Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-10-05
rHE DUMMEKsToN MURDER TRIAL
Formally Opened at observation-disclosures to
lie the Most Important Witnesses,

1be the hOsl "lbubsSbs'
The trial Of Frank Dodge for the muir
der of Genevra Knapp of Dummerston,
the late postmistress, was begun in the
County Court at Newfane, Sept. &c,
Judge Veazey presiding. States Attorney
Mann presented an outline of the case to
the jury from the standpoint of the prose
cution, reviewing the main circumstances
which point to the guilt of Dodge. Fo
lowing this came the presentation of the
plan of the postofiice where the murder
is believed to have been committed. A
miniature counter was presented with the
postoiIice boxes, showcase, desk and other
fixtures which belonged to the counter
behind which Miss Knapp was found
dead. This counter is made on scale of
three inches to the foot, and purports to
be exactly similar to the one III the Dunn
merstou postotlice.
Ora Knapp, brother of Geuevra, was the
only witness of any Importance examined
during the morning session. He had pre-
vOuSly testified substantially to the same
| matter in the preliminary hearing before
the magistrate. His testimony was III
reference to the carrying of his sister to
the office IN the morning of August 30,
the date of the murder, and to her subse-
quent death. Dodge's calling for the
tnhll lHl6T, anu MS Itllldlh ludU ptutNId
h al told him that she was not feeling as
w II as usual that morning was given
The loss of money and stamps which wit
ness discovered when he made the returns
to the government September |, were
mentioned. An i'll feeling was brought
out existing between the respondent aud
his sister. He also spoke of the post NOR
tenn examination and the reasons for its
delay. In the cross examination by At
torney Martin he refuted many of the
statements which he made at previous
hearings, especially in reference to the
health of his sister
The case will largely rest for its conclu
sive proof upon the testimony of doctors
and experts and those who discovered the
body and laid it out. The respondents
counsel have taken advantage of a rule of
law in the State which enables the re
spondent to exclude witnesses against
HIM fro the courtroom while evidence
is being introduced against him.
The testimony Thursday showed that
Dodge must have been the last person in the
office before the dead postmlstress' S DIS
cOVery. Witnesses differ as to the time,
but the testimony showed that he was
seen coming out Of the office some five or
10 minutes before she was found The
testimony of DR.. G.. f. Gale of Brattle-
boro occupied most OF the afternoon. He
with Drs. Webster and Pratt made the
post.mOrtem examination. He testiti-s
tnHt the left lung was three -fOurths gone,
DR.. Gale in direct examination expressed
the opinion that death must have been
caused by violence. The cross-eXamina
ton was largely lost to persons unskilled
IN medical science, and was conduct
ed by Lawyer Martin, who has
evidently made thorough study
of uo-t-mortem examinations aud
coudition Of the body III putrefaction.
Medical authorities were quoted and many
of the lawyers questions were framed
from hints obtained therefrom. Those
questions and answers revealed the facts
that it is exceedingly difficult to deter
mine, after death, especially after the body
has become decomposed and where blood
clots are found-aS in this case, whether
such clOts are the result of violence or
putretaction. DR.. Gale said he had known
of more severe bruises being caused from
Il fall from the feet than We're found on
Miss kuapps body. He also testified that
he had conducted but one post-mortem
examination SO long after death, that was
10 years ago. The cross examination
brought out the fact that the loss of one
lung would be likely to effect sudden
deaf h.