The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-06-29
TIE IDENTIFICATION.

On the following day Williams, who was
still retained in Mr.. Trevelyan's family,
was sent for, and al once identified the man.
During the following days the Directors
also visited the prison to look at the deSpe-
RADIO who had attempted to rob their safe,
aud to whom were attached so much lnfamy
and mystery. All but Mr.. Courtney, whose
absence caused some alarm. On the night
of the attempted robbery lie had not re-
turned home, nor had he sent any message,
or been seen or heard of after about clock
in the evening of that date, at which early
hour he had left his club. BY the third day
after his disappearance suspicion of foul
play began to be entertained by his friends,
and several of them called on the SupeTin-
tendent of Police to obtain his assist
man. This was promised at once,
and then the conversation turned upon the
late event. The identified murderer was
sinking fast, the Superintendent said. He
had been quite conscious ever since he had
been brought in, but he had refused to ut
ter single word. He was evidently ob5erv-
ant of all that passed around him, as his
wicked-loOktug eyes, or rather eye-f0r the
left one seemed permanently fixed in posi-
tion-followed every movement OF the at
PENDANTS. The expression of his face indi-
Gated no fear or sign OF pain, only demon
iacal ferOcity. On the visitors expressing a
wish to see him, the Ubliging Chief con-
Quoted them TO the ward where the dying
man lay. And just in time; he was at the
last gasp. Nothing could he more horrible
in the way of human physiognomy than the
couutenance of that wretch as he drew his
last few breaths. But when the last sigh
was over, and death asserted his awful SUI
premacy, startling change took place.
The under jaw drew back and assumed
normal position; the nose extended itself;
and the cheeks became expanded, as if re-
leased from severe tension, while the left
eye moved round in its socket and came
into place. And while these changes slowly
worked themselves out the c0untenance of
Mr.. Courtney gradually revealed itself to
the horrified spectators. There could be no
doubt of the fact. The dead man was Mr..
Courtney. The mystery was solved. Mr..
Courtney and the murderer were one and
the same person.
CURIOUS AUTHORIZATIONS.
1t was discovered at the autopsy that this
monster Courtney had what may be called
double joinied jaws. Between, and at the
junctures of the maxilary bones, were ad-
ditional small ones-sOmethng like the cof-
in-boues of horses fOOt-supplied with
powerful extra muscles and sinews. This
malformation gave enormous play to the
lower jaw and admitted of its being pro-
jected at Will, without Inconvenience, far
in advance of its natural position. The eff
feet, however, of this vOluntary action was
to cause strain OF the muscles of the
cheeks, which were thereby drawn tight
dragging out the nostrils; these, in turn,
pulled upon the cartilage Of the nose, which
was OF an exceptionally spongy, plant
quality. The muscles and structure of the
left eye, moreover, were so abnormal as to
allow Of the organ being turned aud kept
at rest in a position in which its
axis was at right angles to the axis of the
eye when in its natural position. The right
eye could move Independently. This power
of facial transformation possessed by
Courtney supplied him with an impenetr-
able disguise, which he could assume at
will and instantly. We have seen that he
used it for the successful accomplishment
of two dreadful crimes. Whether lie per-
petrated others under its safeguard God
only knows, man never will. He may have
hoped that it never would be discovered
that he was the perpetrator of the crimes
that mad appalled, the public, aud he OBJ
stinately maintained his false expression to
the last in the expectation that the features
would remain rigid in death. But death
itself exposed him. The muscles, released
from Courtney's stern will-power by a
sterner force, relaxed and reassumed their
customary positions. J.J.P.