The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-11-15
STATUTORY NFANTICIDB
THE CRIME OF WHICH STELLA
GREEN IS CONVICTED.

(From the Reformer Extra of last Saturday,
DIR. Il. r. Campbell testified in
opening that in his opinion it was
case of suspended animation.
He didn't think the child died OF
strangulation or hemorrhage, be-
cause no evidence of either was
brought out by the autopsy ;
there was no congestion of the lungs
nor of the face, no cchemosis where the
string was tied, as there would have
been if it were strangulation the
tissues were normal instead of pale as
they would have been If it had been
a hemorrhagc the viscera seemed to
be in normal condition there was a
table spoonful of blood in the right
side of the heart while the left
wasn't opened: there was some blood
in the lungs, blood followed the knife
when they were cut and the color was
pinkish There was no evidence
| that arterial circulation had been es-
tablished Another reason for think
ing that the child never lived in the
common acceptation of the word, was
| that there was meconium in the
bowels, which new born child always
evacuates, the bladder was quite well
| filled. The eyes were closed, and not
protruding, whereas in child born
alive they are partially open and resist
efforts to close.
Many of these facts were also devel'
eoped by Lawyer Robb's cross exam
ination of DR.. Hill. who was kept on
the stand 81, hours. He said that Il
complete autopsy, such an one as he
would get pay for, would require two
or three days: this one occupied from
20 to 30 minutes, and it satisfied him.
Mr.. Robb claimed that the doctor told
him soon after the autopsy that If he
hadn't found the string around the
neck, he wouldn't have known that it
had been there and he couldn't have |
found anything to indicate it. The
Doctor didn't deny it, saying it was |
casual conversation. But f. l.. |
Walker testified that the statement I
was as Robb claimed.
DR.. b. f. Ketchum of Brattleboro, a
physician and surgeon for 80 years. an
army surgeon at the front, a coroner in
New York for nine years, said that a
complete and proper autopsy of child
to determine cause of death should in
cude noting of all external appear
ances. the brain should be carefully
examined to see whether congested as
would be the case from strangulation or
suffocation, whether there were assures
inthe skull, or other injuries to the brain
which would not be noticed from the
outside but which often cause death.
1t should also include careful eyami
nation of the ear to see whether there
is gelatinous substance in the mid
die ear, which is strong evidence of
still birth and seldom appears in "a liv
ing child. The lungs should be exam
med in stu at first, all the principle
arteries carefully ligated so that
no blood shall escape, which wasn't
done, ::and carefully removed and
placed in water of an even tenn
perature- while this water was cold,
and Dr. Hill wouldn't swear that !,
there wasn't saline substance in it
but it was water drawn from a faucet ;
because by experiments a vial of snot
d. any substance that will Just float in
cold water will sink in warm water, so :,
hat the hydrostatic test requires the /,
most careful conditions; then the
lungs should be cut in pieces and the !,
parts subjected to this test: then the |.
The parts should be put in a cloth !
md subjected to pressure to exclude :,
he possibility of their containing gas
generated from incipient decomposi
ion which would cause them to float : |
f they contained air, which in case I
he lungs have been inflated contain G
,ir in the cells instead of between, $
hey would float even after being sub
ected to this pressure, whereas, if it S
vas gas they would sink: both Drs. a
Campbell and Ketchum testified q
hat the rising Of bubbles Of air, I
which Drs. Albee and Hill noticed a
When they cut the lungs were in c
licative of incipient decomposition.
MI the doctors testified that incipient 7
might have taken place II
n the 4S hours from the time between 9
he birth and autopsy if subjected to e
ii the conditions of water, sun and !
urial of this case. Drs Hill aud u
llbee testified that there was no odor s.
t the autopsy, but DIR. Ketchum u
aid there wouldn't be likely to be q
luch, if any, in the first stages The q
DOCTOR said the color of the lungs 81
hould be carefully noted because in II
ase of death by hemorrhage they it
'ould be full and by strangulation s,
ley would be congested and there L
'ould be puffy areas on them. 1t NJ
Mould be noted also whether they III
He'd the cavity or only partially be- 81
ause in the latter case. as testified by PIT
IF. Albee to be the fact, it ~
ould indicate only partial III
SEPARATION. DIR. Ketchum said W