The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-11-28
GRACE BROWN NOT DROWNED
EXPERTS AGREE THAT DEATH
CAME BY VIOLENCE.

WV w 49,
Thanksgiving Defence Not Disclosed.
H~ERKIMER, Nov. 27.-The prosecution In
the case Of Chester Gillette neared its CLOSE
to-day with the introduction Of more medi-
cal testimony 10 prove that Grace Brown
was dead before her body went into the
water OF Big Moose Lake.
y The cross-examination Of DR.. z. 81. Doug
lass took up the greater part Of the morning.
h he had left the stand three more OF
the experts who had performed the autopsy
on the girls body were called. They were
DR.. George H. Smith, DR.. W. s. Hayes and
DR.. 8. 8. Richards, DIR. Richards was still
on the stand when the afternoon session
ended.
The result OF the days session was simply
to add to the weight Of the evidence that
the girls death resulted from injuries re-
ceived before she fell, wss thrown or threw
herself into the water.
Each physician as he took the stand
described the injuries found on he girls
head and face. Each one declared that the
wounds were received before death and that
the clot on the girls brain was sufficient
TO cause insensibility or death, either OF
which would be sufficient to place the burden
OF her killing on the defendant
The defence spent an immeuse amount
OF lime in c-ross-examining the witnesses.
1t is plain that Gillette's attorneys are
laying the foundation for their case, but
both Mr.. Mills and Mr.. Thomas are as Sc
cretive as ever as to what their case will be.
You will find out when we open, probably
tomorrow, and then you will be surprised
they said. 1T will be easy to be seen what
u cross-exsmination has been for then"
For a time to-day there were reports that
court would be held Thursday in spite Of the
fact that it was Thanksgiving Day, but
Judge Devendorf decided late last night
that there would be no session on the holi-
day. His decision he announced to-day.
Tn crowds which have flocked to the
court room are the only ones disappointed
by the fact that they cannot lave a holiday
session Of the court to tak the place which
a football game holds in larger cities. That
is the way in which the throngs that daily
jam the court room still look at the trial.
The court proceedings and the defend ant
continue to be the greatest source of amuse-
ment which the county has seen in many
years, and it Ia still necessary to double
lock the doors Of the court house and stand
guard even now, when each days testimony
is a practical repetition Of that of the day
before.
The facts which the prosecution brought
out to-day were for the most part negative,
going to prove that symptoms usually found
in the bodies Of drowned persons were lack
ing. One OF the few additional positive
facts was brought out in the examination Of
DIR. George IL. Smith, who testified that he
had found some coagulated blood in the
girls ~nostrils.
Would blood coagulate II It mingled
freely with water?' asked the Prosecutor.
NO" replied the witness
This bit of testimony may be of consider
able Importance II the defence, as seems
likely, seeks 10 prove that the injuries were
received after Grace Brown was submerged
in the water Of Big Moose.
Testimony OF the negative sort was
brought out in the redirect examination
of DIR. E. H. Douglas. He testified that in
the present case there was no water in the
lungs, the mouth of the girl was not open,
the liver was not congested. the CLOTHS was
not closed, the diaphragm was raised and
not depressed and cross sections Of the
lungs revealed no water. All these symp-
toms, which are usually present in cases
of drowning, were not found on an exam
nation of the body Of Grace Brown
The defence has got hold of memoranda
prepared by the physicians who are testify
ing for the prosecution. Every time one
Of these witnesses ~testifies 10 some fact
not noted in these memoranda Mr.. Mills
asks:
DO o know that this symptom is not
put in these notes7"
was there a reason for not putting them
down."
-Yes."
The counsel always says: Il thought So"
but never asks what the reason is.
There was one incident this afternoon to
tighten the monotony of the medical exami-
nation. On the redirect examination of
DR.. Smith, the District Attorney asked him
to demonstrate on what part of the skull
Of Grace Brown the bruise and blood clot
had been found. The witness Immediately
jumped down from his chair and tapped the
head OF juror No. 3. This juror, who is
fat and uncommonly bald, goes by the name
Of Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse. When he
saw the physician come toward him and felt
the tap on his head his face took on such
an expression of complete establishment
that the court room burst into roars of
laughter which Bailiff Richards had TO sub
due with much pounding Of his long red
staff. The jurors face did not lose its ex-
preston OF establishment all through the
remainder Of the physicians examination.
Another incident which broke into the
regular medical examination was the recall
ing for oroSS-eXamination by the defence
OF the Rev. Cuthbert Frost. In his dire ct
testimony he had said that on the evening
OF July IS he had heard Gillette say TO a
number Of men playing cards in the lobby
of the Glenmore Hotel: Have you heard
of the tragedy-drowning at Big Moose?"
On cross-examination he said that the
word tragedy was a slip Of the tongue,
which he had tried TO correct with the word
drowning He apparently also wanted
to explain that on further thought he had
decided that he was not absolutely sure
that it had beer Gillette who had asked
this question, although il still remained
a distinct impression on his mind. Since
-sxvtn1 hia faGfaDnany ha aasI hA kaI rnAN
Mr.. Miller, one Of the parties TO the conversa-
ton, who, he thought, had told him that one
of the other members of the card party,
and not Gillette, a made the remark.
Early in the day the prosecution intro
duoed evidence to prove Grace Browns
delicate condition. The defence as usual
objected ~strenuously to the admission of the
testimony. The Introduction of the exhibit
was allowed. II is said hat among other
witnesses the defence will bring forward
some Of Gillette's former friends from
Cortland TO testify that he had honorable
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