Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1879-07-31

The .MefAodist, discussing the unecr-
tain character of circumstaniial evi-
dence. says: elm the Hull case, the
detectives had forged chain in this
way I. Matches burned in fhe room Of
the murdered woman were like those
used in DR.. Hull's room. 2. The doc
-tor was out of bed 1t an hour near that
Of the murder. 3. The knots ID the
fastenings BY which the victim was
bound had some resemblance or analo-
gies 20 3 practice The doctor had Of knot
ting his bed-clothes. There were other
circumstances, but they were At ike
Theses Zach was capable Id mo-
cent explanation: but the detectives are
said 70 have believed that though neith-
er was link, yet they altogether made
4 chain. The cumulative idea has no
business in such case, and the employ
ment Of IL is one Of the absurdilies oi
detective logic.
Even when the link seemsperfect, and
more, when there are several Of them.
great danger arises from setting aside
the rule that any possible explanation
OF the circumstances must be accept
ed. A British officer, dining in q com
Panyof strangers, had = narrow escape
in the following way: gentleman took
Ou. q coin and declaredthat no one pres
ent had seen one like IT. The coin
passed around the table, and came last
TO the British oticer. All the rest de-
clared that they had never seen such q
coin. When it reached this officer he
was busy with conversation, and TAX
ing the coin in his hand and looking al
II carelessly, remarked: Il have seen
one like il. and, laying it down, re-
sumed his conversation. At the end OF
the dinner the coin could not be found.
To discover the thief all were searched
until they came last 10 this officer
He refused to be searched and said
he would die first. Just as they
were about TO proceed 20 extremi-
ties with him a servant rushed tor
ward with the lost coin, which he
had just found in a napkin. All apollo
gized 10 the officer for the suspicion,
very strong a moment before, that he
had secreted the coin. He replied -
Gentlemen, permit me 10 explain why
refused TO be searched and ne drew
from his pocket an exact fae-sinile Of
the Eare coin. with tins in his pocket,
a stranger, % | am, would hare been
judged guilty by you all; therefore re-
solved to defend my honor with my
lile.'
"Here we're several circumstances.
4. The coin was last seen in the officers
hands. 2. All agreed that they had nev-
er seen such q coin; il was therefore,
very. rare. 3. He had refused. 10 be
searched. But all the facts were ex-
planned by his having like coin in has
possession. II, however, probability or
cumuIation had been admitted in the
case (the lost coin not having been
found, the officer would have been
judged guilty. The case shows how
unsafe il Is TO allow either probability
or cumulation to exclude the possible
innocent explanation. Ifevery circum-
stance may be innocently explained,
there is no rational force an any one Of
them or in the whole Of them.
ave cheerfully admit that circum-
stances may expose persons to just Sus-
piclon, and that the suspected persons
must furnish the explanations and show
them innocent. It is often impossible
for innocent persons to do this; and tie
safety Of society justilies the detention
and Imprisonment Of persons who may
be innocent. But hanging people who
may be innocent is so horrible 3 thing
that any other possible explanation Of
the accusing eircumstances should be
preferred before the theory OF guilt"