Year: 1868

order to do away with such Impression, IL was
proposed TO show the falsity Of this report, and
vile, who died In his arms,


The Court rejected the offer.


The witness resumed-On the night OF the
murder was sent for by 3 messenger TO 90 TO
Tenth and Pine streets. and on the way down
was informed Of the arrest OF my son;I went
l staid there until 8 o'clock next morning,
when went to the Station House to see my
brought before the Coroner; went back to the
house about 7 O'Clock In the morning, and re-
mained until they took my sons wife and the
servant girl to the Central station House;
WheJner from the house or from his wife
In the carriage will not be positive, but took
loose In handkerchief; they were one cluster
diamond ring, one sapphire ring. one pair of
gold rings, two pair OF sleeve buttons, one belt
buckle, one set OF gold coral jewelry, one gold
thlmble, one gold breastpin,


Cross. examtned-I think il was near IL o'clock
when Mrs. Twitchell was taken away; these
spscies were given me but short time before
not go back TO the house for three or four days;
mink have been there twice or three times
= DR.. s. w. Gross sworn-I am physician, re.
siding at Eleventh and Walnut streets; am
of DR.. Lewis; have had large experience in
surgical maladies and diseases, rendering me
familiar with the characteristics OF blood sSains;
/ read the evidence in this case concerning the
blood and carrying In of the body; the body
begins to stiffen In from five to six hours aud





twenly-four hours; the stiffsning ragu
n1ortfS comes on more slowly after death
from shock; the coagulation of blood within
the body Is retarded by death from shock; can
not say that loss of blood retards c1aguiation
%l1nih d in tne Dody; blood coag1s.es slower 10
consideration the death by violence. loss of
blood. and cool stmospherei ein the yard. ana
had not coagulated when found,
for coagulation comes on simultaneously
with the stifening of the body, which oniy
commences five or six hours after death; taking
these facts into consideration, If her body was
found in a favorable condition for sprinkiing:
when water Is added to blood in excess there is
no congulation at all. but the flores OF the
proper clot being formed; have examined the
clothing tnat was produced In this room;
hours in the Grand Jury room Of this building;
l used my naked eye and glass, but not q mi
had from a microscope, would have been to
satisfy me that the blood was that of a mann
NAL; the sprinkles on the pants, coat, and vest
that of the infilction of wounds; they could nave
got on these and the boots, except on the out
were rolled up). by stepping In the blood in the
yard, by carrying in the body from the yard
head the on the sno outside o he
looked like smears; would account for these
sprinkles upon the clothing by the falling back
II the prisoners body had been in a stopping
position. and had raised the head, and the head
ndU Iall6u suddenly DaCK lnIO Tue pool Oh un-
coagulated blood, many Of these stains might
have been made; l feel confident of this these
sprlnkles upon the right sleeve could have been
very readily made In this way; would account
for some Of these spots by ashaking of the head;
can explain some of them as being made while
bathing the head, that Is the sprinkled spots on
the sleeve Of the coat; sprnkled spots OF diluted
blood might very readily have been thrown
hand hand hold Holding ee the s. substance with vi which, the the
head was being bathed to the head and from
the head back to the basin; 1, as surgeon, cool,
al q nd 0nl mr. ha hat haH IA
head without getting such stains, unless pro.
tected my clothing; the shape OF spot Of fluid
with which II strikes the object the texture OF
the object and the position of the object when
struck; l have examined the white linen
shirt produced in evidence in this csse the
twenty spots upon IL could have been made by
rapid movement OF the hand or dnger have
made experiments in forming olood-stains
did so nine days before L had seen this shirt.
"a piece of linen was handed the witness)
made those blood stains upon that linen with
human blood W which had been out of the body
five or six minutes this was undiluted blood;
another piece. and with my hand covered With
blood firted my fingers towards II; they re-
semble In form the spots upon the shirt;
on one piece the spots were made from eight to
ten minutes after the blood had left the body;
test cannot tell whether these spots came
from an artery, from a wound, or from the
q% Do ns bnss aa1 sha' m Gould a
say more, Is that they are spots of blood;
the minute sprinkled spo on the
meDt of the hand; this cuff, alluded to as having
washed appearances, II handled by bloody
or bureau, probably would have presented the
same appearance; / have made experiments
with view of ascertaining wlth what facility
o human skull can be Fl ractured by poker.


Question-Will you, in your own language,
state the process you used and the results?


Mr.. Hagert-Did you have tue poker pro,
duced in this case, or the body of Mrs. Hill


Witness-I did not, sir.


Mr.. Hagert-Then 1 object.


Mr. Mann-We propose to prove that the
poker used in these experiments was OF the
same kind Of iron as that produced by the Com
monwealth.


MIR. Hagert-If the witness is asked whether
he has read DR.. Shapleigh's testimony describ-
ing these wounds, and whether from that, upon
his professional reputation, ne will say that the
murder could not have been committed with
this poker, / do not object; but do If he follows
that up by giving as his reason that he has ex-
perimented with other pokers and other skulls.


The Court admitted the offer so far as the
opinion as to whether the wounds could have
been inflicted with this p0k-r for that was
directly in the path of the Commonwealth's g
case Dr. Shapleigh's testimony, but excluded
IL SO far as the experiments with other pokers
and upon other skulls Judge Ludlow In giv-
ing his view, cited the case OF Champ VS.. Camp
bell Metcalfs Ky. Reports


The witness resumed-I have read DR.. Snap
leigh's testimony describing the wounds in
hicted upon that lady's head; but unless l am
an opinion, but may say that the experiments
| with these pokers only confirmed an opinion
| formed years ago; 1t is impossible for me to
state whether that weapon could have killed
| Mrs. HILL


The Court-You may state your opinion as a
medical expert, but not as formed rom THESE
| experiments.


Witness-As q medical man nave an opinion
as to whether these wounds could nave peen %
Inflicted with that poker; do not believe that
| a poker made OF this soft material could have
| been struck against a human skull OF moderate
thick ness without receiving.some change In tte
| form: therefore, / do not believe this poker
could have produced the wounds upon the skull