Introduction | Coroner's Report

Dr. M.M. Miller testified: Was at examination of body on Wednesday, 26th inst.. with Doctors Jones, Brandoff, Parrott and Touvelle. Body was exhumed for our inspection. Found head entirely off of the body and partly gone. Sphenoides and ethmoides bones we failed to find any part of them; also a large portion of the right parietal and temporal bones were missing. There was also a portion missing from the right side of the occipital, a portion of right malar superior and inferior maxillary bones. We found also a fracture on the left parietal, extending transversely from the sagittal suture of about one and one-half inches in length. About one-third part of the bones of the head were missing. Think they were broken by a large heavy instrument of some kind--the spalling being on the inside of the bones universally, wherever broken. On the front part of the neck or throat, for about six inches, the flesh, with the aid of microscope, showed a smooth edge. The residue, or back part, showed ragged edges--as though it had been pulled or town. The trachea being out of our reach, we made an incision down to it, and found the edge smooth and uniform--evidently the work of a sharp instrument. There were several bruises over the sternum, which must have been made shortly before death, as they were not completely ecchymosed. Finger nail marks were plainly traced upon the shoulders and upper part of the arms. On the upper portion of the left forearm, judging from the ecchymosis being there the darkest, seemed to be the place where the first injury was received. The blotch in size was about four inches in width by some six in length, measuring round the arm from back forward, and deeply ecchymosed except a small streak less deeply colored about three-quarter inches from each side of the blotch extending into same about three inches. The anterior portion of said discolored spot was ragged and uneven, presenting in size and appearance in shape much such spot as a violent grip of a hand would leave. The points of the fingers, six of them, were badly chewed up to the first joint--at least such was the appearance. Hands were badly scratched. There was also a large bruised spot on the front of the lower third of the right femur. She evidently lived some hours after receiving the injury on the left arm from the completeness of the ecchymosis. Death would have resulted from the injury in the head of throat; either must have produced death. From the general appearance of the body, sex could not have been distinguished.

Dr. Jones recognized a large club which had been found and picked up near where the body was found; it had splashes of blood on it, and witness said it had tufts of hair on when first picked up, and blood could be seen at first much plainer than now. the club was freshly fractured, and was in two or three pieces. Witness was present at post mortem examination. Death was positively produced by violence. There was an extensive fracture of skull, on the right side and was made by a downward stroke of some heavy club--think the one now here would produce it. The fracture was external and would most positively result in death. The neck was cut by a sharp instrument and was so extensive as to inevitably produce death in a very few moments. The person who done the cutting would most likely get blood on his clothing.

Cross Examination.--Such a cut, as was on the neck, might possibly be made without the person doing it getting any blood on clothing--that would depend on the position of the parties while the cutting was being done. The little girl would have bled until life was extinct. She could not have lived long. Very much of her blood may have escaped before the was made to her throat. I had no glass sufficiently powerful to enable me to tell if the blood on the club was animal or human blood and therefore can't state whether it is human blood or not.

Copyright 2000. David Kimmel. Heidelberg College. Tiffin, Ohio. All rights reserved.