HOUSE MANSLAUGHTER TRIAL, UNREST IN BOSTON, AND CUBAN RECIPROCITY TREATY

 

Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, March 28, 1903.

THE HOUSE TRIAL.

Dr. Higgins Tells of the Condition Bennett Was In

WHEN EXAMINED AT THE CORTLAND HOSPITAL

And of the Examination of the Amputated Leg—Sheriff Overton Testifies Concerning His First Visit to the House Residence, His Inspection of the Place and of Conversations Held—Under Sheriff Rounds on the Stand.

   The House case continued all yesterday afternoon. Only two new witnesses were sworn and nothing new was brought out in the evidence given by them. Much interest is manifested in the case and all day long the courtroom is crowded.

   Mrs. George Bennett, wife of the deceased, has been present some of the time during the week, but she showed but little interest in anything done or said in the courtroom.

   The case will probably be continued all next week.

   Dr. Dana was recalled to the stand yesterday afternoon for cross examination and was kept under fire till 2:30 o'clock, when he was permitted to step down. He had been on the witness stand continuously since 3 o'clock the previous afternoon, but the defense was not able to shake his testimony in a material respect.

Dr. F. W. Higgins.

   Dr. F. W. Higgins, a resident of Cortland, testified: 1 have had experience in the practice of medicine and surgery for twenty-two years. On March 5, 1902, I made an examination of George Bennett, in the men's ward at the hospital. Dr. Reese and Dr. Sornberger were also present. His pulse was weak, irregular, heart action irregular, temperature slightly raised, pulse 120, respiration irregular, his mind wandering and he was restless and uneasy. There was no hemorrhage. I examined the abdomen and did not discover any inflammation of the tissues about the bladder. He did not cough or expectorate while I was there. I saw him again Thursday. He was very weak before he went upon the operating table and it was doubtful if a major operation could be survived. The operation consisted that day of the removal of shattered bones and cutting away of loose tissues. We applied bandages, the object of which is to keep the wound sterile after it is once made so. I was present again on Saturday. His temperature was no better than it was on Thursday; it was rather worse; his pulse more weak and more irregular; his foot was more colored, and his mind still wandering.

   I took the leg, after it was off, and made a post mortem examination. An inch below the joint where the two bones come together I found an opening and a clot of blood around the artery. I split the artery and found a clot of blood on the inside. I examined around the tissues and found a piece of bullet, one-fifth of an inch by one-eighth of an inch. I took the fragment of the bullet and the fragment of the artery and they have been in my possession ever since. I did not find any pus in this limb, which would have been there when I made the examination, had there ever been any. My opinion as to the cause of death is that it was caused from the wound in the thigh.

   Cross examination: I cannot say that a post mortem examination would have enabled me to find a number of other causes to eventually produce death. I did not discover anything in that examination to make me think that death was caused from blood poisoning.

   Redirect examination: I found no conditions present in such form as to indicate that the patient had uraemic poisoning.

   Re-cross examination: I did not make any examination to determine whether there was kidney trouble or not.

   Re-direct examination: "Doctor," asked District Attorney Dowd, "isn't it your belief that George Bennett would have been alive today if his leg had not been shot off by Orson House?" Objection sustained by court.

Sheriff Overton.

   Aaron R. Overton, sheriff of Cortland county, sworn, testified: I know these defendants. Have known John Sr., a long while. I was accompanied to the residence of the House family by R. J. Rounds. I saw John C. House when I first arrived. I first entered the storm door of the wing, accompanied by R. J. Rounds and the father.  Orson House and John H. House were in the room. We sat down a few minutes and John C. House was shaving. Orson said to me, "If you will accompany me up stairs I will show and tell you all I know about the shooting." We were shown into a room which Orson said was his. There was no window in the room. We went into another room and then into the attic and he opened the window and said: "I'll show you how I did the shooting," He got down on his knees and pointed the gun out of the window. I took this gun from him and it has been in my possession ever since. (Produced as evidence.) Orson said he saw the storm door moving, and he then took the gun and showed me how he did the shooting. He said he was so scared he shot any way, and yelled "murder" and "police." John H. House said he went after the gun as Orson was so excited he was afraid he would shoot himself. Orson also said he shot down to the stairway. John C. House told me when we got down stairs that he heard a noise in the north end of the house, and he went to the buttery window and looked out and he saw a man running along towards the end of the house. Then he stepped to several other windows and did not see anybody. Then he called to the boys. We then, continued the witness, stepped into the part of the house the Bennetts had vacated. I stepped into the bedroom occupied by Bennett. From there I went into other rooms, and my attention was called to a door, that had been broken in the storm house. From there we went into the outhouse and there saw bloodmarks which continued to the door that Orson said he saw blowing back and forth. I was accompanied in this examination by John C. House, John H. House, Orson House and R. J. Rounds. My attention was also called to some holes in the outhouse, three on one side and two on the other. To my best recollection I did say the man must have been shot in the outhouse and all the defendants replied "Yes." The steps leading up to the woodshed door were broken, but they were old steps. I remember saying that it looked as though the man had been dragged through the trail of blood, and one of the defendants remarked that if he had been dragged he dragged himself.

   Cross examination: I stated to the defendants when I arrived there the purpose of my errand. They talked with me frankly, giving me a detailed account of the transaction. They did not appear to be suppressing anything. I have not stated all the conversation there was at that time as I do not remember it all. I saw the broken window, the glass lying on the floor. My attention was called to the fact that the window was also nailed down. They told me about going after Mr. Gleason and that they were frightened.

R. J. Rounds.

   R. J. Rounds, a resident of. Marathon, and deputy sheriff of that place, was called and testified: I remember going to the residence of these defendants Feb. 25, 1902, reaching there about 11 o'clock. John C. House, John H. House, and Orson A. House and Fred Bennett were present. I told them I had come for some cattle on a chattel mortgage that Fred Bennett held. They refused to give me the cattle and said if I took them I would get hurt. The barn was locked and as I did not know whether I had a right to break the lock or not I returned to Marathon, had my dinner and got some advice in regard to the matter. I then returned to the House farm, and the three men came out armed with clubs. I took the club from John C. House and the other two wanted to know if I wanted the clubs they had and I said I did. Fred Bennett and his wife Jennie were there and Jennie went to the barn and let out the cattle. Some dispute arose over this.

   I was also present at Dr. Field's house on the morning of March 4. I remember John H. House calling George Bennett an ape, a posey, a chromo and other names, and asking one of the men there if he did not think Bennett was a pretty bird. I asked John H. House what he had done, and he replied that either Orson or his father had shot him, he did not know which. He was up there trying to break in. I asked George Bennett if this was true, and he said no, he was there after his goods. I asked him where his team was and he said in the barn. I went out in the woodhouse and examined his clothes. I found a light weight coat, a pair of trousers, felt boots and hose. There was a chunk of coal and some clams in the right band pocket. The coal was about as large as my fist. Eugene Watrous helped me in my search. I helped to take Bennett to the hotel and when train time came helped put him on the train.

   I went up to the house again that day with Sheriff Overton. John H., Orson, Sheriff Overton and myself went up stairs and made a search of the house. Orson took us up to the attic and opened the window and showed us how he shot. He said he was scared and did not know where he shot. John H. said he went after the gun for Orson, for he was afraid he would shoot himself, he was so scared. I saw a pool of blood and a stick of wood in the storm house, and also a great quantity of blood in the outhouse. There were bullet holes in the outhouse, five in all. In the storm house door were also four bullet holes, and one in the casing at the side of the door. When the door was closed the direction of the bullet holes pointed directly toward the window. When the door was open they were in the opposite direction.

   Cross examination: The Houses did not offer to do anything with those clubs, aside from the resisting in giving up the club by John H. House. They talked with Mr. Overton and myself freely in regard to the transaction and did not appear to conceal anything.

John Bennett.

   John Bennett, stepson of the deceased, aged 17 years, a resident of Cortłandville, was called: I was in East Freetown until the 24th of February when I went to my father's house in Lapeer. My father and mother had gone to Homer and my little brother remained with the House family. They invited me to dinner and I accepted. The next day father and mother came with a team and we all left with a load of goods. Thursday I left Homer and returned with the team for another load of goods. When l got there I loaded the goods and started towards home. I went to Marathon, and stayed all night at Gilberts. I went back to the House residence and got all that remained of the goods. It had rained during the time. This was on Friday. I arrived at Homer Tuesday following.

   Cross examination: I ran away from home at one time and they had me brought back. It was understood that I was to stay all night at Marathon with Mr. Gilberts people. When I left Homer my father complained of being ill and said he could not go for the last load of goods, that I would have to go. I also remember while we were on the House farm that he was sick at times and had to stop his work. I did not tell the House family when I went after that last load of goods that my father was very ill in bed and that we were afraid he would die.

R. J. Rounds.

   R. J. Rounds, recalled: I remember going to the jail and talking with the defendants in regard to the milk cans belonging to the Bennetts. John Jr., told me to take the cans and have no more fuss over the cans.

   Court adjourned at noon Saturday until Monday at 10 a. m.

 

UNREST IN BOSTON.

General Demand For Increased Wages in That City.

   Boston, March 28.—In the last three months the state of Massachusetts has passed through a period of strikes, agitations and suspense that is almost unprecedented. Many disputes have come up within a few weeks, some of which have not reached a settlement yet, but many more are in store for the immediate future. The following are some of the disputes in Boston and its vicinity.

   Bakers and confectioners demand a new scale of wages and shorter hours after May 1. Barbers have decided to hold a state convention April 12 and 13, in pursuance of a plan to close barber shops earlier.

   Blacksmiths demand a nine-hour day. Buttonhole makers propose to ask for an increase of 25 per cent in wages. Boilermakers and iron shipbuilders demand higher wages and a nine hour day. Carpenters are preparing to force their demand for $3 a day and eight hours. Carriage workers ask for a uniform scale of wages and a Saturday half holiday.

   Elevated road conductors and motormen have started to organize; grocery clerks seek to establish for themselves this summer a Wednesday half holiday. Horseshoers are beginning a campaign for shorter hours. Harness makers have requested that their work day be reduced to nine hours. Ladies' tailors and dressmakers want week work, nine hours and uniform scale of wages. Longshoremen have entered into negotiations with steamship agents over the demand for more pay and a readjustment of working hours. Lumber teamsters have presented a new schedule of wages.

   Machinists employed in the Roxbury shops of the New York, New Haven and Hartford railroad will meet in Boston on Sunday to formulate a demand for more pay. Painters and decorators ask for more pay. Wood, wire and metal workers expect to enter an agreement with their employers on May 1.

    This is only a partial list, though quite comprehensive, of the disputes which are to be settled in this city within a few weeks.

 

John Hay.

Amendment Will Defeat Treaty.

   Washington, March 28.—Secretary Hay has sent a warning to Cuba that the slightest amendment of the Cuban reciprocity treaty by the Cuban congress, even that which proposes to make its ratification conditional on the treaty going into effect during the current calendar year, certainly would defeat the convention itself, since any amendment must be submitted to the United States senate and before that can be done the date fixed for the final exchange of ratifications, March 31, will have been passed.