"When the commission was appointed, they went and examined his cattle,
and were satisfied that they were diseased,--at least, some of them.
They examined his father's herd, and found that they were very much
diseased; and when we came to kill Curtis Stoddard's cattle, seven of
the nine head were diseased. Two were not condemned, because the law
says, 'Cattle not appearing to be diseased, shall be appraised.'
Nevertheless, it proved that these animals were diseased; so that his
whole herd was affected.

"In regard to Leonard Stoddard's cattle, he lost fourteen of his animals
before the commissioners went to his place. They took eighteen more, all
of which were diseased,--most of them very bad cases,--indeed, extreme
cases. That left eight heads, which were not condemned, because not
appearing to be diseased. Here I remark, that when this disease is under
the shoulder-blade, it cannot be detected by percussion. The physicians
did not say that the animal was not diseased, but that they did not see
sufficient evidence upon which to condemn. Such animals were to be paid
for, upon the ground of their not appearing to be diseased.
Nevertheless, it is proper to state that the remaining eight which were
not condemned, were suspected to be diseased, and we told Mr. Stoddard
that we had the impression that they were diseased, notwithstanding
appearances. He said, 'There is a three-year-old animal that has never
faltered at all. She has never manifested the slightest disease. If you
will kill her, and she is diseased, I shall make up my mind that I have
not a well animal in my stalls.' We killed the animal, and found her to
be badly diseased.

"Thus, the first two herds were all infected by the disease; and in the
last of Curtis Stoddard's oxen which we killed, we found a cyst in the
lungs of each. One of these lungs is now in this building, never having
been cut open, and medical men can see the cyst which it contains. I
have said in what manner Mr. Curtis Stoddard's cattle spread the
infection.

"In regard to Mr. Leonard Stoddard's: in the first place, he kept six or
eight oxen which he employed in teaming. He was drawing some lumber, and
stopped over night, with his oxen, at Mr. Needham's. Needham lost his
whole herd. He lost eight or ten of them, and the rest were in a
terrible condition. Seven or eight more were condemned, and his whole
herd was destroyed, in consequence of Mr. Stoddard's stopping with him
over night. M