St. Landry democrat., 1881-07-02
A Novel Application of PhOtOg-
raphy.
TCity Iten,l


The Alton Academy of Saltwater,
a highly moral institution for the edu-
cation Of young ladies. Notwithstand-
Ing the admirable character OF the dis
clpllne, however, the prosperity OF the
Institution began to wane two or three
years ago; so the Supplemented Min
nesotians sent to Massachusetts for u
Yankee principal Of rare Boston attain
ments and unquestionable "culchaw."
The Yankee principal was shreWd as
well as talented, and under his tutelage
the college waxed into greatness. Un-
fortunately he was also wicked, and
during the vacation when Satan always
finds something for wicked people to
do, he undertook to teach the girls the
very reverse of those ethical principles
which he inculcated during other. sea-
sons of tho year. In short, he seduced
about half a dozen OF them. In each
marry the girl.
Probably the Yankee would never
have been found out, but for a remark
ably audacious plan adopted by one OF
his victims. The girl had a peculiarly
scientific mind, aud she did not put
unaduterated faith in the promise of
Mr.. Stanton. She took photographic
| camera from the Scientific room, had a
plate duly prepared with collodion, etc,
and so arranged the apparatus that the
mechanical witness furnished the most
unimpeachable and positive and de-
| tailed testimony as to the relations be-
tween herself and the principal. In
short, the camera caught them both en-
.fagrunte delictu; and the girl secured the
plate afterward, which was tin ferro-
,fD,, To
know what she had done; but pretend
ed afterward that she had destroyed the
silent witness Of their mutual guilt.
Stanton found it easy enough to break
off his promises to his other victims !;
but this girl was as determined as she
was shrewd. When she found that
Stanton was secretly determined not to
marry her, she exposed his corruption,
secured his arrest, and appeared against
him for trial, when to Staunton s sur
prise, astonishment and terror, she pro-
duced the photograph which instantly
secured his conviction. 1t is very un-
fortunate that the law only permitted
him to be sentenced to q term OF two
years in the State Penitentiary.
| Could science contrive some such ap-
plication of photography-some contln--
ual process by which all the actions OF
men placed alone III pOSltloHS VI SiChl
trust could be reproduced IF the
great glittering camera lens were, like
the mystic Eye of Masonry, continually
fixed upon men in charge of great res,
ponsibilities,-how much more moral
and holy people would be! The camera
could be so fixed that no person dare
break it at regular intervals the pre-
pared negative would slide down in
darkness, ard prepared plate instant
ly take its place. At the end of the day
every movement and attitude Of the
man would have been reproduced. In
postoffices and cashiers offices and evel
so many other places, it seems to us
that such an apparatus would be lnvai'
liable. Another and better plan, per
haps, would be to have long roll o5
sensitized material passing slowly and
continually before the lens Of the cam
era, so that the whole record of a day
might be enrolled in the evening like :
Pompeiian papyrus,-giving visual de
tails as to everything done-how muoi
money taken inflow many person
called and who,-how large business
,, was transacted, etc.