Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-07-21
The Uncertainty OF Cfrcumstantial
Evidence.

The Methodist, discussing the uncertain
character Of circumstantiai evidence, says: 'In
the Huh case, the detectives had forged chain
in this way: l. Matches burned In tue room OF
1.-The murdered woman were like those used In
DR.. HUBS room. 2. The ctor was out OF bel
at an hour near that of the murder. g. The
knots In the fastenings by which the victim
was bound had some resemblance or analOgfes
to a practice the doctor bad Of knotting his
ped Clothes. There were other circumstances
but they were all like these. Each was capable
OF an innocent explanation; but the detectives
are said TO have believed that though neither
was link, yet they altogether made chain.
The cumulative idea has no business in such q
case, and the employment Of 1t is one Of the alb
surdit1es OF detective logic.
Even when the link seems perfect, and
more, when there are several OF them. great
danger arises from setting aside the rule that
any possible explanation Of the circumstances
must De accepted. British officer, dining in
accompany Of strangers, had narrow escape in
the folloW1ng way: gentleman took out coin
ana declared that no one present had seen one
Ike IL: The coin passed around the table, and
came last to the British officer All the rest de-
claEed that they had never seen such a coin
When 1t reached this officer he was busy with a
conversation, and taking the coin In his hand
and looking at IT. careleSsly, remarked Il have
seen one like it, and, laying 1t down, resumed
MS conversation. AT the end OF the dinner the
coin could not be found. To discover the thief
all were searched until they came last to this
officer. He refused to be searched and said he
would Ole first. just as they were about to
proceed to eXtremities with him. a servant
rushed forward with the lost coin, which he
had just found In a napkin. All apologized to
the off Ger for the suspicion. very strong mo-
ment before, that he had Secreted the coin. He
replied: Gentlemen, permit me to explain why
refused to be searched, and he drew from his
pocket an exact facsimile OF the rare coin.
with this In his pocket, a stranger, as am.
would have been judged guilty by you all;
therefore resolved to defend my honor with
my life.'
"Here were several circumstances. I. The
coin was last seen in the officers hands, 2. All
agreed that they had never seen such coin it
was, therefore, very rare. 3. He had refused to
DE searched. But all the facts were explained
by his having like coin in his possession. If,
however, probability or cumulation had been
admitted in the case (the lost coin not having
Deen found), the officer would have been Judged
guilty. The case shows how unsafe 1t Is to al
low either probability or cumuation to exclude
the possible innocent explanation. II every
circumstance may be fnnocently explained
there is no rational force in any one Of them or
In the whole Of them.
ave cheerfully admit that circumstances
may expose persons to just suspicion, and that
me suspected persons must furnish the eXpla-
nations and show them innocent. 1t is often
impossible for innocent persons to do this: and
the safety OF society justlf1es the detention and
imprisonment Of persons who may be innocent
But hanging people who may be innocent is 20
horrible thing that any other possible expla-
nation OF the accusing circumstances should be
preferred before the theory of guilt