Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1900-07-14
THE Fl. C!o..A.Dl CASE.

DEFENSE HAS AN INNING IN2THEl
!. MURDER T T4elAL AT JAMEsToW
Jamestown, July 1 4 The evidence
given in the Coad murder trial was
rather contradictory today. Dr.. De-
Pry was recalled and testified regard
ing the case. He was very positive
that the ribs Of Gleason were broken
before death and that it was violence
that had broken the ribs. He was
also sure that the autopsy brought out
facts sufficient to warrant the conclu-
sion that death was due, to pneumonia
caused by violence. s3IjS BB.5
Il DR.. Sifton was called by the defense,
and made a good witness He told Of
the autopsy in a straightforward man
ner showing that he had observed the
work closely. He related how Dr.
tDePuy bore down on the ribs with
some force just how heavily he could
not state. After the post nortem DR..
- ~
.Sifton had bent one Of Gleason's S ribs
backward breaking it with as little
strength as would be required to break
four matches taken togeLner. He also
broke another rib and called the phy-
sician's attention to the ease with:
which the ribs were broken. The ribs
were very brittle. The ribs were not
as elastic as those of a person in good
health. Dr.. Sifton's experience with
insane persons would not warrant him
il: IN saying whether or not the bones
OF a demented person were as a rule
more brittle than a person of reason.
Dr. sifton said thas the appearance
OF the broken ribs in Gleason's body
was such as to indicate that the ribs
had been broken after death. He was
satisfied that such was the case. The
doctor explained that when a bone in
the body of a ave person is broken
blood flows inside and outside Of the
bone bone. AS AS soon as the blood ceases to
4 flow the work of repair of the bones
begins. After five or six days a sort
OF Jelly forms between the ribs. i. In
two or three weeks a new bony forma-
ton is found After death there is no
flow Of blood and the ends of the bones
remain re as dry, as a stick. In the case
OF Gleason this was so indicating that
his ribs had been broken after death.
DR.. Sifton thought that if the ribs had
been broken before death there wound
surely have been laceration of the del
icate flesh IN the vicinity Of the bones.
/, There he e, is no evidence that the bruises
W which li'1a & appeared on the body OF Gleason
extended through to the ribs. ss
On June %, DR.. Sifton testified, he
had M looked carefully over the body Of
Gleason, but could find no broken ribs
notWith standing the fact that he was
looking for the same, He was. of the
opinion that there were no broken ribs
then. This was after Coad had been
accused Of kicking the patient. Death,
in Dr. sifton's opinion, might have re-
suited from q number Of causes other
than .naa "a lobar :pneu onia. The autopsy
conducted con ed by Dr.. DePuy was incom-
plete. Dr. sifton fatty contradicted
several statements made by Dr.. DePuy
arding the autopsy The state
-
ment lp that several organs, such as the
liver and blad dder, were found healthy
is false, said Mr.. sifton. ss.,,. ..3
torney Baldwin attempted to mix
5the witness up on some of his state
4 m1ents, but failed utterly The testi-
nony Of Dr. sifton is favorable to the
prisoner, and together with that Of Dr..
Baldwin points to the incomplete
character OF the autopsy held.