Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-10-09

the water.
Mr. Carleton then returned his questions
TO the Dresden sutopsy, and the witness
affirmed his previous statement that DIR.
Giddings made all the examination possible
under the circumstances, and told again the
details of the dissection of the head, and
that the witness then saw the confusion be-
hind the ear and that il was not the tenn
porsl muscle. The doctor thought the con-
fusion might have been caused by quite
heavy blow from blunt instrument, posi-
bly, a rouad stick of wood, bottle or
runy Of a chair.
When referred on previous examins-
ton to the fact that | thought the con.u-
sions were snti-mortem meant the larger
ones. had no thought of including the
small ones. presume the latter were
produced before death. Have not had
much experience in drowning cases. At
tempted once TO resusicate drowned man
and that WAS all the experience l had pre-
yiously.
Court adjourned at 1890 O'Clock for the
noon recess with DR.. Sawyer still on cross
examination. DR.. Sawyer and Mr.. Carle-
ton both lost their tempers several times
and the formers testimony was thus made
the most spicy of the trial.
Court reassembled at with~s packed su-
dience eagerly awaiting the continuance of
the fencing between Mr.. Carleton and DR..
Sawyer. They were not disappointed for
again the doctor by his firmness and persis-
tency stirred up Mr.. Carleton and soon they
were at it again hammer and tongs.
DIR. Sawyer said Very often there is a
difference between the passive and active
symptoms of droAniug. In passive symp-
tons we would not find water in the stota-
ach nor much in the lungs would not b.
likely to find the hands clinchei or any
thing in the mouth.
First time have thought of the question
as to whether Blenn was actively or pas
sively drowned and have concluded nothing
upon the matter.
Mr.. Carleton asked the witness to review
the symptoms and after some thought the
doctor said that he thought the man had
sHIggieu Dut ittte.
Yes,I found all the symptoms that would
be there if man had been thrown into the
water and had drowned without q struggle.
Found difference right over the bruises
aad around them from the condition of the
rest Of the tissue. The skin Of the arms,
hands and legs was whitened. the palms
especially The arms and forearms were
not us bloated AS the hands but the skin
was loosened AMI corrugated. The palms
of the hands were smooth. The hands were
soaked like the hands Of a washerwoman.
Mr.. Carleton read from the report of tie
coroner's inquest part of the witness testi-
mopy thereat AMI the latter said that if he
was so reported there must have been
mistake made in the report. The doctor
testified then, he said, within "a hours after
the autopsy. The doctor again stated that
there was difference in the condition under
the bruises from the rest of the scalp.
Mr.. Carleton and the doctor then went
over the question as the "extravasation of
biood" under the bruises and the whole
question of the condition of the tissue I'M
at the first autopsy. Mr.. Carleton drew
from the witness the statement that he had
seen what be took to be blood clots at
Dresden, but the statement evidently con-
vcyed an entirely different impression from
what lie had intended.
From an examination of all the bruises,
etc, could say that the man was not deal
when he went into the water, but could not
say whether he was unconscious or not.
He might or might not have been. The
arms were raised iu front. fexed, bent in
'ront a. the elbow. Tn might be either a
symptom of an active or passive death.
Decomposition had so far PROGRESSED
when saw the body that enough gas bad
formed to raise the body, but | found the
body in a state of rigor mortis and goose
flesh as described. Rigor mortis is stiff
fleming of the muscles, md when putrefsc
ton has advanced far enough the muscles
relax.
The condition of the eyes was neA6
touched upon and the relation of dilation
of the pupils to pressure on the brain was
gone over again. Also the question as to
the condition of the mouth. The doctor
explained the difference between corruga-
ton and goose flesh of the skin as differ
ence in degree. The question as to the
condition of the lungs was also gone over
again and the doctor stated that after 60
hours in warm weather he would expect 10
find the lungs sodden from the soaking, and
that, naturally, when body was taken out
of the water the first thing that came into
the mind was that the man had been
drowned.
In short it may be said that Mr.. Carleton
and the witness went over in full the dresry
round of detail that has made the medical
expert testimony so wearisome feature Of
this weary and long-drawn-out trial.
Redirect: The eye lids and eyes being
red is symptom of both passive and active
drowning, equally of each: the same il
true of the protuding of the tongue. II il
impossible to draw the line closely between
some symptoms as to whether they are pas
sive or active. Pupils dilated, skin CORFU
gated, goose flesh and bloody froth after
decomposition has set in are all found in
both passive and active drowning. The
same is also true of the eye lids being par
TALLY open.
What fluid I found in the lungs was
more sign Of passive than active drown
ing. The presence of water in, and disten-
ton Of the lungs is a sign of both. A clot
in the right ventricle of the heart is q sign
Of either. came to my conclusion as TO
the cause of death by the grouping of these
symptoms.
had just as good chance to see az any
one at the Dresden autopsy. When I said
the small spots we're right over the bruises
/ meant tha, of the large number some
were encomI assed and some not in the
space over the bruises. When this part of
the scalp Was peeled back as far as the
temporal region there appeared to view a
dark, soft tissue occupying the whole space
sad back of the ear was softer, darker
spot. which also adhered closely.
have never said that the whole space
was taken up by elot. ! meant that blood
had settled, enfiluated through the tissue
but it was different from an ordinary clot.
Recross examination The difference be-
tween a muscle and a blood clot when both
were in healthy condition is marked. Yes.
decomposition would have to have advanced
to the stage Of extreme sof,ening to prevent
my distinguishing the two.
Redirect. A dscomUosed nuscte and