Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1911-05-19

DR.. B. H. Stone of the state laboratory
of hygiene was called early in the after
noon as the first witness. DR.. Stone tes-
titled that he performed the autopsy on
Potter the night of April G, removing the
head and taking it to Burlington, where
it was opened and the brain removed,
also taking the stomach and other organs
to the laboratory. The head and brain
We're exhibited before the jury in open
court also several photographs of Potter
taken in Boyd's house after DR.. stones
arrival there. The exhibits apparently
had no effect upon the prisoner as he sat
unmoved, but by reason of his smoked
glasses the expression of his eyes could
not be seen.
Those present at the autopsy besides
himself, Dr. Stone testified, were DR..
Charles II. Dalton of the state laboratory.
DR. L. T. Page of Wilmington, Constable
A. L. Curtis of Wilmington, States At
torney Frank f. Barber of Brattleboro
and Attorney Charles S. Chase of Brat
tleboro DIR. Stone said that when he
reached the house Potter was lying on
a couch, dressed but without shoes or
stockings and covered with a blanket
The body was then placed upon table,
the hair removed so that the wounds on
the head would show and photographs
made There were three wounds on the
head, one about an inch and half above
the right ear which fra ctured the skull
and caused hemorrhage of the brain
The two others We're not deep enough to
cause fractures. The other organs he
said were normal DIR. Stone pointed out
10 the jury the blood clot on the brain,
the brain cavity, the fracture of the
skull and the other wounds He said the
wounds We're made by some blunt instru-
ment and that any one of them would
be sufficient to stun the victim. He said
Potter was five feet and five inches tan
and weighed 40 pounds. Cross-exam-
ined by Mr.. Chase, DIR. Stone said it
would have been possible for the wounds
10 have resulted from a fall or from be-
ing pushed violently against something.
Following DR.. Stone DR.. Dalton of the
state laboratory took the stand. He tes-
titled as to what took place at the au-
topsy, corrobating the testimony of Dr.
Stone, and said that he analyzed Potter's
stomach, finding certain food substances
and trace of alcohol which he said was
not sufficient to cause intoxication. He
also made an analysis of the urine, find
ing therein three-tenths of one per cent
of alcohol Questioned by Mr. Chase he
said it would have been possible for the
wounds to have been caused by a fall or
being pushed against some object
Important testimony was given by DR.
/. T. Page, who said he had known
Potter to 10 years and also had known
Boyd. He was called to Boyd's house
about $50 o'clock the night of April IA
and first saw BOYD before going into the
house. He testified that Boyd told him
that Potter was dead. He saw the body
on the couch and thought death took
place about an hour earlier. He said
he asked Boyd how it happened, but re-
ceived no reply. Then he asked Boyd's
sister, Clara, the same question. but she
did not answer A second time he ques-
toned Boyd and he testified that Boyd
said that Potter came to the sugar
house looking for trouble and I struck
him with a stick of wood" adding that
he struck harder than he intended Dr.
Page said he notified the authorities,
Selectman Eli II. Porter Constable Curtis
and j. II. Kidder.
The next time that DR.. Page went to
the house was on the night the autopsy
was performed He expressed the same
opinion as the previous witnesses as to
the wounds being made by blunt in
strument and as to how they might have
been made, and under cross examination
he also stated that when he went to the
house the first time, April A. Boyd APP
peared to be intoxicated.
James Howard who accompanied DR.
Page to the Boyd house, corroborated
DR.. Pages testimony as to what Boyd
said, making Boyd's statement a little
stronger. He testified that after the
the physician asked a second time how
It happened Boyd placed his hand on the
doctors shoulder and said: ITO tell
Gods honest truth doctor. / hit him
with club, but I hit harder than I in
tended to-" Christie B. Crowell of
Brattleboro, a civil engineer exhibited
plans made of the Boyd premises, show
Ing the location of the house. sheep
barn, sugar house and highway and
giving various measurements.
On Wednesday morning the state put
on Mrs. Ada Boyd. niece, and Mrs.
Clara Grimes, sister OF the respondent,
both of whom live in the Boyd family.
They testified that they were not in the
sugar house when Potter received his
injuries, but the sister sud she went TO
the sugar house dire thy after the
trouble. The defense att tempted to show