Omaha daily bee., 1905-11-29
BRANCH AUTOPSY FRUITFUL
Testimony of Experts Show that Death Re-
suited from Striking Floor or Wall
MERIWETHER WILL TESTIFY TODAY
with the Evidence of the Ac-
cused the Case for the
Defendant VIII He
Closed.

ANNAPOLIS Nd, Nov. 2S.-The autopsy
held last Sunday on the body of the late
Midshipman James R. Branch, jr., bore
fruit at today's session Of the court-martial
which is trying Midshipnan Minor Meri-
wether on charges inclusive of manslaugh
ter IN connection with the death of Mid
shipman Branch after fist fight with
Meriwether. The days testimony was given
chiefly by medical men who had been pres
ent at the autopsy, and bore upon the
question whether the death of Midshipman
Branch resulted from blows of his oppo-
rents fists or from his head striking the
room in which the fight was held previous
testimony having shown that Branch fell
or was knocked down several times dur
ing the encounter
Testimony was also given, according to
which. although the Naval academy hos
pital journal shows the origin of injuries
for which midshipmen are treated, the
morning sick report sent by the hospital
officers TO the superintendent of the acad-
envy does not, and a witness giving testi-
mony In this connection said that he knew
of no inspection of the hospital journal
having been made by the authorities.
Counsel for Midshipman Meriwether an
nounced that after putting the accused on
the stand in his own defense tomorrow
they will close their case.
Testimony in Detail.
Surgeon E. d. Gatewood was the first
witness TO testify as to matters connected
with the autopsy He gave a minute and
technical description of the condition which
the autopsy reNealed in the case of Branch
He said that there was no fracture Of the
skull nor injury to the membrane of the
brain except that brought about by the
surgical operation. A large clot was
found, however. under the membrane of the
brain. The spinal cord. heart, lungs and
kidneys were found in normal condition
without evidence of previous i'll health in
these organs.
Surgeon Gatewood said that he believed
that II was more likely that the injuries
were received by Branch's head having
come directly in contact with some hard
object rather than by fist blows In his
opinion the primary cause OF death was
hemorrhage-the increased pressure on the
brain substance caused death.
Surgeon Gatewood was rigidly examined
by DR.. z. w. Glazebrook and Surgeon E.
d. Stokes. the medical experts Of the de-
Tense and prosecution respectively. On
cross-examination the witness said that
there was nothing shown at the autopsy
which disproved that the injuries had been
caused by the fist blows.
Head struck Hard Substance.
Medical Director Howard z. Ames, who
went on the stand at the opening of the
afternoon session, said the cause of
Branch's death was hemorrhage under the
covering of the brain. which. he believed,
both from what he saw during the opera
ton ard at the autopsy, had been caused
by Branchs head coming in sharp contact
with some hard substance like a floor or
a wall
The injuries could not" Dr. Ames said,
have come from blows Of the fist encased
I'm punching bag gloves unless Branch S
head had been against some unyielding sub
stance. The elasticity of the neck and o:
Meriwethers arm and knuckles would nav,
| made IL impossible
DR.. Ames. who has recently been relieved