The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-11-27
Blows Dealt to Grace Brown
Before Her Immersion
BODY FOUND IN MOOSE LAKE
Gillette's Attorneys Maintain That In
iuries Were Caused BY Drowning
Girls Head Dumping Against
Bottom of Skiff.


topsy on Grace Browns body went on
the stand at the Gillette murder trial to-
day and testified the girl received blows
before entering the water that were sur
dcent to cause death, and which, N
their opinion. caused death in this case.
These physicians, DIR. A. o. Douglass ana
DR.. e. II. Douglas, both of Little Falls'
but not relatives, declaped under oath tnat
Grace Brown was not drowned. 1t was
their opinion that she died from blows
which killed or rendered her unconscious
before her body was dropped into Big
Moose lake They declared that there
was not enough water in the lungs of the
body TO warrant a theory of drowning.
The substance of their testimony was
that Grace Brown received blows that
cut her upper lip, loosened a tooth, rup-
tured a blood vessel in her face, and
caused a blood clot the brain. The
blood clot, the physicians swear was SUI
feient in itself to have caused DEATH
Former Senator Mills, Ginettes senior
counsel conducted the cross-eXamination.
lie spent several hours in an effort to
shake the testimony of these witnesses,
and while he succeeded in confusing Dr..
A. O. Douglas somewhat, neither physi-
clan withdrew his opinion that Grace
Brown was killed or rendered uncon-
scious before she was immersed in the
waters of Big Moose lake.
Administered After Death.
The theory advanced by the defense
was that the blows could have been ad-
minstered after death, and the line of
questioning indicated contention that
the girl in drowning rose to the surface
| of the water three times, and each time
struck the overturned s1iff and received
! the injuries. Dr. E. II. Douglas proved
a strong witness, and his testimony was
| mistaken.
rs it possible to distinguish marks OIL a
body as to whether they are inflicted by
mechanical force before or after death?
| asked the district attorney. 1T Is" was
the reply. The witness swors, that IN
ecchymotlc condition. such as was found
in Grace Browns skull, could not result
from blow received after death.
"Could you swear that these Injuries
were inflicted before the death of the
subject?'
Il could
by mechanical force?'
Tennis Racquet Could Do It.
They were
Here DR. Douglas was handed Glllette's 8
tennis racquet and was asked If the in
juries found could have been produced
by that? A dramatic moment ensued as
he swung the racquet in the air expert
mentally. "rhe injuries could have been
produced by this weapon, using either
end" he said.
On cross-examination the doctor insist
ed that the girl did not meet death by
drowning
Another Doctor On Stand.
DR. O. A. Douglas of Little Falls, one
of the physicians who examined the au-
topsy on Grace Browns body. testified
that the injuries found the body
were inflicted before death. He testified
that the tennis racquet that Gillette
buried, and which the sheriff found was
capable of producing the abrasions and
other injuries found on the body.
The condition of the girls lungs did not
indicate drowning" said DR.. Douglas.
This latter statement was stricken out.
The lips were swollen and the tip Of
nose enlarged and discolored The left
center upper tooth was overlapping the
right center upper tooth. The left cheek
bone was swollen. There were abrasions
of the membrane of the lips. These in
juries were inflicted before DEATH the
witness said. The blood vessels of the
head had been separated as If by blows.
The word blows was objected to and
the objection was sustained
Dr. Douglas described the head as he
found 1t. There was a blood clot on
the brain, but no fracture of the skull.
I'm your opinion what was the cause of
death?"
Il should say that death resulted from
shock or concussions resulting from bio ws
or injuries to the head before INNER
sion, or If immersion did occur while there
was still life the chances of restoration
were so few that immersion was unnec-
essary to produce DEATH
In his cross mination of DR.. Douglas,
Mr. Mills, senior counsel for Gillette,
questioned the witness about any indica-
tions the body of Grace Brown might have
shown. The attorney first took up the
subject of the girls eyes.
you say there was much hemorrhage
in them?" asked Mr. Mills.
"Yes"
isn't that an indication of drowning,
usually"
ut is"
Symptoms of browns.
The witness also testified that the swell