Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-03-17
THURSDAY.


DR.. Scott recalled made a careful
examination of the stairs on Monday
afternoon about 3 O'Clock; | found
blood on the first step and second
riser; | saw no blood on the sides of
the walls of the staircase | found
a piece of lath on the wall near the
top of the stairs, which | examined
carefully. but saw no blood or marks /;
| did not find anything about the stairs
that would make the marks found on
the body of Mrs. Lefevre the mark
under the right eye, the ring around
the neck, and the cuts on the ears, /
think could not be produced by falling
down stairs death by a fall or sudden
shock could not produce the mark
around the neck in such short time !;
the body of person killed instantly
by sudden shock or fail would not
swell after death until putrifcation
would set in; at death swe ling would
cease with cessation of circulation,
except it might be slight swelling from
blood pouring out into cellular tissues,
but it would not be extensive until
putrification would commence / do
not think the external injuries were
sufficient to produce instant death, but
the bruises might produce death, after
the lapse of time, through inaamma-
tory action | am not prepared to say
what was the actual cause of death
DR.. S. Bredin, recalled by prosecu-
toni made a careful examination of
the steps of the stairway and sides of
wall in staircase, and | looked for any
sharp edge of wood or other substance
that would produce such surgical inju-
ries as those on the ears and that
around the neck. and | found nothing
that, in my opinion, could produce
those marks on Mrs l.. by falling the
distance Mr. Lefevre alleged she had
fallen | found nothing that would
produce the mark under the eye; it
would be impossible for the fall on the
stairs to make that ring around the
neck Lefevre told me she lay with
the back Of her neck on the lower step,
her head not on the floor, and feet up
wards on the stairs my opinion is
that in falling down stairs the force of
gravity would carry the body clear
down on to the floor; that it would be
impossible for the body, falling down
the stairs, to stop in the position Le-
fevre said he found it; if person
died instantly from wounds or from a
sudden shock, the face would be pale,
and the whole body would be pale,
caused by the blood receding; | would
not expect the body to be swollen un-
less the patient lived long enough for
swelling to take place ] get that from
tie study Of anatomy. 1t will be re-
membcred that number of witnesses
who saw the body of Mrs. l.. about
IL NJ on Monday, testified that her
face was much swollen and discolored
Dr. King, sworn for prosecution
Was at post mortem made by Drs.
Bredin and Pillow on Sunday, sixth
day after death of Mrs Lefevre
T Witness corroborates other doctors
as to condition of body, marks, &c.
Had talk with Lefevre when examin-
ing the stairs; told him ] did not think
the body would stop on the stairs in
the position he described he had found
it, if she had fallen hard he said she
had fallen rather soft +; from my exami-
nation Of the stairs and the walls of
the stairway | did not find anything
that would produce the marks found
upon the body.
Question-From your examination
Of the body and wounds, state what,
in your opinion as surgeon and medi-
cal man, produced this woman's death
Answer-My opinion is that she
came to her death by strangulation
and external bruises and wounds COM
bined when asked by Dir Bredin
what had become of the bloody apron
and bloody clothes be said the women
had burned them.
CrOss-eTam,ned-Internal evidences
Of death by strangulation would be
lungs gorgcd with dark colored blood,
right side of heart full Of blood, partly
fluid and partly clotted, and brain
sufIused with blood external evil
ututtH' - % Op'l, dlidi'u ahu Stdi ihSf
mouth open, tongue protruding, red
mucous in wind-pipe; if the person
was beaten and belabored so that the
shock to the nervous system would
produce semi-unconscious or comatose
condition, that would account for the
absence of the internal symptoms or
dinarily found To exist.
Defense asks that answer of witness
be stricken out, because he gives an
opinion or theory from pre-existing
state or condition Of the body not
proven, and which can only be arrived
ot by inference, and upon which infer
ence be now bases or founds his opin-
ion. One inference cannot be founded
upon another inference.
Prosecution assert there is such
close connection between them as to
render them competent.
Powerful arguments were made on
this point by Col Thompson for and
judge McCandlcss against.
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