Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-03-28

In the trial of Mrs. Alice +. Cooper
in the supreme judicial court Tuesday,
the question as to whether or not the
bullet which entered the brain of
Charles d. Northy, and which subse-
quently caused his death. severed or
punctured the right or left interior
capsules, Il portion of the brain. was
the paramount issue. and in an en-
deavor to ascertain whether DIR. AL
bert II. Sturtevant knew that the right
or left capsules in the brain of young
Northy were punctured. Hon. Herbert
NJ. Heath, senior counsel for the de-
fence. spent the entire day in cross
examination. 1t is said that if the in
terror capsules of the human brain are
seriously injured by punciurc or
wound of any material description. the
motor powers OF the body are stillcd
forever.
According 10 the highest medical
authorities. these parts of the brain
contrOl absolutely the power of move
ment of the arms and legs. If the
capsules in the brain Of Charles
Northy were punctured by the bullet
which killed Kim. then he was not
the room in the Cooper home in which
he died. after the fatal shot had been
fired; but if on the other hand, the
capsules were not seriously injured,
the man would have been capable of
movement. it is cortended by the de-
fe ice, and the theory of suicide would
be strengthened.
DIR. Sturtevant, who was on the
stand for the major portion of two
days, testified that he did not disscct
the brain of Northy. and to lis best
knowledge and belief, the brain was
never disSected, ard he could not
swear positively that the capsules were
punctured, although he assumed that
as the wound in the head was of un-
usually large size. the capsules.
either one or both. We're injured to a
sufficient degree to cause complete
paralysis and render movement on the
Fart Of the injured mar physically i'm
possible.
Dr.. Sturtevant WAS on the stand
from the opening of court at $50
o'clock until a few minutes before the
afternoon ADJOURNMENT when DR.. A. r.
G.. Smith. another of the States medi-
cal witnesses was called.
The attendance of spectators at the
trial Tuesday was as large as usual,
although the crowd thinned out to-
wards the last of the afternoon ses-
sion, as the testimony of the chief
witness was all entered in technical
terms, and not very interesting to the
OF binary man and woman who pos
sessed no definite interest in the case,
or who were unaquainted with the
principles of medicine or the human
anatomy.
Mrs. Cooper experienced a very try
ing day. She came into court in the
morning bright and almost smiling,
but the forcnoon's proceedings. We're
very irksone, and the afternoon was
spent in the examination Of the scalp
ard skull of the dead young man, and
SIZE was close to breakdown at sew
eral periods when The scalp WAS held
up before the jury for inspection
During the first hour of The afternoon
session, the defendant sat miserahly
alone, with her head resting upon the
bar enclosure rail, and with her dainty
muslin handkerchief held over her
eyes, but even with this Opaque veil.
ing, the tears trickled down over her
flushed cheeks and fell unheeded into
her lap. Her husband sat beside her
during greater part of the afternoon
ard frequently leaned over to where
she sat and whispered words of cheer
and encouragement.
Court convened at $50 o'clock as 4
usual, and DR.. Albert II. Sturtevant.'
the principal witness of Monday. was
re called to the stand and his cross
examination by Mr.. Heath was re-
stunned. After some immateriaI open
ing questions, Mr.. Heath passed the
skull Of the dead Northy and also the
bullet which, it is alleged, caused the
death of the young man to the witness.
Counsel requested the witness to pass
the bullet into the skull, through the