holcomb gun shown wit
ness. 1 made the gun Sold it TO Nj.
Holcomb in April, 1867. It lis set lock.
When set it cannot be fred without pull
ling forward triggar, bore is 100 to the h.
Think l could tell within ten degrees
where ball coma from, by seeing hole in
skull. FSkull Of Mr.. Holcomb shown to
witness. Ball entered q little higher
than would b. AZ right angles, with sur
face of skull. fThiak q person could not
be so placed asU shot by a ball at the
angle shown BY tAe hole, IN the skull if
the person was booking up into q high tree ;
have weighed bullets shown by Mr.. Mat.
toeks and their weight is Substantially the
same as bullets ftting the HoleOmb gun.
eros EXAMINATION.
Shape Of holsin skull being nearly round
and Clipped of the same above as below,
leads me to thikk ball came from direction
nearly at rigat angles entered brain
above q right tngle 3 little l think; can
not say positively that it is so, chipping
of OF the inside Of the skull is the chief
means of judging; il Clipped more above
than below, he ball would likely come
from below /; more above the bail would
likely come from above. If the screw of
lock on this gun was arranged so that the
set would 20 easy it might go of at q very
slight t0uehs my impression Is that the
direction frtm which ball csmecould be de-
termined within Is degrees, by the appear
anee of the hole. The inequalities of the
object shotat is what produces the chip
ping. Mich Of the testimony of this wit
ness, consisting of illustrations to jury
with gun Ind skull, both in chief and on
cross examination, cannot be reported
AS to poYder marks, Sc, produced upon
hist by stOts, he testified substantially as
stated By Mr.. Giimer.l
Gen. fh0mpSon.-Live at OrangeFlle;
had conversation with Sawyer last
fall. Said he wa going 10 GreenVille.
He talked.of going west and of going
east. Hadn't made up his mind. =.
John &zLinq-Livs at OrangeYille /;
had CONVERSATION with Sawyer last fall {.
Said he was going away, but had't
made up his mind where. Talked pub
licly of g6ing away. His going was
public and open. He called toFay good
bye,
The hour of six o'clock having ar
rived, court adjourned until s o'clock
Thursday morning.
THuRsDn, july 9th.--LoTsH Raters.
Live in Vernon was st house on day
of VIM. Hoicomb's death. and exam
ined hat and hole in the head. Wash
ed and dressed the body. Looked to
see ii any hair was burned of but
didn't see any. None vacant OF hair
except surface of ball hole. Looked
and smel.ed to see if l could smell any
powder, but could not. No one but
Henry Beach in room when l went IN,
or for 20 minutes or so. Balance OF
tins witnesR testimony ELECTED no new
point.
Mrs ElztGhrk.-Live north of the
centre Of Vernon deceased was my
brother. Saw Sawyer at Mrs. Hol-
combs house last-September. DO not
reeolleet the day. Ihad just returned
from New York with Mrs. Holcomb.-
First saw him at the shoe shop then
at the house. II was rom 70 OF
an hour after 1 got home. Mrs. Hol-
comb, Mr.. Sawyer and myself were IN
sitting.room, they two sitting on
lounge. They were conYersing. She
said 10 him sfEvan Won. Mr.. SAWYER,