St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-02
SKULL FRACTURES.
Falls of Short Distances Some
times Produce Them.

Have the other doctors here so they
can hear it" remarked the court.
CDR. Nippert and DR.. Dunn took a
chair close to the witness so they
could hear the hypothetical question
read)
Q. 1 desire to read to you the hypo-
thetical question that was read to the
other doctors in this case said Hall.
Mr.. Erwin-Here is the testimony,
your honor, in regard to the buggy
The Court-Well, it is the question we
are after we don't care anything about
the testimony If he doesn't get the
hypothetical question right you can OBJ
ject to it and the court will rule upon
it.
Mr.. Erwin-Very well, sir
Q. 1t has been testified to in this
case by Claus A. Blixt that on the Sd
day of December he was in the carriage
which you have seen at the Dime mu-
scum. 1t was a carriage, an ordinary
three-quarter piano box buggy, the
seat projecting some four or five inches
beyond the edge of the sides of the
body
Mr.. Erwin have the testimony
here now given by one of our witnessed
as to the description of the buggy, ana
Will read it now if I am allowed to.
The Court-Yes, go on.
(Mr. Erwin here read from previous
testimony describing the buggy)
Mr.. Hall Continuing with the hypo
thetical question asked by Mr.. Erwin
On Feb. is, and published in fully
@. l will ask you whether the frac-
lures and the laceration that I have
just asked you, the hypothetical ques-
ton 1 just put, could have been made
by the fall out of the buggy as 1 have
described it, and under the circum
stances 1 have described it? A. Yes,
aside from the track of the wound
made by the bullet.
@. Aside from the bullet wound the
other injuries, in your opinion, could
have been made by the fall from the
buggy? A. Yes, sir, all of them.
Cross-examination by Mr.. Erwin.
@. Suppose that under all the cir
cumstances described in the hypothet-
ical question just asked you, this wom-
an, in slipping out of the buggy in the
manner indicated in the hypothetical
question, by having her feet placed out
side the buggy box, and falling that
way between the wheels, on the wheel
and thence between the whe els-that in
that fall the body had struck upon the
feet so that the heel mark of the shoe
had indented and left in the ground,
and then the body had fallen forward
upon it's face; in your opinion, could the
fractures to that skull have been
caused by such a fall forward from
standing on its feet or from striking
on its feet, striking on the ground? A.
Yes, sir.
@. Do you think that a person by
falling forward from a standing posi-
ton could make both of the lineal frac-
lures which were found upon each side
of the head of this subject? A. do,
or think the bullet could have done
1t.
@. You think the fall could have done
it? Yes, sir.
Q. That is all.
Redirect examination by Mr.. Hall.
Q. Doctor, was there any other in
jury described in this hypothetical
question which might, aside from the
fall, cause the lateral fractures upon
the skull?
Mr. Erwin-Objected to as not re-
direct-not rebuttal.
Mr.. Hall-The same question was
asked DR.. Norred.
Mr.. Erwin-It was on cross-examina-
| ton.
The Court-Well, was of the opinion
all the time that this testimony was
not rebuttal testimony; 1 supposed the
experts were called more particularly
upon the question whether these frac-
lures were made before or after death,
but 1 permitted it to go in, and 1 will
permit the other side the same latitude.
! Q. You may answer the question now,
! doctor-do you thoroughly understand
it? A. Yes. The injury made to the
skull by the bullet might make the
! fractures, even if they did not commu-
nicate with the aperture made by the
| bullet itself.
@. Will you please explain to the
! jury, doctor, your reason for that opin-
| ion?
Mr. Erwin-Objected to as incompe-
tent, irrelevant and immaterial and
not redirect.
The Court-Objection sustained
Q. Doctor, have you seen or do you
know of cases of fracture on both
sides of the head caused by fall of no
greater height than a person standing
on their feet and falling to the ground,
even where the subject was standing
on its feet at the time of receiving the
injury? A. 1 have.
Mr.. Erwin-That is objected to as i'm