Illinois vs. August Spies et al. trial transcript no. 1 Direct examination by Mr. Grinnell. Cross-examination by Captain Black. Testified on behalf of the Prosecution, People of the State of Illinois. Attended to wounded officers at the Desplaines Street Station. Testified on various topics (page numbers provide a partial guide): medical care and wounds (vol.K 640).
Testimony of Edward W. Lee, 1886 July 29.
Volume K, 640-643, 4 p.
Lee, Edward W.
Physician.
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[Image, Volume K, Page 640]
EDWARD W. LEE,
a witness called and sworn on behalf of the people, was examined in chief by Mr. Grinell, and testified as follows:
Q What is your name?
A Edward W Lee.
Q You are a suegeon and physician?
A Yes sir.
Q What institutions are you connected with, if any, in town
A I am on the surgical staff of the county hospital.
Q How long have you been parcticing medicine and surgery in the city of Chicago?
A Twenty one years in Chicago.
Q Did you attend the officers at Desplaines street station on the night of May 4th last?
A Yes sir, I was called to the station that night.
Q How many of them do you remember examining or looking at that night, or afterwards at the hospital?
A I dressed about seventeen or eighteen at the station. I suppose to the best of my recollection about seven or eight more at the hospital, besides going over those again that had already been dressed at the station.
Q Were some or all of these wounded with bombs?
A The majority of those I attended were wounded with pieces of bomb of the shell, fragments of the shell.
Q How many of them were wounded with bullets?
A I can't recoleect.
MR. SALOMON: I object to this line of examination.
Objection overruled and exception.
THE COURT: How many of them is admissible, because it is not at all probalbe that the doctor had any personal acquaintance with the different men that he saw there wounded. If he learned who they were, it must have been afterwards.
MR. GRINELL: Go on doctor.
THE WITNESS: I recollect three or four wounded with pistol wounds, but the greater majority were wounded with fragments of shell.
Q We have been over with Dr. Murphy with the details. Will you describe to me Shannon's wounds, for instance?
A Shannon received the largest number of wounds. Commencing at the feet, both feet, he was wounded right along up to the hips. He had eighteen wounds on him altogehter. Some of these wounds were of quite a severe character. The right
foot, the bones of the foot were smashed by gragments of this shell. Then there were flesh wounds until you get up to the knee. On the outside there was a fibula or spindle bone, as it is known, the head of that bone was broken. Another shell went into the same opening and got into the main bone of the leg from behind, imbedding itself right in the bone. There were several wounds in the side and up to the hip. Officer Mc Ennery had some that about the same number of wounds-- not quite so much. He had twelve or thirtenn wounds on him. In his case above the poplateal space, that is where the main artery passes the knee jount both spaces were open.
Q In both knees?
A Yes sir, both spaces were open, and the artery was exposed in each limb, but not wounded
Q That is the artery?
A The artery was not wounded.
Q Are eihter of these men crippled, Shannon or Mc Ennery?
A They are both crippled now.
Q What will be the ultimate result?
A It is possible they may recover completely.
Q What other of the individual officers whose names you know did you examine and treat?
A I attended officer Conley, and officer Barrett and Jemison
Q What were the officer Barrett's wounds?
A I have my book, if I will be permitted to read.
Q Of courese you can refer to it.
A Do you wish me to name the names of those I have taken
charge of, or those that I dressed originally?
Q Give the names?
A Shannon I have taken care of and McEnnery and Jemison and Conley John Doyle, John H. King, Henry F. Smith, J. Simpson. Thomas Boophy, Brady and Ed Barrett., besides some in the hospital that I have not got down.
CROSS EXAMINATION By
Mr. BlACK:
Q In Shannon's case do you remember how many pieces of bomb were removed?
A well, I could not say definitely. I didn't count them.
Q There were some of his wounds that had no pieces of bomb in them?
A Some of them.