Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-02-01
STATE RESTS CASE
(Continued from PAGE One)

en- opportunity Of daily contact with
him.
DR. George B. Magrath OF Boston,
who qualified as a medical expert.
was ore of the concluding witnesses
for the State today. There was mucn
sparriEs by counsel over the admiS-
sibilitv Of certain sections OF long
Hypothetical question is to the man
ner in which Halls wife received on
June II, 1918. the injuries which
caused her death the next day but
ventually Justice Scott Wilson allow
ed Or. Nagrath to answer. ounsel
for Hall took exceptions.
The question was of Importance as
bearing on the point regarded by
counsel as the cruX of the case
whether Mrs. Hall was choked by her
husband before the fall or was
thrown from a railroad trestle at
Wells Depot. or whether her injuries
were accidental.
In substance. DR.. Magrath replied
that the injuries to Mrs. Halls
throat. as reported by Medical Ex-
aminers Charles F. Traynor of York
county and John A. Mcdonald or
Washington county, who performed
the post mortem examination at
Harrington were made before death.
and could have been made by the
human thumb and fingers exertlnS
pressure. Also he said that the dis
colorations noticed could not have
been caused 10y the embalming f1lid.
He testified that j person could De
cJ, nd tho choking e0llll
be contributing cause of death sew
eral hours afterward. Cross-eXamined
by Judge George L. Emery. Dr. Ma
grath said he had testified a great many
times for the prosecution in murder
trials. He did not consider that his
mind had got INTO rut or followed
along certain lines. He did not believe
he could have based an opinion on the
evidence better if lie had seen the body.
He said Dr. Trayuor went to Boston
and conferred with him for two or
three hours at his laboratory. Much Of
the time was taken up with discussion
of the evidence. He saw copy of DR..
Traynors official report. He said he
made a business of being medical
expert and had assisted prosecuting Of
ticers of other states as we'll as Mass
achusclts. The wound in Mrs. Hail 5
head Or. Magyath said in cross-exam-
nation, might have been caused by 4
13-foot fall or by blow. If by q
fall. the wound would be shaped more
like a star. In falling on her hands
and fracturing the wrists. she would
be saved from more severe injurY
,irr,f OF .
cut similar to this injury. A dozen
people might fall from the same bridge
and get as many different injuries.
lie admitted that if a person fell in
such a way as to strike a rock he might
show an injury under the chin, but the
fact would be injured also. lie added.
He was asked if upon reflection after
having testified to a we'll considered
opinion he had ever changed his views.
IN all the time. he said. he had not
changed an opinion as testified but adj
mitted that he had made mistakes. Re
plying to series of questions as to the
results Of choking. he said that the
black and blue spots on the throat rep
resented the points where pressure was
eXerted
Sheriff Haven A. Roberts. the last
witness for the State, testified that Hall
whstled and sang while seing taken
to Alfred Jail after his arrest last Au-
gust. He said he heard Hall say in
substance to Deputy Sheriff BENJAMIN
i'a-Her. who with Deputy Sheriff Ernest
-, made the arrest: Tell the little
go 7 have been pinched, but will be
back soon
The witness said that when he asked
Hall if he would tell him Just how the
accident" happened, Hall replied: Il
5 don't know. and nobody else on earth
Toes know looking over the other end
of the bridge" After Il brief cross-eX-
animation Of Sheriff Roberts. the State
rested and court adjourned for the day.