Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-09-25
CALLS IT ELECTROCUTION
DIR. DaltOn's Answer to Hypo-
thetical Question in Leary Case.
Testihcd mt Length as to Conditions
Found In Autopsy Day Following
Accident Inst Fcbrunry-Othcr
Experts on stand.

Taking into consideration all the facts
you have testified to as to the condition
lof Mr.. Learys heart. lungs bladder,
Kidneys and the rest of the body. and
the fact that there was on his hand a
burn. and assuming that at the time of
his death he had in his hand fixture
over which might have come n dangerous
and deadly electric current: assuming
these things, have you any opinion to
what caused John \. Leary's dcath?'
Such was the Hypothetical question which
appeared to mark the climax of the
S21.UOO suit against the city of burlington
as the owner of the Municipal lighting
plant.
This question was asked in county
court late Friday afternoon by V. A.
Bullard. attorney for the plaintiff of Or.
Charles +. Dalton, secretary Of the State
board of health, who had previously
qualified to the satisfaction of the court
as an expert witness concerning post
Imortem symptoms, and particularly con
iccrnnr such symptoms as related to
clcctrocution. It came at the end Of a
long day of cross-examination and fencing
lover the tcchnicalitics Of the electrical
profession.
The answer was: II have an opinion.
And to the next question: what is that
opinion" DR.. Dalton answered. ~ should
say the death was caused by clectrocu-
ton
Or G. f. Dalton after being called tC
tho stand and questioned briefly as to his
experience, was admitted by the court
as an expert witness. In answer to n
general question he related that on the
cvcnlng Of the accident he was called to
the Leary store by a telephone message
Arriving at the store, he said he went
into the basement. There he found 2
man lying on the floor with his feet near
IF not touching the furnace. He testified
that he made an examination to ascer-
tain If the man We're dead.
Dr. Dalton testified that on the day
after the accident he performed ar
autopsy on the body. Those present NJ
the autopsy were stated to be Dr. Nc
Ginity, Or. LaBombard. DR.. J. r. Kelly
DR.. f. f. Clark. DR. 2. II. Stone. and the
witness. \ memorandum made by the
witness on the same afternoon as the
AUTOPSY was admitted for the refreshing
of the witnesses memory.
The witness testified that tho eyes OF
the dead man We're widely and evenly
dilated. This, he said. indicated nothine
Unusual as IT is common for the eyes
to react in this way at the time of death
The neck and chest, according to tbs
witness, We're normal The condition OF
the lungs indicated nothing out of the
ordinary,
Questioned as to the heart, the witness
said it was slightly dilated and enlarged
that the left lower chamber, called tbs
IventriCle. was somewhat larger thar
, normal. The valves We're normal with
the exception OF the tricuspid valve be
tween the upper and lower chambers
which was thickencd and had one shor
loaf In answer to a question, DR.
Dalton said that this defect was not sucf
as in his opinion might have caused
death. The heart muscle was pale and Of
ia certain lrmness not normal. The
corollary arteries which lead to the hear
were thickencd He also found some
traces Of hardening but not much in th'
: aorta. or large artery. The covering o
I the heart and interior lining were founC
= normal
l The witness testified that the liver
spleen, bladder, kidneys, intestines, anc
Q stomach We're all normal except for in
% dicatons of the beginnings of inhamma
, tion in the Kidneys At this first autops,
, the brain was not opened. because tn
witness stated the family opposed open
, ing it on grounds of sentiment.
The witness testified that week afte
the first autopsy the burn on the ham
of Young Harold Leary received from tn
, electric fixture was shown him and an
, other autopsy was held at which specia
attention was paid to the brain. partic
ularly in search for blood-clots. y
clots were found and the brain wa
declared normal. At this second examina
ton of the body burn on the hand wa
+ found.
t ON cross-examination an apparent at
e tempt to draw from the witness state
y ment that the opposition to the frs
- autopsy was because the family wer
sure the deceased met his death by hear
= disease was not successful although tn
= witness was being sharply examined o.
this point when court adjourned
The witness to testify Just before Dr.
Dalton went on the stand was DIR. A. 5
, IC. Hiu Of Winoosk who testified t
having examined John Leary 81 times 4
September, 1910, DR. Hill made the test
\ for heart trouble usual to a general ex
= Elimination. but found no symptoms q
Q indications of it, DIR. Hill could not re
e member being told that Mr.. Leary ha
: ever suffered with heart trouble
= Before the doctors went on the stan
/ the whole day, morning and afternoon
e had been given up to the cross and re
direct and re-cross and re-re-direct ex
Iamination of the plaintiffs electrical ex
pert G. II. Almon of Montpelier, o
Iabstrusc and technical points Of electrica
. science and practice.
CAUSE OF LEARY'S DEATH