Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-13
sLoNoiN DEFENCE
Continued from page ~

at TINS time or at the conclusion of
the defendants case.
Judge Braley received the document
ana after reading it announced that
the court would take the matter under
consideration and make the decision
at the the conclusion of the defend
ants case. The nature of the docu-
ment was not disclosed in court.
Attorney James F. Owens, acting Sc
NOR counsel FOR the prisoner, outlined
the case for the defence at the after
noon session. Mr.. Owens said that il
was the intention of the defence to
show that extensive repairs were made
on the house at 43 Green street in jan
uary, 1901, including repapering the
room which was occupied by the Blon-
dins. that no single trunk was removed
at any time from the house and that
on the night of April 80 the defendant
occupied room at 49,. Howard street.
Mr.. Owens said the contention of the
defence was that death was not due to
strangulation, throttling or asphyxia-
ton in any form, and that the homi-
eide. If there was a homicide, was not
committed in the house at 43 Green
street nor in Suffolk county.
He said that the defence would show
that the arrangements at the Green
street house such that a person could
go from the window of the room occu-
pied by the Blondins to the bath room
and thence to the street without being
seen by person standing in the posi-
ton which Mrs. Hennigan is claimed to
have occupied on the afternoon of
April q. 1901.
Mr.. Owens spoke less than 10 min
utes and then called DR.. r. E. Bell of
Lowell. as the first witness for the de-
fence. DR.. Bell was present in the
court and heard the expert medical tes-
timony of the state. He recalled the
condition of the body claimed to be
thatof Margaret Emma Blondin, as de-
scri0ed by them. He gave as his opin-
ion that the head could have been re-
moved with the aid of a long bladed
sharp, strong knife. In answer to a
hypothetical question, substantially the
same as put to the governments medi-
cal experts. DIR. Bell said he was I'M
able to determine the manner of death
or whether the wounds We're made be-
fore or after death.
Mr.. Owens followed in the same gen.
eral lines as pursued by the attorney
general in the direct examination of
the commemorative medical experts
and DR.. Bel, in answer to these ques-
tiOns gave as his opinion that there
was not sufficient data contained in
the hypothetical questions upon which
he could state whether decapitation
took place before or after the cooling
process.
Dr. Bell said that while there would
not necessarily be an cutlery in case
of violent strangulation, still he would
expect such an occurrence. In any
event there would be more or less of
struggle with subsequent indications of
that struggle in the form of blood on
the floor and walls and the disarrange-
ment of furniture if the struggle took
place in small room.
The condition of the severed head
found in Chelmsford was described to
DR.. Bell with special reference to deep
gashes on the upper throat and on the
jaw. These cuts. he believed, might
have resulted from the struggles of the
victim when the assailant attempted
On cross-examination
however. he admitted that similar re-
suits might be obtained by d person UNI
accustomed to such operations, at
tempting to perform the operation IN
place where they was insufficient light,
in a great hurry. DR.. Bell also admit
ted that some of the questions address
ed to him were framed by him that ne
might more readily and clearly give his
opinions in the case in question. Be-
vond this little was developed by the
cross-examinati ton.
Prof. James Ewing of Cornell Uni
versity. the expert who examined GER
tain articles submitted to him by Prof.
Wood. the government expert, LOT
traces of blood. said that the only ar
ticles upon which ne found what ne
was absolutely certain was human
blood were two white skirts which, IL Is
claimed were owned by Mrs. Blondin.
These stains. he had determined posi-
tiyely were caused by menstrual blood.
Several pieces of stained wall paper
given him by Prof. Wood when first
examined gave numerous Indications vi
human blood. When the serum test
was applied the response was lif1ineui'
ate. so much so that his suspicious
were aroused and further tests with
hits of the same wall paper winch
were not stained gave similar results
When the now famous jacknife was
shown to Prof. Ewing, he said that ne
could not recall ever having seen II pc
fore. He would not say positively tha'
Prof. Wood did not show it to MN
but he would say that he had searcheo
his memory very carefully ana couio
not recall such occurrence. AFTER eN'
amining the knife caretuiiy. rroi
| Ewing said he believed that II IL iao
bean used in decapitating fuil-oioooeo
hodv more than a superficial washing
: =, oo,d water would be necessary to re-
move all traces of blood
| Dr. Ewing WAS on the stand "hei
court adjourned for the day
COUNCIL MORRISON ILL.