Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-09-17

oaSS- AL GlIOrU 10 MAKE a VIII
ness Admit he Doesn't Know
BonaS-Declares a Certain Bone
to Be the Femur Of a Woman and
Sticks to I5-Femurs OF Hogs,
Calves, Sheep and Other Quad
rupedS offered in Evl dence-State
VIII Be Ready to Rest by Satur-
day Noon.
Chicago, September 16.-The day
was given over to expert testimony in
the Luetgert trial to-day, and the at
torneys for the defense and the wit
nesses for the State were Questioned
vigorously regarding femurs of human
beings; femurs of sheep and of hogs.
When court adjourned for the day
the fight was still on and will be re-
sumed tomorrow.
When court opened this morning
the defendant came into court upon a
pair of crutcheS. He said that he had
badly sprained ankle, the result OF
fall while sparring a friendly bout
with one of the guards in the JAIL
The injury is painful, and will
trouble him for some time.
The principal witness of the day
was Prof. Dorsey, of the Field Column
bian Museum, who took the stand for
cross-eXamination. Attorney Vincent,
for the defense, made it his business
to show the jury that Prof. Dorsey did
not know anything about bones any
how, and that he was densely ignorant
on the subject of femurs
Prof. Dorsey fought stoutly to show
that he knew what he was talking
about when he said yesterday that the
bone shone him was the bone of a
human being, and very probably that
or female. He made one correction.
however, and said that when he SAID
yesterday that the femur was that of
the left leg he had intended to say that
it was for the right leg.
Before Prof. Dorsey took the stand.
Or. Norval Pierce, who had identi-
ned bone shone him as the left
temporal bone of female, was called
to the stand, but his cross examination
did not last for any length of time
and then Attorney Vincent announced
that he was ready srr the cross-ex-
L ".
The examination abounded in tech
meal terms and again and again the
attorney tried to make the witness saw
tnat he was not sure that the bone in
question was the femur of a human
Delng, but the witness stuck to his first
assertion.
1hen the attorney tried to show that
the Iemur was that of hog and again
the witness baffied him. Then the at
torney tried the femur of a sheen and
again he was defeated. Then he Of
Tered a large collection of bones and
wanted the witness to state from what
animal they had come. The court
took a hand in the proceedings at this
point and announced: There are
enough bones in this case already
without bringing in lot of them that
nave no connection with the case"
Inc closing hour of the afternoon
session was lively. Attorney Vincent
made a supreme effort to break down
the evidence of Prof. George Dorsey.
the young oteologist OF the Field Co
lumbar Museum. After humber Of
questions touching upon the qualifica-
ions OF the witness to testify as an
expert, Attorney Vincent picked I'D a
handful of bones, and holding them
out to him asked him to identify each
OF them. Prof. Dorsey refused to at
tempt to do so without first having an
opportunity to examine them.
Can you do it?' shouted the attor-
ney for the defense.
II you are the expert you claim to
be it should not be difficult for you to
name these bones"
This eXasperated the witness and
Assistant States Attorney McEwan
came To his aid with an objection
which was sustained by the court.
But Attorney Vincent was not to be
stopped by objections.
Did you ever dissect a hog?" he in
quired.
No, sir. answered Prof. Dorsey.
There was an objection to this line
OF cross eXamination. and Attorney
Vincent arose to explain that ne wish
ed to show that the fernur Of a hog
was identical with the femur the State
mad introduced and which Prof. Dori
sey had identified as the right femur
OF a human being-a female After
further questioning with reference to
whether or not Prof Dorsey had ever
dissected a calf or a sheen. and re-
ceiving a negative reply as to the for
mer and an affirmative answer as to
the latter animal, Attorney Vincent
suddenly asked:
How do you know. then. that this
Is not calfs femur2"
Because from careful examination
of it l believe it to be human femur."
replied the witness
why do you consider it the femur
Of a woman?''
Because it is smooth and has the
shape and other distinguishing charac-
teristics OF the female femur.' replied
the witness.
Prof. Dorsey will be on the witness
stand again tomorrow for further
cToss-eIamination.
The prosecution expects to rest it's
case Saturday.
NJ