The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-05-07
EXpertSTeStify at Dr.Hale'S
Trial Today.
Defendants Counsel Attack
Doctors. Theories.
The Case Will Probably Be Given
he Jury Late Tomorrow.


mission to Judge wiIbur's court room
this morning TO hear the testimony in
the trial OF Dr. Hale. The jury, the menl-
bers OF which had been in the court house
oil last night, judge and counsel were
promptly on hand at 9:3J o'clock.
The evidence thus fer in the case has
,een almost entirely in relation to the con-
dition OF the body of the deceased, Cath
crime Feeney after it was taken TO the
morgue. When the court arose for the
noon n recess today only three witnesses
had been examined. Counsel for the de-
tense today continued their attack on
what they term the theories OF tie wit
ntsses for the State. Mr.. West asked a
great many questions OF the doctors upon
the stand today and the testimony given
showed that the State believes the death OF
Catherine Feeney can be proved 10 have
resulted from an attempt OF the defendant
TO procure a miscarriage on her body.
DIR. Palmer, Or. Wilcox and DR.. Jay
Perkins have oil before leaving the. wit
ness stand stated their unqualified belief
that the death of The Feeney womsn re-
suited from an operation performed inDr.
Hale's Office. On the other hand counsel
for the defendant cain that they have
proven the theory advanced by the States
witnesses to be an untenahle one and that
nothing thus far introduced by the State
disproves the claim that the deceased per-
formed the operation herself and then
went to DIR. Hales' offIce.
DIR. Wilcox took the witness stand when
the court opened this morning and his
cross examination was continued by Mr..
West OF counsel for DIR. Hale. The first
questions asked by Mr.W this morning
related TO the nature OF the wounds
shown by the AUTOPSY to have been on
the body of Miss Beeney and very care
fully and critically d-d counsel question
him on them and also strive to ascertain
how the wounds cculd have been made.
The witness was slow in answering and
when ho was asked If the Injuries could
have not been made by a straight instru-I
ment he replied in the affirmative, all
though it would be much easier he said TO
use curved instrument in performing
the operation.
Witness stated that the lungs were in
normal condition, inflated with air and
healthy in color. The blood was not ex-
amiyed by the witness except by the or
1insfy use OF his eyes. DR.. Wilcox also
laid that after death there would be no
air in the heart If that organ was in nor
NAL condition.
Mr.. West next wanted to know II the
cutting up of the neart ard putting il in
pail OF water when bubi les were discov-
cred was positive evidence of the pres
ence OF air. sin other words" said
Mr.. West, lean you tell what's in a bub-
Bile by looking at it?"
The witness replied that in this case it
bad not been escerlained whether the
uuff that bubbled WAS air or gas nor was
L weighed. MIR. West wanted TO know
there ever was case in which the pres
ince OF air in the heart was ascertaiDed
In this way The witness took long
time. answer this question and then
his answer was not a satisfactory one.
Attorney General Dubois suggested
Mr.. West cite case similar to tue one
he was asking about TO this Mr.. West
replied. wait till 1t comes my turn and
will and show you how TO do il.
DIR. Wilcox, in answer to quest ions
about hemorrhages said the smallest flow
OF blood that was called a hemorrhage
was teaspooniul aud that the blood dis
covered ut the post mortem examination
was not called heInorrhGge 1t was SO
small.
Witness then gave about the Same de-
scription of the effects OF the entrance OF
air into the veins as did DR. Palmer, and
admitted that the secondary result of
the entrance OF air II large or small guam
titles into the heart was death. lie
thought that II enough air was intro
duced into the veins its effects would be
instantaneous and he did not think n
person could walk around five hours after
he air had entcred vein In the body
I'm large quantities.
During the examination of this witness
Mr.. West said he did not think the doctor
needed any prompting but he saw one
gentleman nodding to him.
Turning his attention ID the condition
OF the brain counsel produced a bubble
found in that organ and usked witness
bow he could tell there was air in ii and
further how he could tell il was air ard
not gas. The reply was that thero was
no gas for the bubble to fi!l with end IL
was common alter a miscarriage to find
niT In tho brain but uncommon in other
cases. The witness did not think that
hny special attention was paid by sur
geons after a surgical operation 90 pre-
vent the entrance OF air into the vein ara
then Mr.. West read from surgical author
tiles 10 show the great pans required to
10 taken 20 prevent the entrance OF air
through the veins.
From n late work Mr.. West read state
ment that great deal more air entered
the vein of dog when it wos opened
than could enter the vein OF men by a
surgical operastion and that the examna-
tion made of the dogs showed there was
gas in their hearts as the result OF bac-
cill present in the blood. Witness was
also questioned as 10 cases where women
had d&ea-fffaHy hours after childbirth
and no hemorrage was fosrd, and ad-
mitted that death might have been caused
by tho entrance OF air into the veins.
To MIR. Dubois witness state ed he hrd
not changed his opinion in regard 20 the
cause OK the death OF Katherine Fceney.
DR.. Jay Perkins was The next witness
called by TIE State. lie testified ne had
been for eight years familiar with the use
Of The microscope and was present at tho
autopsy and took the minutes o the same
held on tAe. body OF Catherine Feensy, az
n IfnIa trt rof