The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1878-06-15

L
"Stop," cried the judge, in a way that
was heard in all parts of the room.
As soon as silence was obtained, he turn
ed towards Dan who stilIed remained stand
ing.
"YOung man, do you know anything
about this case.
"Yes, sir" replied Dan, slowly y:-.'I
Know
Il don't want to know that yet" inter-
rupted the judge. aCome this way my
boy"
The shrewd magistrate knew the young
ster well enough to surmise that he would
neither care nor dare to be fooling at such
a time.
Dan, all stained and spotted, picked his
way out of the crowd and walked forward
to the bench. A curious spectacle he was,
with his uneouth form and dress, and his
mass Of white hair.
The judge leaned forward and said some
thing to him in a very low tone, and then
Dan whispered back to the judge. Soon
the people saw the judge smile and nod
his head
"Ah," said they one to another, "our
Dan has turned up something new. It's
just like him.
Their surmise WAS turned to certainty
when the judge announced. "This young
man will produce important evidence for
the defense"
Dan made his way out of the courtroom
and disappeared. In ten minutes he came
back again breathless. He had never been
known to run before.
In his hand he held paper as large as
the cover Of geography. This he hand
ed to the judge. lie looked at it curious
ly, then at The prisoner. In moment he
said
"Clerk, administer the oath to this boy
Dan was sworn.
cannot repeat his testimony here, but
be sure it was drolIy worded and disjoint-
ed enough. 1t made everybody laugh,
even while it interested them profoundly
The substance of it was that on the day
when the forged check was passed he was
taking photographs between the hours of
II NJ. and P. NJ Among other pic
lures he made one of man standing in a
window of building on the opposite side
of the street. The man that he photo
graphed was the prisoner at the bar
Immediately there was general buzz in
the court room. The prisoners pale face
flushed, and he gazed upon Dan with a
look of joyful gratitude.
But there was still very important
question to be settled.
"At what time, exactly, was the photo
graph taken p
Dan took the picture aud looked at it
closely.
"There's the clock on St. Luke's church
up in the corner, said he, pointing to the
place, and handing the picture to the judge.
"By the dial here" said the Judge, sit
was just one o'clock at the instant when
the picture was taken"
The jury and the counsel now examined
the photograph minutely. 1t could not be
disputed; there was the identical man, and
therefore he was not in the bank at the
moment when the forged check was passed
The teller was once more placed upon
the stand. He was confused by the evil
dence he had heard, and was by no means
as positive as he was before At last he
reluctantly admitted that he might be la
boring under mistake And upon that
he retired into the crowd with an appear
ance of great chagrin.
Dams triumph was complete. He was
hero. People forgot his strange dress
and his wild-looking head, and actually
"lionized" him. The prisoner was dis
charged. He instantly went to Dan, and
seizing both of his hands, exclaimed:
"You have saved me. You shall have
anything you want | cannot do enough
to show you my gratitude"
From that moment Dams star began to
rise. He had money to continue his ex-
periments, and he eventually discovered
process by which he succeeded in obtain
ing the richest and most durable photo
graphs that are now taken in Wexford
He still keeps the old camera that made
his fortune