State Trials Part 19

BERRY--Yes, her arm by one stake and her head by another.

JONES--Did her arm hang down or how?

BERRY--I did not mind so much as I might have done.

_John Venables_ and _Leonard Dell_ corroborated Berry's account of the position of the body, the latter a.s.serting that the right arm did not reach to the ground. _Dell_ also helped to carry the body to land, but saw no bruises.

HATSELL, BARON--When you took her out of the water, did you observe her body swelled?

DELL--We carried her into the meadow, and laid her on the bank-side, and there she lay about an hour, and then was ordered to be carried into the miller's.

HATSELL, BARON--Did you observe that any water was in the body?

DELL--None at all that I could see; but there was some small matter of froth came from her mouth and nostrils.

JURYMAN--My lord, I desire to know whether her stays were laced.

DELL--Yes, she was laced.

COWPER--How was she taken out of the water?

DELL--My lord, we stood upon the bridge, I and another man, where she lay, and he laid hold of her and took her out.

JONES--And did you not perceive she was hung?

DELL--No, my lord.

_John Ulfe_ saw Mrs. Stout when she was taken out of the water; she lay there on one side; there was nothing at all to hold her up; she lay between a couple of stakes, but the stakes could not hold her up.

_Katherine Dew, Edward Blackno, William Edmunds, William Page, William How, and John Meager_ all gave the same account of the position and state of the body, Dew and Ulfe adding that her shoes and stockings were not muddy.

JONES--Now, my lord, we will give an account how she was when she was stript, and they came to view the body. Call John Dimsdale, junior. (Who was sworn.)

DIMSDALE--My lord, I was sent for at night on Tuesday the last a.s.sizes.

COWPER--My lord, if your lordship pleases, I have some physicians of note and eminency that are come down from London; I desire that they may be called into Court to hear what the surgeons say.

HATSELL, BARON--Ay, by all means.

COWPER--My lord, there is Dr. Sloane, Dr. Garth, Dr. Morley, Dr. Gilstrop, Dr. Harriot, Dr. Wollaston, Dr. Crell, Mr.

William Cowper, Mr. Bartlett, and Mr. Camlin. [Who respectively appeared in Court.]

JONES--Give an account how you found Mrs. Stout.

HATSELL, BARON--You are a physician, I suppose, Sir?

DIMSDALE[45]--A surgeon, my lord. When I was sent for to Mrs.

Stout's, I was sent for two or three times before I would go; for I was unwilling after I heard Mrs. Stout was drowned; for I thought with myself, what need could there be of me when the person was dead? but she still sent; and then I went with Mr.

Camlin, and found a little swelling on the side of her neck, and she was black on both sides, and more particularly on the left side, and between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s up towards the collar-bone; and that was all I saw at that time, only a little mark upon one of her arms, and I think upon her left arm.

JONES--How were her ears?

DIMSDALE--There was a settling of blood on both sides the neck, that was all I saw at that time.

JONES--How do you think she came by it?

DIMSDALE--Truly I only gave an account just as I say now to the gentlemen at that time, I saw no more of it at that time, but about six weeks after the body was opened by Dr. Phillips----

COWPER--My lord, he is going to another piece of evidence and I would ask him----

JONES--Let us have done first; how was her ears?

DIMSDALE--There was a blackness on both ears, a settling of blood.

JONES--Call Sarah Kimpson.

HATSELL, BARON--Mr. Cowper, now you may ask him anything, they have done with him.

COWPER--I would ask him, whether he was not employed to view these particular spots he mentions at the Coroner's inquest?

DIMSDALE--I was desired to look upon the face and arms, and breast, because they said there was a settling of blood there.

COWPER--When you returned to the Coroner's inquest, what did you certify as your opinion?

DIMSDALE--I did certify that there was a settling of blood; but how it came I could not tell.

COWPER--I ask you, Sir, did not you say it was no more than a common stagnation usual in dead bodies?

DIMSDALE--I do not remember a word of it.

COWPER--Sir, I would ask you; you say the spot was about the collar-bone; was it above or below?

DIMSDALE--From the collar-bone downwards.

COWPER--Had she any circle about her neck?

DIMSDALE--No; not, upon my oath.

_Sarah Kimpson_ saw the body examined; she saw a great bruise behind the ear, as big as her hand, and another under her collar-bone.

JONES--Did you see nothing about her neck?

KIMPSON--Nothing round her neck; on the side of her neck there was a mark.

JONES--Was there any other part bruised?

KIMPSON--Only her left wrist, and her body was very flat and lank.

She saw the body the day it was found; it was not swollen; she did not see any water about it. She had seen a child which was drowned in the same place about ten weeks before; it was drowned at night and found the next morning; it was found at the bottom of the river, the eyes were shut, and the body was very much swelled.