New-York tribune., 1901-02-26
NURSES DEFENCE CLOSED.
EXPERT TESTIMONY TO SHOW THAT
HILLIARD DID NOT DIE FROM
STRANGULATION.

g o
sions. Davis formerly was the head nurse in the
insane pavilioa at Bellevue Hospital, and was in
dcted. with Edward O. Dean and Clinton l. Mar
shall on the charge Of causing the death OF Louis
u. Hilliard in the pavilion on December L last
The closing testimony for the defence was NANNY
BY experts attacking the contention of the prose-
cution that Hilliards death was due TO stranguia-
tion. One expert was called by the prosecution
yesterday in rebuttal, and more will be called TO-
day but IL is expected that the testimony VIII be
finished and the summing up In the case be-
gun this afternoon. Assistant District Attorney
Pierce is conducting the prosecution and Francis
l. Wellman appears for the defence.
There was no indication yesterday that the prose-
cution would he able to secure the return from
Pennsylvania Of Thomas J. Mnnock. its star wit
While Minnocks testimony has been DIS
credited by several witnesses and has been sup
ported chiefly by the testimony OF two men VINO
insane patients Wards Island, the defence
has demanded the recall of Minnock because II is
desired 10 ask him bout letter which he wrote
his former foster mother in this city AFTER
his flight Philadelphia asking for help and IN
timating that he had committed perjury on the
witness stand. II is believed by the lawyers that
Minnock will not return to New-hork
Before calling the expert witness yesterday morn
ing Mr.. Wellman introduced evidence with the
purpose Of showing that Hilliard might have re-
ceived injury resulting in the breaking Of the
hyoid bone I'm his throat when he on his way
the city the steamboat Puritan before he
the hospital. He also called two ad-
ditionaI witnesses TO discredit further Minnocks
statement that Davis was anxious about the result
Of the autopsy on Hilards body.
Thomas Dillon. United States infantryman, sta
toned at Fort Hancock testified that he saw Hill
lard the steamboat. Hilliard fighting
drunk" the soldier sat6. and seemed have "A
paralyzed Mr. WeIlman wanted 10 draw out
testimony TO the effect that Hiliard had told the
witness that he had just been on prolonged spree,
but the would admit IL.
The next witness was Augustus Raider. in charge
Of the telephone at Bellevue Hospital
r rQLAfterA III Hiard died were you ever ever 1 asked q by
aSfo5sy a 70 had e1 be eP ee anG nd Out an
John Rock an assistant in the telephone service
gave similar Testimony.
DIR BIGGs's TESTIMONY.
Dr. Herman NJ Bggs was then called. He is
pathologfst Of the Health Department, and he tes-
tilted that he had taken part in three thousand
Rutopses. His testimony went 10 show that the
conclusion Of Dr. Donlin. who performed the au-
topsy in the OF Hilliard. was not justified by
the findings. The condition of the vital organs as
described. DIR. Biggs said, did not Justify con-
cuson that death due TO strangulation. The
most probable cause OF death. disclosed by the
findings, the witness said dilitation of the
heart The witness gave it his opinion that
billiard might have broken his ribs through fall
ing against washstand in attempting TO get away
from his keepers.
Q.-Would not violent exercise, like swimming
forty years old? A.-Yes it is not uncommon TO
nnd that severe athletic exercise brings early
eegenerauon OF certain parts, particularly the
Q.-And does great muscular strength necessarily
ho" t l5l ga man organs are IN eo9a eonalton' or
trouble great endurance? A.-No. sir.
stran man in that condition " who WAS musc9
larly very powerful2 Ale might die from ex-
haustion Of the heart
on cross-examination Mr. Pierce asked the wit
ness how the patients hyoid bone could have been
broken if his death had been due TO exhaustion Of
the heart. You have condition that exhaus-
ton of the heart doesn't explain haven't you?" he
asked
Yes sir"
lence? A-WeiI yes.
Q-And in pronouncing upon the mans death
you left one Of the most important conditions out
OF the consideration, didn't you? A--Yes. because
o.-But If you had Investigated this case and
found the hyoid bone broken wouldn't you have
considered II OF Importance? A--Yes. sir.
Mr.. Pierce referred to a report made some wears
to the House of Commons and asked the wit
ness il he meant to say that a mans chest ex-
panded with air able withstand no more
than one from which the air had been expelled
The witness said that he didn't know that II
made much difference
Doesn't the Board Of Health send out a circular
forhidding heart failure TO he reported on a
certificate as cause Of death?"
MR. wELLMAN SUSTAINED
Mr.. Wellman objected that the circular itself was
tained by the court
But isn't heart failure a very general description
to give as a cause Of death? A.-Rather, yes.
The judge asked the witness If in every case of
death there wasn't exhaustion, and he said no.
Dr. Otto II. Schultz was the next expert to be
examined. He IS pathologst in Bellevue Hospital
and a professor at various institutions. He said
he had performed a thousand autopsies and
had had experience a coroner's physician He
gave It his opinion that In the of micro
scopic analysis there absolute certainty of
the cause Of death. but It probably disease OF
the heart muscle caused by lesion.
In all the twenty-one cases Of death by strangu
lation that have investigated. hyoid bone was
broken only once he said.
Or. James Campbell, a specialist on insanity,
witness after recess
o-Have you been acqua nted with James Cham
bers for some time? Ayes sir about eight wears
The judge interrupted the questioning To warn
the defence that they were leading up the kind
OF testimony that had been ruled out last week
We trying TO bring in testimony hear-
ing on the credibity OF the witnesses alrea Jv |
heard, and not 20 get opinion upon the value
of the testimony Of insane patients" said DR. Stiles
Mr.. Wellman's assistant
That 1 viii cheerfully hear" RESPONDED Judq.
Co~ing' but why bring forward evidence n |
prove what is already conceded? II is admitted
that these witnesses insane and were brought
here from an insane asylum
'Supposing Il is conceded that the witnesses ar.
insane II Is not conceded that their TESTIMONY is
Judge Cowing held TO his position. however a,d |
an exception was taken, after a considerable arg,-
@ ai.a' Tween the l1dge and the counsel The WITT
nounoed that il rested its case.
DIR WEIR CALLED.
The prosecution then called TO the stand Dr |
Robert F. Weir who explained that be 1,ss GO -
eeon OF wide experience and a professor IN ,b |
Colege OF Physicians and Surgeons Mr. pierc.