Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-11-27

reputable physicians who We're pres
cnt at the autopsy held on Grace
Browns body went on the stand at the
Gillette murder trial today ana testi-
fed that the girl received blows be-
fore entering the water, that We're suf-
ficient to cause death. and which in
their opinion, did cause death in this
case.
Two physicians DR.. a. Q. Douglas
and DR.. F.. H. Douglas, both of Little
field. but not relatives, declared under
oath that Grace Brown was not drown
| ed. 1t was their opinion that she died
| from blows which killed or rendered
her unconscious before her body drop
| ped into Big Moose lake. They de-
clarcd that there was not enough water
| in the lungs of the body TO warrant a
theory of drowning.
The substance of their testimony.
which occupied the entire day, was
that Grace Brown received one blow
that cut her upper lip and looscned a
tooth. that another blow discolored her
check aud rupturcd bloodvcssel with
| in it, and that a third and more severe
blow on the scalp caused q blood clot
to form on the brain. The blood clot
| on the brain, the physicians swore,
was sufficient in itself to have caused
death.
Former Senator Mills, Gilicttc's SEN
| ior counsel, conducted the crosS-cX-
animation. He spent several hours in
an effort to shake the testimony of
these witnesses and while cedcd in
confusing DR.. A. O. Douglas. somewhat,
neither of them went back on their
opinion that Grace Brown was slain
before she was immersed in the water
of Big Moose lake.
The theory advanced by the defence
was that the blows could have been
administered after death. and their lin"
| of questioning indicated Il contention
that the girl in drowning arose to the
surface three times and each time
struck tn" overturned skiff. and rccciv-
| ed the injuries alleged by the witnesses
and state to have been inflicted before
she was emerged in the lake.
Today was the first time that the
district attorney has made an attempt
| to prove directly that Grace Brown was
actually murdered. He had spent IL
week i'll showing q possible motive and
| so connecting Gillette with the case
| that the jury would look to him as
the guilty PERSON should murder &c
proved at the close of the states case.
When DR.. j. y. Douglas first tool,
| the stand he was asked to describe
| tho injuries he found on Grace Browns
body at the autopsy.
There was a confusion on TIE left
check. the left eye was discoIorcd. the
| nose was swollen and on the right side
| Of the head there was n confusion sucn
| as could not have been caused after
| DEATH" he said.
1t is possible to distinguish marks
on the body as to whether they are
inflicted by mechanical force or after
death" asked the district attorney.
1T is was the reply.
The witness swore that the condition
such IS was found on Grace Browns
skull could not result from a blow re
ceived after death.
When | find n swelling at the place
where a blood vessel is rupturcd
should say that the injury occurred
before death" said the witness.
rs it easy to tell?"
1T is"
Gould you swear that these injuries
were inflicted before the death Of the
subject?'
81 could
"By mechanical forcc?'
'They were
Here DR.. Douglass was handed Gill
lette's tennis racquet, and asked if the
injuries he found could have been pro-
duced by that.
a dramatic moment ensued as he
swung the racquet in the air expert
mentally.
"The injuries could have been pro-
duced by this weapon. using either
end" he said.
DR.. Douglas stated that the blood clot
on the brain was as large as a Decent
piece. and then said it was caused by
external violence before death. DR..
Douglas further said that, in his opin-
ion, such blood clot would cause
death. although there were cases where
persons recovered from severe contu-
sions.
On crcss-eXamination the doctor in
sisted that the girl did not meet death