The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-26
THE MURDER OF CARRUTH.
MAZE or CONTRADICToRY TEsTI-
MONY ny PHYSICIANS.
Landis's Romantic Marriage to the Danah-
ter Of Commodore Mcade-Tbe First Testi-
mony Tint hns Made the Prisoner SauirIn.

Landis'- Romantic Marriage to the DnuGb-
ter Of Commodore Mcade-Tbe First Tcsti-
mOny thnt has Made the Prisoner sauirm.
BuIDoEToN, Jan. 25.-Francis p. Croker
editor OF the vlneland Weeklv testified this
morning in rebuttal Of the testimony for Landls
that the prisoner had Contributed articles 20 the
UccblN. lie identified description Of Landis's
marriage furnished In 1863, and to which lands
signed his name. The defence struggled In vain
to prevent the article being put In evidence.
The witness admitted, with much evasion, no
had no doubt lands was the author Of the arti-
Gle. The description opened with the words OF
Othello to the Most Potent, Grave, and Reye-
rend Seigniors: That have taken away this old
mans daughter" and went on TO describe the
difficulties which beset him at every step In his
efforts to make Commodore Meado's daughter
his wife. The Commodore, who was living In
Brooklyn, refused to receive Lands as his SON
in-law because Of his religion, he being Protest.
ant, his social standing, and his age. with re
gard 20 the Last objection Lands, who was only
thirty-four years Of age, did not know whether
he was too young or too old. lie consultod
Father Francola, who ministerod to tho Meade
family, and obtained his sanction, M well "a the
approval OF all the young ladys relations except
her father. Iandis was warned that the Com
modore had decided to blow his brains out. A
day was nevertheless named for the marriage,
but when Lands went to Brooklyn lie ascer-
tained mat hls future tath er-in-law had been
sent to the Iloomincdale As,lum for The In
sane. The marriage ceremony WIS reformed
and Landis took his wife to Nlneland lie
averred that his chief motive In writing the arti-
Gle To- the Vinclgnd Uohig was to refute the
malicious report that he had been Instrumental
la l. wing the old Commodore confined IN the
asylum for the insane IN order to sweep away
the only obstacle To- his marriage with his daugh-
ter The article closed with profusion Of pious
thanks for his success In securing Miss Meade
for his wife and an avowcd determination to de-
vote his lie TO make her happy.
While the Attorney. Gentr raj read the article
slowly and with emphasis, unsparinsly Lending
most important, Landis's agitation WIS painful
to soc. His face, hitherto ashy pale, flushed
fastened nercely upon the Attorney -GeDeral,
his long, thin fingers twined about each other
with irrepressible emotion. and for once at least
aroused from his apathy and Indifference. His
sister and other friends watched him closely
and anxiously, evidently apprehensive OF vio-
lent outbreak. He mastered his emotion, how
ever, and listened with comparative calmness to
him for the vineland Woody. and eyincins
very Thorough knowlsdge Of the subject.
who attended Mr.. Osrruth in hi; Illness,
testified that the wound was treated correctly.
He did not notice symptoms OF aoscesses on tue
brain. The patient told him that Drs. Didwell
absccss ON the back OF the neck, but added that
he thought their advice did not amount to
alton performed. but said N It mad to be done
be wished Dr. Brown to do II. The witness
thought II unnecessary and soon hfterward the
ahscess began 10 discharge Itself. Under cross
examination the witness said he saw Or. Morgan
probe the wound and failed TO md the passage
Dr. Fuller had spoken Of Dr. Fuller then took
the DroDe, turned II a little to the right and
passed Il on. The witness heard Cauuth com
plain Of being butchered by the surgeons. The
wound did not cease To discharge until about "A
month previous to Clrruth's death. The dis
charge from the orilc' was connected with the
abscess on the back OF the neck. and the latter
quickly decreased IN -iZe after IL began to dis-
charge and was nearly well when Mr. Carruth
| died.
Prof Joshua X. Thomas. homo opathist and
Demonsirator Of Anatomy In Hahnemarn Col
lege. Philadelphia, was recalled 10y the Attor-
ney- General. and he testified that the exposure
OF the or.uce 10y the removal Of the skull would
nothing observable after the removal OF the
skull To indicate That the protrusion was caused
by an abscess. There were, however, four alb
scesses IN Carruth's brain, and had sharp in
| strument been passed through the orince, it
| woJld have punctured first the dura mater, then
the brain substance, ana last the wall OF the Alb
scess. From the external appearance OF Car
ruth's wound IL could not have been determined
| that an nb-cess had formed on the brain. IL
would have been improper for surgeon TO have
Attempted To pdncture The absce.s unless he
had positive knowledge OF IT. situation. MS
KNOW ledge. tue witness thought, twas lmpos-l-
| bic To obtain ia Carruths case. successful oren.
| Ing q ahscesses OF the BRAN were very rare. and
| the chances OF saving life ny such an operation
were exceedingly small. 1t had bsen performed
some year, 600, 10 New ork, under moro tuMl
| ordinarily Norabe circumstances, anu resulted
| merely In prOloncation OF tue patients life for
| seven weeks. Agitation on the uart Of perslu
| suffering from an injury to the brain was likely
| to produce disastrous consequences.
| The witness said under crosse Xaminatio
| Il At unless abscess ON the brain could be
| opened death must result. Tue Assesses ON
| Cdrfuth's brain could not have been detected
| while the patient was living.
DIR. john T.. Morgan homeopathic physicinn,
WIS familiar with brain wounds. RecOverits
| from such Injuries were rare that no record
| had teen kept " them. lie attended Mr. Car
| ruth, and was convinced that the surgical treat
| ment correct. Certainly the Drain was not
| In any way injured, nor was death caused OF
| fastened by the probing. 1t would have been
| very bad surgery not To probe for the ball.
| He said bis own suppositiOn was that a large
| fragment OF bone was driven In before the ball,
| which finally glanced "a to the left. The bullet
| that killed President Lincoln drove such piece
OF bone into the brain.
| Under cross-examination the witness admit
| ted that at one time he considered all primary
| danger In Mr.. Carruths case at an eud, and gave
| . certificate to that effect