Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-01-25
A LONG SHOT.
New orisa M Times Democrat |

New Orleans Times -Dsmocrstl
Professor Wild was delivering a course Of
lectures on science. to large audisnceS. He
was . great favorits with the public. and
his Lectures were invariably entertaining
and in tructivs. On the night of the cath
OF April his subject wss "ProjectileS" He
began far back in ancient times and de-
SERTED, with wonderful distinctness. the
curious old machine which the Romans used
nnSegeS for throwing great stones against
the Nalls and Notifications Of beleaguered
.nitiaS -Thsacs, down through the middle
agss, he traced the many changes and i'm
provemsnts IN the science Of projectiles, un-
til the invention Of gunpowler. Here he laid
himself out and gave, with minute acour-
acy, the history of artillery and small arms
mp to the period, some forty years past,
when first began the series of improvements
in long range gum, which eliminated in the
wonderful rifles and rified cannons Of the
present day. ... .rs-..ra If
He Illustrated the subject with diagrams
ON a very large blackboard, showing the
piece, cannon or rifle, elevated for long
shot, ami the ira jectory or path Of the elon-
gatei, conical bal For q great distance
from the gun, the track OF the projectile was
apspsr l.ntsy straight and ascending TO a great
height. then it began to curve downward,
and the curve, slight at first. grew rapidly
more and more decided. until at last it was
more downward than forward. Pictures Of
the proiectile were drawn at several points
along its path, and the professor called par
ticulzr attention to the fact tha: the axis of
the ball. that is, the imaginary line passing
lsngthwise and centrally through it, pre-
ssrvsi its parallelism to the barrel OF the
gun thrpu hout its entire course. In other
words, if the gun was pointed upward at an
elevation Of thirty degrees, the projectile
would all tbs way point upward at the same
angle, and finally strike its distant target,
not .rectly point foremost, but somewhat
sidswise, point upward and base downward,
and make . whole through it OF an elongated
shaps, more or less, according TO the eleva
tion Of the muxxls of the gun above III
hreech.
He was % clear in his explanation Of prin-
ciples that the dullest listener could not fail
% understand him. Thers was one in the
crowd, An ignorant man in book lore, but
one Of q remarkably clever perception, who
was much interested in the lecture and
thoroughly comprshenied what hs heard.
This vas Policeman Powers It was ordered
that an officer attend every lecture and
Powers had besn detailed for that night
More than . week had elapsed, and two
ether lectures had been delivered. On the
Sd day OF May the professor had gone, soon
after brAkfast, to the lecture hall, to draw
the diagrams necessary for elucidation of
the sul iect to b trsated on the ensuing
uisht He had finished his drawings and
was leaving wnen hs met . policeman at the
door.
Il beg pardon, professor, for stopping you.
but have come to consult you, and, if you'll
be SO good, to ask your aid in a matter Of
business Ny name is Powers, and belong
70 the city rorce."
@To ask my aid, Mr.. Powersf said the pro-
fessor. ~why how Is it possible for . man in
my business to aid one in your,r
sIn explain, sir, il you please" answered
fower1 You see, sir, there's been a shock
ins murder, or at least killing, for it may
have been an accident. and We are at fault
about it It's very strange, as you'll admit
when tell you"
well, proceod, Mr. Powers, and tell me-"
replied the professor.
@Y,s, sir; I'll be short about it." and he
rapidly gave the following particulars:
Henry Vandyke, . very wealthy man, -
yean Of age AMI unmarried, owned vacant
lots on the remote boriers Of the city. On
some Of them he had erected well-arrangei
residences suitable for business men Of mod
crate incom :, anl in one OF thess he had
Evei for nearly twelve months He slept in
. room on the secon q 'or, and his bed stood
near a wind Dw looking out across wide
waste Of unimproved land There was no
bull ling within three-quarters of mile in
that direction, except an unfinished building
about 800 yards distant, upon which work
men were then engaged. Mr.. Vaniyks had
come home in Q cab at . late hour and gone
to bed as usual the night before. On
that morning hs was found dead
in his bed, shot through the heart.
Ths ball had passsi through the window
glass through the curtain, through the bed
cover. through his boly, through the bed
rail, glanced from the door, and stuck in the
opposite wall Il was . very large, elongated
ball, and must have bs.n fred from gnn
With heavy charge of powder, in order to
70 with 20 much force. The gun, too, must
have made tremendous report. and yet it
was certain that no rsport Of any gun had
been heard on that night In any part Of the
city, nor in fact in any other part. Is was
known from particular inquiries at head
quarters The hole through the window
glass was much higher than the bed, show
ing that the ball was descending, as if it had
been fred from the clouis The thing was
entirely incomprehensible to the cor
oner .nd the c"roner's jury. A
man had been killed at late hour
of the night when all was hushed in
silence, by gun whose report should have
been heard all over the city, and no gun had
been heard 1t vas hideous mystery. But
Powers. had an idea Having helrd thst
le ture he thought he understood how the
ball, il fired from q long distance and at an
angle OF great elevat on, would reach its
VIC i'm in q discerning curve. Cal.ei In
among the first, and being an officer, be or
dsred that the led should not 10 moved nor
the body on the bed, and having summoned
the coroner with jury, requesting that they
should leave every thing As they found it.
He then went in search OF Prof. Wild. Hes
the only man living, thought Powers, -who
can tell me whore this ball came from his
quest re sultsd in the interview at the hall
Professor villa was deeply interested,
ami assented readily TO the officers reQue,t