Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-09-18

He was called about $50 to Hopkins store
to see deceased. Hopkins was lying Oh his
back upon something which was spread upon
the floor Witness examined him, finding a
cut through the right side Of the upper lip
about an inch long and
one bicuspid tooth knocked out
There was considerable bIackish dirt on
Hopkins face, which witness washed of with
a sponge. On the back of his head below
and to the right of the occipital ridge, was a
confusion and abrasion. He was not entirely
insensible, but raised his hand and partially
moved his head while the lip was being
.ewed up. Some one held his hand after
that When examined his mouth was full
Of blood, and be had been bleeding at the
nose. Witness at first thought the wound
vas caused by pistol shot, and after this
.heory was disproved, thar some passing train
had struck him. After dressing the wound
he was put on the bed, and on turning him
on his side he vomited some blood, after
which his breathing, which had been spas
modic, became more regular. Witness re-
manned about an hour. Hopkins was
unconscious all the time; his pulse was
slow, and breathing disturbed. In tn.
early morning witness was again
.ummoned and Hopkins lived about five
minutes after he arrived. With DIS
| crookcr, Frederick and j. K. Martin pos
| nortem examination was made at 10 tn
| lext day. Bert Andrews and Lee Crookei
gere also present. The wounds were tn
| ut lin already mentioned and the coRtusioi
| IN the back of the head about as big as
| Jiu head This had not bled much, only
uough to mat the hair. His hair was
medium fineness and was quite short-shin
| sled, probably. There were no indications
nat blood could not have come from tina
sound in quantities larger than enough t.
| nat the hair. On removing the scalp W,
| found what we thought fractur'
# the skull and an e1travasation of blooc
Indicating a severe blow. On saving til,
| iop of the skull out a crack in the skull was
found from near the occipital prominence
| brain Another blood vessel was ruptured at
| the base of the brain and the blood pressing
| on the spinal cord with the fracture caused
death. Witness did not remember ever ex-
pressing the possibility of the confusion be-
ing caused by blow of the fist. The blow
In the mouth must have been very hard and
would have knocked any ordinary man down
The impression was that the blow on the
oeen given by anyone's fist, and possibly said
so in response to some question at the time
of the post mOrtem examination. 1t was I'M
possible that blow on Hopkins face could
nave produced the fracture of the skull.
Fractures of this kind are usually produced
by fall on the back of the head, but may
be caused by blow. Witness went to see
the place where the accident occurred about
o'clock Sunday morning, and was proba-
bly, the first one there that morning. The
first thing seen by him was pool of blood
as big as hat with tracks about it and near
by the tooth which was broken off. Farther
and a piece of watch chain, scattered along
the middle track. Near the guard were
some footprints deeper than any
where else. There were no indi-
cations of struggle there.
A blow heavy enough to cause such an
injury, was Hopkins face. would fell
him like a log and might knock him few |!
inches besides so that his feet would be a
few inches behind his tracks when he fell. |
Hopkins was rather slight, weighed perhaps
$40 lbs. and was perhaps 8 feet inches tall. |
From the wound in the face there was prob
ably but one injury. Ifthere was more than
one blow all were exactly in the same place.
Witness laid the tooth he found back on the
sleeper. There was not much blood around
the end of the rail where the tooth lay, a
stain as big as a nickel perhaps. Don't re-
rail but has impression that there was a little |
stain on it. On reference to DR.. Martins
previous testimony before the coroners jury
it was found that he stated that he found a
a.
the fracture was caused by the skull striking
ON the guard rail, the blood found there
came from the abrasion on the back of the
head The tooth found was the first point
pointed out to the jury on the head of the
counsel for defendent where the abrasion
was located. There were no other marks or
bruises on young Hopkins. The body was
stripped and carefully examined. The tooth
found was surely the one belonging to Hop
kns. 1t caught on a bit of bark at the north
side of the sleeper. not far from the guard
rail. Witness left tooth there and has never
seen it since. The charm was on the oppo-
site rail. On the end of the sleeper was a
ring belonging to watch chain. Witness
kept the pieces of chain in his pocket and
took them to the inquest that afternoon.
Witness stayed through the examinations.
Getchell testified but was not present at the
examination of the others. Getchell had the
rest of the chain on his person. Witness
examined Getchelrs fist either at the inquest
left forefingcr was cut which must have
been made some blunt instrument. Witness
probed this cut. 1t was long time healing
he remembered. The confusion on the back
of the head and fracture of the skull couldn't
have been made with mans fist.
A perpendicular swinging blow with a wea-
| pom would strike higher on the skull. The
fracture was semi-circular and reached to
the foramen msgnum.
Re-direct.-A swinging blow sidewise
might have caused the confusion. Witness
thought the blood on the end of the guard
rail came from this confusion.
A recess of FIVE minutes was taken at this
point.
| DIR. l.. j. Croker was called. He is a
practicing physician, regularly graduated.
Witness was present at the post-mortem ex-
animation. I'VE examined the body for
any bruises or wounds. Found wounds on