Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-11-10

face up. 1t was q cheap watch, with a
brass chain. The watch had stopped at
three minutes of nine A notebook
was found. A l0-cent piece, a Ave
cent piece and some coppers were
found on the bed.
What was the condition Of the
mans face relative to being wet and
dirty"
1T was both wet and dirty. 1t
looked as though it had been burnt on
one side"
There was smut or what appeared
to be smut on both hands,"
"On one hand
(Which hand?"
81 think it was the right hand"
Did you notice whether his fist was
clenched or note"
Il think it was"
Were his feet together or spread
apart ~
''They were spread apart"
The mopboard and plank in the floor
had not been taken up when the wit
ness was on the scene. The hand and
face We're within the burnt area.
The witness had arrested Durham
twice in the past for drunkenness.
When Coroner Plummer turned the
body over, it appeared to be rigid.
The witness found an axe in the wood
shed.
WAS the clothing of Mr.. Durham
torn in any way?"
Not that I noticed"
"Was Mr.. Burke there while you
were there? He came after you ar
rived?"
"VaS Gil.
Dr. Q. S. C. Davies was the next wit
ness. Had been practicing medicine
since 1889 Was a graduate of Bowdoin
College Was called into the case on
Saturday.
The witness noted the overturned
chair, the watch upon the floor. the
notebook, the bed. and at the foot of
the bed the feet of the man as if he
were lying upon his face. After look
ing about the room the bed was lifted
away from the body, and witness no.
ticed that the body lay within 10 inches
nf the Dashboard, being completely
covered by the bed The body was
dressed in a suit of soldiers clothes.
There WAS much moisture on the floor
and on the clothing. The body was
turned upon it's left side. and was very
rigid Indicating that death had oc-
Cured some hours before. The head
and face were covered with black SCOT,
and also the hands.
The body had been lying upon the
face, and upoE the left side. the head
resting upon the left cheek and fore
head; the right hand had been resting
between the body and the floor.
AS the body was raised it was noticed
that that part on which the face and
hand rested was not particularly dis
colored. Witness did not see the body
again until it was in the dissecting
room at Rowdoin college. Brunswick.
Witness read his notes taken at that
time. Found four abrasions on the
head and one on the nose, covering
practically the whole nose. The lateral
carriages We're separated from the ma
sal bones. Abrasions were found on
the left elbow and on the body.
The brain seemed softer than normal.
The conditions of the vital organs were
described. Liver was discolored. The
brain was congcsted. The deduction
was that death was caused by conges-
ton of the brain.
Questioned hy the county attorney
the witness said that a good deal of
this congestion was due to external VIC
leEce.
Cross examined by Attorney Will
hanson the witness located the moist
area on the floor as coinciding pretty
nearly with the charred area.
The witness was told by someone
while at the house that there had been
a fire in the room some months before.
Did you find any indication of dis
ease from the autopsy, except this
congestion of the BRAIN"
No, 1 did not except that all the
organs were nor entirely normal
The rigor indicated that the man had
been dead "A hours or more before the
witness *aw the body on Saturday.
When the body had been returned from
Brunswick. the rigor had given way.
Il should say that this rigor was
somewhat more pronounced than usu-
al
What portion of the hair was COW
cred with charred MATERIAL"
"All of the hair of the head
You say that some of the hair was
singed?"
Yes. some of it appeared to be-" A
sample Of the hair was left with Prof.
Robinson for the purpose of determin-
ing this point. OF the four abrasions
on the head, the second and third as
numbered OH the diagram in evidence,
were more pronounced. The area
around these four abrasicns was nor
NAL No section was made through
the scars.
would it be possible for you to de-
termine whether these abrasions were
the result of blow or a fall?'
mot from their appearance.
you couldn't tell"
"No."
"Were any of these abrasions far
enough over to be over the temporal
muscle?"