The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-03-03
Remarkable Opinion
Of DR.. Muller.
DEFENSE's HOPES RUN HIGH
BRANDES WILL TESTIFY IN HIS
OWN BEHALF.
Queer Ideas on the FleNbility of a
Skull and Absence of External
Symptoms in Hang
ing.
Oakland Office San Francisco Call,
NnS R-naLtr 1. March .

9O8 Broadway, March 2.
William a BTaRdes, the accused muir
derer of his daughter, will be given an
opportunity to relate his theory of his
daughters death to the jury. Mrs. Eta
Brandes who is also charged with muir
der, will also be called as a witness This
was decided upon late this afternoon by
Attorneys Sawyer and Bennett, who have
been conducting Brandes' defense
While interest in the now celebrated
case Jagged somewhat to-day, there were
some most remarkable statements made
by the medical experts called by the de-
tense.
DR.. G. l.. Eaton. who had never exam
ined She body of the dead girl, testified
that his office is next TO that of Dr. E. II.
Woolsey, the defense's chief medical ex-
pert; that he had carefully read the
transcript Of the testimony adduced at the
preliminary examination and that he dis
cussed the case with DR.. Woolsey at con-
siderable length. He gave-it as his opin-
ion that Lillian Brandes had died by
hanging; that the bruises, marks and mot
tied appearance of the dead girls limbs
were post mortem. and were evidence of
on DISCRIMINATION DR.. Eaton gave
some remarkable opinions. He was hand
ed the skull cap of the dead girl, and
regarded 1t as the skull OF person be-
Brandes was 13 years of age at the time
of her death. He stated that the bones of
the skull Of an infant, even at the time
of delivery, could not be bent by instru-
.ments but that the skull would more
likely be broken. On the subject of hang
ing, witness stated that in all such cases
there is found congestion of the lungs
and more or less congestion Of the brain
substance. He said as an absolute fact
that in hanging there are commonly no
external symptoms, neither in cases of
suicidal hanging nor judicial execution,
the pressure on the pneumogastric nerve,
and that such pressure was heavier IN
suicidal hanging than in cases OF Judicial
DR.. H E. Muller, the next expert wit
ness Tor the defense, made perhaps the
most startling statement from a medical
standpoint that has been given at the
trial. He said that the adhesions OF the
membranes, as found in the case OF LII
liam were due 70 pIeurocpneumonla, when lIs
caused the adhesions of the pleura in the
lower half of the right lung; that the
meningitis which produced those adhe-
sions was an incidental complication to the
pleuro pneumonia; that persons who
have this condition of the membranes, fol-
lowing these cases of pleuro-pneumo-
mia are liable to be mentally and NOR
ally disturbed and that such cases are
frequently found in insane asylums.
DR.. Muller went still further by stat
ing that the meningitis as found in the
case of Lillian BrandeS. as shown by the
prosecution, was not sufficient TO Kill the
child.
The defense now bases its main hopes
upon the theory that the prosecution must
rely upon shock as the cause of Lillian
QedJn, anu IIldI lIllS ShOChY LcI"CSiI nv
time of the infiction of the blow. on the
head and the time of death, nearly four
days later, would have spent itself and
would not have been present as disturb
ing force at the time Of death.
Dr. Muller will again occupy the stand
tomorrow, and thereafter the defense has
but two more medical experts to offer
Drs. Pratt and Crowley and early next
week the accused murderer and his ac-
cused wife will be called. 1t is expected
the case will reach the jury for deliber-
alton by the end of next week.
The weary trial is weighing heavily on
Brandes His bearded face is decidedly
pale. his eyes have lost their luster, ana
he appears to be Iaboring constantly I'M
der great mental strain and agony. AT
times he seems greatly bored, and to-day
he was unusually nervous.