Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-02-26

hat and coat. There were no hat pins
IN the hat. Near the body We're two
wagon fender We're two more side
combs about IL feet from the body.
Sheriff Knowles then described the
dutch lock" with which the door was
fastened and the condition of the door
which, he said. had some scratches
upon it. Forrest Goodwin of Skowhe-
gan, associate counsel for the defense.
suggested that the door itself would
be the best evidence and County At
torney Burgess promised that it. should
be brought into court.
On cross-eXamination Sheriff
Knowles was subjected to a merciless
questioning by Attorney Goodwin. He
admitted that his memory in regard 10
the happenings of last Tuesday was
not Of the best and stated that lie
could not remember who was present
in the room upon his return He ad-
United that he did not know whether
the body had been touched or moved
during his absence.
After admitting that he could not tell
only what he had seen after others
had had access to the ROOM the sheriff
was excused.
DR.. William Buck testified TO prac-
tically the same facts as at the coron-
ers inquest. He described the condition
of the body and what was found at the
autopsy and asserted that in his opin-
ion death could not have been caused
by hanging from the door knob This
completed his direct examination and
adjournment was taken for dinner.
noon was produced when Attorney
Goodwin, who was president of the
Maine Senate in 1866, placed his neck
in the Moose too allow DR.. Buck to il
lustrate how TIE same rope was found
about the neck of the dead woman.
Coroner Fl. A. Holt was the principal
witness at the afternoon session. Or.
Holt was present when the door of
the room in the hotel where the body
was found was opened. He testified
to the finding of the body, its posi-
ton, etc. The clothing, he said. was
not dfsarranged in any way.
DR.. Holt, who also assisted at the
autopsy performed last Tuesday, tes-
tilted that a small indentaton was
found above the right eye. but the
wound did not extend through TO the
skull. During the autopsy it was
found that the Windpipe was in its
normal condition. In describing the
exterior of the body, DIR. Holt said
that there were no signs of violence.
He said. however. in reply to a ques-
ton on the part of the States attorney
that in his judgment he did not think
the woman. met death by hanging. but
that he did think she met death by
stranSula ton. Asked how he came 10
this conclusion, when the autopsy dis
closed the fact that the windpipe was
in its normal position, he said that if
the woman had been strangled, the
Wndpipc would have resumed its nor
NAL condition upon the removal Of tine
pressure, whereas if she had met death
by hanging, constant pressure upon
tho windpipe would have kept it closed.
DIR. Holt was subjected to a severe
ss-cXaminatioH. but did not ma
terially change his testimony. His
testimony took up about two hours Of
the afternoon session.
The only other witness examined
before adjournment was Clayton X.
Hall, the undertaken who cared for the
body. His testimony was that there
were no marks on the body indicating
violence. The clothes were not disar-
ranged in any way. he said. Articles OF
1.-The woman's wearing apparel were put
in as State exhibit
At the conclusion of Halls testi-
mony, court adjourned until 9 O'CLOCK
tomorrow morning. 1t was generally
felt that today's testimony had gener-
ally been favorable to the defence.
Woodbury. is in a much better con-
dition than he has been at any other
time since the body of Mrs Woodbury.
was found a week ago, and feels con-
fident that the authorities will not
hold him much longer
One of the most important witnesses
to be heard tomorrow will be j. ".
Mountford of Portland, whose name
has been mentioned in connection with
the case and who was ledger at the
Exchange House at the time Mrs.
Woodbury. is said to have disappeared.
REcAIISE OF DESPONDENCY