The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-06

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ately and together day in and day out
for several months.
James Mcmahon. another who Wit
messed the fight. testified that he saw
Billiott come across the tracks, pull
knife and make a lunge at some one.
He positively identified the defendant
as the man he saw making the lunge.
He couldn't tell whether or not Bill
lott had on hat or coat.
James Coughlin also saw Billiott go
towards the fighters. but did not see a
knife in his possession.
1t was . o'clock when Mr.. Martin
opened for the defense. He spoke for
nearly an hour. outlining what it was
proposed to prove.
He said that the defense would show
it was not the knife wound but the
effects of the surgeons neglect that
killed Herbert. AS to the identified
tion of Billiott, it would be shown, he
said. that another Italian worked with
Billiott, ans who was frequently mis-
taken for him, was the man who did
the stabbing. 1t would be admitted,
he said, that the knife exhibited at
the trial belonged to Billiott. but it
would be also shown that this knife
was out of Blliott's possession at the
time the stabbing occurred. 1t was
being used at the wedding and when
Billiott went home at s o'clock he left
1t behind him. and did not recover It
until the next day.
SURGERY WAS BAD.
DR.. s. p. Longstreet was the first
witness for the defense. In answer to
questions by Mr.. O'Brien, he stated
that in his opinion the treatment ad-
minstered to Herbert was bad sur
gerry Instead of simply making a
careful examination for punctures OF
the bowels and then pushing back the
protruding intestines and sewing up
the wound the wound should have
been enlarged. or another incision
made and the intestines drawn out
from the locality of the wound, and
thoroughly examined.
The protruding intestines. DR.. Long
street said, was in itself suggestive of
an injury to the bowels. Good sur
gerry would demand a thorough en-
ploraton of the abdominal cavity in
every case where there is doubt, be-
cause modern surgical methods will
permit of the removal and replacement
of the intestines without any serious
FISK to the patient.
If properly treated Herbert would
probably have recovered. the witness
said His chances of getting we'll
We're nine in ten. The wound was not
necessarily fatal.
On tion Assistant Dis
trict Attorney Thomas brought out
that while the wound was not neces-
sarily fatal. there was possibility of
fatal results attending, and further
that the begrimmed knife blade. itself.
might have caused the infection
which brought on the septic periton-
It's which was the immediate cause of
DEATH
In answer to questions by Judge
Gordon as to the relative progressive
ness and eXpertneSs of surgeons in
small towns and large cities, DR..
l.ongstreet told that it was only
natural to suppose that city doctor
was more modern in his methods than
one from the country, but he added,
"Dr. Shields and DR.. Wheeler are as
good surgeons as you will find in New
York or Scranton or anywhere else"
DEFENDANT SWORN.
Billiott was next called to the stand.
He gave his testimony through In
terpreter Morrisini. His examination
shows that his looks belied him in the
matter of intelligence. His combat
with Mr.. Thomas on cross-eXamination
revealed quickness of wit that brought
forth general comment. Mr.. Thomas
had him cornered once when he told
that it was II o'clock when Constable
Neary woke him up to arrest him. He
had previously testified he did not
have a watch and that there was no
clock in the house. Billiott, however,
without a moments wait. explained
that he figured it out to be II o'clock
from the fact that about an hour later
when he was landed in the lookup he
heard the clock strike twelve. 1t was
small circumstance, but significant
of the fact that the defendant is far
from being the dumb, unthinking fell
low he looks.
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