Morning journal and courier., 1880-01-28
Another Murder Trial.

V isEmpauneled-TheT Testimony for the
 State Commenced.
 The trial of Jacob Smith, colored, of this city, for the murder of Charles Pierce, anoth- CT colored man, on Goffe street in this city on the 18th of August last, was commenced in the Superior Court room yesterday afternoon. Judges Loomis and Martin were on the bench. When the judges came in that part of the court room allotted to spectators was filled with men and women. mostly colored, who were interested in the proceedings. Judge Blydenbureh, assisted by Hobart L. Hotchkiss and Hugh Daley. appeared as counsel for the accused, while State Attorney Doolittle was assisted by City Attorney Pickett. The afternoon until 4:30 o'clock was em- ployed in empanneling jury, several tales men being called in before the panel was com pleted. Following are the names of the jury: Henry J. Mattoon, New Haven; Henry N. Oviatt, New Haven Daniel H. Brown, East Haven; James R. Dowd, Madison; Noble s. BIatchley, Madison; Samuel G. Davidson, Bethany; George D. Cover, New Haven; Dwight E. Todd, Hamden; John H. Weeks, New Haven; Ira l.. Twiss, Meriden Benja- min Hall, Wallingford Louis Feldman, New Haven.
 When the panel was completed the oath was | administeredt to the jurors, the indictment was read and the examination of witnesses com | menced.
 The first witness called was Dr. O. A. Linds- | ley of this city. He testified as follows: l examined the body of Charles Pierce in the morgue on the day after his death. The wit ness described the appearance of the boo 7 and the clothing, which he said was saturated with blood. An examination revealed the most conspicuous wounds on the face, head and neck. The wound in the neck ran from the ear to near the corner of the mouth and ap- peared to have been made by sharp pointed | instrument. By putting my finger in the | wound and another in the opening of the ear, | my first impression was that it penetrated into | the cavity of the ear. By using a probe in- stead of the finger found no passage into the ! ear The instrument appeared to have been driven toward the ear in it's first application, being deeper at that point than at the mouth. It divided the skin and soft tissues down to the hard part or the jaw.
 Another and more serious wound began an inch and a half behind the ear and an inch or | SO below the level of the junction of the face. The first inch and half of it was horizontal, as though the man was standing up then 1t took g sudden angle and terminated at point about midway between the angle of the jaw and the point of the chin. It was deep
 wound, dividing all the soft tissues and the most important part was the dividing Of the external iugular vein. This wound was ln- evitably fatal. should judge it was nearly an inch in depth and about four inches Tn length. The next wound was located on the skull about three inches above the ear, an inch and a half in length, penetrating the soft parts, but apparently not inJurlng the skull. These wounds were all in the same
 general direction. The wound was on the right side and was apparently stab. There
 were no other serious wounds. There were two or three bruises about the right elbow, another on the fore arm, and another near the wrist There was also slight bruise on the left arm near the elbow, and also 8 slight bruise on the back, which appeared to be older than the others. l found no other indications of violence about the body.
 went to the place where the atfray occurred
 with the coroners jury. l found that the platform where the affray occurred had been recently washed. EObjected to by the de- fense.
 Cross-exanination by MT. Blydenburgh- The wounds appeared to be recent ones. could not say that the bruises occurred from falling on the sidewalk. My opinion is that the bruise on the back could not have oc- cured at the time the other wounds were
 made. I judged from the appearance of the
 body that Pierce was strong, vigorous man. ! Should think he was as strong ana vigorous as the accused, and perhaps stronger.
 From the character of the wounds should | think they could have been made while the
 parties were facing each other, or they might have been made in 8 position somewhat vary ing from that. I don't think could say pos iti7ely which way the knife was held in the | hand
 To question as to whether witness exam ined the blood spots at the house MT. Doolit- tie objected on the ground that he had not questioned the doctor on that subject in chief.
 The court sustained the objection and the de- fense dismissed the witness.
 The judges charged the jury not to talk of the case and the court was then adjourned un- til this morning at 10 o'clock.