Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-08-13
mrs. FARSswoRrH sworn.

when arrived there Mrs Shott0n was alone
with him she took care of him; he appear
ed very feeble i attended him mostly from
my arrival till his death Mrs Barnes sent
him in some food which was not eaten Dr
Cotton dressed his limb but did hot to my
knowledge order medicine; few minutes
past four discovered change in his condi-
ton Belts spike of it himself l was read
ing paper aud Mrs Shotton was combing
her hair sat at foot Of the bed Belts said
" what a curious feeling is coming over me /
l got up and went to him put my hand on
his forehead which was cold and sweaty 1t
struck me he was dying l asked him II he
was dying he looked as if he understood
me |; he raised one hand to his breast; OPEN
ed his shirt bosom; placed my hand on his
stomach but did not discover anything I'M
common he laid his hand down did not
move the other /; kept that position all the
time was there all alone Mrs had gone
for the doctor |; / rubbed bis bands they
were not rigid did not move his limbs
think Miss Caldwell and Mrs Converse soon
| came in Mrs Shotton returned before the
doctor came / returned home week from
the next Sunday was at the funeral but did
not go to the grave was not in the room at
the post norton, which took place the same
day he died; Anna Larkin was there after his
| death. and few eighbors. Mrs Barnes sent
| in beef he tasted two mOuthfuls; did not
itcu MIN any tnluS else no SupPSN 49,
| water from glass Mrs Shotton offered him
| some whisky which he blew away /; she set
| it right down and went for IT, doctor told
| her [ d go she said mo, know the way"
can't say which suggested going tor the doc
| tor she was in great hurry for the doctor.
| Cross Er-Victuais which Mrs Barnes sent
were kept on o stove at foot OF the bed they
| were covered when brought think they
were kept covered all the time. in full view
of George and myself.
Re-lirect.-A Norwegian boy brought the
victuals boy set them on the stove think !;
| Mrs Shotton end were at dinner in an adj
joining room boy came in through the shed
and passed right round US into Georges room;
| do not think any one went into that room !;
am not sure.
. LUKE PoMERoY SWORN.
Reside in Troy, ST. Croix co. acquaint-
ed with Belts since 1855 resided part the
| time on my farm have known Mrs Shotton
since 1857 Belts worked for Mrs and re-
| sided with her in same house was at his fu-
| neral and went to the grave-abOut the 9Th or
sixth Of May was buried IN the cemetery !;
| was disinterred in my presence, March 10th.
| 1869 the sexton uncovered the coffin help.
ed raise it from the grave DIR Ballard was
| there: we put it in asleigh /; Hiram Belts and
| his brother Russell, the sexton and myself
we're the only ones at the grave at this time.
Coffin was put into my sleigh and opened at
the barn sexton opened it; l recognized the
| body as George 8. Belts; DR. Ballard opened
| body below breast bone, took out stomach
and put il into fruit jar which will hold 2
| quarts I; put on cover of Jar which / held a
candle was lit and DIR Ballard sealed the COW
er with wax placed the jar in box. nailed it
| up and put it in my possession /; took it
, home and hid it in my granary under the
wheat ; it was dark granary think this
| was tuesday something turned up that j
could net go to Hudson Wednesday
hitched up nv horses Thursday while Belts
held the horses, went into the granary, got
the box and placed it under hind part Of the
/ seat drove TO Hudson and gave it to DR.
Hoyt he opened box, took a letter from
some drawer, then examined seals attached
| 10 jar [ examined seals they were intact
| just as DR. Ballard put them on ; the jar was
| clean; Hiram Belts furnished jar suppose !;
| nobody was with me when l hid the box in
| my granary /; 1t was not disturbed from the
| time / placed it in the granary until went
| there.
Cross Er.-Have you taken an active part
| in any difficulties between Mr.. Belts and Mrs
| Shotton !? Objected to-Overruled by court.
| Q-Haye you talked about this case a good
i~~ls We, Mr.. Belts ana Nave taIhod
good deal. Belts asked nue. TO go down 10 the
cemetery. The two Belts went with me to
| the grave. Don's know positively that the
ing on. DIR. Ballard asked me to take the
stomach TO DR.. Hoyt. Belts did not ask me
to take it. Belts stopped with me made a
| confdant of me; asked me to go with him TO
| the cemetery. Think both Belts went to
Hudson with me, but am not positive.
The court ruled that counsel should reduce
questions TO writing if objected to by oppos-
ing counsel.
Mr.. BARcLAY swoRN.
HAVE resided in Prescott about 10 years !;
knew George Belts did not attend his fune.
raj but was at the grave when he was buried;
buried in the cemetery in May body was
disinterred. i think, the last of March; Belts
two brothers, Pomeroy and the physician
were there | uncovered the grave-gurss
Pomeroy assisted me they removed it TO my
barn and operated upon it think l went
with it, and one of the Belts think l saw
the physician cut into the body think l saw
him put the stomach in glass vessel which
he placed in box aud nailed it up and put it
in a sleigh they closed up the coffin, Fnt it
in their sleigh and carried it away.
Ss-Es.-Think Pomeroy assisted in put
ting stomach into the jar; Hiram r. Belts
engaged my services.
Dr. baLLAhO SWORN.
The coffin was brought into the sections
barn sexton opened it and removed cloth
ing front part of the remains, opened the alb
dominal cavity, removed portion of the in
testines and laid it In glass jar sealed
the glass jar with wax, and assisted in pack
ing it in box, and delivered it to Mr. Pome
roy the Jar was clean-empty-would hold
quarts, and had cap sealed the cap to
the glass nearly the whole circumference !;
box just the size of jar packed with shaw
ings I; sexton drove the nails, / think L
wrote letter to DR. Hoyt and mailed it the
same day, after reaching home told Pomeroy
to deliver stomach to DIR Hoyt made no
further examination of the body stomach
was in softened condition form was entire;
the rule in regard to decay. is, in warm
weather body decays rapidly.
CToss-Er.-sMy own impression was that
the patient did not die from poison my inn
preston was it was farce my reasons for
not proceeding in this case according to rules
laid down, was. that Mr. Belts did not com.
ply with the contract made contract was, I
was to take out the stomach for a considera-
ten, provided Mr. Belts had all things in
readiness so would not be delayed in town
| advised Belts to allow me to carry the
stomach to DR. Hoyt he did not accede to it,
but proposed Mr Pomeroy my observation
upon the decay of bodies is very limited
strychnine is not classed as a corrosive his
body would have had liyid spots if poisoned
by strychnine his body presented every an