The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-11-29
THE DOHERTY MURDER TRIAL

THE DOHERTY MURDER TRIAL
DR.. Henry James Of Waterbury testified
Friday evening. He was called to attend
Murphy the night he was shot and de-
scribed the wound and treatment. Took
the bullet from Murphy's right side. He
also described his treatment OF the patient
until he was taken to Mary Fletcher hospi-
tai, and read his notes taken at the post
mortem examination. In his opinion the
bullet wound inflicted February IS was the
cause of Murphy's DEATH Dr. James stated
that he had treated between $4,000 and 50,-
600 men with gunshot wounds. Most Of
these were during the civil war.
DR.. ID. ID. Grout of Waterbury was called
on Saturday. He saw Fred Murphy the
evening he was shot The doctor described
in detail the condition in which he found
Murphy at that time, and the treatment
given. The ball was extracted from Muir
phys right side at the doctors first visit.
Witness produced the ball and piece of
rib taken from Murphy's side at that time,
which had since February IS last been in
DR.. CIRCUITS possession. After March DR..
Grout attended Murphy daily until he was
taken to Mary Fletcher hospital March 10
Saw Murphy at the hospital March % and
| %. On those days the discharges from the
chest cavities were very offensive. From
the time OF the shooting to March 29 the
| last time the doctor saw him alive he stead
lily failed. He lost probably from thirty to
fifty pounds of flesh. DR.. James and the
witness agreed perfectly GO to the treat
ment, and the treatment given Murphy was
the best available. AT the time of the
shooting the doctor thought the patient
would surely die DR.. CIRCUITS description
OF the autopsy on Murphy's body agreed
substantially with that given by Doctors
Wheeler and james. They found no evil
dence OF disease except such as was caused
by his injury. In the opinion Of the wit
MnrnhU'a nyaG Qnlply hxr
the injury received from the bullet.
In cross examination Of DR.. Grodt, Mr.
Plumley made an adrot effort to obtain
from the doctor an acknowledgment that
the treatment of Murphy the night of the
shooting was not what 1t should have been; {;
that the abdomen should have been opened
that night, the abdominal cavity cleaned,
and the holes in the stomach made by the
passage of the bullet sewed up. The doc
tor, however, adhered to the statement that
such an operation was not advisable at that
and that the treatment Of the patient was
proper. Careful conservative physicians
would not have been justified in taking the
course suggested by Mr.. Plumley.
DIR. Henry James was recalled by the
State. He testified that with such a wound
of the spleen as he had previously testified
to Friday that Murphy had received, re-
covery is very rare. During the civil war
only three recoveries from gunshot wounds
in the stomach are recorded Nobody but
u Tttkltrb lOOl WOulu nave gone lDtO hluT-
phys abdomen TO sew up his stomach At
Gettysburg DR. James had over 10000 gun
shot wounds under his supervision.
DR.. j. II. Dodds, house surgeon at Mary
Fletcher hospital, Burlington, was next
called. During last March was first assist
ant house surgeon at the hospital. He cor
roborated the statement that Murphy was
taken to the hospital March 13, that he
died there April /, and that an autopsy was
performed on his body.
At this point the State rested, and re-
cess was taken until two o'clock Monday
afternoon.
The trial OF the Doherty murder case was
resumed in county court at two clock this
afternoon George w Chapip, the juror
from Waterbury, who was quite i'll Satur.
day afternoon, has entirely recovered. The
jury attended services at Trinity church
Sunday evening, and remained quietly in
their room at the court house during the
day, except as they went to their meals or
for short walks for exercise.
AS was stated in Saturday 3 JOURNAL, the
State rested Saturday morning. Consider
able speculate II has been INDUCED in as to
able speculation has been INDUCED in as to
counsel for the respondent have not pub
lished their plans from the house tops
Charles III. Doherty. the respondent, was
called to the stand. He testified that his
home il in Berwick Falls, Me, and that he
worked at the Bolton Falls dam last Feb
ruary.
On February 1S, the day of the shooting,
he said to Murphy in the afternoon, 81 un-
derstand you have said you are going to
do me-" To this Murphy replied II never
said So" Doherty then went about his
business. The information that Murphy
had made such a statement was received
, by Doherty that day from Andrew Buckley,
, fellow workman. On the Friday previous
; he had received similar information that
, Murphy and colored man were planning a
: scheme to fix" him. The Wednesday
night before the shooting he saw Murphy
coming out of his room Asked him what
, he was doing there and he said he was
looking for his paper. Murphy told re-
spondent he was not able to put him out OF
his room.
A short time before this Murrhy had
made other threatening statements regard
; ing respondent. He had threatened to do
respondent up before the week was out.
On the day Of the shooting respondent was
in poor health. Had bad cough and had
, jammed his chest with load of stone on
the dam. His ankle was also in bad Condi'
tion and he rested very little nights. Stop.
ped work Saturday at five o'clock. Saw
Murphy between the dam and tho Office
Next saw him on the road to Pixley's
. Murphy said to him "We might as well set
agreed. Witness was frightened and took
to the barn for safety. Saw Murphy com,
ing toward him, was 30 frightened and
: nervous he shot him. Went into his room
Tor lew minutes, then went lntO tne ROAD
Met McGrath and told him he had shot
Murphy. Saw Sullivan and told him he
had shot Murphy and was going to shoot
> himself
Sullivan told him not to do anything
rash. Went back to the boarding house 10
get his clothes and money. Went again to
his room, changed part OF his clothes and
put on his overcoat and hat. Asked Pixley
Z how Murphy was, and told Pixley he was
awful sorry for what he had done. Went
back to the dam and then took to the rail
ROAD track.
BEFORE the shooting could hear Murphy
a talking about him almost every evening
a that he would kill witness DOherty. Muir
. ply was all the time badgerng him about
t his work, Had decided to leave the Job be-
3 cause OF this. Most everybody seemed tc
l be picking on him. At the time lof the
= shooting he went into the barn because he
Q was afraid of Murphy. Had no purpose IL