The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-02-15
GRIMES STORY Is
TORN TO TATTERS
BY LODGE
Former County Physician Willis
Under Attorneys Hot Fire
Denies Statements Made to
observation-disclosures Scores.
Doctor Admits There's No Evidence
But Gossip That Mabel Mill
man Died of Operation.

Then, doctor in your opinion. what
did the girl die off,
I'm my opinion. she died from the
effects OF an anesthetic"
Do you mean TO say that. in spite
or the fact that you found the heart
normal. the lungs normal and inspite
OF your testimony just given as 10 the
effect OF chlorofCrn' or ether on those
organs?"
Yes. | will state that as my opin-
ION. My opinion. will state. is that
che died Of an anesthetic.'
That's ALL" fairly shouted Attorney
r. T Lodge, defending DR.. George n.
Fritch on the charge OF causing Mabel
Millman's death
The question and answer wound up
three hours OF parry and thrust, and
plenty OF stalwart broad-sword work
Monday morning when Attorney
Lodge, formerly DR. Fritch's own pro.
fessor I'm medical college. cross-eXam-
ined former County Physician w. s.
Grimes, who helped perform the posi-
morten examination OF Mabel Mill
mans body. and whose testimony dur
ing the mornings session of court, mad
been body blow 10 the defense.
But during the latter half OF the
afternoon session Attorney Lodge
swung the whole burden OF Or. Grimes
testimony to his owl uses He nodded
the former county physicians test
mony like clay In his hands. He
skilfully led him into blunt denials of
every point scored by the prosecution
through Grimes morning testimony.
Under direct examination by Prose
-, 1 IL oil.
,nown that Mabel Millman was the
victim OF a criminal operation lie
testified that she certainly was in q
condition TO make Ter desire an oper-
alton: he expressed the opinion that
she had died during a criminal oper
ntion; he looked at. and identified.
surgeons knots" on the sacks III
which the body was found.
His testimony maze a strong array
against the defense.
But, IN the afternoon session,
Grimes admitted that he could no.
swear nor even guess. except from
gcssip that he had heard. whether the
GIRL was i'm the condition which he had
stated He said there were no eV'-
dences Ct it to be seen during the
post-mortCm.
To eXtricate himself from a serious
nredicament tina arose when Attorney
.odge flashed a scare-head, sensational
newspaper interview on MIN, Ut.
crimes said that he hadn't seen the
surgeons knots which he Identified
saturday morning He said they must
have been cut OF.
Then he admitted that he had touhd
nothing on which TO base his opinion
that an operation had been performed,
and finauy. he declared 1t as his hrm
belief. that the gal had died from the
effects of an anesthetic.
II was a triumph for the defense.
II was Waterloo for the prosecution.
list what it was for Or. Grimes was
q nuzzle. but he lest his calm sell
possession. and sat with one eye glueu
ON the clock. timing the ordeal.
DR.. Grimes said that the heart was
normal. az TO color. and that was as
much as he could tell. He didn't re-
member whether he cut 1t up or not.
was there anything in the appear
ance Of the body that you examined
70 indicate condition making an
operation desirable asked Attorney
Lodge. -. IN
4 from the body
ance of the body to indicate that she
had consulted physician asked
Lodge.
Witness said there wasn't.
"Do YOU know anything about those
things. OF your own knowledge ask
ed Lodge.
Grimes said he didn't. He had
heard gossip about 1t.
Then you are testifying as med
teal expert, to things that are not
medical facts, and that YOU didn.
learn from examination OF the BODY
That she had made an appointment;
With a physician that a physician
had made price; those aren't medl-
cal facts, are they?'
Grimes admitted that he hadn't
learned any OF those things from ex-
animation OF the body
Then Attorney Lodge flashed the
scare.head interview, printed in pa
Der OF Stpt. Z. 1t was headed, 'Slain
Woman Victim Of Jealous Lover II
contained deductions, stated as firm
beliefs" by Dr. Grimes. and purpor-
ing TO be based on his findings at the
pcst-mortem. After painful efforts to
sidestep, Grimes admitted that the
article was lin a general way ex-
pTesSiVe or MS hOnesl opinion az
tnat time" Lodge read extracts.
"The head was cleanly severed from
the body. but not in such way as to
Indicate that it was done by some one
familiar with dissection" was one ex-
tract. Grimes wouldn't say that he
didn't say IL, nor would he admit that
he did. He just couldn't remember
There might be more than one
motive for the crime but | firmly be-
lieve that the slayer. In a moment OF
Jealous rage suddenly grabbed his
victim and took her life on the spur
Of the moment" was another extract.
Grimes admitted that he thought
something like that. AZ that time L
dent know what said" he added.
The man might have used n
Ratchet, a cleayer. or perhaps a heavy