The Portland daily press., 1888-09-18
A QUARREL WHICH RESULTED IN DEATH
James A. CetchelI on Trial at Angus
ia for MansIaughter.
The Story of the Death Of Young
Hopkins Told In Court.
Judge Whitehouse Hears the Motion
in Behalf Of Beal.
Especial to the Press.1

AUGUSTA. Sept. 17.-An interesting trial
opened in the Supreme Court this morning,
James A. Getchell OF Augusta, being tried
for manslaughter. The circumstances of the
tragedy are still fresh in the minds of the pub
Lie. The 18th day of last May Getchell, on the
railroad track near the Bridge street cross
ing, struck William Henry Hopkins. young
man "a years of age, terrible blow in the
mouth which resulted in his death the next
day.
L. t. Carleton, county attorney, appeared
for the government, and Herbert M. Heath,
Esq, for the respondent.
The following jury was empanelled, only
one man being challenged: Fred c. Robie
Winthrop; l.. E. Hodges. Winslow; George
W. Palmer, Pittston; e. w. Fuller, Halo
well; Cyrus Fellows. Augusta; II. A. Dex-
ter, Wayne Asa S. Low, vassalboro Chas.
Davis, Mt. Vernon; w. r. Merrill, Man
chester; Waldron Otis, Litchfield; Simeon
G. Davis, Winthrop; Benjamin Moody,
China. Simeon G. Davis was appointed
foreman.
County Attorney Carleton opened for the
government After defining the word man.
slaughter. for which the prisoner is indicted,
he proceeded to call the attention of the jury
to the testimony which the government ex-
pected to present in the case. He thought it
would appear that Getchell, the respondent,
was something of an athlete and pugilist
that on the night previous to the tragedy a
difficulty arose between Hopkins and Getch-
ell at sparring match; that the night of the
affair Getchell was out on the street looking
for Hopkins, met and accosted him, saying,
IN fax linn m fhnxr
near the railroad bridge; that
few minutes afterwards Getchell came
back and notified the officers that he had
'thumped" Hopkins; that Hopkins was
found insensible over the track, carried home
would show that post mortem examination
showed that the deceased had been str uck a
terrible blow on the mouth, and fracture
which caused his death was found In the
rear of the skull; that Getchell testified be-
fore the coroners jury that they went up the
track to settle difficulty and young Hop
kins struck him, he returning the blow, and
after the blow he found young Hopkins was
insensible and set him up between the
tracks; that Getchell further testified that
Hopkins, when he fell, struck the back part
of his head upon the guard by the railroad
track. The county attorney asserted that they
should prove false GetchelPS statements con-
cerning the manner in which Hopkins fell
and setting him up between the tracks. The
jury at noon proceeded to the scene OF the
In the afternoon the governments testi-
mony was opened. Officer Frank Spear testi-
fed: Getchell stopped me on the street the
night of the killing. He said that he had
"thumped" Hopkins and wanted me to go
up and take care of him. He did not wish
to 90 with me as he didn't want to have any
more touble with Hopkins. | went to the
track and found Hopkins laying insensible
on his face south of the guard rails and be-
tween the tracks and parallel with them, and
his face towards Bridge street. l turned
him over and he rolled back on his face
again. Myself and others carried the body
to his fathers shop.
Cross examination-Hopkins did not have
his overcoat on when l found him. 1t was
thrown over him. Saw two young men,
about rod away from from the body.
Henry r. Hopkins, father OF the boy who
was killed, testified: was notified of my
sons injury about $50 O'Clock, and went up
to the track. found his 0vercoat and few
feet north of the body his hat and umbrella.
were about eight feet west of the coat and
two or three feet north of the guard rail.
DIR. George w. Martin, the Augusta ply
siciah who was called to attend Hopkins,
testified as to his condition. death. and the
post mortem examination. In addition to
back of the head an appearance as IL heavy
blow had been struck and on the right side
was a fracture of the skull some three
inches in length, and extending from near
the medal line to the base of the brain, and
the injury to the spinal cord resulting from
the gathering of blood, no doubt was the
cause of death.
Cross-examination- found on a sleeper,
two feet from the guard rail, the broken bit
of tooth missing from Hopkins's head. l
also found portions of watch chain near
the guard rail, which Getchell, before the
coroner's jury, testified were his. examined
a small lacerated wound on GetchelPs right
knuckles the day of the autopsy. Don't
think the wound on the back of Hopkins
head could bave been made by blow OF the
fist.
DIR. L. ]. Crooker. one of the physicians
who made the autopsy, testified substantial.
ly like DR.. Martin.
James A. Brennan was down street the
night Hopkins was killed and walked with
Getchell from Novelty Hall to Gannett q
Morse's store. Heard Getchell say to Hop
kins, BILLY, want to see you minute. :,
Hopkins said nothing then and they walked
on up the street conversing. went up on
the track and found Hopkins there laying
upon his face and making gurgling noise
Spear came up and the body was taken care
saw no fight.
Gross examination-D not hear Hopkins
say anything before Getchell spoke. After
wards heard Getchell say as they passed me,
"We'll settle it," At the sparring exhibition
Getchell shut Hopkins out of the dressing
room and stopped fight between Hopkins
and Bushy.
Young Beats Case.
AUGUSTA, Sept. 17.-There was hearing
before Judge Whitehouse this morning for q
nwe trial in the ease of Charles l.. Beal
convicted at the spring term of poisoning his
father. The principal ground was that il
Beal did put strychnine in the bottle. he die
it to make his father sick and not poison
him. The testimony of the druggist thai
told him the proper dose was the size of {