The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1896-09-24
EXPERT TESTIMONY.
DR.. COATES, OF CHICAGO, TELLS
ABOUT BLOOD STAINS.
FAsTENs HILGENDoRFs GUILT.
He Explains That All the Stains on
Hilgendorfs Clothing Must Have Been
Spurted There From Distance
of Two or Three Feet.

The Hilgendorf murder trial did not
draw out as big crowd today as it did
Friday, but there was larger sprink
ling of ladies in the crowd. The main
witness was DR.. Coates, of Chicago,
who testified that he did not believe it
possible for the blood stains which ap-
peared on Hilgendorf's garments to get
there by in any manner handling the
dead body of his wife. He said the
blood had spurted there and then stat
ed that it was impossible to so handle
a dead body as to make it squirt blood
Blood coagulates too soon after death.
The only inference therefore which
could be drawn was that the blood
spattered upon the clothing during the
ebbing of life, and while the blood was
leaving the body through wounds.
Mat Stahl was the first witness
called. He was questioned closely con-
corning the appearance of the body OF
Mrs. Hilgendorf after his arrival. He
went out as one of the cOroners jury.
He told of appearances whichindicaled
that a severe struggle had taken pl.cr
and that the body and blood shoWed
that the body had been moved about.
He assisted Undertaken Hansen to take
care of the remains He saw the
wounds and described them as being
Jagged. The large cut, he said, must
have been made by two or three
strokes. He saw that the hands and
arms had been severely bruised, mostly
on the f0rearms. The defendant that
night acted little nervous and some
what excited. Had some talk with
him. He had blood on his clothing.
Some of it vas on the front Of his jack
ct and on his arms and on the front Of
the legs of his pantaloons. There was
some water there also. Defendant said
that he got the water on his pantaloons
from washing milk cans. At another
time he said he got blood on himself
and had got the water on himselfin try
| ing to wash it off, Witness was shown
diagrams of the Hilgendorf buildings
and from them detailed the points con-
corning the location of the pump with
reference to the milk house. The de-
| PENDANT said that his wife had killed
herself. He said that his wife had
spells of melancholy and she must have
been seized with one of these fits. De-
/ PENDANT said he did not notify the
neighbors because he wasl too tired.
He saw the corn cutter when it was
i found. There was blood and hair omit.
Gould not tell the color of the hair be-
cause it was clothed with blood
Thought the hair was neither very
light or dark. Witness identified the
corn cutter in question. The cutter
was found near Mrs. Hilgendorfs feet.
Defendant was dressed in his farm
clothes He said he had been in Ke
nosha. Defendant, Harkins and wit
ness went to find the suit worn in town
that day. Mr.. Harkins looked the
pockets through, but did not see him
take anything out. He identified the
Jacket worn by defendant and told
where he had seen blood spots on it.
Saw the sons of the defendant there.
Mr.. Lloyd cross examined Mr.. Stahl.
On the point concerning the blood on
his clothing the defendant explained
that he had found his wife dead and
had picked her up.
On redirect examination he said the
defendant had been very nervous.
Bernard Hilgendorf was next called.
Was at home July 4 and saw his father
at the time the under sheriff was there.
He was shown the jacket and panta
looms and identified them, though not
positively.
DR.. W. E. Coates was next witness.
He resides in Chicago. Is physician
and was the microscopic analyst at
the Post Graduate College of Chicago.
He was shown jacket in evidence. Said
he had examined the stains upon it.
| At this point a question arose as to
the identy of jacket and the doctor was
replaced by William Crandall.
Mr.. Crandall said that he was a
special policeman at the island bridge
July f. Saw the defendant crossing
the bridge and stopped him because he
was under the influence of liquor. The
bridge was i'll dangerous condition.
This was about 9 o'clock.
The cross. examination brought out
nothing new.
Samuel Bohanon was called next and
said that he saw the defendant at T.
j. Meyers saloon. The defendant took
beer. He seemed to be under the in
fuence of liquor. Saw him about 3
o'clock.
Valentine Lippert said, under oath,
that he was liverYman. Saw the de-
PENDANT July in the morning, and at
about 800 p. N. He went by the
livery stable and drove south.
Herman Kotz was next called. Said
he was the bartender at Meyers saloon
INV d Saw tho dnfnndant at said