Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1882-10-06
CuriOsItics of Evidence.
From Leisure Hour.l

from Leisure Hour.l
When the celebrated Sergeant Hill
conducted a defence at the bar of the
House of Lords, he propounded ques.
ton to witness which the counsel on the
other side objected to. After much had
been said on either side, the law lords
themselves disagreed, and the bar and all
strangers were ordered to withdraw. AT
ter an absence of two hours they were re-
admitted, and the Lord Chancellor in
formed Mr.. Hill that the House decided
the question might be put. "Please you,
my lords" said the sergeant, at is SO
long since asked the question that for
get what it was, but with your lordships'
permission I will put another !"
A witness was lately called on a trial at
the Old Bailey to prove an aiibi. He sol
emnly swore that the prisoner on the
night, and Mt the hour in question Q1.25
y. m.) was at home and in bed at dis
tant part of the parish. Nothing could
shake his testimony, for he said he had
looked at the clock Just as the prisoner
went up stairs, and had set the clock
right with the church clock himself the
same day, and it was certainly 11.25 p.
m, etc. 'Pray what do you make the
tine now ~ biondlv oale1 tho cnunael
who cyoss.exom,ned no;nt;ng tn a great
white d;ol over tbe dock M answer wos
oivan UDon,t he confused -take vour
Fine IosL Vol, ooo;n.-vbot il tbe Tim a
by thot clocl nowS3 The question wos
renoote1 so,.orol t;mea and the w;tneaa
waa oyontrolly bound to copfnsa that no
conld not toll Tho time ot oil Sipo,lariv
enonah Tho clonk in the cnur. was stoni.
inc at II, o. when he made tbis ayowal
We romemhor n country witness boipg
called ot tbe ossizes to nrove tbat at n
particular bonr on n certain night the
moon was shining and Mt the full. There
honnenc1 to he no almanac in conrt Int
the evidence seemed To he satisfactory.
for he had obtained his information from
ga reculor GOOD T,ondon stationer's nj.
manoc Tho Question wos asked in
cross.eyom;notio,, "Uow did Won oh.
tain this T,ondon stotion,r's almanac >
Did Won bnv il ." ..Rnv II, No nv
father nosteI il behind nv kitchen door
nino years ouo- tho dov vas morr;aJ 90
II necd Lorjlv be sail thnt information
os tn tbe moon's noe durino jav in the
currant veor ,yoa nf Ettle volun from an
almanac nine vnors old
We may romorl, thnt all evidence of n
"c;rcumatontinl" cLoracter ia rece;yed
with great contion and no Doubt RIGHTLY
90 ON n trioI Take No nn ILLUSTRATION nf
th,s tba evidence ntiarnJ AGAINST a nris.
oner of footmorks Nothino il more
commonlv found tLon the imnress;on of
boots an1 shoes nnor to n murdered
bodv mr. ia premises which have been
broten into A nol;camon ia collad ns n
witness on fine iriol wbo denoses that he
took the boots off thr prisoner mon his
arrest tbn, he comnared them Will the
footm,rks ncnr the nloce of the allegeI
crime and thot tbnv corresnonded in
every nor.;culor "you comnared them
r snnnose nsuollv asks the ;udCe CIV
,,oo;ner tIo ,,nots i, ,I,, ;nnraso;nns onJ
tnnnJ ihot tbnv corresnonIed ." ives
nv lorj !" Thc answer IS fatal to thai
bronob nf fine evidence for the nlscino
ibe boot in thc imI.rcssion fonnI verV
nossiblv causeJ thr similarity relied
npon tbc nrudcut officer niaces the
nr;soner's hpot hasiJn tbe footnr;nt
prcssos il ;ntn tbo eurth and tben remov.
mo II romnorcs tbe imnression made
with the one discovered
UrI 49, - ,:.., :
NereiiieulDcr an amusing niue circuni-
stance occurring during DrOtracted trial
Coz foI,n,, -, ,,n ,r ~ ,,,,llonJ ,,,,nt;ao
few years ago. n boy, entering the
court nnl making his Way to the iilry. boy
L.,I,,I - H., ,'f,;,. :.t,,ia 80
I ~. Al