Mexico weekly ledger., 1894-10-25
Justified BY the Jury.

John CrisWell, who was struck by
John Miller with Il board at the
home of the latter's parents, 3 miles
east Of Laddonia, Friday night,
Oct. 10, at ten minutes past &c
O'Clock, died Monday night at ten
minutes past 8 O'Clock at his home,
> miles northeast OF Laddonia,
where he had been moved from
Miller's residence Sunday morning.
John CIiswell's wife has been
dead six or seven years, He has
three children, all boys, the Oldest
being about grown. 1t will be re-
membered that it vas against the
deceased that Mary Miller, sister OF
John Miller, who killed Criswell,
filed a SIC, GOO damage suit, Friday,
Oct. 10, through attorney John d.
Orear, accusing Criswell of seduc.
ton under promise of marriage.
In the absence of Coroner Fritts,
who is in Kentucky, Squire Jen-
kins, OF Cuivre township, acted in
that capacity, and at ten minutes to
2 O'Clock Tuesday afternoon, as
soon as surgeons, witnesses, the
subpoenaed jurymen,th the Prosecuting
Attorney and the newspaper men ar
rived, tine post'mortem examination
was held, when the friends and rel
atives of the deceased took charge
of the remains and buried them in
the family cemetery. Then at 3
O'Clock the inquest was begunin the
hay loft of the barn, in rear of the
house. Three of the surgeons, who
aided at the post.mortem, were
sworn and testified as to the nature
of the wound, the cause of Criswell's
death. Then followed the sworn
testimony of three neighbors con-
corning Criswell's character in the
eyes of the general community.
Then followed the testimonies OF
Geo. II. Ehl, awork hand on the
Miller farm and Albert Martin, who
was present when Miller struck
Criswell.
DIR. J. C. Parrish, of Vandalia, be-
ing sworn, testified as follows: 81
frat saw Criswell after the injury
about 3 O'Clock Saturday afternoon
at the home of Mr.. Miller,2k miles
east of Laddonia, in the front room.
He was then unconscious, resulting
from an injury on the lett side oil
the head. | was present at the
post.mortem examination" When
asked to describe what he IA he
said: ga fracture was found, be-
ginning at the upper portion, of the
frontal bone on left side OF the head,
extending downward and a little
backward, running from that point
across the lower and anterior corner
of the left parietal bone, backward
entirely through the squamous por'
ton of the temporal bone, a distance
of IL inches. At the probable seat
of injury the temporal bone was
| found to be broken in several peices
and crushed, a fracture extending
| downward into that portion OF the
base of the skull, known as the
petrous portion of the temporal
bone." (Here the doctor explained
this portion Of the anatomy OF the
head a little fuller, but which was
not to be included in the writer
testimony 1.-THE fragments OF thi;
bone had been driven into the braif
substance, causing the softenIng o
that portion of the brain in ane
around the lateral ventricie. As Il
Internal bleeding, there were some
clots of blood at the seat OF Injury
and resting upon the petrous portion
of the temporal bone. In reference
to the reported fracture on the RICH
side of head, there were only SOM
portions of blood-clot caused oni.
by conclusion. Yes, sir, | thlnl
the Injury necessarily fatal"
DIR. F. Walker, Of Perry, Mo.
present at the post morten, wa
sworn and testified substantially a
DIR. Parrish concerning the nature Q
the fracture and stated thrt the IN
iury was necessarily fatal He state
that the injury was caused by som
blow or violence, and that ther
seemed to be only one blow on tn
head rs there was nothing but tn
extrasasa.ion of blood under tn
skin.
DIR. w. ]. May, of Farber, to
family physician, testified that b
Judged that Criswell had been struc
with something smooth, as ther