The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-28

| newspapers.
| MIR. Thomas, OF the Herald, also
| entered protest against exclusion, but
| MIR. Miller was obdurate and insisted
upon tho room being cleared. At this
| 1uncture MIR. Rodier announced that he
had some material facts to offer to tho
| jury, as did Mr.. Thomas, and it, was
| finally decided to allow tie en- to remain.
rho room was then cleared, Mr.. Ran
dolph meanwhile vehemently protest
| ing.
n stenographer was then sent for and
tho examination proceeded with.
Ut. James Il. Stone was tho first wit
ness. IIo testified that he was called to
IL. Lacey lIoge's residence between 7
and o'clock on the night of the a2d,
by a messenger who announced that Mr..
Ihos. u. Massie had been assaulted and
BADLY beaten, and was then at Mr..
noge's house. Went there and found
Mr. Massio lying on lounge suffering
intensely from his wounds The blow
over the eye had broken tho skull, but
there was no compression; the ono upon
tho back OF the head was Of lesser cx-
tent, and if made by the Same instru-
ment was tho result OF q lighter blow.
Called upon Mr. Massie at his home.
whence he had been removed, On Tues
day, when he found his patient in a
high fever; called again Wednesday
forenoon, when this condition had in
creased DR.. Stone minutely described
the wound over the eye; it was of an ir-
regular triangle shape;in his opinion tho
wound could have becn produced by any
blunt instrument or with q stone. De-
ceased was in good general health, and
tho cause OF death originated with the
wound.
DR.. L. w. Fry was next called. He
was called into the case at 2 o'clock on
the 10Th as consulting physician with
Dr. Gale. At that time Mr. hassio was
very sick man: his temperature, ac-
cordlng to his associates record of tho
night before, had been reduced some
three degrees, presumably as result Of
administering an anti-pyritic. There
was much swelling then above and be-
low the eye, but the wound itself was
less angry than might have been OK
pected Considered the case at this
stage as worry serious, as tho patient
was evidently suffer ing from infamma-
ton of tho brain and membrane. Both
tho inner and outer wall of tho skull
had been fractured was his then dag
noSiS, which was borne out by the re-
suits Of the autopsy.
In response TO question by tho cor
oncr as to the cause of Mr. Massie's
death, DR.. Fry said: death was caused.
in my opinion,by the inflammation of tho
brain and membranes, supervcning upon
the injury received"
DR.. Fry stated that deceased gave
every evidence of being in good health
outside OF the injuries in question.
DR.. Joseph a. Gale was sworn He
stated that hls services were called into
requisition at about $50 p. N. on the
oath ,vl,i,.h e.
ton indicated high fever; recognized
the witness when the latter announced
his presence in the sick chamber. There
was considerable swelling about the in
jurcd eye, and the surrounding tissues
were greatly discolorcd. The patient
was sensible, but was disinclined to
conversation. Regarded him as a dcs-
peratcly i'll man, and requested that
DR.. Fry be called into consultation. Saw
Massie again at Q o'clock Christmas
morning; his temperature had decreased
somewhat, rs y result of anti-febrino
treatment, applied soothing methods,
but the patients temperature never fell
below 10011 degrees.
DIR. Gale then recounted his treatment
on Christmas day in connection with Dr..
Fry, and said that when he called the
next morning (thc 26th), he asccrrained
that his patient had passed most rest
less night, and saw that his condition
was decidedly worse; he showed evil
dences OF great prostration and sinking,
symptoms, which increased until 7:2O o.
m, at which time Mr.. Massie passed
away. He then related tho results of
the autopsy, as stated in yesterday
mornings TINES.
When asked by DR.. Gray as to the
cause OF death, DIR. Gale answered, in
slow and measured terms: cit is nv
positive opinion that Mr.. Massies
death was caused by an intammatory
condition OF tho brain and its mem
brancs tho result OF tho blow over his
right eye. which fractured his skull"
Being asked, il his opinion, what
instrument produced tho wounds, DR..
Gale says they might have been pro-
duced by slung- shot, brass knuckles,
hammer, stone, or by Il variety of other
things.
Chief Morris WAS called upon to get
from his store of seized deadly weapons
some knuckles and slung- shots, and
they were used to enlighten the jurors
as to their uses.
hIcssrs. Fishburne, Trout and Stewart
confessed that tho occasion was the first
time either had ever seen the instru-
ments in question.
DR.. X. Gordon Simmons concurrcd in
tho testimony OF his colleagues on the
occasion of tho autopsy.
Thomas Il. Massie, son of the MUIR
dcred man, was next called. On the
fatal evening no went to his fathers Of
flee between 4 and 5 o'clock. lie saw
Redd and Williamson leaving; knew of
his father having business with them,
and asked if it were terminated. His
father said: Yes, they came up bet
ter than thought they would" Was
hon Nu1 inn OF To-, :l,h 1,