The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-06-18
Tricks of Memory.

fie several cases tried IN the Circuit
Courts in this city have developed either
some curious tricks of memory on the
part Of witnesses, or something worse.
In one case witness had made deposi-
ton giving a minute detail of a certain
important transaction, but on the witness
stand he could not remember anything
about it, although it occurred but few
months before. III another case in which
q deposition had also been taken the wit.
ness who made It, when put on the stand,
gave an entirely different account Of the
matter. Insneither instance did the Wit
ness have any personal interest in the
suit, and rigid cross examination and
outside scrutiny failed to detect anything
beyond a trick of the memory. a. gen
tlcman who knew one of these cases, in
commenting on it, said an experience Of
his own led him to be very cautious in
forming severe Judgment of a witness
so situated. A few days ago, he
said, he was in the Office of friend,
where he was sufficiently intimate. to
take freedoms, and seeing there book
which he, wanted to read, he wrapped it
up intending to take it away with him.
Just as he had finished, his friend came
in, and after they, had chatted a few
minutes, the visitor left and went to
restaurant to get his dinner. Whilst in
his Office after dinner he suddenly recol-
lected that he had left the book on the
table beside his plate, where he had laid
it when he. sat down to eat. His first
impulse was to go Immediately after it,
but as he was pressed for time, he con-
Guided he would wait until he went for
supper, rejecting that if the book had
not already been stolen it would be safe
in the hands of the restaurateur, who
knew him we'll, and at whose place he
was in the habit, of getting his meals. At
supper time he spoke about the book
and was not little surprised when he
was assured that he had taken it away
with him, the host having seen him
bring it in and lay it on the table and
also take it. out when he left the
restaurants He fransacked9 his memory
then to try; and trace it up, but utterly
failed. He remembered distinctly
wrapping up the book in his friends
Office, taking it with him to the restau
rant, laying it on the table beside his
plate, then all traces was lost to his
memory. The next morning he was
again in the Office Of his friend, and as
he was about to leave his friend said to
him, ''By the way, here is book saw
you leave on my desk as you went out
yesterday morning." at the same time
handing him the identical book in ques-
ton, still wrapped up as he had fixed it
to take away. The gentleman said he
had never in his life a more distinct recol-
lection about anything than he apphre,
to have about that book, and1Jet pc hing
could he more certain than that il. was
mistaken. What puzzled him, too, was
that the restaurants keeper was so sure as
to having seen him bring the book in
and take it away with him. In many
cases this might be explainable as mere
subterfuge, but in this instance the resta-
urant-keeper was man of tried honor,
the friend of his guest, and far beyond
any suspicion of the kind. He had
probably seen some one bring in pack
age on that occasion and take it away
with him, and, by trick of the memory,
had associated the two cases with each
ther.-Missouri Republican,.