The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-05-05

The sOpening OF the Defence-One OF
the First Witnesses Says 1t Was She
and Not Mrs. Getchell Who Took that
Campmeeting.
Especial to the Press.l
Augusta, May Ain the Getchen case today
the prosecutions witnesses, held over
from the day before, were not disposed of
until noon, making four entire days since
the first one went on last Monday noon.
Mr. E. W. Hamblen, stenographer who
took notes of statements made by Mrs. Get
chell to Sheriff Norton and to whose
testimony objection was made
yesterday, again took the stand for
the government. Counsel for defense
required that the witness read only from
his notes of the conversation of Sheriff Nor
ton and Mrs. Getchell.
Cross examination was begun first, and an
effort made to determine the capacity of
the witness as a stenographer. Witness did
not think he got every word of the CONVEX
sation, but did think he got the sense of it..
Witness read first part of the conversation.
Mrs. Getchel said her husband was taking
gin and sulphur for heart trouble in a
quart bottle, and that she had it then. He
had It most drunk up, might have been an
inch left in the bottle. Her husband had a
spell in potato digging time. Ever after
his feet and legs were numb. Mrs. Getchell
told DR.. Driscoll that he grew worse. Thurs
day night before he died he complained of
his legs and left side, and one arm. She
rubbed them. He felt better. The govern
ment here began examination and witness
proceeded with his notes. Mrs. Getchell
said that Saturday her husband was chop
ping cord wood; was all right; came in at
noon in as good spirits as she ever saw him.
He came by her and took his medicine. She
said, "Well, old boy, how is your arm?'
There was no water in the pals. Mr.. Fow-
Ter said he would go for water, but Henry
went to the well. He sat down to dinner as
well.as ever she saw him. He was fooling
with the little boy quite lot, and was eat
ing all this time. He took biscuit and
some pork fat. All at once he shut his eyes
and said: sGorry, how funny feel" In a
few minutes he said, 'Am 1 not very pale,
Emma?'' He put his hands to his head and
said, 'You don't know I how feel!'
She thought he was fooling and plaguing
the boy. She didn't see that he looked any
different. Soon he said, 'God am going to
pass in my checks She still thought he was
fooling. He went to the lounge. She
started to rub him and he rubbed his side
with his hand. She rubbed his side. He
said, What do you suppose ails me?
AM GOIN@ TO DE-
She said, ssAre you in pain?'' 'No feel
queer" He acted as though he had chills.
She helped to change his clothes. He said
his feet were cold. He held them as though
they were stiff. Fowler said, "Give him
some of that whiskey." 1t was the gin he
meant. She thought he said, ''Pour off the
top.' She got the bottle. She couldn't re-
member about it,. Henry was 'hollering" so
that Fowler gave it to him. She didn't ask
Henry to take it. He did not object. If he
did they wouldn't have given it to him. The
tumbler was half full. He took it all. Henry
said, - guess I'll have DOCTOR
The doctor was there in about three
quarters of an hour. She sent for him. She
thought Jack suggested giving something to
vomit him. Didn't know who suggested the
mustard water. He drank it. When the
doctor came he said, ''Henry, hold still.''
He relpied, II CAN'T ''Yes you can,"
said the doctor. He injected morphine into
his arm. She was wlping sweat off his fore
head at the time. He asked the doctor if he
wasn't dying. ''No,'' said the doctor, ''you
aint.'' 'sYour medicine won't do me any
good,'' Henry said. His brother Ambrose
got there right after the doctor. She told
the sheriff that they gave him nothing after
the doctor came. She gave the DOCTORS
medicine every half hour. Once he said,
''That won't do no good.' He told
Mrs. Nash "If l get over this I
never shall cut no cord wood, but I never
shall get over it,
She asked the doctor if Henry would re-
cover. He said, ''Yes.' He then said that
he had over worked, and his nerves and
heart were all wrong, and whiskey was the
worst thing he could take.
He had doctered for heart trouble quite
lot. After the doctor left the house he
seemed to lose the use of his legs. She
wiped the sweat off with a towel. He would
say, ''Tln going to die. They are coming
again. Then he would twitch all over.
His head was clear. After the doctor left he
didn't have the twitching so much, nor did
he seem to fail. ssHe put on his dry undershirt
himself. He didn't want to be alone a
minute. He wouldn't eat anything. She
made some Cruel and about six o'clock he
drank it and asked for water and drank
that. She got it. When put to bed just
after that he said he felt better. She sat
near the bed few minutes. He was as well
as could be. He said to her, Don't you
think l am going TO die?'' He had thought
so, he said, from the moment he was
taken sick. She took hold of his hand. He
said, 1.-THE sweat is dried up. feel BETTER"
He semed to go to sleep. He then kicked
the fiatiron out of bed and said, II am not
going to be with you but few minutes" He
then rolled his eyes, seized her with his
hands, and said, ''You needn't talk to me,
Pm dying" He let go. gave groan and
turned over He said:
ssrM DYING"
He put his arms round her shoulder and
said. Remember me and be good to
Georgie.'' She said, "Don't talk that way.'
He said, II know more than you do.'' Trask
and Nash came in. The next she knew she
was in the other room and they were giving
her water, Then she went back and gave
him some water. Then some one told her
he was gone.
After the doctor came he claimed the
death was more heart trouble than anything
else. She could go across lots to Trask's
house in fifteen minutes, she said to the
sheriff. Trask was at their house Thursday
Il hOo .-.~lI