Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-01-14
HAD MORE EVIDENCE.
CONTINUED from page ~

was at Skowhegan at the December
trial to offer evidence, but the object
Of his presence there was not known to
anyone except the respondents coun-
sci.
Anthony Poulin, who twice buried
the body Of Pare. and who dug it up
once, was at Waterville, at the same
Time the attorneys thinking 1t best
not to have him at SkOwhegan until
it was time to introduce his evidence.
Securing this evidence was a mas
terly stroke. It illustrates the hard
work and faithfulness that character
lied the work of the Lewiston attor-
neys through the entire three years the
case has been in the courts.
The second line Of proof that Terrio
is innocent, is contained in a letter tt
McGillicuddy & Morey, from Ora w.
Knight, chemist and microscopic, of
Bangor. This letter was written afte.
Prof. Whittier Of Bowdoin College tes-
tilted at the December trial and al
reference to his evidence, refers to tes-
tilnony given at this trial.
Following Is the letter:
Bangor. Dec. IS. 1909.
McGillcuddy & Morey. Lewiston. Me.
Gentlemen-After very careful
consideration OF all the data which
have collected in connection with the
Terrio case l am able to report that
have reached the following conclusions
to which I am prepared to testify:
First. as regards the fact whether
or not the crushed shell was fired load
ed or was accidentally snapped in the
Terrio rifle after 1t came into possession
OF the Somerset county officers am I'M
able to satisfy myself from exanna-
ton Of the shell alone. DIR. Whittier
at the recent abortive trial testified
that 1t vas only fired once. that 1t was
loaded when fired and that it was flred
in the Terrio rifle, and gave certain
reasons why he reached these conciu-
lions. He said that shells snapped only
once haG shallOWer depreSSionS than
those snapped O. second time. ma
that the deepest depresSiOnS made III
shells which are exploded once only III
the Tcrrio and other rifles by indenta-
ton Of the primer are much deeper
than the shallowest depressionS made
on some shells which have been Hred.
subjected to corrosiOn and snapped a
second time, this latter swapping be-
ing in the Tcrrio rifle. DIR. Whittier
claimed that shells snapped second
time had all of the primer carried be-
low, the level of the brass part OF the
shell. I find that a number or shelis
which were struck twice still have
mart Of the primer level with the sur
face OF the brass part Of the Shell, or
i'm other words there is no separation
of the primer from the shell. III
Whittier claims that shells hred IN the
Terrio rifle do not have the depression
made in the exact center of the prlm-
or and that q second striking would
not coincide. find that some shells
struck a second time after all CHAR
acteristic microScopcal marks nav"
been removed by corrosion would nave
the marks coincide, by marks here
mean the hole or depression made III
the primer by the firing pin ana not
the characteristic marks OF the hrliS
min which are visible only through the
microscope DR.. Whittier testified that
he. had fired shells in one riiie anu
without corrosion snapped them u sec
ond time in Tcrrio's rifle and that ne
coulds tell this had been done because
tho marks were not clear, but were
muAh broken up and interrupted.
6oyft see that this claim OF his affects
the case one way or the other. ana ne
testified to nothing as regards the I'M
planting of the characteristic marks OH
shells which had first been submitted
tn corrosiou. find that exploded
shells which are submitted to corrosloh
until all characteristic marks OF inc
firing pir imprinted on the primer
have disappeared and which are theh
snappe,l ON by the firing pin Of Terrio S
rifle viii in many instances show the
characteristic markings OF this Terrio
firing hin Just as clear cut as many
loaded shells which are fired III the
TerriO rifle.
For reasons which ] give above Dr-
whitt,er's evidence and conclusions
will now stand and ] have been I'M
able to find any rule by whlcn c'ii,
determine whether or not the crushed
shell was fired loaded in the 1errio
rifle or when empty and all previous
marks removed by corrosion was MT
by the Terrio firing pin while empty
As a result Of my experiments ON COR
rosion regarding which l have previ-
ously fully testified. l can confidently
assert That no shell could have re-
manned from the 18th day of March 70
the 1l,h day of April. 1901. under the
conditions that existed near the booy
Of Matthias Pare without having obilt-
Grated from 1t all the characteristic
minute markings which might nave
been imprinted on it's primer by the
firing pin of airy rifle have examined
without all of these markings beihg
obliteratcd by corrosion and conse-
Quently either the crushed shell must
have been put on or near the BODY Oh
Matthias Pare only a day or so before
the body was discovered or it must
have been accidentally snapped III the
Terrio rifle at some later date
Second, as regards the metal jacket
Of a bullet found in the clothing OF
Matthias Pare. Il is not in my opinion
a 1890 jacket. hut is a 30-4o jacket. be-
cause ! have weighed a number OF 80
80 Jackets from which all the leaden
portion was carefully separated With
out loss of any OF the Jacket. these be-
ing from many boxes of cartridges
bought at different times and places,
"a f,nd tho ayer:,,te weight of a 30