New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-03-05
Pathologist, Who Per
formed Autopsy, Gives
Thrill of Days Trial.
MRS. ANGLE NERVOUS
AT TALK OF BLOOD
States Theory of Killing Comes
as Climax to Experts View
of Cause of Death.
BY EMMA BUGBEE.

ny GNhh DtbDEE.
Bridgeport. Conn, March Waldo
K. Ballou did not fall accidentally to
his death down the stairway at Mrs.
Helen NJ. Angles home on the night of
June %, according to the testimony of
Bruce S. Weaver, the pathologist, OF
New York, who performed an autopsy
on Ballou's body the morning after the
tragedy.
DR.. Weaver, testifying for the state
at Mrs. Angles trial this afternoon,
caused the only thrill of the day. It
came in answer TO the question put by
District Attorney Homer S. Cummings: ::
WAS not the condition of the body
such that it might have been struck one
blow, which resulted in his falling
downstairs and in his DEATH"
Yes" said DR.. Weaver.
Judge Nicholas n. Downs. Mrs An
gle's chief counsel, took up the ques-
ton before the witness had scarcely
spoken the word. ."And couldn't lie have
fallen downstairs in the dark and re-
ceived such an injury?'
81 cant conceive of his falling down
stairs" said DR.. Weaver. "If he had
fallen. il is more likely that he would
have started TO slide. The fracture Of
the s-ull which caused death was the
result of direct contact. Unless he
plunged downstairs don't see how he
could have received this fracture"
Swears BalIou Didn't Fall.
"Mightn't he have slipped in the dark
and fallen downstairs, striking half
way down and then swerving so as to
hit the back Of his head?" objected
Judge Downs.
POSSIBLY" the witness smiled.
This suggestion that Me-. Ballou did
not fall downstairs was the first hint
as TO the states theory. It occupied
but moment Of the courts time, and
was passed over witho, further COM
ment. But it is admitted to be the
severest blow which has yet been Iealt
the defence It came as the climax OF
hours of testimony from doctors and
experts who had examined Mr.. Ballou's
body at the two autopsies.
The day passed without event so far
as Mrs. Angle herself was concerned.
The courtroom was crowded with spec
tators, a small proportion Of whom
were women. Mrs. Angle was slightly
more nervous than on the first day.
She seemed to be troubled by ner-
vous coughing spell.
Test for Prisoners Nerves.
II was a diagram OF her own apart
ment and the Rippowsm building,
where the tragedy occurred, which W S
presented to her tense nerves. She sat
perfectly still while Harold A. Parsons.
a civil engineer, described the blood
stains on her rugs. her floor and her
stairway. There were footprints in the
front room, marks of bare feet walking
in blood. Judge Downs objected to the
use Of the word blood. and the witness
changed his expression to "a dark red
LIQUID that looked like blood"
On the lower fight of stairs lead
ing from the landing with the cement
floor there were IA great many stains
and some were smears. evidently made
By some on, trying to rub them out.
In the middle room stood an ironing
board and an electric fiatlron. They
were In the southeast corner OF the
room. Bloody footprints showed IN the
northwest corner and on the rug IN
the centre Of the room.
Mrs. Angle stood in the corner OF the
hallway talking with her father, Leon
ard Blondell, until the crowds had
rassed out OF the building Some OF
the women spectators had less self
control than the accused woman her
self; as they emerged into the light
tears were seen on several faces.
The testimony of five medical ex-
perts took up the greater part OF the
dav. They agreed that Mr. Ballou's IN
iuries we're all such a. might have been
caused by fall downstairs; there were
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