The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-22

MEDICAL EXPERT.
Testifies as to the Nature OF
Miss Sapp's Wounds.
Intimates That Throat Cuts
Were Not Self Inflicted.
MAKES A STRONG CASE
$yhit Ow's Written Confession
Read 10 the Jury.
The State Will Rest Its Case
This Afternoon.

lola, May 22.-The greater portion
of the day in the Sapp murder case
was taken up in the examination or
Medical Expert George B. Lambeth
and the wrangIing over the question
of whether a person so wounded, as
the witness testified Miss Sapp was,
could scream one or more times.
The state also attempted by a
hypothetical question to get the wit
ness to say whether or not the wounds
were seh-inficted. The defense
objected and were sustained.
States Attorney Peterson read
Whitlow's written confession of be-
ing an eye witness to the tragedy.
The statement has been in the pos
session of Peterson since ten days fol-
lowing the death of Miss Sapp.
Witness Lambeth, first on the stand,
said that he had made an examination
of the wounds "A hours after the muir
der. He said they were two distinct
cuts. The first starting three and one
half inches below the lobe of the left
ear and running around the throat to
point a little lower, perhaps three and
one-half inches under the right ear,
showing that the cut was made from
the left to the right. The point of this,
he said, lays in the fact that the person
who cut her would naturally be right
handed himself throw his arm around
her shoulder and cut from the left.
= In the yoke of her dress was a con-
siderable tear. In the first cut he tes-
titled that the wound was purely super
fetal That it did not sever any vital
organs or arteries. He testified that
person receiving such a wound would
not faint or fall The question of in
jury to the voice then arose. How
many times did she scream. The testi-
mony is conflicting Some say she
screamed twice. some say three times;
her mother says once. A person so
wounded would still be able to scream.
The second cut started a little below
the first one and ran into it about the
center of the throat; came out on the
other side little below the exit of the
first one. That wound was fatal. 1t
severed every organ and vital nerve
and muscle in the throat.
1t was shown by an undertaken who
embalmed the body that the carotid
artery was not severed, for If it had
been, the embalming fluid put into the
veins and arteries would have CONF
out at this place, unless it had been
tied. He tied one artery, but not that
one. The state will rest this afternoon.
]. N. Sapp was one of the
last witnesses to be placed on
the stand in the Whitlow murder
trial Thursday afternoon. Mr.. Sapp is
the father OF the dead girl.
He said he started up town about
z or 7:10 o'clock the night of the trag-
edy. He was going to a store; he
said 1t took him less than three min
store at 1908, starting home. When he
arrived home he learned that his
daughter was dead. He thought six
minutes elapsed from the time he left
home until he got back home. He had
since stepped the distance. 1t was $50
feet and took him six minutes to make
the trip. In the cross-examination he
said he looked at the clock before he
left, thereby fixing the time. Mr.. Oyler
asked him II 1t was not a fact that he
testified in the preliminary that he
stepped across the street. Mr.. Sapp
denied II in q very loud tone of voice.
Mr.. Oyler asked him If he did not say
in the inquest that he was in Hobby S
store few minutes. Mr.. Sapp said
he did not stay there a few minutes.
He said he must have been bothered
when he testified the first time as to
being in the store few minutes.
Mr.. Oyler then read from the witness
testimony at the inquest with refer
ence to his footsteps early in the ev-
ening of the night of the tragedy and
asked If he so testified. He said 1t was
not exactly his testimony. Mr.. Oyler
took Mr.. Sapp back over his testimony,
tracing his footsteps carefully to ascer-
tain whether or not he had not been
absent from home longer than ne tes-
titled. Mr.. Sapp was asked as tC
whether or not he had told DR.. Deland
at the latter Olllce Indt ne naQ red-
sons to believe that his daughter COM
mitted suicide. Objection was made
and sustained. He was also asked II
he had not said that May Sapp was
infatuated with Sam Whitlow. Objec-
ton was made and sustained. The
-switness was then asked about the razor
(which Cal Morrison found on the scene
cf the tragedy and turned over to him
He was asked If he did not take the
razor in the house to see If it was ont
of his own. Objection was made ant
sustained.
Following Mr.. Sapp, Sheriff Bollingel
was put on the stand. He told of Whit
lows confession. County Attorney Pc
terson followed Mr.. Bollinger and wa!
given a severe cross-examination b!
the attorneys for the defense. He wal
asked IL he did not at one time tell Mr.
Oyler, Mr.. Gard and Mr.. Ellis that h,
was satisfied that May Sapp commit
ted suicide but that he had to maxi
an arrest to satisfy public sentiment
This was objected to and sustaine,
but it had it's effect on the jury.
F. A. Hagenbuch, the undertaken
who was called to the Sapp home tn