The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-11-24
BLOWS CAUSED DEATH
MEDICAL MEN TESTIFY IN MERI-
 NEITHER CASE.
Fists of the sidshipman and Nothing Else, They Say, Were Responsi-
 ble for the Death of Branch, s.

Annapolis. Md. Nov. 23.--The prose- cution used its heavy artillery in the line of medical testimony during to- days session of courtmartial which Is trying Midshipman Meriwether for manslaughter in connection with the death of Midshipman Branch, important witnesses being Dr. J. M. T. Finney, chief surgeon of the Johns Hopkins University of Baltimore; Henry M. Thomas. neurologist of the same insti- tuition and J. c. Byrnes. chief medical officer attached to the Naval Academy.
 The operation upou Midshipman Branch consisted of lifting and fold ing over a portion of the skull in order to remove such blood clots as might be formed.
 It was brought out that the injury, though on the right side. was occa- stoned by the successive fist blows on the left side of the head.
 Death Result of Fight. All the medical officers gave 1t as their very positive conviction that Branch died from the effect of the blows he received in his fight with Meriwether. The cross examination was for the purpose of proving that the death might have been due to organic weak ness in Branch or to the unskifled treatment he received from his friends after the fight and the delay in giving him to the care of the physicians. Stress was laid on the fact that no autopsy was held and the admission was eiicited that more certain opinion | as to the immediate cause of the death could be given if the autopsy had been l held. However, the physicians testi- | fed most positively that 1t was their l professional opinion that the blows and l nothing else had contributed to his III -N.- |. | Titled any possible effect of the treat ment Branch received aftr the fight and gave 1t as their opinion that no ! treatment could have saved his life. | The absence of an autopsy was ex- l plained by Surgeon Byrnes, who stated that Branch's father refused his per- 1 mission. 'N
 Proper Course Not Clear. ] .Dr. Finney testified that an opera | tion was decided upon. but the case l presented many different features and l the proper course was by no means clear, but it was hoped that the active | cause of the unfavorable symptoms might be found under the portion of the skull which was opened No hem | orrhages of any consequence were | found immediately under the skull. but several small ones were encountered 1 when the sumstaIrce of the brain was l penetrated. The brain itslf was very | much enlarged, obscuring the convo1u- | tiohs.
 Tn answer to question propounded by the judge advocate, Dr .Finney said that under circumstances similar to those in this case, his professional opinion would be that repeated blows | of the fist had caused the death Of the person receiving them. Cross exami- nation elicited the opinion that death | with similar symptoms might be caused by the stopping of the veins or arteries in the brain from causes other than ex- ternal injuries.
 No Chance for Life.
 Dr. Thomson expressed his positive conviction that no treatment would
 have saved Branch's life and that the death was caused by the blows he re- ceived.
 The members of the court particu-
 larly Admiral Mccormick and Captain
 Barry questioned the medical men
 larly seemed anxious to elicit informa-
 ton as to whether or not it was req.
 sonably certain that Meriwether's
 blows had caused the death of Branch
 and whether any other cause could bt assigned without stretching facts be-
 yond the bound of reason.
 The prosecution will perhaps close
 It's testimony early tomorrow. The
 defense may be elaborate as it i'
 known that Lieutenant-Com
 Robinson and MT. Munroe, Meriwether'' counsel, have entered into the case witt
 much vigor and research and have sev' l Ceh strong points.