The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-04

upon the body of j. Ludlow Skinner, by
summons of the coroner He would APP
proximate SINNERS age as 32, and his
weight from $50 to 1876 pounds. The au-
topsy was performed at SINNERS house,
on the evening of the homicide Dr. JOS
eph Graham assisted and DR.. p f. Hines
and Dr.. X. p. Battle were present
DR.. Knox then gave the result of the
autopsy, illustrating with Mr.. Lee Skin
ner, cousin of Ludlow Skinner. who is
approximately his size. At a measured
point 31s inches back of the left nipple
and quarter of an inch below the nipple
the bullet entered, approximately on the
anterior axillary line, in front of the line
from the middle of the armpit. In attempt
ing to probe, the probe would not pass
between the ribs. Then opened the chest
cavity and stripped off skin and muscle
IN order to examine. Cut through the
cartilage of the ribs and lifted the breast
bone. Then the wound between the ribs
was found, and large quantity of blood
perhaps more than two quarts, was in the
left chest cavity. There was wound
IN the top part of the lower lobe of the
left lung. Opposite that there was a
wound on both sides of the aorta. Bull
passed on across chest and shattered sew
enth rib on right side and stopped beneath
the skin, on the mid axillary line from
the middle of the armplt. Going back
he found bullet hole in the lower lobe
of the right lung. There was also
superficial scratch on the left ventricle
of the heart, which did not touch the
muscle of the heart, nor pierce the peri
cardium.
The result of these wounds was neces-
sarly death The aorta is the large ar.
terry that carries the red blood through
the system TO the different organs. 1t is
shaped like a crook-handled walking
stick. AT the beginning of the descend
ing thorecic aorta the diameter is HIP of
one inch. At the point between where it
passes through the diaphragm it is 1912
OF an inch. The bullet punctures were
directly opposite the wound between the
9Th and 18th rib, about inches in
straight line from where the aorta leaves
the heart. At the point of the puncture
the aorta was at least 1912 of an incn
III diameter The two punctures as
nearly as he could make out, were oppo
site each other in the walls of the aorta.
Between the, heart and the wounds of the
the intercostal arteries, lying next to the
ribs. Besides these big artery supply
ing the arm and head. and a little to the
left the left sub clavian and the left com
mon carotid, supplying the left arm and
side of the head The aorta wall is made
up of thin internal coat, a thicker mid
die coat, strong and tough, and the outer
coat, of thinner connective tissue.
There are three valves at the entrance
of the aorta. opening as the blood is
pumped into the aorta by the contrac-
ton of the left ventricle. This blood en-
tering the aorta distends it, because it is
elastic. Then the contraction OF the
walls OF the aorta force the blood on
down against the arterlal resistance.
The amount of blood found in the left
cavity of the chest was at least three
quarts, although it was not measured,
and in his report he had put the guam
tity at two quarts. This blood came from
the wounds In the aorta, In the lungs and
between the ribs, where one of the in
tercostal arteries was cut.
Senator Gillian asked how long it took
for the blood to circulate through the
entire system. DR.. Knox said he had no
personal knowledge, his opinion being
based on the authority of writer's on the
subject recognized as authorities. Capt.
Day objected to that kind of testimony
but was overruled by the court and an ex-
ception noted. This was the first excep-
ton In the case.
DR.. Knox replied by saying that every
fifty-three beats of the heart tine circu-
lation was completed. Each beat occu-
pies S3-100 of a second.
The distance between the anterior and
post axllary lines was between three and
four inches, according to the size of the
man. In an enormous man the distance
would be still greater.
There was no cross examination and ak
this point Solicitor Daniel announced that
the State would rest for the present al
slough there were other witnesses they
would call later on.
Mr.. Pou. then addressed the court, and
said that the State had announced at the
beginning of this trial that they would not
state what kind of a verdict they would
ask. They had said they might give coun.
sci for defense this information when their
evidence had been heard Now their evi-
dence was all in, except what they might
bring by way of rebuttal
Mr.. Daniels: Il did not say that
Mr.. Pou: mo, but the law says it for
you
Judge PEBBLES then said that he would
adhere to the rules, and that the State
could not introduce any further new evil
dence or substantive matter, but only
evidence in rebuttalS otherwise the mat
| ter would be endless.
| At this point the Grand Jury came in
to court, made their report and were dis
charged, with the thanks of the conrt
A portion of the report was not read by
the Judge as he said it should not be
made public.
Then Mr. Daniel called John HarrnS-
| ten, a colored man who drives a wagon
for DR.. Weihe's milk dairy In February
he worked for Father Price at the aCth-