The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-03-23
DR.. W. C. STEELE
Tells Of the Treatment of Har.
tong and the Nature of
the Wounds.

DR.. w. G. Steele, a practicing physi-
clan, of Greentown, was summoned. He
has been practicing medicine 10 years
and is graduate of the medical de-
partment of Wooster university, in
Cleveland DR.. Steele said he had not
known John Hartong more than two
years prior to being called to see him,
on the morning of December 8, 1897
Witness described the wound on the
head and said that it was a confused,
lacerated wound. 1t must have been an
instrument of rather blunt edge. Any
blunt instrument might produce it. AS
to the condition of his arms, DIR. Steele
said that the injuries might have been
caused by striking with blunt instru-
ment. Witness said the wounds might
have been made. both on the head and
the arms, by the iron wedge that the
prosecution showed witness being the
wedge it is claimed was used on that
night.
What was the mans condition, gen.
erally?" asked Mr.. Pomerene.
Taking into consideration the mans
age, 81 years, he was in good condition
before these injuries"
How was he that morning."
He was very weak, nervous and eX-
cited"
What was your opinion as to whether
he would recover?"
"I did not believe he would get we'll"
WAS there any time during the period
that you visited him that you thought
he would recover?"
"No, sir Taking his age into the
| account, and the exposure, the chances
were all against him getting WELL"
"How often did you visit him?"
'I visited him every morning till the
end. He died the Thursday following
the crime, about noon"
"Was he in the same condition, gen.
orally, till he died?"
"He would feel some better some
| mornings and then he would feel worse
again. He took no nouri rishment TO
speak of during that time"
"Was any other physician in at
tendance on this case?'
mo, sir: not till after his death. On
the evening of that day an autopsy was
held"
"Who held that autopsy?"
CDR. A. c. Brant and myself"
Did you examine all of the organs?"
"All of them"
Witness said that fluid was found
under the confused wound, between the
brain and an inner membrane.
| Can you say, doctor, what caused
death?"
"To just point to any one thing and
say it caused his death 1 cannot"
What, in your opinion, did cause his
death?"
Taking it all in all, the conditions
under which he labored, the blow on
h Il, fI,A 11 4 1,
general shock to his system would
| cause death"
1.-The examination of DR.. Steele
was conducted by Attorney Grant. DR..
| Steele said he went to Greentown in re-
sponse to a telephone message from
Smiths grocery, at Aultman station.
Witness went over the ground as to the
wounds, explaining in minute detail. DR..
Steele said he found the back of the
victim bruised and it was the doctors
opinion that this was occasioned by ly-
ing on the hard floor, bound as it is
claimed Hartong was bound. Witness
said that the blister on the hip was
not Of extreme severity nor was it of the
mildest character. Hartong did not
complain of the burns during his last
| sickness. He did not say much about
| the burns.
Did Hartong have any trouble other
| than produced by his wounds?" asked
Mr.. Grant.
HE had urinary trouble" answered
| DR.. Steele.
"Of long standing?"
He called on me once about it, in
New Berlin, the previous summer"
You found the bladder distended,
didn't you?"
mo, SIR"
Didn't he suffer with his urinary
trouble to his last moments?"
mo, sir"
How was he when you last saw
him?"
HE was comatose."
"Then it was because he was coma
tose that he did not suffer pain?"
mot necessarily"
Did not that painful condition of the
bladder contribute to his death?"
mo, sir. 1t did not"
Mr.. Grant pursued the inquiring
| further along this line and witness said
that Hartong complained of his bladder
trouble each day.
Didn't he complain of that more than
anything else?" asked Mr.. Grant.
II think that is a fact" answered DR..
Steele.