Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-08-31
WAS NOT HUMAN
Says Prof. Wood About the
Blood and Hair
Found on the Hatchet, So Prominent
In the Borden Murder Case.


l'-oN A. W. anu Tue uFst Nttutss Cdite'
was Prof. Edward $. Wood, for whor
every body has been looking for days.
He said he received package coutsinin
two stomachs on the 9Th of August and tw
jars containing milk used on the 18th an
5th of August All were properly labelled
The stomachs were labelled, Mr." an
Mrs. Borden"
Among the articles received by the pre-
fessor was a pair of shoes which had bee
worn by Lizzie ON the day of the tragedy.
The s,omachs appeared to be perfect
natural. Mrs. Borien's stomach containe
about ounces of solid food. This foo
was partially digested, and showed wheat
starch and meat.
The contents were chiefly meat. and thcr
were vegetable pulp cells. which might b
bread or apples.
The digestion seemed to be advanced i
the neighborhood of two AMI half hours
more or less The stomach was tested fo
prussic acid hut with negative result.
The stomach of Mr.. Borden containe
only six ounces, chiefly water. In Mr.
Borden's stomach there was only small
portion of starch.
The digestion in his case, the content
u
advanced than in the case of Mrs Borden
There were few threads of vegetable
tissue in his stomach which might have becl
apple.
Question-'Could they have bee,
pears"
Answer-"Ics.'
Witness had not yet analyzcd the mill
and could not report on that.
On the 10th of August received from
Dr. Dolan Il hatchet. two axes, a blue dres,
skirt. dress waist, white. starched skirt
lounge cover and three small envelopes
in which were hair taken from Mr.. ant
Mrs. Borden, and hair taken from the hat,
chet On August l6 witness received a
pair of black stockings.
The hatchet contained number of sus
picious looking spots, but careful exam
ination showed no traces of blood. \ big
smooch on the blue skirt looked like blood
but was found not to be blood.
The white skirt had one spot which
looked like blood and was found to be one
it was directly in front, about six inches
from the bottom. The carpet was blood
stained. This was the sitting room carpet
and there was blood of course on that
1
The envelope marked hair from \. J
Borden was simply white hair. Mrs. Bor
denis hair was dark The hair on tho
hatchet was not human hair, sensation
more like that taken from an animal. The
spot on the right shoe was not blood. and
there was no blood on either shoes or
stockings,
There was "A spattcr on the blade but il
was not blood. and there were spots on the
side of the head of the hatchct which
looked to me like blood and thought they
were said the witness, but they are not
There was nothing on the two axes
Near the edge OF the Ratchet were spot
which seemed to be blood but were found
not to he.
The hatchrt was produced ami Lizzie cx-
aruined it with as much interest as did hel
counsel
On crosS-cxamination Prof. Wood sai'
the spot looked larger on the outside of th,
skirt than on the inside. The size of tn,
spot was about the size of a pinhead.
Question 49, This YOU say was human
blood?"
Answer don't know. | didn't say so
haven't examined it..
direction this blood came when it struck til,
skirt"
Answer-''I could not.
Witness SAID it was difficult TO tell the
difference in blood, its source, etc.
Witness said he knew of no difference il
digestion of a stout person or lean one. Th'
amount of gastric juice assists digestion
always The stomachs showed no appear
ancc of irritation.
Witness said he had been in the Bord' !
house and made cursory examination
taking notes.
The witness said that if person stoot
behind a person assaulted, the blood strlk
ing the wall paper would he more or les
elongated, and away from the wound o
the point which it had left and the heayies
part of the stain would be- farthest away.
In regard to the position of the murderer
witness said it appeared to him the persoi
stood in the dining-room when the frs
blow was given. This because of TIN spo
found on the frame of the dining-roon
door.
Here the witness was allowed to look a
the stain on the door frame under his glass
and resuming the stand said it was no
blood.
The smaller hatchet was handed to wit
ness but he said he could not examine it il
so short a time as was allowed him he ha'
spent six to eight tours on the other one
but he said there was rust on it and rus
spots might always be taken for blood unit
examined The hatchet was put in his ear
for full examination.
The witness said it would he impossible
for the assailant of the murdered ones 4
escape getting blood on his body in SOM
way. Blood would hit assailaut from tn
knees up and blood on the assailant in tn
case of Mrs Borden would be shown any
where above the feet.
Some controversy arose over piece o
plaster on which was a spot Of blood.
The plaster was banded over to Prot
Wook for examination, but Mr.. Jenning
objected. SAYING that he would not allow
to go ont of his possession, unless he eoul
be assured the blood stain would he LEI
where it was. lie was willing to admit
was human blood and to leave the plaster j
the possession of the court.
The district attorney said this was tn
most absurdly impudent proceeding he eve
heard of in his professional career.
Mr.. Jennings asked the court if he couI
have the assurance that it would he retaine
in custody of the court and the court r.
fused to give that assurance.
Then Mr.. Jennings quietly put the pla'
ter in his pocket and said he proposed
keep it there.
The court ordered him to produce it, an
after while he did SO. but said he -hogl
l.. S..r ha,a m flt.4 aa. To,
and was told it would be kept by the coui
until the motion was heard.
Officer Philip Harrington testified tha
his attention was first called to the matte
a, noon of the day. Going down to ih
house he made an examination Of the prem
ises. In one room he found Miss Lizzi
and Miss Alice Russell Lizzie was COZ
and collected but would not or could NJ
tell the witness anything at all about III
matter She said she was in the bar
twenty minutes at the time the murder va
committed.
The witness asked her If il might not b
half an hour.
No .he said, sit was twenty minutes.
Then witness said. Perhaps ii was bt
fifteen minutes"
NO said Lizzie, 1T was just 20 mir
utes"
The story of the man who wanted to bir
the store of Mr.. Borden was told again, bt
nothing was ELECTED from the witness in r,
gard to that story
The witness was interrogated particular
IL on wha. Lizzie had told him about III
man who had come to seee he father aboE
the store which he wanted to hire. He wa
sure that Lizzie had told him that he
father, without refusing the man, had tol
him to call again, and that she did not "a
I he said he would come again. At thi
point the court adjourned to 2 p. VI.
Two things have been demonstrated b
the evidence. of fhis morring: One tn;