Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-05-05

thorough examination showed the man
well developed and IN good physical
condition and nothing abnormal that
would have caused death with the eG-
ception perhaps OF two bruises, one
on the right temple and the other on
the forehead over the right eye he
declined to sign the death certificate
and notified the coroner. He asked Mrs.
Eisler If her husband had been all
right that day and she said, Dr.. obi
orne testified. that he had, that they
had eaten supper together and that
she was in the front room playing the
organ and he was out by the stove
taking off his shoes when she heard
him fall and Went out and found him
on the floor. Then she called the
neighbors.
Dr.. Odiorne Testifes
On the second day Of Fred His
ler's death, DR.. Odiorne said. he as
sisted DR. Gregory in performing an
autopsy. He said the autopsy disclos-
ed that Fred Hisler was well develop
ed and well nourished and the vital
organs were normal with one or two
minor exceptions. There was no depar-
brain. He said he arrived at the con-
clusion that death was due TO con-
cussion Of the brain.
On cross examination he explained
the difference between an abrasion
and q confusion and said the blows on
f1isler's head were an abrasion. He
declared all the vital organs were nor
NAL with the exception that the liver
was somewhat above The average
weight. but said there was no rupture
of the blood vessels on the inner side
of the skin. He admitted that there
was nothing TO indicate that death
was due TO conclusion except by a
process Of elimination the man being
dead and no other cause apparent than
the bruises on the head.
On redirect examination he said
that if a man died from conclusion
caused by a blow with a stick Of wood,
there would not necessarily be any
pathological change in the brain.
Arthur ]. Dodge
Arthur J. Dodge Of Somerville testi-
fed that on the evening Of Feb. ne
was asked to go to Fred Hisler's by
Byron French, who said there was an
outcry there and told of finding Fred
Hisler lying on the floor and Mrs.
Hisler said her husband had fallen
from his chair while untying his shoes.
On cross-examination he said there was
/ a chair standing in front Of the stove
! near Hisler's feet, but this chair was
not upset. he was at the house at the
time of the autopsy and remembered
that one of the physicians said when
| asked if they had found out anything,
I'VE know he is dead, but don't know
why"
Dr. G. 4. Gregory
The next witness was DR.. G. A. Gregory
of Boothbay Harbor, medical examiner
of Lincoln county. who performed the
autopsy on Fred Hisler's body. He tes-
tilted to the results of the examination
substantially as had DR.. Odiorne, but he
described the two bruises as being an
abrasion and a confusion. He said there
was no sign that the wounds had passed
through the scalp. When asked what
caused death he said: 1T is possible that
death might be caused by blow on the
head with less evidence tnan in this
case and. ruling out everything else. /
have formed the opinion that he died
from concussion.'
would a blow from a stick OF wood
necessary to have caused the wound you
describe, have caused dsath?''
Probably
The doctor said that if Hisler died from
the conclusion he described, he prob
ably died instantly.
Original Notes Lost
On cross-examination Attorney Halpen
was anxious to find out the whereabouts
of the original notes taken at the au-
topsy. Dr. Gregory did not know where
thew were, but had made a copy. MIR.
Halpen asked If the phrase death may
have been due to Conclusion" was writ
ten in the original note as in the copy.
md DR.. Gregory said it was not. but de-
MED that this phrase had been written
In after he heard OF Mrs. Hisler's alleged
confession. He said he didn't write the
conclusions in the original note because
he vss waiting fcr report from the
ch.nical examination Of the organs sent