The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1880-09-01

poison was found on her person
hydrocyanic acid is instantaneous
poison; strychnia would produc
commissions; arsenic would produc
Inflammation of thelining membrane
Of the stomach and result in death
claim in this case death must hay
been instantaneous that is the mos
reasonable view to take of It "
cannot be absolutely certain tia
death was instantaneous; there i
nothing special about this hamlte
beyond the fact that it has marks 0
blood upol it to indicate that tli.
particular hammer did the wb.k
but ! say that hammer would E.x-
plain very nicely the appearing OF
I the injury the cut. was obI5Ic,
there was no suppuration Of aIe of
the wounds ! think the bloWfyas
aslyilllul one, not inflicted ut rana)m;
/ ii was not an imperfect post mofem
. examination, becausewe acconllsh-
ed just what we expected whcf we
find sufficient cause of death aout
the head, we don't think itncccsarv
to proceed further.
Redirect examination.
| did not find blood marls in
another portion Of the cellar{ the
other surgeons saw them we dianot
examine the body 50 as 20 ascRain
whether death could have resste
from strangulation we supp sod
at once chat death resulted from the
injuries on the head everythiE in
dicated that these blows had Been
given before death; even If thcyf f~ere
inflicted while hanging, theyEcre
inflicted while she was living.
Dr. William Krissingcr. ailisaed.
II live in Berlin, this county fam
q physician, and have been snce
lSjS; ! was called upon to mal an
examination Of the bodyof Eliza beth
Hoffman, on June 27th, last we
went to the cellar and found lie "
ing on her stomach. her head ssed
about six inches from the tloot We
cut her down: found q bruj* on
the back Of her head and II ON
each temple; ! found the tfple
was fractured; her face wa3 cry
bloody and we washed it, but FUND
no wound upon it; when / I-ent
there that evening found twd 3rge
stones lying close 10 her in til eel
lar; they were square stones, E)ogt
eight inches square; on MonIry j
made a further cxamnation{ gith
Drs Bru5akcr and Gary we Fund
the temple had been cut as If bth a
knife; the temples were botll iac-
Wred, but there We're no fractIlas at
the back of the head either b the
wounds would have caused dctth ; ]
believe the woman was lnurdeiej by
the person who inflicted Those
wounds.
C0@s-eraa;acd.-The wounj ON
the back part of the head might have
caused death ! dent think There
was an old tUmor there; tha,e was
not a great deal OF blood on tie cor
ners OF those stones there WAS some
)n each Of them.
Rs-ugm'ned.-The blood was ON
he top of the stones. risat.at the
corners; it was clotted blood.
Dr. Henry Gary testified substan-
Tally TO the same facts as detailed
by Doctors Brubakcr and k'issing-
L.C Colbon, Esq, aflirmed-Am
a surveyor; on the 14th Of last Aug
lst I made 4 survey Of the premises
IF Noltgang Hoffman ; this map is
he result Of my labor Witness eX-
plains the map to the jury.
John Hoffman, allirmed.-Am %
on Of defendant was living with
ather on 9th of June last, in Broth
rsvalley township, Somerset county,
bout six miles from Somerset: am
married there were five in NY fam-
ly, myself, wife and four children
he old man, his wife and maid con
tituted my fathers family; the
maids name was c afharinc Yodcr
nv father married my stepmothcr
bout fyevelEs since they quarreled
ONE; ] heard them quarrel about q
week before her dca th about a hcifer
nd different things ; on the morning
i the 9th Of June | was at Jeremi-
b Brant's [ went home from there; /
his was about . or 10 o'clock
5hcn [ came home the maid was
here and one of the childrenandmv
lther and stepmotner; it was after
o O'Clock. I think. when | started
rom home the second time: the
laid and the children and ] left to-
ether: the only persor 5 left at the
ousc We're the old mar. and old wo-
lan: from home I went TO Philip
ioliman's. when I lef. the old man
as in the sitting room. and the old
oman in the bedroom; from Phil
IS l went to Humbe1t's with Hen
= Yoder; ! STAYED there untilabout
o'clock; dinner was ready and as
lev were about to sit down Philip
ld the old man carle there they
manned there until between > and F.
o'clock the old man started home
' himself; I went home then
lme back to Philips and heard She
as hanging in the cellar; the old
ian then came back to Philips; in .
le meantime Katie, the maid, start /.
home. wens up TO | 'hilips; then
hen she came 70 Ph lips The old /.
I'm had come back to Philips and I.
Id it there this report that Eliza
eth had hung herself was made be- I.
reen > aud 1 o'cioc k; |, Henry /
oder, and Cornelius Cover started .
i and run up to Philips as fast rs /
e. could GO: the old man WAS in
ie house; we didn't stop but rum
ght up to my fathers house when |
G got up we found her in the eel .
r: the cellar door was closed ; she .
id on her breast, h, II head d about six /
seven inches from the floor there I
ere two stones, ore on each side, /
e nearest one lbout six inches /
ON her head, the other about two /
ct the old man aid that he pull I
the stones from her face l think .
e old man said be laid ON both OF
EN-: there was a good deal OF blood /
the floor. and on her clothing: (