The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-10-30

man had met a sudden aud violent
death from ohloroiorm poisoning,
AT tho end Of DR.. scotl's examination
In chief, the court took recess from
l;l0 to 2;30 o'clock,
Court Teconvsned promptly at half
past o'clock, and DR.. Scott was turned
over to Holmes for REORGANIZATION,
"Aro you prepared TO say" ho asked,
"lhRt tho decomposition OF the body
would not have occurred hRd 1t been In
a darkoned room2"
"YeS, sir. Had it besn in o cool,
dRrkened room putTolcation would not
have come 30 quickly, Here il was in
warm weather, tho body so arranged In
relation TO tho windows that tho rays OF
the sun would fall upon it,
ibid you at that time expross any
opinion as to the length OF time the man
had been deadP
~ said from all appearances he had
bsen dead three or four days"
Holmes subjected DR.. Scott to a
lengthy and detailed examination
touching tho effects OF chloroiorm, but
obtained few answOrs that would tend
to throw the balance In the slightest
degree in his favor. Tho witness was
regarded by the commonwealth olii'
oars 90 one Of their medical experts and
hO was positive and unconlradiCtory in
everything he HRid, in spite OF the tact
that his questloner, tho prisoner, ls a
medical man by education, Holmes
Kept up steady tro Of questions and
never felt obliged to pause for q word or
thought. The calmnaaa with which he
volubly exchanged technical terms aud
discussed chemical aud medical possl'
bilitiea with the doctor was admirable.
PLEA REFUSED.
Al the conclusion OF DR.. scotts testi-
mouy, DR.. William X. Mattern. Coro.
nor's physician, was called, Holmes at
once arose and begged the court to grant
him continuance until tomorrow, He
pleaded that as DR.. Mattorn would
prove moat important witness he felt
unequal to the strain, the Cross.exami'
nation OF Dr.. Scott having exhausted
him. Ho hoped to feel stronger to-
morrow.
Judge Arnold asked the district at.
toruoy whether he would agree TO this,
aud Mr.. Graham replied with emphR'
sis: mo, sir; want to so on. THIS Is
only nero by-play."
"rhat 10 your opinion" said Holmes,
with tho scarce-subdued scorn which
has marked all his intercourse with tho
district attorney siuce the trial began.
"rhat is my opinion"
Holmes suppressed sigh and sat
down aud the district attorney smiled
slightly, with the thought that he has
made evident throughout that Holmes
is playing the role OF weak, helpless
unfortunate, oppressed by tho mighty
machinery Of the state, in order TO get
the sympathy Of the jury. Mr.. Mat.
terms examination was then begun.
The witness said ho had made tho
post mortem examination at the morgue
on September 1, and tho conditions
wero tho same as described by Dr.
Scott There had been paralysis OF the
heart, indicating sudden death, and
evidences OF chloroiorm in tho stomach.
He dilated On the ghaslly scenO ut tho
potter's field, whom, in tho presence OF
half dozen other persons, including
the officers OF tho swindlod insurance
company and tho young daughter Of
the dead man, Holmes took a lancet
and coldly and ruthlessly cut and hacked
off portions Of the corpse Of the man ho
is charged with having murdered. The
girl, Alice, had then positively identified
the body, and Holmes himself, the wit
ness said, did not hesitate to declare
that 1t was Piotzol's body.
Holmes began tho cross'examination
Of DIR. Mattorn by requesting him to
road his notes OF tho result Of the
autopsy, in their outiroty. This was
permitted, and after 1t had been done,
the physician was put under a series Of
technical questions, touching the proba.
bio cause OF death, the elects oichloro.
form poisoning, and kindred subjects.
Tho doctor uuqualillody declared that
death had been caused by chloroiorm
poisoning. The cross.examination con.
sumod nearly two hours and half, and
tho great majority Of the questions put
by Holmes were entirely Irrelevant,
District Attorney Graham, after main
tanning silence for long time, eventual.
ly lost patience aud presented his OBJ.
jeclions TO this sort OF questioning.
rhoreupon Holmes brought tho oxami.
nation TO close.
A CHEMISTS EVIDENCE.
DR.. Henry Lehman, the well known
analytical chemist was the nOxt wit.
ness. In answer to Mr.. Graham's QuCa.
tions. ho said 1t was impossible for n
man to fix himself in an attitude as re.
poselui ai that in which Pcitzol'a body
was discovered after having admins.
tered chlorOiorm TO himself.
Mr.. Graham explained to DR.. IAl.
mann tho conditions OF PiOlEols body
ut tho timo OF It's discovery, aud asked
for his opinion on tho question whether
or not tho Chloroiorm in this oRaO had
boon soifadministorcd Tho doctor ro-
piled that quantity sufficient TO cause
death could not have Denn administered
under these conditions
Holmes merely askod iow questions
on crosS.examiuRiiou, but rnsOrvod lilo
right to recall DR.. Lehman as wit.
mesa for the doionto aiior his (llolmos)
testimony had been takon.
Coroner Samuel II. Ashbrldgo pro.
ducod two allidayiia identifying tho
body Of Piotzol, made cspOCtively by
Alice Piotzol aud Holiness They wotO
road to tho jury and offered In owl.
dOnCC.
Before tho court toolen recess until Z
o'clock Holmos mado m appeal to tho
court to hold but two, instead Of thrQO
sessions dhy, on tho ground that hlU
phyBical condition would not stand tho
strain.