The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-11-27
BLOWS KILLED
GRACE BROWN
State Shows Murder Done at
Big Moose Lake.
GIRL WAS NOT DROWNED
Direct Evidence OF Death Given
When Doctor Who Performed
Autopsy Testified.
GIRL WAS NOT DROWNED

HERKIMER, n. Y. Nov. 27.-Dr.
Douglas OF Little Falls, one OF the ply
slcinns who helped TO perform the au'
topsy on Grace Browns body, testified
at the trial OF Chester Gillette that the
injuries found on the body were In.
fllcicd before death. lie testified that
the tennis racket that Gillette buried
and which the sheriff found was ca
pable OF producing the abraslons and
other injuries found on the body. THE
condition OF the girls lungs did not In.
dictate drowning" said DIR. Douglas.
This was stricken out.
'Thc lips were swollen, ard the tip
OF the nose was enlarged and dlscolored.
The left center upper tooth was over
tapping the right center upper tooth.
The left cheek bone was swollen.
There were abraslons and membrane
at the lips. These injuries were In
fIctcd before DEATH" he said. 'rhe
blood vessels OF the head had been
separated ms II by blows"
The word elbows" was objected 10.
aud the objection was sustained.
A dramatic moment ensued ms Dis
trlct Attorney Ward swung the tennis
racquet which was found near Big
Moose lake In the air eXpcrimentally.
"The injuries could have been pro-
duced by this weapon, using either
end" the doctor said.
/ II. nau.,Iu. afaNnI that tho hia0I
clot on the brain was as large as ten
cent piece and again said that II was
caused by external violence before
death. Dr. Douglas further said that
In his opinion such blood clot would
cause death, although there were cases
where persons recovered from severe
Commissions.
DIR. Douglas then described the head
as he found Il. There was blood
clOt on the brain. but no fracture Of
| the skull
"In your opinion, what was the cause
Of deathT"
~ should say that death resulted
from shock or conclusions resulting
lIOAu bAOMr VI W Aht hNtAh W
fore immersion, or II immersion did
occur while there was still life the
chances of restoration were so few
that immersion was unnecessary TO
produce death"
In his cross examination Of DR..
Douglas, Mr.. Mills, senior counsel OF
Gillette. qulzzed the witness about any
indications the body Of Grace Brown
might have shown. The attorney first
took up the subject Of the girls eyes.
"You say there was much membrane
in themT asked Mr.. Mills.
"Yes"
isn't that an indication of drown
ing usuallyT'
1T Is"
The witness also testified that the
swelling of the lips, the enlargement
of the tip of the nose and the light
red coloring of the lungs were symp-
toms of drowning.
Former Senator Mills, Gillette's
senior counsel, conducted the cross
examination. lie spent several hours
in an effort to shake the testimony OF
these witnesses, and while he succeed
ed in confusing DR.. A. o. Douglas
somewhat, neither Of them went back
of their opinion that Grace Brown was
slain before she was immersed in the
waters of Big Moose lake.
The theory advanced by the defense
was that the blows could have been
administered after death, and their
line of questioning indicated conten-
ton that the girl in drowning rose to
the surface Of the water three times
and each time struck the overturned
skiff and received the injuries alleged
by the witnesses and the state to have
been inflicted before she was deposited
in the lake.
This hearing was the first In which
the district attorney had made an at
tempt to prove directly that Grace
Brown was actually murdered. He had
spent week in showing possible
motive and so connecting Gillette with
the case that the jury would look to
him as the guilty person should MUIR
der be proved at the close of the states
case.