The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1903-11-25
DIR. CHAPLIN UN TRIAL.
Findley'S Lake Physician Charged
With Manslaughter.

The case OF Or. Henry G.. Chaplin, of
Findley's Lake, on a charge of having
through criminal malpractice caused the
death of Miss Iva Confer, of Marienville,
Forest county, is on trial at Mayville,
C~hautauqua county, and much interest is
manifested locally in the result or &C.
count of the parties being known in this
section.
Although considerable trouble was
necessary to secure a jury this was rath-
or a speedy accomplishment. So many
persons drawn as jurors had formed an
opinion as to the guilt or innocense ofthe
accused that the panel of jurymen was
exhausted and it was necessary to sum-
mon tailsmen before the jury could be
completed.
The case was opened by the district at
torney, who outlined the evidence which
the state expected to present. In this he
stated that included in it would be the fact
that the defendant was at Cory on the
night of Oct. s. and that the next day he
conveyed the lady who died at the hotel
at Findley Lake TO that place. That he
visited her there afterwards and that he
was present when Miss Confer died. He
also stated that he would show by wit
nesses that the physician and the dead
woman met in a parlor to which a bed
room was attached and that means or
screams were heard from the ROOM, and
that when a visitor went there to learn
the cause she found the girl lying on the
bed dead. The body was later carried TO
the girls bed Dom where other people
found the body and where they supposed
the death had occurred.
The evidence given yesterday on the
lines as laid down by the prosecuting at
torney and damaging to the case of the
defendant. 1t was told how the woman
came to Cory and was taken to Findley
Lake; of how she was at that time in ap-
parent good health aud spirits and able
to go on a nutting expedition; how she
intended going to a husking bee the fol-
lywing week and of how she was found
dead.
The most sensational testimony was
that OF Mrs. Gallup, who testified as to
having heard the agonizing cries of the
girl and of finding her on the bed in the
room off the parlor. When she appeared
in the room the girl had just fallen or
laid over on the bed and according to the
woman's story the physician appeared
frightened and wanted to leave the mouse
but she insisted that he remain and look
after Miss Confer. Another witness who
helped carry the girl up stairs swore that
the doctor asked him not to mention the
fact and to say that he had not seen her
until she was in her own room. Testi-
mony was also given as to the autopsy
which proved the girl to he pregnant
and that an attempt at a criminal opera
ton was indicated.
CONVICTED.
A late dispatch states that the trial of
DR.. Chaplin, charged with having per-
formed a criminal operation upon the
person of Miss Iva Confer, OF Marien-
vile, and of causing her death, was con-
cluded Saturday and the jury brought in
a verdict at 2 O'Clock Sunday morning.
The defense closed its side of the case
after having by a number of witnesses
shown that an autopsy held was not a
proper one and that it had not been per-
feet enough TO snow how death had been
caused. This point seemed to meet with
the approval of the Jury as the count of
manslaughter was ignored.
The prosecution showed, however, that
the accused had practically admitted that
he had performed an operation on the
young lady and Il at DR.. Chaplin had EN-
deavored to influence the surgeons who
held the post norton examination, to so
give their testimony than his sentence
would not be a severe one, and this no
doubt brought about his conviction on
the account of having performed a GRIM
inal operation.
His attorneys in their plea endeavored
to make light of the testimony, which to
those who heard it was very incriminat-
ing, but this did not seem to benefit
their client.