The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1857-03-25
Moral Use of the Microscopo.

I is thought that the microscope may
be used 80 detect secret murders, by ex-
aiming the last impression upon the re.
TINA OF the murdered man. This opinion
may prove erroneous, but the microscope
has often acted the part Of an accnser,
in bringing to light proofs of criminal
acts, which might otherwise have escaped
detection The following incident is in
point
The value Of this peculiar discrimin.
atiDg pNwer of the microscope was re.
markably illustrated in a very curious
case tried few years ago at Norwich
a female child, about ninc years old,
was found one morning lying upon the
ground, in a small plantation quite dead
the cou Q Of tho death being It onco de-
noted BY large and deep cash 10 tic
throat. severiug both of the carotid ar.
tories. the trachea, and the esorhagus
Suspicion Immediately fell upon the mo.
thcr of tho murdered girl. who had been
seen by more than one person leading
her daughter toward the plantation on
the morning of the day upon which the
crime was presumed to have beon com.
mitied
Upon bcirs taken into custody, the
woman b havcd with the utmost cool.
ness-at once admitting having taken
the child to the plantation where the
body was found but averrcd. tina, hay
ing arrived there, the girl ran about
gathering wild flowers; that she subse-
queutly lost sight # her, aud, after
Ing search, returned homo without her
Upon teirg searched. there was found
III The woman's possession a largo aud
sharp knife. which was at once subjected
to a minute and careful examination -
Nothing. however, was found upon it,
with the exception Of few pieces of
hair adheriug to the handle, SO exceed.
ingly small as scarcely TO be visible -
The examination being conducted in the
presence of the prisoner, aud the officer
rcmarking
Here is a bit of fur or hair on the
handlo of your knife
The womop immediately replied:
g Hes; | dare say there il, aud very
likely some stains Of blood, for as |
came home, l found rabbit caught in
q snare, aud cut its throat with knife"
The knife was sent to London, and
with the particles of hair, objected to
microscopic examination. No traces of
blood could at first o detected upon the
veal on, which appeared to have been
washed but upon separating the horn
handle FROM its ifon lining it was found
that between the two iIid had pene-
trated which turned out to be blood,
cert0lnlY. not the blood Of rabbit, but
bearing every resemblance to that Of
the human body. Then came the OK.
animation of the hair, which added pow
erfuiy 10 the presumption of the prison
cr's guilt. Without knowing anything
Of the facts of the case. the microscopic
immedia ely declared the hair to be that
of a Squirrei-in this he could not be
mistaken. for the fur Of ole animal dif.
fers 50 entirely from tha; Of another, not
only in its siz', color, etc, but in its ac,
tual construction that il is altogether
impossible to mistake it when under the
microscope. Now, round the neck of
the child, at the time Of the murder,
there was tiPpet or "victorine," over
which The knife. BY whomever held,
must have elided and this vic,orine was
made Of squirrels far The strong cir
cumsiantial evidence Of tho guilt of the
prisoner, was deemed by the jury sufi.
cn for conviction aL1 while awaiting
execution the wretched woman fully con.
fessed her crime.