New-York tribune., 1905-11-29
AUTOPSY AIDS DEFENCE.
Physicians Sag Head Striking Floor
Probably Killed Branch.

a,nsnolts NFa Nov S-Tne autopsy held last
Sunday on the body OF Mdshipman james -, =.
Rrsnch Il bore fruit at to-day's session OF tiie
court martial which is trying Mdshpman Mliiol i
Afer,v,etber on CHARGES inclusive OF nanslaughter
in connection with the death of Mldshipln1-i me
Branch after a fight with Meriwether. Inc uoy
testimony was given chiefly by meoicai nio4' -
has heen present at the autopsy and bore upon
the question whether the death OF MldsniAinali @
T7ranch resulted from blows of his opponent as - =
or fpor, his head striking the floor OF the FOo -
which the hzht was held previous testimony -. H.
ing shown that Branch fell or was AHUNNS
several times during the encounter. uo,,,ced
t-ounseI for Hfdshipman Meriwether ann z -,
.bat sftar putting the accused on the soaiiu m N
t,s own defence tomorrow they VIII CioSe
case. Ito ond tech
surgeon q D. Gatewood gave minute 'p.o9s ailu
tI 7sc-5r+ton of the condition which the aUeoPss ~
u'e@i oeSN @ og branch He said that there
,,.se 10 fracture of the skull nor INJURY 10 -.
membrane of the brain except taAl oioueA' ss
nv the surgical operation. large cioI ~ W. rrt
however under the membrane or the oIaH' -
;si orS bear4 lungs and kidneys were 1ouho
=, ,sl condition. without evidence of previous
III health in these organs s =. os
c,roaon Cateyood said that he believed 1t was
likely that the cone ln1uE6fs Directly in contact with
opinjon the primary cause OF death was heii0i
rbage r,..ra u Ar,es was not asked
rsncb's death he said, was hernorrhage un9eF fe o
rerfTag .k,a
What he saw during the operation @ ana r,ine al frte
e11s had been caused by Sranchs heao c9fl1ii 9iI
i,1 sharp contact with some hard substance AAe ="
ho9r s eE injuries could not" DR., Anes said have
come from blows of the st eneaSed m puaeLis+ is+
See cloves unless Branchs head had neen agsII,S ~,
some vnyielding substance The slastclIy o. oS rI
neck and of MeTiwethers 8 ar1l anu AH4OEAA0
have made It impossible - a., .ssis+,ne
sureeon e D. Stokes. Z. s NJ VINO is asslS Ittis tt
the prosecution cross-exanined Dr. Ames anu rar eo
o+her medical witnesses offered by the oeIenoe
tcniariy with regard to the evidence thaI bnSV bSe
rs nsraJxsis of the left side OF BrancnS oUuy.
Tyhereas they Indicated that the probable injury July
was on the same side. In answer Witnesses i saeI
that Brarchs case presented some very uhusual
features -A,-.., -rt,o ts as
ststing the defence medical adviser Iha 81
he was present the autopsy upon tne oooS % "
Midshipraan Branch Death ne SAID La hao ,oer Degt
brought about by hemorrhage of the braln cover
ing There were st least three blood Slo9s 5 on 19
right side of the skull. where 1t had oeen oReneo
by the surgeon performing the operation, From rom
What he saw during the autopsy the witness was
ss+isfed that the fatal injuries were Que 10
Branch's having hit his head against hard un-
Welding substance, such e floor or wan, anu
could not have been due to the blows OF nsts en-
cased in punching bag gloves All three o!ooo St
clots that he could have been caused, tne WI
ness thought, by blow OF the head against the
floor wall