Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-12-05
GONE IN CANADA"
CONTINUED from page ~

SdIu MI. MuFTISOH, QulCNIy. lie StsttS-
ment should not have been made. But
it's a fact" he added.
This expression brought warning |
from the court for counsel to exercise |
more care in making statements Of
opinion.
II. Thomas r. Carroll Of Lowell. who !,
was present when the autopsy was per- |
formed and when the severed head was
viewed, explained the conditions. His
evidence was similar to that of DIR.
Meigs. The condition Of all the parts, |
he said, convinced him that asphyxia-
ton was the cause Of death, and that
the head was not removed until sew
eral hours after death. He did not
think the wounds on the neck could
have been caused by an axe.
could the head have been severed
with a short bladed jack Knife" asked
the attorney general.
The question brought Mr.. Morrison to
his feet with an objection on the
ground that that question was a lead
| ing one and that it tended to draw at
| tention to the knife in the hands Of the
government. The question was with
drawn and the witness was asked what
kind of an instrument might be used
in severing the head. He replied that
a knife with a short. strong. sharp
blade might have been used. His Opin-
| ion that knife had been used in this,
case was strengthened by the fact that
a small portion of one section of the
vertebrate was missing. The remaining
section showed a clear cut, such as
might have been made by sharp
knife. He cid not believe that the cut
| could nave been made with an axe.
| Questioned regarding the appearance
of the head, DR.. Carroll said that the
fact that the eyes were partly open
after the head had been several weeks
in the water indicated that the eyes
had protruded. The action of the wa
ter had probably caused the eyeballs
and also the tongue to shrivel UP and
resume their normal places.
DR.. Carroll denied that he ever said
the condition of the head was such that
he could not tell whether it was that
of a white person or a negro.
| An extensive inquiry by Mr.. Morri-
son as to the condition of body after
death by strangulatiOn brought out the
statement that blood would be in a
COIultiOH THAT IL
after death the blood would flow from
the body.
1.-The heart might be completely emp
tied of blood?" asked Mr.. Morrison.
| Yes"
'Then," continued Mr.. Morrison,
would not any blood that had been
forced to the brain by strangulation
have the same tendency to flow out?''
1T would
DR.. Meigs, during his examination,
yesterday. stated that his opinion that
death resulted from strangulation was
based in part upon the presence of
blood in the region of the brain.
Mary J. Casey of Lowell, niece of the
murdered woman, described the per-
sCnal belongings Of her aunt, includ-
ing pocket book and two trunks
which had not previously appeared in
the case.
She first met BlOndin at her aunt's
room in Lowell. some time previous To
Feb. II. On the latter date she accom-
panied BlOndin and her aunt TO Bos-
ton. first to the house at 43 Green street.
and later to st. Elizabeths church,
where Miss Riley and BlOndin We're
married. While at the Green street
house. she saw a trunk much larger
than either of those owned by her
aunt. She next saw Mrs. Blondin
| April 13, in Lawrence and every sue
reeGing day until April II. That was
the last time she ever saw her aunt,
but Il week later a letter came. She
replied to the letter a few days later.
Miss Casey identified an envelope as
one received by her, May l, 1901, and
which contained another envelope and
letter. The second envelope she identi-
fled as one she had sent to her aunt.
43 Green street. Boston, in reply to a
letter received a few days before. Mr..
Mclaughlin asked the witness If GER
tain writing was on the reverse side
of the envelope at the time it was re-
ceived and she replied that it was there
at the time.
Mr. Morrison objected to the reading
of this writing unless the government
could produce the person by whom it
was made. Upon the announcement by
the district attorney that the govern
ment intended to produce evidence to
show that the writing was done by the
defendant, the court ruled that it might
be read. 1t consisted of only three
words: Gone in Canada. There
were no initials or anything to indicate
by whom it was written.
| On the Sunday following the receipt
of this letter. Miss Casey went to Bos-
ton to learn, if possible, whether her
aunt lad gone to Canada. She went
to the Green street house, but neither
her aunt nor Blondin were there. The
landlady knew nothing as to their
whereabouts. She learned nothing
more until the evening of June II fol-
lowing, when she went to an UNDER
takers room in Lowell to look at al
body that had been found in Chelms
ford. When she saw the body she
recognized it as that of her aunt.
Miss Casey then identified wearing
apparel, including four hats. one pair
of shoes and pair Of slippers, con-
tanned in one of the trunks identified
this forenoon. She was positive, she
said. that her aunt had no other hat. |
The trunk contained every article of
clothing her aunt took to Boston with |
the exception of blue skirt, an Elton
Jacket and one pair of shoes.