New Britain herald., 1927-07-08
CURIOSITY Led TO
Finding victim
Woman'S Intuition Caused Dis
coYery Of Murder

of Meriden, at Hamden last Decem-
Der, it developed in the superior
criminal court today In the trial Of
Fred w. Edel, also Of Meriden,
charged with the murde". Mrs. Mary
A. Alling of 3S46 Whitney avenue,
Hamden, who found the tody in the
woods, testified today that blood
spots she casually noticed at the side
OF the road and passed by indiffer-
emily. preyed on her mind to such
an extent that she turned back and
followed another trail If blood, into
the woods up to the body.
Mrs. Alling stated th"t in the
| afternoon of December % last about
4 o'clock she left her home to go
to nearby pond to n the skat-
ing and took a path through the
woods at the rear of her home. As
she came out on to Shepard avenue
she noticed blood in the snow on the
right of roadway. but passed on
thinking little of 1t as 10 other spots
about 25 feet, however. something
led her to turn back and then on
the opposite side of the road from
the original spots, saw trail Of
blood and followed it unit! it led to
the body about Is feet within the
woods. Without touching it she hur-
ried home, telephoned police and
led them to the body. Wren States
Attorney B. D. Winner AID Defender
Peter TRENCH had finish Il their eX-
animation Of the witness, Judge e. G.
Dickinson took her in hand and
brought out positive statements that
plainly proved footprints were
alongside the trail OF blood.
DR.. George H. Joslin, medical ex-
aminer for Hamden, followed Mrs.
Alling and described tn, body. fro
zen stiff with the coat pulled over
the head and pockets OF the cloth
ing turned inside out. About foot
from the body were foot impress
sions in the snow that lad been
made some days before. On turning
over the body he observed gun
shot in the face between mouth and
eye and found the wound had been
stuffed with a wad maie from the
victims Undertaking, evidently
placed to stop the flow OF blood
while the body was being disposed
of. Search of the clothing uncovered
no valuables but a number Of pa
pcrs that are to be offered as ex-
hibits later.
Ill Nv thu Nfot a
to arrange these In the order In
which the medical examiner will be
asked to present them, Judge Dick
enson ordered brief recess.
When the trial was rsrumed this
morning, official court photographer,
stand and completed the descrip-
ton of the various photographs
made at the scene Of the crime. I'm
der cross examination ~ Defender
Trench. he described the location
of the blood spots in such detail as
TO indicate that Mastria 10 had been
shot on one side of the road, his
body picked up and carried across
the wagon ruts and up bank on
The other side and then dragged to
point about IS feet withi1 the woods.
The blood clusters We're some dis
tances apart indicating the body had
been picked up from time to time
and carried as far as the bearer was
able to do so without resting.
1t was decided at the opening OF
court today that a sessitn will be
held on Monday to speed up the
trial. 1t had been expected the court
would also decide to sit tomorrow.
but Judge Dickinson agreed that
would not be necessary.
Tells About Wound
When DR.. Joslin resumed the stand
he was examined as 20 the bullet
wound and traced its course from a
point about an inch above the
mouth into the brain. Mastriano was
shot point blank In the face from a
short distance away, powder marks
on the face showing the revolver was
held within a foot or two of him, the
doctor testified. The blood stained
shirt, the front of which had been
stuffed into Mastriano's mouth to
check the flow Of blood. was pre-
scented In evidence. and DIR. Joslin
described to the jury how it had
| been rolled and punched to form the
| mop.
The other articles of clothing were
then offered as exhibits. DR.. Joslin
describing how he had found the
pockets turned inside out and no
paper money or other valuables any
where about. Prosecutor Winner
concluded his direct examination
with a query as to cau,e of death
and the doctor replied the gun shot
wound.
Defender TRENCH In the cross ex-
animation described the vital points
the bullet had penetrated. DR.. Joslin
said it had penetrated the most vital
part of the brain and while the
heart might have continued to beat
for minutes, death was practically
instant or matter of few seconds.
! Mr.. TRENCH took up the blood spots
on the snow to ascertain whether
any snow had fallen on them be-
tween December 10. the supposed
night of the murder. and December
%, when the body was found. None
had fallen on the spots near the
body, the doctor said.
AS to footprints, DR.. Joslin said
there were prints of ancient origin
that he examined but they had been
{ hrnEan " Of cd h,,
prints These and the depression
made by the dody were the only
depressions about the doctor stated.
The distance between the large
splotch of blood at the roadside and
that under the body was 165 feet
DIR. Joslin testified. indicating the
body had been carried and dragged
that far, the route being at right
angle.